McCain on Dixie Chicks
Published July 09, 2003
This from CMU
John McCain, the chairman of the US Senate Commerce Committee, has blasted US radio owner Cumulus Media and its chairman Lew Dickey for his decision to ban the Dixie Chicks from his chain after their controversial comments in March.
As reported at length the Dixie Chicks angered middle America when they said they were ashamed that George W was from their home state of Texas.
At a Commerce Committee hearing on new FCC rules concerning media ownership, McCain said: "I was as offended as anyone by the statement of the Dixie Chicks, but to restrain their trade because they exercised their right of free speech is remarkable."
Dickey maintains that the ban was a business decision based on a listener backlash and had no political motivation.
The Dixie Chicks manager said: "What happened to my clients is perhaps the most compelling evidence [yet] that radio ownership consolidation has a direct negative impact on diversity of programming and political discourse over the public airwaves."
Marty: John, you dipshit, they are a private company and can play whatever the hell they want. It wouldn't make much commercial sense if every time their radio station's played DC for their listeners to change the channel. Their advertisers would not be too pleased now would they?
Marty's band, Growing Old Disgracefully, can be found at: Disgraceful Music. His Cthulhu tales can be found at Temple of Dagon. 
- McCain on Dixie Chicks
- Published: July 09, 2003
- Type:
- Section: Music
- Filed Under: Culture: Media, Music: News
- Writer: Marty Dodge
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Marty, you dipshit, the "listeners will change the channel when we play Dixie Chicks" argument is disingenuous at best and an outright lie at worst. The Chicks new album remained at number one one the charts for weeks after the "ashamed" comment, and their concert tour has been sold out with less than token protests over the comment. These stations are not shunning the Chicks for commercial reasons - they are doing it for political reasons. And the Senate, amazingly enough, understands that.