Oppose Censorship

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Originally Posted by FCC

Washington, D.C. – The Federal Communications Commission today issued a Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture against Infinity Broadcasting Operations, Inc. for apparently willfully broadcasting indecent material in connection with “The Howard Stern Show” on WKRK-FM, Detroit, Michigan. The Commission proposed the statutory maximum forfeiture of $27,500 for the broadcast.

The Commission based this action on the results of its investigation triggered by a complaint concerning material in which the show’s cast discussed sexual practices and techniques. Specifically, the Commission found that the broadcast included explicit and graphic sexual and excretory references. In addition, the Commission found that this material was lewd and vulgar, and that it appeared to have been used to pander, titillate and shock. Thus, the Commission concluded that the material apparently met the indecency standard and warranted sanction.

The Commission proposed a forfeiture for the maximum statutory amount due to Infinity’s recent history of the airing of indecent broadcasts.

Action by the Commission on March 8, 2004 by Notice of Apparent Liability, (FCC 04-49). Chairman Powell; Commissioner Abernathy; Commissioner Adelstein issuing a statement. Commissioner Copps dissenting and issuing a statement. Commissioner Martin concurring and issuing a statement;

Enforcement Bureau contact: Janice Wise and Lisa Fowlkes at (202) 418-7450

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It's starting. Everybody read this e-mail that I sent to the FCC this morning. No matter what you feel about any other issue, the First Amendment is under attack. An un-elected government body is trying to tell you what you can and cannot hear. Please, no matter what your affiliation - conservative, liberal, Dem, Republican, whatever - this should matter immensely to you. Please read over my e-mail and send a similar one to fccinfo@fcc.gov. Feel free to copy and paste mine, because that's what all these grassroots campaigns do when they protest something - they pay people in old folks homes and lazy people who want to work at home to fill in form letters and send them to the FCC. This is serious. Cleaning up the airwaves is one thing, but let the courts make laws about it, not fuzzy rules from the FCC.

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Originally Posted by Mike's e-mail

To Whom It May Concern:

I am writing in regards to comments I heard on the Oprah Winfrey Show last night on regular television.

Oprah and her guest were discussing an activity known as “tossing salad”. I learned about this activity many years ago from a special that the subscription TV network HBO ran on prisons, wherein the prisoners interviewed described, graphicly, what “tossing a salad” entailed. I was offended deeply by the description of this activity and was utterly shocked and disgusted when, lo and behold, the very same description was thrust into my face without any warning. Thankfully, I do not have any children who could have been damaged by hearing this flagrant and obscene talk, but my heart goes out to any parents whose children DID hear Ms. Winfrey’s indecent discussion. Ms. Winfrey’s show airs at 4:00pm on regular television – I do not subscribe to cable, I use a regular set of “rabbit-ears” antennae for reception – and to have content such as this detailed at a time when almost all children are home from school is abhorrent.

Ms. Winfrey’s show should be fined for this indeceny and I will let all of my friends and family know to file a formal complaint against this injustice to the American public. Thank you for your time. May God bless America, yourselves and the wonderful work you do to clean up the airwaves and television.

Sincerely,

Michael Vincent Colianna

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:confused:

Did I miss something? You dislike the censorship on Howard Stern but are advocating it for Oprah Winfrey? How are the two related? How does the FCC know you're at all opposed to what happened to Stern? Were they really talking about tossing salad on Oprah? I gotta check that show out more often.

I think the point is that the FCC is somehow playing sides here, because Ope is a daytime stay-at-home-mom show and they're getting away with shit that Stern wouldn't have.

P.S.: lol @ censorship

Yeah, I'm not understanding the relation between your email and the news brief. I don't even see anything about "fuzzy rules from the FCC", nor do I see why courts are better equipped to handle...well, whatever it is the problem is...exactly.

...

I think sarcasm might be lost on the FCC, dude. If not ment for sarcasm, your email confuses me.

I believe it's called sarcasm.
*edit* nevermind.

If we want to stop censorship, we should write an email asking to stop censorship...not an email asking for even censorship accross the board. Can't say I support that email at all.

No, he's using satire. The FCC would never ever fuck with operah, which is considered "clean, safe" programming. Operah can get away with using the same kind of language as stern would without a fine, 'cause she's.... well, oprah.

I don't think this is the best way to go about it though, dunno if government bodies have a good mind for satire. Though it would be funny to see oprah catch a huge fine, maybe the best thing to do would be just write them an email about how you feel without all the irony. Or better yet, an acutal written letter. And send one to your congressman too.

[edit] beat to it by like, everybody.

I'm not REALLY for any censorship, but if they fine Oprah, especially when the bill to raise the fines goes through, it will be thrust into the national spotlight. Right now it's just the ravings of Howard Stern, a shock jock, because he says "anal" every now and then, even though that's not the real issue.

And yes, Oprah and her guest were discussing the movie "Thirteen" about the 13 year-old girl who gets involved in drugs and sex and tossing salads came up. It was GRAPHICLY described.

I used to hate Howard Stern's show back when I was in CT. But now that I'm out here and he's the only good thing on in the morning during my 2-hour drive to work, I've listened and realized that he's NOT the racist I thought he was and that nothing he says could even be construed as indecent. Aside from that, WPLR in CT (I don't know if they're still around) exposed the FCC's connection to ClearChannel back in like 2000 or so when they talked about the hostile takeovers of almost EVERY station in CT, so this stuff Stern is talking about - the paperwork delays and all that - are real.

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Originally Posted by cka

I think the point is that the FCC is somehow playing sides here, because Ope is a daytime stay-at-home-mom show and they're getting away with shit that Stern wouldn't have.

P.S.: lol @ censorship

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Ah.

Still.... I think this should be approached directly. Just come right out and tell them they are playing sides and they should just knock it off already and let people broadcast.

Maybe I will write my congressman on this one.

The point is, they'll never fine Oprah. And yes, I have sent similar stuff to Arnold and congressmen (no point now, they all voted for the bill), and I'm working on my senate letter.

You're not a good American if you support censorship. Bottom line. Give the government an inch here and they are GOING to take a few miles. And that's a violation of the First Amendment, which should be ANY American's first priority. Whatever you think about abortion or affirmative action or gay marriage should be put aside for this and the defecit.

Like we could make an ounce of difference and effect change in these "morality"-beholden administrators and politicians.

It's easier just to move to Canada.

So is this just for broadcast television or does this affect cable too? I'd hate to see HBO being watered down to such faggy levels like the brady bunch.

Damn, it, no, that's what the people with this ultra-conservative agenda WANT! They want you to leave because then you're not there to resist! We can make a difference by voting against them!

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Originally Posted by voltz

So is this just for broadcast television or does this affect cable too? I'd hate to see HBO being watered down to such faggy levels like the brady bunch.

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Once they get done with "public" airwaves they're going to go there. They've been mulling the regulation of Satellite, actually. The reasoning is that you get channels like HBO and Skinamax in a package so you can't NOT get the channel with the "offensive" material.

You know that they're thinking of investigating books read to children?

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Originally Posted by Contra

No, he's using satire. The FCC would never ever fuck with operah, which is considered "clean, safe" programming. Operah can get away with using the same kind of language as stern would without a fine, 'cause she's.... well, oprah.

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No, it's because she uses such things for educational purposes, not just to be a shock jock.

If you can't see the difference, then I feel sorry for you, because you're stupid.

Doesn't mean that a large portion of the population doesn't want to hear a shock jock. Entertainment is relevant and has value. It lightens people's day. Something like Howard should be alowed to exist as well.

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Originally Posted by shidoshi

No, it's because she uses such things for educational purposes, not just to be a shock jock.

If you can't see the difference, then I feel sorry for you, because you're stupid.

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How is discussing "tossing a salad" educational? You're saying that it's okay for Howard Stern to talk about licking someone's asshole in an educational manner? Shit, tell all the kids - lick your friends' assholes! Tongue that butthole! Your friend will love you for it!

If you live in California, I suggest you Write to Arnold expressing your displeasure at his lack of support for this, since Stern supported him and the recall.

Find your congresspeople, your senators, write the President, anyone. Don't allow these bad Americans to take control of this country or we may be burning books soon.

LOL shidoshi, apperantly you do not see the point.

Mike is really not offended by Oprah. It is all simply a ploy, and a very good one. If somehow the FCC did jump on this it would thrust it right to forefront, and it would get a lot more people pissed off, that is the point, the strategy.

Plus, it will be awesome to see Oprah getting in trouble for talking about tossing salad...hah.

No, Steve Burns, shidoshi understands.

I'll tell you what. I used to say that I was too scared to fight and die for my country.

I'm willing to fight and die for my country now. I know who the enemies are, I am not afraid of them and I will fight against them, tooth and nail, to keep this agenda from carrying through - whether or not success is a viable result.

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If you live in California, I suggest you Write to Arnold expressing your displeasure at his lack of support for this, since Stern supported him and the recall.

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You guys have bigger problems than the FCC when the Terminator is elected to such a powerful position.

i'll miss Howard if they get him off the air. If the worst case senario occurs, hopefully Stern will move to satelite radio (in which case satelite radio+1). Howard is in no way a rascist, and has never preached hate against any race. Nor is the content of his show worse than anything on primetime network tv. The way he's persecuted is rediculous. FCC fines should be able to be contested in a court just like traffic tickets and other civil infractions. I think it's great that Howard is now going for the jugular of these hypocrits in government by exposing the nepotism involved in Powell's FCC appointment and the various senators who's lives are subsidized by religous extremists. He's a voice that we need speaking out, even if people don't agree with him. I'm with Mike, i'm just far to lazy to actually write letters.

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Originally Posted by stormy

i'll miss Howard if they get him off the air. If the worst case senario occurs, hopefully Stern will move to satelite radio (in which case satelite radio+1). Howard is in no way a rascist, and has never preached hate against any race. Nor is the content of his show worse than anything on primetime network tv. The way he's persecuted is rediculous.

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The reason why is even worse because everyone is saying it's "indecency". He has won/lost elections for people. He has that power. And he has the power to ruin President Bush because he has people dedicated to digging up dirt. The FCC fine was only applied to the Detroit station carrying Stern. How many stations is Stern on in this country? An incredible amount, which I don't have offhand. Multiply that by 27,500 (or 500,000 when the bill passes)

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FCC fines should be able to be contested in a court just like traffic tickets and other civil infractions. I think it's great that Howard is now going for the jugular of these hypocrits in government by exposing the nepotism involved in Powell's FCC appointment and the various senators who's lives are subsidized by religous extremists. He's a voice that we need speaking out, even if people don't agree with him. I'm with Mike, i'm just far to lazy to actually write letters.

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Write write write, man. There's no such thing as too lazy to find out who your elected reps are and write them a short blurb about how you feel. If you don't get up and do something, then these Society Terrorists have won.

Let me ask this: who owns the airwaves? Who is in charge of the radio frequencies that carry Howard's show?

Howard should be free to say and do as he pleases. At the same time, the people in charge of the medium carrying his show should have the right to say that he can't say that kind of stuff on their airwaves. Howard isn't being shut up. So far as I know, he still has the right to broadcast over the internet, put out a CD of what he wants to say, write a book, and so on.

It's like if I build a theater to show movies, and then decide not to show your movie because I think it's garbage, and then you tell me that I have to or else it's censorship. I don't have to do anything, because it's my theater, I paid for it, I'm the person who runs it, I just let you make use of it.

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Who is in charge of the radio frequencies that carry Howard's show?

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The government. They lease the bandwidth to companies.

And Howard Stern HAS been fined before.

All in all, I think the highlight of this thread is the fact that Mike admitted he watched Oprah.

Fag.

No need to call him a fag, he might just have a thing for fat chicks.

"moving to Canada is easier"

Oh ya, sure, you won't find any censorship up here at all....

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Originally Posted by Mike

Damn, it, no, that's what the people with this ultra-conservative agenda WANT! They want you to leave because then you're not there to resist! We can make a difference by voting against them!

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Shhh - don't tell anyone, but the plan is to re-group up there and invade through Minnesota to take back the country.

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Originally Posted by shidoshi

Let me ask this: who owns the airwaves? Who is in charge of the radio frequencies that carry Howard's show?

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The Government owns the airwaves, which means that the PEOPLE own the airwaves. The people decide, and if they didn't want him on then he wouldn't get good ratings. He gets phenomenal ratings and hardly anyone complains. There's this one group of assholes in Michigan, though, keep fucking writing hundreds of thousands of complaints (amongst a small group of people and hires through those "work at home" ads on telephone posts) and that's why the Detroit station got fined first. It's all Viacom, though, and they're choosing to keep Howard on. The FCC doesn't like that, so they're going to fine them as MUCH AS THEY CAN. Why? The people like him, he's got millions of listeners, and nothing he says is indecent. If you think it is, prove it in a fucking court.

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Howard should be free to say and do as he pleases. At the same time, the people in charge of the medium carrying his show should have the right to say that he can't say that kind of stuff on their airwaves. Howard isn't being shut up. So far as I know, he still has the right to broadcast over the internet, put out a CD of what he wants to say, write a book, and so on.

It's like if I build a theater to show movies, and then decide not to show your movie because I think it's garbage, and then you tell me that I have to or else it's censorship. I don't have to do anything, because it's my theater, I paid for it, I'm the person who runs it, I just let you make use of it.

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This isn't some small company, though, shidoshi. This is the government and these two giants - Infinity Broadcasting and ClearChannel - who own EVERYTHING. If the FCC really was dedicated to what they said, they would never have helped those two companies take over almost every radio station in existence. If stations were all owned by smaller corps then those smaller corps could get the complaints and react accordingly.

The majority of Stern's fans who would be motivated by this FCC nonsense to vote generally don't read a whole lot of stuff. They saw his movie, yeah, but it takes a decent bit of time to make a coherent movie. The same thing with a CD or a DVD. Not all of his radio listeners have Internet access, but yeah, he is using the web page now to communicate with the listeners. The radio is the quickest and best way to reach all of these impressionable people who, if they were going to vote, would have no idea who to vote for.

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Originally Posted by diffusionx

All in all, I think the highlight of this thread is the fact that Mike admitted he watched Oprah.

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Keepin' it real!

Nothing will happen.

Do you know how many people probably send e-mails to them when offended? If you don't like something, turn the channel. It's really that simple. The average sentence takes about 5 or so seconds go blurt out. And I mean: "I had a sandwich the other day, and it tasted pretty good dude." sentences, not indepth explanations of tossing ones salad. That's more then enough time to grab the remote, which would probably be on the coffee table, on your lap or on the couch, and pretty the up or down arrow.

I see what the complaint is, but I don't think it's a dire threat to society.

p.s. haha you watch Oprah.

Howard was trying to play the oprah clip on his show this morning, that is most likely how this topic started.

Funny thing is the station censored the oprah clip and would not allow it on the air, because they feared they would be fined.

Double standard, if they are going to fine they should blanket it across the board, not just pick on one or two different broadcasters constantly. oprah should be fined according to the "new" fcc standards. the hypocrisy is that it wont happen

I'm staying out of this, because my views are that the people who support railroading Stern (or anyone else, for that matter) off the airwaves should be tossed out of the country. Preferably into the ocean while tied to heavy rocks. They obviously have no idea what it means to live here, and rather than learn they'd like to destroy it to suit their tastes.

This applies to all those who pretended to be offended over the Super Bowl fiasco. Seeing 5% of a nipple after sitting through viagra commericials with no complaints means someone is putting on a show to look good for... somebody. Honestly, I'm not sure who.

James

The FCC needs to be dismantled. The only good that comes from them is regulation against conglomeration of media and they don't even seem to want to do that any more. They censor the airwaves based on a loose interpretation of a legal loophole that predates radio. It's bullshit. Fuck 'em. We don't need them.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

The FCC needs to be dismantled. The only good that comes from them is regulation against conglomeration of media and they don't even seem to want to do that any more. They censor the airwaves based on a loose interpretation of a legal loophole that predates radio. It's bullshit. Fuck 'em. We don't need them.

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We should also get rid of the aclu. ;)

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Originally Posted by Mike

I'm willing to fight and die for my country now. I know who the enemies are, I am not afraid of them and I will fight against them, tooth and nail, to keep this agenda from carrying through - whether or not success is a viable result.

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Yeaaaaaargh! To the death, baby! God, you sound like me soon after 9-11 on how I felt about liberals. Your email is cute btw, as is your sense of urgency. Good luck with that. ^^

A CORK radio station was running a competition - words that weren't in the dictionary yet could still be used in a sentence that would make logical sense. The prize was a trip to Bali.
DJ: "96FM here, what's your name?"
Caller: "hi, me name's Dave."
DJ: "Dave, what's your word?"
Caller: "Goan... spelt G-O-A-N, pronounced 'go-an'."
DJ: "... You are correct, Dave, 'goan' is not in the dictionary. Now, for a trip to Bali: What sentence can you use that word in that would make sense?"
Caller: "Goan f**k yourself!"
The DJ cut the caller short and took other calls, all unsuccessful until:
DJ: "96FM, what's your name?"
Caller: "Hi, me name's Jeff."
DJ: "Jeff, what's your word?"
Caller: "Smee... spelt S-M-E-E, pronounced 'smee'."
DJ: "... You are correct, Jeff, 'smee' is not in the dictionary. Now, for a trip to Bali: What sentence can you use that word in that would make sense?"
Caller: "Smee again! Goan f**k yourself!"

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Originally Posted by Nic0

We should also get rid of the aclu. ;)

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Noone's forcing you to support the ACLU.

I can live without Howard Stern on the radio.

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Originally Posted by MVS

I can live without Howard Stern on the radio.

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but if I recall you listen to Lykiss? He's terrible and it will affect him too as soon as they get howard and move on.

Leykis is an ass, but he doesn't do anything indecent on his show. And, he's a really funny ass. His guy on the button never lets swears through or derogatory stuff. His screener is really good at filtering out crap. He lets idiots on the air to try and yell at him but none can ever form a cohesive argument. He also doesn't do bits like Stern does, he just reads articles or something and then lets people call in to voice their opinion. Sadly, like he says, hardly any of his target demographic care enough about politics to vote. They'll only care when their favorite show is off the radio, then off the TV, then off subscription cable, and finally off of satellite TV and radio.

If calling a bitch a bitch is indecent, then this country is REALLY going downhill. Bitches need to be told frequently that they are stupid, naggy bitches.

Also, Leykis doesn't go on the air talking about liberal politics. Sometimes he lets his Democratic views through, but he never says anything bad about Bush or Republicans. Stern decided that he didn't like Bush's stances on abortion and stem cell research and other stuff, told his listeners, then three days later he was off all ClearChannel stations without a fine or a mention of any indecent thing HE said. I could live without Stern on the radio, but that isn't the issue here. I would be pissed if Rush Limbaugh decided to chide the President and they found a way to take him off for indecency. Happened to Laura Ingraham, who is now on AM radio here in LA after getting kicked off her ClearChannel show.

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Originally Posted by MVS

I can live without Howard Stern on the radio.

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There are a lot of people I can live without on the radio. But I can't live with any of them forced off the radio. There's a difference.

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Originally Posted by Nic0

We should also get rid of the aclu. ;)

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My taxes don't pay for the ACLU, and ACLU doesn't make laws. I support the ACLU by choice.

I'm all for private groups that make boycotts and such to get companies to voluntarily censor themselves. That's different than having the government force it upon us.

MVS- you are too stupid too live in this coutry. Please move away.

James

Wow. You guys are blowing this way out of proportion.

Howard's rights haven't been infringed upon, at all. Wise up.

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Originally Posted by Mike

Damn, it, no, that's what the people with this ultra-conservative agenda WANT! They want you to leave because then you're not there to resist! We can make a difference by voting against them!



Once they get done with "public" airwaves they're going to go there. They've been mulling the regulation of Satellite, actually. The reasoning is that you get channels like HBO and Skinamax in a package so you can't NOT get the channel with the "offensive" material.

You know that they're thinking of investigating books read to children?

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This is what we conspiracy theorists and constitutional upholders call, "screaming at the wind."

The only positive the FCC fines on Howard Stern (who is delving into Art Bell waters with the reports he's posting on his website nowadays) can have is simply to wake up the people from the comforter of indifference they've been huddled under for the past twenty years.

The problem in fighthing the FCC is that this is very much a political agenda being acted out on Howard Stern, and the fact is, if this adminsitration remains in power, this is going to happen no matter who you write a letter to or not.

The indecency witch hunt has begun, and the raping of of those who disagree with government policy is simply going to get worse. Really Mike I admire your proactiveness but the best you can do is hope that Howard has a large enough pissed off listener base to make a difference in the upcoming elections and save himself.



P.S. Nice of you to join the club, your a little late to the party though.

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Originally Posted by Frogacuda

My taxes don't pay for the ACLU, and ACLU doesn't make laws. I support the ACLU by choice.

I'm all for private groups that make boycotts and such to get companies to voluntarily censor themselves. That's different than having the government force it upon us.

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Your right it is, because the majority population and those that appreciate the satire and the content of those shows are deprived something they like because some uptight mother in colorado happened to be flipping the dials in her car on her way to work and heard something she disliked.

This country needs to learn what, "censor yourself" means.

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Originally Posted by Captain Vegetable

Wow. You guys are blowing this way out of proportion.

Howard's rights haven't been infringed upon, at all. Wise up.

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No they haven't.

Its a strong arm tactic by an organization that constitutionally does not have the authority to do what its doing, and the idea of passing a bill that fines the broadcaster (not just the company the individual, and if they can find a caller who did something indecent the company is authorized to turn his information over to be fined as well) himself a maximum fine of 500,000 dollars per violation
for what the FCC declares is indecent, which is utter bullshit because the FCC's indeceny polices read like one of those non-linear Hardy Boys novels.

There is no clear definition of whats indecent under their guidlines and the point of the Oprah thing is that she broadcast something which under the standards they set for the Howard Stern fine, would justify one as well. But they won't cause if they do thats another massive fanbase that might just swing democratic.

Basically this law lets the FCC pick and choose who gets to be on the air or not. And because they decide whats indecent on a daily basis to suit there needs, and now you can watch as open-minded talk shows are unconstitutionally thrown off the air one by one for violating those undefined terms.

This is not an overreaction. This is a wake up call.

Time for you to wise up buddy.

We do not fear censorship for we have no wish to offend with improprieties or obscenities, but we do demand, as a right, the liberty to show the dark side of wrong, that we may illuminate the bright side of virtue—the same liberty that is conceded to the art of the written word, that art to which we owe the Bible and the works of Shakespeare.

~D.W. (David Wark) Griffith~

I can imagine no greater disservice to the country than to establish a system of censorship that would deny to the people of a free republic like our own their indisputable right to criticise their own public officials. While exercising the great powers of the office I hold, I would regret in a crisis like the one through which we are now passing to lose the benefit of patriotic and intelligent criticism.

~President WOODROW WILSON, letter to Arthur Brisbane~

The FCC has already proven they have interest in protecting their members and supporters in congress, this has totally nothing to do with the rules of indecency which they claim to have been violated.

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Originally Posted by stormy

but if I recall you listen to Lykiss? He's terrible and it will affect him too as soon as they get howard and move on.

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I did, not so much anymore. Don't really find myself in a car between 3 and 7. :/

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Originally Posted by Mike

Truth

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Wow. I'm sorry I called you a shit dumpling.

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Originally Posted by Contra

Wow. I'm sorry I called you a shit dumpling.

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What happens in FC stays in FC. No problems.