LIMBAUGH WARNS OF DANGER TO FREE SPEECH

Drudge ^ | 2/26/04 | Drudge/Limbaugh

[Tumbleweed_Connection]

LIMBAUGH WARNS OF DANGER TO FREE SPEECH THU FEB 26 2004 12:28:21 ET

THE NATION'S TOP RADIO HOST RUSH LIMBAUGH WARNED OF GROWING GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION IN BROADCASTING CONTENT.

LIMBAUGH MADE THE COMMENTS AFTER HIS PARENT COMPANY CLEAR CHANNEL DROPPED VIACOM'S HOWARD STERN FROM ITS STATIONS.

'SMUT ON TV GETS PRAISED. SMUT ON TV WINS EMMYS. ON RADIO, THERE SEEMS TO BE DIFFERENT STANDARDS,' LIMBAUGH EXPLAINED.

'I'VE NEVER HEARD HOWARD STERN. BUT WHEN THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GETS INVOLVED IN THIS, I GET A LITTLE FRIGHTENED.

'IF WE ARE GOING TO SIT BY AND LET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GET INVOLVED IN THIS, IF THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO 'CENSOR' WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT AND WRONG... WHAT HAPPENS IF A WHOLE BUNCH OF JOHN KERRYS, OR TERRY MCAULIFFES START RUNNING THIS COUNTRY. AND DECIDE CONSERVATIVE VIEWS ARE LEADING TO VIOLENCE?

'I AM IN THE FREE SPEECH BUSINESS. ITS ONE THING FOR A COMPANY TO DETERMINE IF THEY ARE GOING TO BE PARTY TO IT. ITS ANOTHER THING FOR THE GOVERNMENT TO DO IT.'

MORE

[clintonh8r]

Clear Channel made a corporate business decision. This is not censorship. The fact that Clear Channel made a decision that could be partly based on the fact that they're in a regulated industry is meaningless. Every business today is regulated to a greater or lesser extent, and makes decisions and policies that take regulatory issues into account. I support CC's decision and Rush needs to calm down.

[antiRepublicrat]

Gosh, how did radio in America survive up until 1982 without the ability to hear such things as the 7 dirty words

Interestingly, George Carlin invented the "7 dirty words" as a parody of what you can't say on television, although a list of censored words didn't actually exist at the time. The government later made Carlin's joke about censorship the official list of banned words.

[Diddle E. Squat]

But it is far far harder for the will of the people to restrict political speech, as opposed to simply entertainment smut. (Which is why campaign finance reform is such a true travesty.) And even there, access to porn has been affirmed by the USSC as a right.

Enforcing decency on the public radio waves is different from restricting political speech, and programs like Stern will still be available through other mediums(satellite radio, cable tv, internet, books, tapes, cd's, dvd's, etc.) if the market demand is there.

[Sabertooth]

Try again, Kreskin. I have three.

Well, good thing my brianwaves aren't a public resource.

Do you think TV is as kid-friendly now, with more lax standards, as it was when we were kids?

And I, not the government, will decide what they can listen to on the radio or watch on television.

Within the broadcast standards established by the FCC.

That's my job. Not yours. Not Michael Powell's.

That's your job, not mine, agreed.

Michael Powell's job is to supervise broadcast standards of the airwaves, which are a public resource.

[M 91 u2 K]

"But only after Stern mused about sex with a 'n#gger' and asking if she smelled like a watermelon."

It was a caller who said that, and Stern hung up on him immediately. As much as I would love to see Stern canned, it should be through low ratings, not government pressure.

[Mo1]

"So you want the government to kick him off the air for that."

I guess you miss this part of the post I made??

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1085982/posts?page=97#97

"Look .. I'm not saying Stern should be knocked off the air .. but is it too much to ask to tone it down a bit??? "


I never said Stern should be knocked off the air .. just tone it down

As for Rush .. I could be wrong, but I don't remember him describing in detail to his audience about getting a lap dance

And I don't recall Rush describing in detail to his audience about how a couple of midgets were doing the nasty to a couple of strippers?

What you described was Rush reporting the news of what the former President of the United States was doing

[Bella_Bru]

And then what? Will we have people screaming for the internet to be policed as well? Oh wait...we already do.

[dead]

Do you think TV is as kid-friendly now, with more lax standards, as it was when we were kids?

The TV that my kids see is, as least so.

That's because I am the parent and I regulate what they can see.

I know you and Hillary want the village to raise my children, but I refuse to hand them over.

Thanks.

[BykrBayb]

My concern is that this is public airwaves we're talking about. This is not a service that you would need to subscribe to. When you turn on your radio and start scanning through the channels, there it is. It's available to everyone, including children. (Feel free to insert your favorite excuse here, in an attempt to shift responsibility for this behavior from the person committing the behavior to someone else.) Our public airwaves have been highjacked by perverts, and it's time to take them back. Decent people are not the ones who should be refused contact with the outside world. We should be allowed to go buy groceries and listen to the radio along the way, without being forced to witness some pervert's sexual fantasies, blatantly racist hatred, and other filth. I have no problem with making that crap available to anyone who wants it, but it should not be forced on the rest of us.

[Sabertooth]

Google search: "internet is a public resource"

Others seem to disagree with your claims.

My claim is that there is established law that the ariwaves are a public resource, and that is not the case for the internet.

Your link led to sites that agreed, but desired to establish by law that the internet as a public resource.

[antiRepublicrat]

If *WE* allow the government to control speech it's only a matter of time before they start shutting down "Christian" radio and television.

Powell: "You know, those Christian stations saying homosexuality is immoral sounds a bit like hate speech to me, let's fine them." Your average Christian station can't afford the fines like ClearChannel can, so bye-bye.

BTW, I don't agree with that view on homosexuality, but I am afraid of the government's ability to keep that position off the air, or any other. I agree with Rush.

[gdani]

"We the people" can decide what we want to listen to by tuning or not tuning into particular TV shows or radio programs.

You sure can... within broadcast standards established by the FCC.

Yes, vague & overbroad standards that amount to "I know it when I see it".

[King Black Robe]

'IF WE ARE GOING TO SIT BY AND LET THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT GET INVOLVED IN THIS, IF THE GOVERNMENT IS GOING TO 'CENSOR' WHAT THEY THINK IS RIGHT AND WRONG... WHAT HAPPENS IF A WHOLE BUNCH OF JOHN KERRYS, OR TERRY MCAULIFFES START RUNNING THIS COUNTRY. AND DECIDE CONSERVATIVE VIEWS ARE LEADING TO VIOLENCE?

Why all caps? Anyway...first, gov't isn't responsible for this. Second, his above statement sounds like a liberal talking. Perhaps it's the deal he made with the ACLU. I don't know. Rush is a great guy and he's entitled to be wrong here and there. I hope this isn't the start of a new trend.

[hosepipe]

GET OUT!.. An FCC with a backbone..?..(push like Elaine in Seinfeld)

(laugh like Eddie Murphy)

[dead]

What you described was Rush reporting the news of what the former President of the United States was doing

Yes, and many people found it offensive. And some kids probably heard it too.

This looks like a job for Michael Powell and the FCC regulators.

[MizSterious]

"The sky is falling! The sky is falling!"

[hchutch]

I don't see how that is relevant to this discussion.

Are you that unfamiliar with the following procedures:
1. Changing a channel/the station
2. Putting in a DVD/CD
3. Hitting the power button?

Take a VERY close look at Clear Channel's new policy, Sabertooth. Just an ALLEGATION of "indecency" is enough to get a host suspended. No proof required - just the allegation. One determination of "indecency", and the DJ/talk show host is FIRED.

Given that this incident on Howard Stern's show involved a CALLER - it was not the host that used the term, it was a CALLER - it only heightens my concern as to the precedent this is potentially setting.

It is all too plausible that under the new policy that Clear Channel has, some caller calls into Rush Limbaugh's show, uses the N-word, and some left-wing activist will have it recorded, and will file a formal complaint with the FCC and Clear Channel concerning the "indecency" shortly before the election. And then, it could conceivably be up to five government appointees to decide if the broadcast was indecent or not.

If you think the Left won't try to use this to try to silence Rush, Hannity, or other conservatives, you had better think again.

[Sabertooth]

The TV that my kids see is, as least so.

That's because I am the parent and I regulate what they can see.

Yeah? I've sat down with my daughter to watch shows that I felt were appropriate, only to be confronted with commercials that weren't.

Our parents didn't have to constantly monitor what was flushed out over the airwaves the same way that we now do.

I know you and Hillary want the village to raise my children, but I refuse to hand them over.

Who's asking you to hand them over?

The FCC and the legal doctrine establishing that the airwaves are a public resource were all in existence before Hillary Clinton and I ever conspired to have designs on your children.

The airwaves are a public resource; they belong to all of us. We share them. We make compromises on how our public resource is used.

There's nothing wrong with that.

[Mo1]

Again .. Rush was reporting the news .. not getting a lap dance on air from a stripper like Stern did/does

There is a difference

[eno_]

The airwaves are licensed to the broadcasters, not sold to them. They are a public resource, and belong to the people.

Not really. If the PEOPLE really owned the airwaves, they would be re-acutioned periodically, and radio stations would not be valued on their licenses. And the PEOPLE would be remitted the proceeds from license auctions. The current system is a corrupt mess.