Stern Threatens To Quit If Bush Signs Bill

[Kooperman]

Stern Threatens To Quit If Bush Signs Indecency Bill

March 11, 2004

The Howard Stern saga continues. Although Infinity is saying they will stand by their man, Stern is threatening to quit anyway if President Bush signs new indecency legislation into law. On this morning's show, Congressman Gary Ackerman called in to discuss the bill and assure Stern that he would not sign it. Ackerman said the vote on the bill is happening today, and that he feels it will easily pass through the right wing-controlled House but that the Senate may veto it. (The bill passed in the House this afternoon, see separate story.) Stern replied by saying that if Bush signs the bill, he will resign as soon as it becomes a law. In fact, he went as far as to say that he's so tired of getting censored every morning that he may resign anyway, even if the bill isn't signed by Bush. Stern lamented that he just wants to do comedy his way, and radio has become too much of a battle.

While he could just be saying that out of anger and frustration, Stern reiterated that FCC sources have told him that Chairman Michael Powell wants him off the air, whether it be now or after the next presidential election, and he dared Powell to issue his indecency fines now instead of waiting until after the election. He also made the point that he believes his suspension by Clear Channel was directly related to him denouncing President Bush in the past few months, rather than specific incidents of indecency.

While Infinity is insisting that Stern won't be gone anytime soon, he said on the air today he has not ruled out the idea of going to satellite radio. However, he feels that satellite companies are not prepared to quickly manufacture the number of radios that would be needed to accommodate all of his fans that would want to buy them, should he decide to make that move. Stern believes that only about 50,000 receivers are ready to go and the demand could be up to 5 million, and that they don't have the technology to roll out the equipment fast enough.

However, an Infinity source told Radio Business Report that the satellite move won't happen. "He's not going to satellite," said the source. "First of all, he can't. He's under contract with us for two more years. So it's not even an issue... we're going to defend him."

http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=20819

[Kooperman]

House Passes New Indecency Legislation

March 11, 2004

By an overwhelming margin, the U.S. House of Representative today approved a bill that would raise indecency fines from their current $27,500 maximum to $500,000. The vote on Rep. Fred Upton's Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2004 was 391-22.

In addition to raising the maximum fine for station licensees, HR 3717 also jacks up the maximum fine for a performer from $11,000 to $500,000.

In a memo to lawmakers today, the Bush administration strongly endorsed the bill.

Similar legislation in the Senate isn't expected to sail through as easily, due to controversial amendments added during the markup process. One amendment would try to curb violence on TV, while another seeks to put a hold on the new FCC ownership rules until the government studies what affect consolidation has had on indecency.

http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=20820

[DudeAsInCool]

This means only 22 people saw the danger in this on freedom of speech--unbelievable. The Senatorial side is a bit more in tune with the real world.... hopefully

[Kooperman]

The sterilized '50's seem to be gaining on us in the rear view mirror....Maybe I can find an I Like Ike button somewhere...

[DudeAsInCool]

My mom has one - she also has a Tippy Canoe and Tyler too medal

[MikeHunt]

God ..it's so tempting ..to get rid of Stern by censorship...but no...I appeal to you...any other way. :rolleyes:

[Kooperman]

Yeah Mike, I can't stand him or the show, but it's freedoms we're pissing away here.

[DudeAsInCool]

Hey, if we get to censor, lets start with Limbaugh... At least Stern is funny at times.

[Bombardier]

Hey, if we get to censor, lets start with Limbaugh... At least Stern is funny at times.

Limbaugh is almost all politics. "Indecency" is defined as crude "shock" broadcast such as people's sex lives and "over the top" explicit content.

The freedom of speech constitutional right mainly applies to political speech, so I doubt Rush is going anyware any time soon.

[DudeAsInCool]

I was beng facetious. Actually, Limbaugh is funnier than Howared Stern.

The question is, why, after all these years of the shock jocks, and enormous profits for Clear Channel, all of as sudden, there is a problem? Do you think the FCC's charges, and congress's recent vote, are truly because people woke up one fine day and said, oh my god, what Stern does is obscene and must be removed from our airwaves for the sake of our children. Or, do you think, the actions are poltically motivated?

As to the question of indecency...that trend started when the legitmate news outlets began to mirror American Media's Natl Enquirer, et tal. (Did you know that all the major news outlets have American Media on retainer?) I would agree that Stern and others have long passed the line of propriety... So what took so long for the FCC and others to do something about it?

[Lord_of_the_Dense]

Can't we move this election thing up? This guy is going out the same way Gray Davis did. Signing all he can before he gets ousted. Unfortunately, it's an oust that's part of the system. Better than 2 terms I suppose.

:psychofun:

[Meehowski]

George Orwell was right.............