Shock Jock Howard Stern Vents on Air
Shock Jock Howard Stern Vents on Air
You know, I’m really glad that the FCC and Licensing Institutions are finally beginning to pay attention to what is being broadcast. Coming from a family who was involved with broadcasting, I have been continually amazed at how little effort has been put forth (until now) in monitoring television and radio broadcast. It’s about time.
“Shock Jock” Stern’s show should have been pulled from the airwaves long ago if the FCC had really been doing it’s job. However, as is the case with most media issues, the popularity of the show trumped the broadcasting standards. Maybe recent media faux pas are finally forcing the issue and Stern will be faced with either cleaning up his act (literally) or losing his audience. Honestly, I doubt it. But there’s hope.
Here’s what I found interesting in this article (a quote from APNews):
“It was Tuesday’s Stern show that prompted the Clear Channel decision. The program featured typical fare: Paris Hilton’s ex-boyfriend hawking his sex tape of the hotel heiress. Two women getting naked after losing a contest.”
“But it was apparently a call from a listener who used the “n-word” that spurred Hogan’s reaction.”
Now, this article is horribly ambiguous - it’s impossible to judge what the “n-word” is. It hardly seems likely that they would fine the broadcast for the use of the word “nipple” as it is a technical term - though in this case the context may have rendered it indecent. I’m left with the assumption that it must have been a racial slur.
If such is the case, notice that it wasn’t the lewd sexual content (so prevalent in Stern’s program) nor the tasteless nature of the program that was deemed inappropriate… it was a racial comment. Now, I’m certainly against racism of any sort - but this signals that there are still some major issues with what is considered “acceptable” and “unacceptable” by Clear Channel and companies like them. Political correctness may apparently be more of an issue than broadcasting adult illicit sexual content to potential audiences including children. I think there may be problem here.
Tags: News and Media
