Re: Stern: Bona fide News Program

[Aaron Read <aread@speakeasy.net>]

At 08:40 AM 9/11/2003, Brian Vita wrote:
>Quoted from the article:
>
>"The Federal Communications Commission ruled Tuesday that Stern's raunchy
>radio program is a "bona fide news interview" program."
>
>...and Barney is a bona fide natural history program.
>
>After reading this article about the FCC's decision, I can't help but
>wondering if they picked up some smokables while visiting RFB.  This is
>nuts.
>
>http://abcnews.go.com/wire/Entertainment/ap20030909_2779.html?cmp=EM333
>
>Brian T. Vita, President

I understand your sentiment but I agree 100% with the FCC's 
decision.   Just because...

+ Howard is a lousy interviewer
+ His guests are extremely slanted towards the entertainment angle of "news"
+ His show consistently deals with topics that skirt the line of obscene & 
indecent
+ The overall content of the news is of minimal educational value

...doesn't mean his show isn't a news interview program.  Howard's show is 
almost all talk, he has guests, he asks them questions, they answer, he 
asks follow-up questions.  That's a news interview program.  I think it 
sucks as a news interview program, but apparently a lot of other people don't.

Besides, you're gonna tell me that Fox News (or Pacifica Radio, if you're 
of the opposite political bent) is not one step away from sensationalistic 
drivel a three-year-old could do better?   At Howard doesn't have any 
illusions that while he is doing news, he's really about the entertainment 
value of preaching to the coverted.


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron "Bishop" Read             aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels Consulting          AOL-IM: readaaron
http://www.friedbagels.com      Boston, MA