hottweelz
Dedicated LVC Member
I got to hear this on the air... it's FANTASTIC!
Oct. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Howard Stern phoned U.S. Federal
Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell during a live
radio call-in show, accusing the FCC of failing to apply
consistent decency standards to all broadcasters.
Stern, a radio host on Viacom Inc.-owned stations, described
himself as a victim during his call this morning. He argued that
his show shouldn't be fined when it covers the same topics as
Oprah Winfrey's television show, which hasn't drawn sanctions.
Stern and Powell debated during a morning radio broadcast on San
Francisco-based KGO-AM 810.
``The majority of broadcasters are responsible with their
public-interest obligations. The public wanted some limits on
indecent speech,'' Powell said, according to a tape of the
exchange on the radio's Web site. ``We don't want to be the
federal bureau of indecency.''
Stern has generated more than $2 million in regulatory fines
for airing indecent material. Host of the top-rated radio show for
young men in New York and Los Angeles, Stern announced earlier
this month he will move to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.
``I've received the largest fines in history. I've been
slammed. You continually fine me, but you are afraid to go to
court,'' Stern said. ``When will you allow this to go to court and
stop practicing this form of racketeering?''
Stern complained that Viacom, whose Infinity radio unit
broadcasts his show, has been blocked from buying new stations
until indecency fines are paid. He said the company was deterred
from pursuing legal action.
``There's no reason why Viacom or any other company who feel
they have been wrongly fined, can't sue us in court,'' Powell
said. ``We have no basis to prevent them from going to court.''
``Howard has an argument, but his argument is that there
should be no limits on what he's able to do on the radio,'' Powell
said. ``If there are going to be limits, someone has got to define
them and someone has to enforce them.''
KGO is owned by Walt Disney Co.'s ABC network.
Oct. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Howard Stern phoned U.S. Federal
Communications Commission Chairman Michael Powell during a live
radio call-in show, accusing the FCC of failing to apply
consistent decency standards to all broadcasters.
Stern, a radio host on Viacom Inc.-owned stations, described
himself as a victim during his call this morning. He argued that
his show shouldn't be fined when it covers the same topics as
Oprah Winfrey's television show, which hasn't drawn sanctions.
Stern and Powell debated during a morning radio broadcast on San
Francisco-based KGO-AM 810.
``The majority of broadcasters are responsible with their
public-interest obligations. The public wanted some limits on
indecent speech,'' Powell said, according to a tape of the
exchange on the radio's Web site. ``We don't want to be the
federal bureau of indecency.''
Stern has generated more than $2 million in regulatory fines
for airing indecent material. Host of the top-rated radio show for
young men in New York and Los Angeles, Stern announced earlier
this month he will move to Sirius Satellite Radio Inc.
``I've received the largest fines in history. I've been
slammed. You continually fine me, but you are afraid to go to
court,'' Stern said. ``When will you allow this to go to court and
stop practicing this form of racketeering?''
Stern complained that Viacom, whose Infinity radio unit
broadcasts his show, has been blocked from buying new stations
until indecency fines are paid. He said the company was deterred
from pursuing legal action.
``There's no reason why Viacom or any other company who feel
they have been wrongly fined, can't sue us in court,'' Powell
said. ``We have no basis to prevent them from going to court.''
``Howard has an argument, but his argument is that there
should be no limits on what he's able to do on the radio,'' Powell
said. ``If there are going to be limits, someone has got to define
them and someone has to enforce them.''
KGO is owned by Walt Disney Co.'s ABC network.
