The Great Howard Stern Compromise

[GratefulFred]

Well even if you are a fan or not of Mr. Stern, after 2 days back on the radio, I can see the downward motion in progress. Just yesterday on our local south florida station, while Howard was interviewing of all things a porn star, a cleverly disguised dump with rock n roll backdrop saying "You are listening to the Howard Stern Show...Yadie...Yadie...Yadda" pops up and then it's back to the dialogue midstream and then once again it repeats itself a few minutes later.

I guess this is the way it's gonna be 'til November.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Well even if you are a fan or not of Mr. Stern, after 2 days back on the radio, I can see the downward motion in progress. Just yesterday on our local south florida station, while Howard was interviewing of all things a porn star, a cleverly disguised dump with rock n roll backdrop saying "You are listening to the Howard Stern Show...Yadie...Yadie...Yadda" pops up and then it's back to the dialogue midstream and then once again it repeats itself a few minutes later.

I guess this is the way it's gonna be 'til November.

Wow, they're subtle aren't they?

I forget, we are in America, right?

 

[DirtyJJ]

I really dislike Howard Stern, mostly because he is juvenile and not entertaining to me. But, I do not like what has happened to his show from what I understand - I don't like this kind of censorship at all. It's disturbing. Radio censorship in general has gone over the edge - the classic rock station in my area can't or won't play songs that say "shit" or something like that, or they bleep AC/DC's "she told me to BLEEP but I was already there."


I hope you are right that it will change in November.
JJ

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I really dislike Howard Stern, mostly because he is juvenile and not entertaining to me. But, I do not like what has happened to his show from what I understand - I don't like this kind of censorship at all. It's disturbing. Radio censorship in general has gone over the edge - the classic rock station in my area can't or won't play songs that say "shit" or something like that, or they bleep AC/DC's "she told me to BLEEP but I was already there."


I hope you are right that it will change in November.
JJ

I'm not a Stern fan either, but I agree it is disturbing to find such censorship, what ever happeded to just turning it off or changing the channel. When did we become so oppresive?

 

[GratefulFred]

Changing the radio stations?

That takes some technological expertise I imagine.

But seriously, if Stern looses his battle others will fall and the radio as we know it will be all bland music all of the time.

 

[OldnotDead]

A different view

At the risk of stirring up trouble, I would present to you the idea that Mr. Stern's problems have nothing to do with censorship and far more to do with market share and economics.

Yes, he got fined for violating some FCC rules. And under the new proposed rules, the stations could be liable and the fines increased dramatically. But Clear Channel Communications, the folks that took him off the air in a lot of locations, did not pull his show because of FCC fines. They pulled it because their advertisers chose to withdraw their sponsorship.

Other than the new XM radio and NPR, all stations in this country depend upon advertisers to pay for all operating costs. With Stern's large following and strong male demographics, there was a time when his syndicator and the local channel here were literally sold out of all the available air time, despite significant increases in rates.

Stern would like the world to think it's all about free speech and get as many folks on his side as he can. But the real problem is that his audience, particularly outside of the Coasts, is not as strong as many believed in terms of buying power and the increases in the rate card just had gotten too high.

Clear Channel basically had an opportunity to get out of a syndication deal that was no longer as attractive as it was when they started and put themselves in a position to renegotiate at more favorable rates.

So don't buy into Stern's free speech argument too easily. Think more in terms of a ball player that isn't hitting as well as he used to and then gets charged with something that triggers an escape clause for his team. No other team wants to pick up the contract, it's overpriced based on current production, so they don't have to really worry about someone else hiring their talent. They just want the talent at a lower price.

 

[OldnotDead]

I'm not a Stern fan either, but I agree it is disturbing to find such censorship, what ever happeded to just turning it off or changing the channel. When did we become so oppresive?

And actually, this is EXACTLY the underlying problem for Mr. Stern. Too many people WERE turning it off or changing the channel and CCC wanted to renegotiate a now overpriced contract.

 

[GratefulFred]

Well that may be true...

Plenty of people would like to remove any liberal voice off the air waves as it upsets their selective moralty. I'm not willing to chance it's just a ratings/money issue when sources of censorship are looking to move in and change this country one element at a time.

First Stern, then others.

 

[minsue]

Re: Well that may be true...

Plenty of people would like to remove any liberal voice off the air waves as it upsets their selective moralty. I'm not willing to chance it's just a ratings/money issue when sources of censorship are looking to move in and change this country one element at a time.

First Stern, then others.

I'm about as liberal as they come, GF, and my morals are quite suspect. That said, I hate Stern. Not because he offends me, mind you. He's just not funny to me.

I am against censorship by the government. If he is being censored by his bosses, though, then that's a whole other ball of wax.

 

[GratefulFred]

Well your taste is no the issue

So what if people hate him - that really is not the issue. So long as there's advertisers who feel that his numbers will help sell his service product, he's entitled to make a living doing his style of radio drama and we are likewise entitled to changing the station.

If it is a fact that his numbers are slipping, that's a contractual matter not worthy of discussion since we do not know the facts and it's equivalent to a mindless sports discussion at any rate.

Stern is a zillion times better then Rush. He knows, as do us all, that lesbians and porn discussion sell past, present and future. People that hate him may still buy from advertisers remember.

 

[cloudy]

Re: Well your taste is no the issue

So what if people hate him - that really is not the issue. So long as there's advertisers who feel that his numbers will help sell his service product, he's entitled to make a living doing his style of radio drama and we are likewise entitled to changing the station.

If it is a fact that his numbers are slipping, that's a contractual matter not worthy of discussion since we do not know the facts and it's equivalent to a mindless sports discussion at any rate.

Stern is a zillion times better then Rush. He knows, as do us all, that lesbians and porn discussion sell past, present and future. People that hate him may still buy from advertisers remember.

But if they hate him, they don't listen to him, and that makes the advertisers realize their money is best spent elsewhere.

I despise censorship, but Stern's just an ass with a loud mouth.

 

[minsue]

Re: Well your taste is no the issue

So what if people hate him - that really is not the issue. So long as there's advertisers who feel that his numbers will help sell his service product, he's entitled to make a living doing his style of radio drama and we are likewise entitled to changing the station.

If it is a fact that his numbers are slipping, that's a contractual matter not worthy of discussion since we do not know the facts and it's equivalent to a mindless sports discussion at any rate.

Stern is a zillion times better then Rush. He knows, as do us all, that lesbians and porn discussion sell past, present and future. People that hate him may still buy from advertisers remember.

Aw, you're cute when you're offended.

I know my taste is not an issue to you. I wouldn't have replied to your thread at all if it weren't for your implication that the only reason to dislike Stern is because he's liberal.

 

[GratefulFred]

How dare I suggest such a thing?

We are day 4 for the new Stern show (after it got taken off Clear Channel) and this constant dump midsentence is for the birds. Hope Novemeber gets here so it'll be either uncensored Stern (with Kerry winning) or no more of him and many others (the Bushster steal part II).

By the way I think Neil Rogers or Phil Hendrie is better.

 

[The Mutt]

Howard Stern is sick and twisted and I laugh my ass off every day.
I don't buy the "his numbers were slipping" argument. He still blows away the competition in every market.
And if you look at where Stern stands on the issues, you couldn't really call him liberal.
He was gung ho on the war in Iraq and supported President Bush. Then he came to his senses and started bashing Bush. Inside a week, Clear Channel dumped him. Clear Channel is in Bush's pocket. It has nothing to do with smut. I have been listening for years and the show is no more or no less nasty now than it has ever been. It's all about politics.
Howard Stern became a star by featuring naked women on the radio. That's pure genius, baby.