Profanity to Insanity
I'm no fan of Howard Stern, but this FCC thing is ridiculous. Yes, I find him offensive at times. And that's when I change the channel. I also find offensive things on NPR, CNN, Fox, ABC, the New York Times, etc. when they report something so poorly that I think it's actually harming the public debate. In that case, I not only turn them off, but tend to talk back to the inanimate device that delivered me the drivel. This isn't rocket science people: if you don't like it, change the station. Why must you demand that no one else listen to it?

Jeff Jarvis has been following the case like a madman, and Tony Pierce has weighed in with his support. Welch also has posted a few things in his own "indecency watch."

The only good thing about this is that they've gone after a big target like Stern, who has a huge following and passionate fans. Everyone will pay attention. It's a much sadder case when they go after a tiny outlet (like they did with KCSB, the student-run radio station at my college) that has a harder time fighting The Man.

And while I'm at it, I should direct your attention to the Student Press Law Center, the nonprofit organization that helps high schoolers and college kids fight the good fight for free speech every day. Looks like it's still run by Mark Goodman, a delightful man who spent hours and hours on the phone with me when I was the editor of my college paper and our staffers were always trying to figure out how to get more documents public, access to more closed meetings and figure out what was really in all those "discretionary funds." We did some great stuff and the SPLC gets part of the credit. If the kids learn young that they have rights to those things - an obligation even - you wind up with better journalists down the line. You can donate to the SPLC here.
- posted by Amy @ 3/19/2004 10:19:00 AM