The Censor's Back (was: NPR's Ira Glass defends Howard Stern)

[rogerkirk]

"Sid Schweiger" wrote:

>In any case, by reversing themselves in the Bono case and by not 
>fining stations that carried the Oprah Winfrey show's decidedly non-
>clinical discussion of sexual techniques, they've already broken their 
>own rules and have set the stage for their regulatory emasculation.

Jacques Steinberg (NY Times) wrote today that an Indianapolis radio station cut words like "urinate," "damn" and "orgy" from a recent Rush Limbaugh show.  He also noted that apparently some "classic rock radio stations have felt compelled to prune their playlists.  Gone are songs like Elton John's "The Bitch Is Back" and "Bitch" by the Rolling Stones."

What's next?  Sounds like we're right back to the early 70's when "Hi Hi Hi" by Wings, "Puff The Magic Dragon" and "Walk Right In" by the Rooftop Singers were all verboten for their alleged drug references.

At WRKO, I recall having to wield the almighty single-edged razor blade and EditAll block to excorcise every vestige of horror from a commercial for that classic film "Dr. Jekyll & Sister Hyde" because a listener complained.  Oh the humanity!

"And The Wheel Goes Round And Round"