Clear Channel Drops Stern on FCC Threat

Since I think politics is involved with the whole Howard Stern mes, I am posting this here. Mods, of course, may disaggree and move it
I've never quite understood why this only deals with less than a dozen stations, but the FCC has flexed its muscles.

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Apr 8, 5:43 PM EDT

Clear Channel Drops Stern on FCC Threat
By JONATHAN D. SALANT
Associated Press Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Federal regulators Thursday proposed $495,000 in indecency fines against Clear Channel Communications for broadcasts by Howard Stern, prompting the nation's largest radio chain to drop the country's best-known shock jock.

Clear Channel suspended Stern in February from its six stations that carry his program, which regularly features graphic sexual discussion and humor. It decided to make the move permanent after the Federal Communications Commission cited the chain for 18 alleged violations from Stern's April 9, 2003, show.

"Mr. Stern's show has created a great liability for us and other broadcasters who air it," said John Hogan, president of Clear Channel Radio. "The Congress and the FCC are even beginning to look at revoking station licenses. That's a risk we're just not willing to take."

In a statement posted on his Web site, Stern said he was not surprised by the fine. He characterized it as furtherance of a "witch hunt" against him by the Bush administration.

"It is pretty shocking that governmental interference into our rights and free speech takes place in the U.S.," he said. "It's hard to reconcile this with the 'land of the free' and the 'home of the brave.'""
here's the complete article

And, the article's grand finale:

"Stern is a repeat offender of the most commonsense decency standards and we welcome the news that the FCC is moving to combat these patently indecent shows," said L. Brent Bozell III, the group's president.



[Edited on 8-4-2004 by DontTreadOnMe]

First of all, I have to say that Clear Channel sucks. I don't listen to howard stern, but it's the whole principal of it. Censorship has gone way to far. Let it go!