Group 6- Government Censorship and Self-Regulation

Daniel Hernandez

Elizabeth Kamenicky 

Alex Korkmas

Lauren Sanders

Sam Scinicariello

Summary:

We will look at how Howard Stern was censored by the FCC through their application of indecency rules and why this forced him in the new self-regulated medium of satellite radio. By looking at Howard Stern and his many indecency fines we will demonstrate how the government censors broadcast media even in today’s society.

Outline:

I.               Introduction

A.   Define Censorship

B.    Define Indecency?

II.             History of the FCC and Indecency

A.   Carlin’s Seven Dirty Works

B.    Pacifica Decision

III.           Howard Stern Fines

A.   Infinity Fined  because of multiple Stern Indecency violations

i.               Personal Vendetta of former FCC chairman

B.    Clear Channel Fined For Stern Violations

i.               First time the FCC fined separately for Each indecency violation

ii.              Clear Channel chooses to remove Stern from several markets

IV.           Stern Moves to Satellite

A.   Sterns Claims of President Bush’s Witch Hunt

i.               Claimed indecency was being used against him personally

B.    Stern and Satellite radio’s self-censorship

i.               Stern is not fined for indecency in the same way as broadcast radio

ii.              Success of satellite since Stern moved to Sirius-XM

iii.            Question of The future

V.             Conclusion

A.   Howard Stern as an example of Government Censorship

B.    How Howard Stern now engages in self-censorship

Sources:

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(2004, October 26). Stern Challenges FCC Chairman on Air. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2004/SHOWBIZ/10/26/stern.fcc/index.html?iref=newssearch

Campbell A. Pacfica Reconsidered: Implications for the Current Controversy over Broadcast Indecency. Federal Communications Law Journal [serial online]. December 2010;63(1):195-260. Available from: Communication & Mass Media Complete, Ipswich, MA. Accessed November 18, 2014.

Dunbar, J., (2004). Indecency on the air: Shock-radio jock Howard Stern remains 'King of All Fines'. The Center of Public Integrity. Retrieved from http://www.publicintegrity.org/2004/04/09/6588/indecency-air

Federal Communications Commission. Obscene, Indecent, and Profane Broadcasts. Retrieved From: http://www.fcc.gov/guides/obscenity-indecency-and-profanity

Flint, Joe. (1992). FCC Fines Stern $600K; OK’s Deal. Business Insights: Global, 122. Retrieved From http://bi.galegroup.com.lib-ezproxy.tamu.edu:2048/global/article/GALE%7CA13294506/4259d43afe07b8453678657027266043?u=txshracd2898

Lauria, Peter. (2012, Dec. 9). Howard Stern’s New Deal: $2K a Minute. Retrieved from: http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2010/12/09/howard-sterns-sirius-deal-the-400-million-contract.html

Marikar, Sheila. (2012, May 14). "Howard Stern's Five Most Outrageous Offenses." ABC News. ABC News Network.

Straubhaar, Joseph, Robert Larose, and Lucinda Davenport. (2013) Media Now: Understanding Media, Culture, and Technology. Belmont, CA.: Wadsworth Company.

Zechowski, S. (2014). Declining Shock Value: Satellite Radio and the Mainstreaming of Howard Stern. Journal Of Radio & Audio Media, 21(2), 217-229. doi:10.1080/19376529.2014.950145