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.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

The ironic thing is that the marketplace is in the process of getting rid of Stern by turning him off. Now when he quits/retires, Stern will blame it on the politicians and Clear Channell instead of the real reasons; poor ratings and a lack of creativity.

[hchutch]

I think they are needed, but only with clear bright-line standards.

If we let the standards get too vague, then we're setting Rush or Sean up to take a hit when Gavin Newsome thinks he has a favorable FCC.

[hchutch]

If anything, I think it ould bounce him back a bit. The American people are suckers for a David vs. Goliath, and Howard could make himself to be that David against the Goliath of the FCC.

[nopardons]

Name calling and snide comments used as " refutation"...WOW, I' so impressed;not.

Many parents are delinquent in attending to their children. But many adults don't need or want to listen to filth. And don't tell me that they can " shut it off/not listen to Howard Stern". That's no argument at all.

I don't know what was said this time, but Howard Stern has always had filthy shows. You want to listen to garbage, with impunity,that isn't your right. Neither is it his " right " to say whatever crosses his mind.

The fact of the matter is, as I said before and you ignored entirely,America hasALWAYS had BLUE LAWS and today's are the MOST lenient.I suggest that you do some research into this matter, before you go all sulky and pouty.:-)

[hchutch]

Thankfully, my local Stern station (WJFK) is not Clear Channel, but Infinity.

[hchutch]

No problem with that.

But I do wish more people would make government the LAST resort and not the FIRST resort.

[Iberian]

I agree, I have seen Howard and he is entertainment but gets old. Anyway the point is what is next?. Don and Mike a couple of shock jocks out of Washington (huge following in 100's of stations) just got put in their places as well.
I worry about rights, where do we draw the line, Where the feds do?
I do not think that any of you out there with young children would let them watch, we all have options.

[nopardons]

Since governments ( local, state AND federal )have always had responsibility for over seeing offensive progrttaming, plays, movies, and books, this isn't a " first resort ", knee-jerk reaction, go-to.

[dfwgator]

Howard was big-time pals with former Republican senator Alphonse D'Amato.

[cyborg]

Well there's always satellite radio or the Internet...if there is a market for Howard still he'll find it. Don Imus however needs to go to a mausoleum.

Night all... I need my rest to beat up on libs again tomorrow

[Dianna]

The thing is, though, are there going to be clear standards, or is it going to go into a situation where all it takes is for someone to be offended, and a radio show is in trouble.

Two separate issues are being combined because of the word "offensive". Historically, we have always put limits on sexual content and crudity (potty humor, dirty words). Historically, ideas and thoughts that are political and cultural have been defended and upheld as free.

The difference is Rush talking about his personal sexual experiences and discussing the Lewinsky matter. The first could be censored, while the other could not.

The left would like to censor us and will try to censor us whether or not Howard Stern is taken off the air for sexual content.

[BookmanTheJanitor]

If anything, I think it could bounce him back a bit

I agree, but it would only last a short time as people can only listen to someone whine about the same thing for so long.

[Dianna]

If we let the standards get too vague, then we're setting Rush or Sean up to take a hit when Gavin Newsome thinks he has a favorable FCC.

You think they wouldn't just change the standards anyway? Hell, the ignore laws they don't like! Political speech is definitely in danger, but that is because liberals exist. Not because people don't want to hear Stern talk about breasts.

[dfwgator]

Does Howard really think it would be better under John Kerry?

[nopardons]

Nighty night and you're right about Howard and Imus. :-)

[Dianna]

But I do wish more people would make government the LAST resort and not the FIRST resort.

We have. People who don't want to watch garbage have shut up and changed the channel. It has become more and more pervasive. It's much more difficult to avoid.

I'd be happy to lay these issues out for vote during the next Presidential election. Issue 1: Should sexual content be allowed at all hours? Issue 2: Should sexual content be disallowed between 6am and 9am and 3pm to 10pm?

It works for me. But someone has to enforce what the people have said. "The people" made these rules a long time ago. Now the FCC is enforcing them.

[BigSkyFreeper]

K Rock in NYC is Infinity. 6 stations that Clear Channel owns yanked the shows of their stations, not Infinity's.

[KantianBurke]

I agree. For regular joes it was easy to relate to Howard as the guy who couldn't get the beautiful girls as he had a wife and kids. Once the divorce came along and he turned into a model dating celebrity the appeal was gone. Why do I want to hear about how his latest date with a supermodel went?

[PRND21]

...(WJFK) is not Clear Channel, but Infinity.

Uh, which is the L.A. station?

[txradioguy]

My first memory of Howard Stern was when he was working at WJFK in DC ( it was there or DC 101) and it was right after the Air Florida crash and he called the Air Florida ticket desk at Washinton National and asked if the 14th Street Bridge was going to be a regular stop now.

I've been in radio since 1989 and have NEVER been impressed with Howard or The Grease Man et. al.

My last station we ran the syndicated version of Ric Dees Morning Show from L.A. We had very good numbers with our target audience.