Stern to face censorship from the left?
In a matter of days, Howard will be broadcasting on Sirius’ satellite network after fleeing censors over at terrestrial radio. But will Howard really escape the censors? Debbie Schlussel says “no.”
Where terrestrial radio is sometimes disciplined by the FCC, satellite radio is governed by something far more malignant: The Orthodox Liberal-Left.
At least, that was my experience with XM–the number one satellite radio service and rival to Stern’s Sirius. I was aggressively sought by XM to do a show. But XM’s left-wing programming officials’ idea of what my views should be were far more restrictive than a governmental body properly trying to enforce decency in extreme cases. At XM, they were obsessed with Cindy Sheehan and Jane Fonda, vegetable-infused bus tour fantasies, rigidly pro-choice, and opposed to Justice Roberts’ nomination.
This brings up an interesting point about censorship and freedom of speech. Depending on whom you ask, neither the left or right are behind true freedom of speech. The right won’t let you talk about farts and boobies, and the left won’t let you crack a racist joke. Of course neither are too keen on criticisms of their view point.
Will this be a hang up for Howard? Probably not. First, his politics are fairly left leaning: he is pro-choice, anti-Bush and all of that. Sirius will probably let him get away with remarks that could be construed as racist, after all, they gave Eminem his own station.
In fact, the only problem I know of that Stern has come up against so far in his dealing with Sirius, surprisingly, is poo. In an interview with Jon Stewart on the Daily Show, Stern confided that a higher-up at Sirius lied about health codes to prevent him from weighing a man’s… stool on the air.
Finally something both sides can agree on! Vote no on #2!
