February 27, 2004

Just a thought

Not that I think Howard Stern is a defender of freedom and all that is good in America necessarily, but I can't help but get a bad taste in my mouth when Clear Channel "gets religion" (is called before Congress) and suspends him from their radio network.

Funny, it isn't like Stern schtick for the past 20 years had all of a sudden gotten raunchier.

Posted by joy at February 27, 2004 11:13 AM | TrackBack
Comments

The pendulum has begun to swing back the other direction. The hub-bub of the SuperBowl gave the FCC and Congress the idea about upping penalties and (for the very first time) hint at yanking licences.

So to me, an avid radio listener +/- 6 hours each day, it's not a huge shock. I'm not sure how many stations of Clear Channel carried Stern's show, but this move is not like Viacomm cancelling his contract -- and in recent years Viacom has had *a lot* of run-ins with the FCC.

But the man who was once called 'King of the MoonDogs' won't be crushed by all this; he may reign in his rhetoric for awhile, but I doubt he's going anywhere. I am surprised he hasn't alerady gone satellite/webcasting yet, however.

Posted by: Charlie on the PA Turnpike at February 27, 2004 12:49 PM

As scott chafin mentioned, Infinity owns the Stern show. Infinity is Clear channel's biggest competitor in the radio biz. I think there was more business to this "cleaning up" than conscience.

And, FWIW, when I was growing up, the phrase was "a come-to-Jesus meeting," as in Congress had a come-to-Jesus meeting with Clear Channel executives. :-)

Posted by: bryan at February 27, 2004 06:53 PM

This will take Stern off the air in 6 markets, leaving 175. I believe San Diego is the biggest market that will lose him.

I suspect competing stations will pick him up in some of those six.

Posted by: ucblockhead at February 28, 2004 02:27 PM