After Being Yanked by Clear Channel, Howard Stern Predicts His Broadcast Demise

AP ^ | Mar. 6, 2004

[nuconvert]

After Being Yanked by Clear Channel, Howard Stern Predicts His Broadcast Demise

Mar 6, 2004

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - Shock jock and self-proclaimed "King of All Media" Howard Stern believes his reign on the radio is coming to an end. "The show is over," he announced Friday morning on his nationally syndicated radio program. "It's over."

It's not - at least not yet. But Stern predicted that a Federal Communications Communication crackdown on indecency on the airwaves will force his salacious show off the dial.

"I'm guessing that sometime next week will be my last show on this station," said Stern, adding that he expected the FCC to hit him with a whopping indecency fine. "There's a cultural war going on. The religious right is winning. We're losing."

A telephone call to Infinity Broadcasting, which syndicates Stern's show, was not returned Saturday to discuss Stern's comments.

On Friday, Stern devoted the first 2 1/2 hours of his show to his anticipated demise, a change of pace from the usual fare of naked women and toilet humor.

Clear Channel Communications yanked Stern from stations in San Diego, Pittsburgh, Rochester, N.Y., Louisville, Ky., and Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 25. The company said the suspension would last until the Stern show met its programming guidelines.

"This time they have to fire me," Stern said. "I'm through. I'm a dead man walking."

On Thursday, Clear Channel paid a record $755,000 fine levied last month by the FCC for indecent material aired by several of its stations

[imfleck]

The other day I was watching TV and saw a woman giving birth to a child. That was the most sickening, vulgar thing I've ever seen! It was during the middle of the day when children could have seen it. We have to protect them.

It was disgusting: I saw a vagina and everything! They should take the Discovery channel off of the air.

Nevermind, I TURNED THE STATION. Guess what? I'm no longer offended.

[SunnyUsa]

FYI please review this offensive reply

#155 posted on 03/07/2004 9:57:42 AM EST by F16Fighter

[imfleck]

Bad argument. Telemarketers hide who they are when they call, Howard Stern doesn't.

[imfleck]

Pornography won't be on them if they're tuned to a station that doesn't broadcast pornography. It becomes something that is welcomed into your house when you intentionally tune your radio to the offending radio station.

The telephone argument works just fine if you have 100 different telephone lines and each one is used for a different purpose.

[imfleck]

Uggh, stay on topic.

[FITZ]

Well --- I wouldn't know --- I don't subscribe to cable. Subscription service for porn is fine with me --- that way you can't claim that was unsolicited porn or even unsolicited science.

[imfleck]

You know what? I don't think the Cartoon Network would show porn because the market wouldn't support it. The very first time they tried their sponsor money would dry up and the network would cease to exist. Same with the "graphic front page pictures of fornication."

I don't think the government would even have to get involved.

[nuconvert]

It has a life of it's own.........

[Feiny]

It sure seems that way so I decided to stop responding to most. Besides, it is a beautiful day here in Los Angeles so I am going on a hike with my dog in Malibu. I think I'll have a picnic.

[imfleck]

I believe it is the the moral responsibility to educate our respective families on what is or is not appropriate. It isn't, however, my responsibility to educate my neighbors family.

[Salo]

You'd make a lousy evangelical. ;-)

I believe it is the the moral responsibility to educate our respective families on what is or is not appropriate. It isn't, however, my responsibility to educate my neighbors family

[imfleck]

Yeah, been told that a few times.

[AlexW]

"Do you support porn movies on Saturday morning on broadcast TV or pornographic billboards on busy interstates?"

Thats just what I wanted to throw back at Ambrose yesterday.
I was also thinking the billboard analogy.
We the people elect our government, and expect it to be a moral compass.
The public should expect the government to have some control on filth in a public venue.
What next? Orgies and group fornication in a city park?

These "Libertarians" seem to get a bit full of themselves, and stop using their brains.

[FreeReign]

You're the one who believes that public property -- a.k.a government property -- should supply you a forum for pornography.

The government-owened airwaves shouldn't provide a "forum" for anyone. They should be privatized. I realize that adoption of private property is strange concept to the people who love the idea of "public" contol, however.

The thing you want to privatize and broadcast porn on is the air and its associated frequencies that pass through my private property.

Very few things should be public; the roads in front of my house, the military and our Constitutional form of government are three things that quickly come to mind. The air that passes through my private property is another.

It isn't your unalienable right to load the air up from your property with pollution and send it over to my house and it isn't your unalienable right to load the air frequencies from your private broadcast facility and send it over to my house.

It is you who loves the idea of the "public" distribution of porn on something that is so public, so basic and so low in viscosity -- our air.

Go get your porn from a private medium and quit relying on the resources that aren't your own private property to view it.

[FreeReign]

I believe it is the the moral responsibility to educate our respective families on what is or is not appropriate. It isn't, however, my responsibility to educate my neighbors family.

It isn't my responsibility to shield myself from the pornographic air you broadcast accross my private property. Go use a private medium to partake such.

[imfleck]

WHAT? Who in their right mind expects the government to be a moral compass?

I would expect the guidance and teachings provided by my parents and reiterated through many, many tough life lessons to be my by moral compass.

The government? No way! Think of all of the idiots who run the government and then tell me you want them guiding your morality.

[imfleck]

Oh c'mon. Are you seriously trying to make the argument that the invisible airwaves are violating your private property?

They are only visible when you choose them to be.

[FreeReign]

Besides, it is a beautiful day here in Los Angeles so I am going on a hike with my dog in Malibu. I think I'll have a picnic.

And as soon as you lay that picnic blanket on public property in the nice clean air, I'll break out my high exhaust, air-poluting thingamajig and spread concentrated exhaust fumes across your "beautiful day".

[imfleck]

...as long as there is also a way for someone to "tune out" your exhaust fumes you have a valid case.

[mel]

Gee, I can't even believe anyone watches or listens to his program now. He is sooo predictable and soooo boring not mentioning repulsive. And I have a kind of bathroom sense of humor and I don't even find him funny now.