Howard Stern suspended from Clear Channel stations

Forbes ^ | 2-25-04

[Indy Pendance]

NEW YORK (Reuters) - Shock jock Howard Stern's show was yanked Wednesday from Clear Channel Communications Inc. radio stations after an incident on his show Tuesday, the first casualty of its zero tolerance policy on indecency.

"It was vulgar, offensive and insulting, not just to women and African Americans but to anyone with a sense of common decency," Clear Channel Radio Chief Executive John Hogan said in a statement.

"We will not air Howard Stern on Clear Channel stations until we are assured that his show will conform to acceptable standards of responsible broadcasting," he said.

Clear Channel has about 1,200 stations in the United States though it was not immediately clear how many aired his show.

Stern's show is syndicated by a unit of Viacom Inc.

[Bronco_Buster_FweetHyagh]

Um I think it's pretty clear that the reaction of the companies has a direct connection to the FCC investigations and the increase in the penalties, etc.

[NYCVirago]

His wife dumped him, because he was too introverted. He did not want to get divorced, but agreed to it and did it without lawyers.

I had always heard that he dumped her, but I can see why she dumped him, if that is the case -- it sounded like he spent all his time down in the basement avoiding his family! Funny how he now goes out in public all the time with the bimbo girlfriend, when all he wanted to do when he was married was avoid everyone.

[P.O.E.]

Don't really listen to Stern much anymore. In small doses, maybe a few minutes a week. Used to listen almost the entire hour commute to work, but it started to get real repetitious. I think it lost its edge with his divorce, and when Jackie left it kinda lost its frat-house goodnaturedness, and turned nasty. Can't put my finger on it exactly, but it just got wearisome.

[goodnesswins]

Nope....I just think that after about 30 years of crap American's are coming to their senses.....WE ARE THE GOV'T! Freedom of speech is about POLITICAL SPEECH, not crap.

[Agnes Heep]

and you like a good communist will make sure that only shows that are good for the proletariat will be aired.

The last time I looked, no government agency had passed down a decree stating that Clear Channel was to cancel Howard Stern. They used their own discretion to make a decision about what they wanted to air, on their own media, based on their own understanding of public desires. That's free speech. What would you do? Force them to keep it on the air despite their wishes?

[Middle Aged White Male]

It isn't a question of the company choosing not to air his program, but instead the FCC breathing down there necks to force him off the air. I am sorry, but the regulation of WORDS is absolutely ridiculous. I am not going to get into the issues regarding the changing moral standards that are clearly going on, but instead ask the question of whether or not it is the government's job to fix the issue. We ask for less government is so many areas, but people want to issue laws one what words can be said on the radio. This is horrific. We fight against antipollution legislation and have faith that private industry will solve their own problems when it comes to commerical industry, but don't have enough faith in the broadcasting industry to do the same. It is time for the hypocrisy to end. Less government, period.

[LWalk18]

I have heard the n-word on Howard Stern several times before- why all of a sudden is Clear Channel worried about offending black people? Not to mention how they discuss women. This was clearly due to pressure by the FCC.

[Imal]

Shock jock knocked for mock, box locked, no longer cock of the talk block, may walk, hock rock.

[NYCVirago]

Don't really listen to Stern much anymore. In small doses, maybe a few minutes a week. Used to listen almost the entire hour commute to work, but it started to get real repetitious. I think it lost its edge with his divorce, and when Jackie left it kinda lost its frat-house goodnaturedness, and turned nasty. Can't put my finger on it exactly, but it just got wearisome.

Somebody on the "Jump the Shark" website summed up that feeling:

Before the divorce he was so much funnier. He would always talk smack about how these ugly movie stars and rock-stars were with these hot chicks (which was funny). Now he's one of the ugly guys with a hot chick and he's partying with stars i.e. John and Rebecca Stamos. He dedicated an entire break a few weeks ago (pretending he didn't want anyone to know) talking about the striptease he and his model girlfriend did with the Stamos's. What happened to Howard's blue-collar roots? No blue-collar worker wants to hear him talk about eating at NOBU or his antics at SPA. I guarantee 90% of his listeners are just everyday people. Just like he used to be.

That's pretty much why I stopped listening, too.

[dead]

Yeah, the guy's got serious relationship issues, no doubt about it. He's very honest about them, which is one of things that makes his show interesting to me.

But he did do the right thing by his family when his wife asked for a divorce.

The lawyers must have been furious, but he and his wife split his tens of millions of dollars fortune without rancor.

I think I heard him say that the entire legal bill for the divorce and arbitration came to about $14,000.

I think the guy his wife married has a net worth in the $200 million range. He got a model girlfriend, which is nice, but not that nice.

[babbabooeyToYall]

vp_cal, Robert_Paulson2,hchutch : Right on, my brothers. This is really a scary time and I am not sure what to think about this administration or the current crop of GOP legislators anymore.

What happened at the Super Bowl was disgusting and since the FCC still exists for some reason, the department was in the right to fine those responsible. However, as is usually the case, politicos want camera time whenever public outrage is conveniently tappable. So we get treated to the awful spectacle of a Republican Congresswoman in tears as she bemoans private enterprise and the profit motive (!!!) and of Congressmen raking CBS executives over the coals. All for momentary facetime and soundbites on their local news. Great stuff there.

People are saying that this isn't an example of state censorship, but after what was essentially a Congressional show trial of CBS, quickly followed by threats to increase FCC "indecency" fines from $27,500 to $275,000 per "infraction..." well, you decide if governmental power was behind CBS & Clearchannel's decisions.

And some so-called conservatives won't bat an eye because they find Howard Stern aesthetically displeasing. Some people on this thread are naming Hollywood names as hopeful targets of future Congressional threats. This is facist at its core and as vp_cal noted, you "conservatives" had better think about what precedents are being established.

I've been mocked on FR before for lamenting the loss of GOP ideals, but I'll lament another aspect of it again: remember when Newt was on the warpath, questioning the very necessity of the FCC?

Kudos to all the FReepers on this thread defending Stern and freedom of speech. And kudos to those of you who don't like Stern, but are concerned by this, as well.

To the FCC: I FIND YOU HIGHLY DISGUSTING!

[GeronL]

I agree. We should have X-rated porno on the cartoon Network and on prime time broadcast TV too, heck in school!!

Replace the desks with beds while we're at it,.

[Middle Aged White Male]

Nope....I just think that after about 30 years of crap American's are coming to their senses.....WE ARE THE GOV'T! Freedom of speech is about POLITICAL SPEECH, not crap.

There is plenty of political speech that is crap- there are trolls on here that prove that every day. Clear channel was looking down the barrel of the FCC's gun and flinched. Howard Stern maybe filth, but he was forced out by the government's threat of action. It is censorship.

[dead]

What did the "government" not like? I thought Clear Channel fired him.....or did Ashcroft call them up and tell them to fire him?…....I just think that after about 30 years of crap American's are coming to their senses.....WE ARE THE GOV'T!

So you don't think the government got Clear Channel to fire him, but you're glad that the government finally got Clear Channel to fire him.

Thanks for clearing that up.

[Agnes Heep]

I have heard the n-word on Howard Stern several times before- why all of a sudden is Clear Channel worried about offending black people? Not to mention how they discuss women. This was clearly due to pressure by the FCC.

Good for the FCC. They control the public airwaves, and until such time as they don't, people have to abide by the terms of the licenses they hold. No pissing in the public pool.

[goodnesswins]

"This is horrific. We fight against antipollution legislation and have faith that private industry will solve their own problems when it comes to commerical industry..."

Surely you jest. "horrific?" Saddam and his sons were "horrific" in what they did. Private industry solved this problem, and you call it "horrific." I don't believe the "feds were breathing down their necks" story. Common decency standards can prevail without the government HAVING to DO ANYTHING....sheesh.

[Dianna]

The government has taken control of tv. Is that ok? Or do you think Sex and the City needs to be on ABC?

Should Hustler be right next to Newsweek sitting beside cash registers?

I think the best compromise is to make a separate realm for sexual content, and XM radio is perfect. I say this as a huge Bob and Tom fan. I'd be happy to pay for it.

Government has regulated sexual content for years without infringing on political free speech. One does not necessarily lead to the other. The thing that would get Rush yanked isn't his political speech, but comments on culture. He's simply more likely to cross the line there before political speech gets outlawed.

I wouldn't panic at this point. We are merely seeing a rebalancing of the scales, IMO. There was underreaction for years, now there is over-reaction, hopefully we can settle into a middle ground soon.

[goodnesswins]

Well stated!

[Middle Aged White Male]

I agree. We should have X-rated porno on the cartoon Network and on prime time broadcast TV too, heck in school!! Replace the desks with beds while we're at it,

We aren't talking about getting desks with beds because not only is that so far of the point that it makes you look stupid, it is an entirely different beast. I will assume you mean the children's desks at school which would require public funding. There is a large difference between a government funded fornication space and allowing free speech.

As far as your more valid point regarding xrated porno on the cartoon network, let me ask you this: do you think that sort of programming would be allowed by the public? Freeper's would boycott and drive sponsors away like the plague. Commercial industry will take care of itself. Just so I understand your view, what is your view of government both in regards to speech issue and in industry Maybe you are interested in a big brother approach to government; at this point I am assuming that you believe in liberty, but I could be wrong.

[LWalk18]

Good for the FCC. They control the public airwaves, and until such time as they don't, people have to abide by the terms of the licenses they hold. No pissing in the public pool.

So what are the standards? Where is the line- should anything that I, as a black woman, feel offended by be put off the air? I have listened to Stern's show a few times, found him offensive and not very funny, so I TURNED IT OFF. I don't believe in running to mommy government every time I see something I am offended by.