Live radio is always interesting, and today's events were none the less interesting:
FCC Chairman Michael Powell was quizzed by an unlikely caller during an interview on KGO/San Francisco morning man Ronn Owen's show today when Howard Stern called in to the program.
Stern was on air for close to twenty minutes with Powell, initially asking the FCC chairman," Does it make you nervous to talk to me?" "It does not," Powell replied.
Stern then launched into Powell, suggesting he was not fit for the position and the only reason he was in it was due to his father. "How did you get your job? Do you deny your father got you this job?" asked Stern.
"I would deny it, exceedingly," said Powell. "You can look at my resume if you want. I'm not ashamed of it and I think it justifies my existence. I was Chief of Staff of the anti-trust division. I'm an attorney. I was a clerk on the court of the United States. I have the same credentials as virtually anyone who sits in my position does. I think it's a little unfair that because I happen to have a famous father and other public officials don't that you make an assumption that that's the only basis on which I serve in my position."
Stern didn't accept the answer, but turned his line of questioning to why the FCC is afraid to go to court over indecency definitions. "When will you allow this to go to court and stop practicing your form of racketeering that you do by making stations pay up or you hold back their license renewal?" asked Stern.
"First of all, that's flatly false," stated Powell. "There is no reason why Viacom or any other company who feels that they have been wrongly fined can't sue us in court. We have no basis what-so-ever to prevent them from going to court."
Article comments
1 - RJ
Howard Stern is a depraved asshole. He is going to satellite radio in order to continue engaging in vile radio w/o having to deal with any consequences.
Goodbye, Howie! I won't miss you!
2 - Matt
RJ, Why are you so offended by Howard? Are you forced to listen to him?
3 - RJ
Matt:
No. I actually sometimes ENJOYED listening to him.
Doesn't change the fact that he's a sicko, and a media whore, and a multi-millionaire for Kerry.
4 - Stan Dodson
I thought that Howard's calling in was quite telling - and it really doomed the hopes of "shock-jocks" to resume their vebal filth on broadcast airwaves.
I, personally, do not find Howard offensive. I think he is a great satirist. But I don't want my 9 year old daughter to flip onto his station while she's getting ready for school, and hearing Howard talking about anal sex.
It's the law that he can't do that on broadcast radio, and Michael Powell showed his outstanding professionalism by deflecting Howard's personal attacks and pointing out that it was simply the commission's job to enforce the law.
Bye Howard. Catch ya on satellite!
5 - Mark Saleski
...and a multi-millionaire for Kerry
ah, now the truth comes out.
6 - Mark Saleski
and politics aside, howard's doing a great service by highlighting the fact that the fcc doesn't uniformly enforce the rules.
heck, it's not even clear what the 'rules' are.
7 - josh adams
Stern is providing a service. Although contraversial, his radio bits are serve as entertainment. He does not take advantage of his guests, or do anything that they are not comfortable with doing. It could even be said that his guests take advantage of him, using his show to publicize themselves or products. So, if he decides that throwing balogna on an ass must be done, then he should do it, disregarding its acceptabilty in society's eyes, because ratings don't lie. The target audience is not children, so if parents don't want their children listening to him, don't let them listen. America is pluralistic, and it will remain diverse, with conflicting viewpoints, but the beauty is no one has to listen. Don't take away a service that is provided because some people don't like its content. If you have a problem with him, simply stop listening.
8 - Ashley T
Listen howard stern has the right to speak his mind even tho its progitive. Its the 1st Amendment people! Which state that we have the right to freedom of speech, religion, press, and protest. And if you dont like what hes saying, of if your child is listening to it well heres a news flash guys.......
chage the flipin station! Its not that heard people. Its not like were telling you that you have to listen. You were just to lazy and bored to cange it and wanted to nag about it.
Im 17 years old, Ive been listening to howard evey day since i was born. And I can tell you this Im no diffrent, Im not whoring around. Im an avrage girl. And when something that howard would say that was inapropreite, my mom would change the station.
Seriously people need to get over it and GET A LIFE!