After Being Yanked by Clear Channel, Howard Stern Predicts His Broadcast Demise

AP ^ | Mar. 6, 2004

[nuconvert]

After Being Yanked by Clear Channel, Howard Stern Predicts His Broadcast Demise

Mar 6, 2004

The Associated Press

NEW YORK (AP) - Shock jock and self-proclaimed "King of All Media" Howard Stern believes his reign on the radio is coming to an end. "The show is over," he announced Friday morning on his nationally syndicated radio program. "It's over."

It's not - at least not yet. But Stern predicted that a Federal Communications Communication crackdown on indecency on the airwaves will force his salacious show off the dial.

"I'm guessing that sometime next week will be my last show on this station," said Stern, adding that he expected the FCC to hit him with a whopping indecency fine. "There's a cultural war going on. The religious right is winning. We're losing."

A telephone call to Infinity Broadcasting, which syndicates Stern's show, was not returned Saturday to discuss Stern's comments.

On Friday, Stern devoted the first 2 1/2 hours of his show to his anticipated demise, a change of pace from the usual fare of naked women and toilet humor.

Clear Channel Communications yanked Stern from stations in San Diego, Pittsburgh, Rochester, N.Y., Louisville, Ky., and Fort Lauderdale and Orlando, Fla. on Feb. 25. The company said the suspension would last until the Stern show met its programming guidelines.

"This time they have to fire me," Stern said. "I'm through. I'm a dead man walking."

On Thursday, Clear Channel paid a record $755,000 fine levied last month by the FCC for indecent material aired by several of its stations

[nuconvert]

Oh Good!

That headline made my day

[demlosers]

"This time they have to fire me," Stern said. "I'm through. I'm a dead man walking."

Then make an honest living like working at Burger King.

[I_Love_My_Husband]

He's also saying he's going to go to satellite radio according to the website that tracks what he says daily (marksfriggin.com).

[stevem]

How many installments of this going out of business sale may we expect?

[onyx]

Howard Stern is a colossal creep.

[Cathryn Crawford]

That's too bad.

[FITZ]

He's just being quite the drama-queen. He can move his show to subscription channels --- his listeners can tune in there --- nothing guarantees anyone a spot on public airwaves.

[AmishDude]

Ba Ba Booey!

[Marylander]

I will miss Martha, but I won't miss Howard.

[Hildy]

This could be the best thing that happens to Stern...without his show they'll be no more bimbos stroking his ego (and other parts), maybe he'll realize what an ass he's been and beg his wife's forgiveness and regain the respect of his children. They're girls, aren't they? How would you like to be a young girl and have Howard Stern as your Father. Talk about creepy.

[Austin Willard Wright]

The "public" airwaves eh? Do you also support "public" ownership of newspapers too? I'm almost afraid to hear the answer. By the way, public is just a pretty word for government and politicians.

[squidly]

If he wants to blame somebody, he should blame Janet and Justin. They were the straw.

[thegreatbeast]

Boohoohu!

[FITZ]

Why doesn't he just shut up and get his show on a subscription channel? There were FCC guidelines for public airwaves decades ago --- this is nothing new. That way normal people don't have to go through their house throwing away their radios --- even kids can listen to the radio if there are some standards.

[Salo]

I just hope some future administration doesn't decide to go after conservative talk radio this way under the guise of hate speech. I don't listen to Stern's show - it's a one-trick pony that got old a long time ago - but I don't like our already-too-big-and-powerful government shutting down radio shows, either. Thankfully, I am smart enough to operate my radio properly so I do not have to listen to Howard Stern.

I guess I should join the sheep: save me from that baaaaaad radio show.

[AmishDude]

save me from that baaaaaad radio show

The best lesson you can learn in life is: It isn't always about you.

[FITZ]

I don't get the newspaper in my home because of the ads for topless and nudie bars because I have kids in the home --- but the newspaper doesn't get thrown at my house if I don't pay for it. What I don't want is unsolicited porn being sent to my kids which is what the radio does --- otherwise you're saying I should rid my home of all radios if I don't want an 11 year old exposed to porn?

[randog]

You're exactly right--the dems are going to go after talk radio and other conservative media outlets as soon as they possibly can with a fervor unseen before. Pretty soon public media will have all the quality and excitement of public education.

[isthisnickcool]

I was channel surfing a few weeks back and saw Stern on his radio show on cable on E! He had two females nekkid with wooden sticks stuck in their, uh, their, "bottoms". The object was to toss rings from across the room and land them around the sticks.

If Stern is fired there may never be another "show" like the one I just described. Now wouldn't that be a great loss to Western civilization?

[correctthought]

Somebody change that baby's diaper....

[Viking2002]

What do you wanna bet that when Stern sees the blade coming down on his neck, he'll try to break every FCC reg in the book in his last five minutes on the air? Go out with a bang, as it were.......

[Austin Willard Wright]

Just because a bunch of politicians nationalized the "public" airwaves back in the the 1920s doesn't make it right, Your newspaper analogy falls flat. Any kid can buy one by putting fifty cents in a machine.

In any case, we seem to have a philosophical difference. You trust politicians to "fine tune" the first amendment to "protect" us. I don't.

[Old Professer]

"There's a cultural war going on. The religious right is winning. We're losing."

Never take advice from someone who carries mice in his pockets.

[WhiteGuy]

First Amendment Bump!

KOAM Bump!

[FITZ]

If they ban Rush Limbaugh and he goes onto subscription channels --- then I could still listen --- there would still be free speech. If Stern stood on a corner and shouted racial insults and vulgar insults to everyone walking by --- that could be called free speech too.

[FITZ]

Are you saying Stern's show has quality and excitement?

[FITZ]

If I thought my kids would buy a newspaper when I give them 50 cents then I wouldn't give them the 50 cents --- but I know they'll buy candy. This doesn't limit any free speech --- because shows like Stern's can move to subscription channels, anyone who wants it can sign up. I think with radios automatically added to cars, alarm clocks, many are made to look like kids' toys, anything beamed at am/fm receivers doesn't need to be pornographic. I don't care if you want porn -- you can have it but what I don't want is unsolicited porn --- I wouldn't sign up with a subscription channel that offered Stern's show --- but it's fine with me if you do.

[CIBvet]

In the best Savage impression of Stern ...

"... so you're a lesbian, huuh? So whatta-ya-do ... anal? ... oral? ... oral-anal? .... ya do any anal-oral? How 'bout oral-anal-oral?"

What a talentless pathetic pig ... and to be a father to his young girls ... veerrry sad indeed.

[Cicero]

Stern is too big a money maker to vanish overnight. Some sleazeball media tycoon will pick him up.

[Ol' Sparky]

I hope Stern is right for once.

[Ol' Sparky]

Do you support porn movies on Saturday morning on broadcast TV or pornographic billboards on busy interstates?

[Central Scrutiniser]

I agree, I am not a fan of Clear Channel, they have done more to ruin talk radio than any host who may offend someone. I don't need any government head to protect me from being offended.

[Behind Liberal Lines]

I drive nearly an hour to work every morning and listen(ed) to Stern nearly every day.

Since 9/11, and until Clear Channel suspended him, I never heard Stern say anything against the President In fact, I would repeatedly hear him say he supported the President, the war on terror and the need to capture Saddam.

So why would he have been suspended over "speaking out against" President Bush?

This smells of stunt to me.

[CIBvet]

AG Ashcroft needs to attack the cable companies for bundling their product, just as MicroSoft and IBM were hit for bundling their product.

When you pay your cable bill every month to get Fox, cSpan, History Ch. etc, you are also being forced to support MTV 1, MTV 2, Howard Stern, and the rest of the video sewage programs pumped into our homes. Each of these porn-shows receive xx number of cents from our payment each month, just for also being included in the basic package.

If the cable companies were forced to UN-bundle these trashy shows, and make them each stand or fall on their own merit, many if not most, of the porn-trash shows catering to teens & twentysomthings, would FAIL within 6mos.

As it is now, American Moms and Dads are the ones paying/supporting the cable bill, and most, if given a clear choice, wouldn't choose to pay to have their children exposed to harmful, degenerate, programming.

Right now consumers don't have a choice to exclude the vulgar and evil from our living-rooms, if they want even the most basic package.

Having this video-sewage pumped into our homes 24/7 is absolutely destroying families and the nation we've been blessed to live in.

[Feiny]

I am totally shocked by the posts on this thread. Don't people on Free Republic support Free Speech. No one is forced to listen to Howard.

This is government infringing on Free Speech. Clear Channel removed him due to pressure and fines from the FCC. The FCC is run by 90 year old men with no sense of humor or respect for the Constitution. The only thing the FCC should be doing is making sure one station doesn't broadcast into some other stations range. They are now the arbitors of decency?

I am seeing Freepers applaud this action like idiots. That is the hypocrisy of the retarded right. We want less government....except when it comes to stuff we don't like. They want the government to pass laws against gays, stop Howard Stern and please oh please save us from naked people! We can't handle it....what a crock or crap.

Maybe some posters on this thread need to read the Constitution again. I am disgusted by the posts here today.

[Dane]

I am seeing Freepers applaud this action like idiots. That is the hypocrisy of the retarded right.

And the above is a mantra of an elitist Liberal/Libertarian.

Hey no one is stopping you from kissing Howards behind.

[CWOJackson]

Howard who?

[Feiny]

Actually, the day before he was taken off the air, he said he could no longer support Bush. It was the a combo of the Senate hearings into Janets boob.....and then the marriage protection amendment that turned him. He has been very anti-Bush lately. He went on the same rants against Clinton when the FCC fined him.

[Dane]

Howard who?

Some guy who is having a nervous breakdown on the radio knowing that his arrested development isn't going to be his meal ticket anymore. :^)

[Feiny]

Nice try Dane. I guess you support a government dictating what is OK for you to listen to.....I can't wait for you to support this action when it is President Hillary.

[CWOJackson]

Is he one of the regular chronic Bush haters here at FR?

[breakem]

many here don't give a damn about free speech, they're too busy fighting the culture war. If you're on the wrong side you don't have any rights. We only like the bill of rights if we're talking about the second amendment, donchano! And of course if you bring it up, you're a liberal troll.

[Zechariah11]

Join a circus freak show, Howard.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Sure...I'll bite. Yes, I would. I would also support your right to buy technology to block those channels as I would support your right to block porn on the equally accessible internet. Some of us don't trust the government to be a surrogate parent.

[Dane]

Nice try Dane. I guess you support a government dictating what is OK for you to listen to.....I can't wait for you to support this action when it is President Hillary

I will fight in the electoral arena to defeat Hillary. Anyway nothing is stopping Howard to be on satellite radio, and IMO, there is a big difference between Rush and Howard.

I can't help it if you can't see the differences between the two.

[my_pointy_head_is_sharp]

Thank you, Janet! I bet she's sorry now. She may not have been immediately sorry after her stunt, but look at what she set in motion. Howard Stern should blame her, not the religious right. No one else had the power to take him off the air - not the groups that have been screaming about him for years - no one - until Janet. Her one bold move did it. It put people over the edge. And it had nothing to do with the religious right.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Right now, there is parent control technology that you can purchase to block any radio station or T.V. station. That is your job. As to streetcorners, could you please name a privately owned streetcorner that allows Stern or anyone else to shout vulgarities.

Are you the parent of your children or is the government their parent? Take some responsiblity, rather than destroy my first amendment rights.

[Dane]

Is he one of the regular chronic Bush haters here at FR?

I don't think so, but, IMO, he does fit their political mold.

Anyway he's to busy oogling bimbos and someone would have to tell him that he has to use the word statist, as every other word while he oogles the bimbos. Then he will be a member of the club.

[Austin Willard Wright]

Agreed. Again, it seems that these folks are just too lazy to parent control technology to blog the "public" stations they hate.