music and politics on radio

[Daniel Billings]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Dave Faneuf" <tklaundry@juno.com>
To: <raccoonradio@myway.com>
Cc: <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>; <tklaundry@juno.com>
Sent: Sunday, September 19, 2004 1:03 PM
Subject: RE: music and politics on radio

> If station groups start going down that road and banning artists from the 
> air because of on stage or off stage comments, the next step is song 
> content.  I'm sure all those old protest songs offend "someone"...you 
> could even make an argument that "Sweet Home Alabama" promotes racism, so 
> no more Skynnard?
> It's a road best not traveled.

It is interesting to note that both groups on the left and right engage in 
this conduct.  I mentioned here recently stories on NPR on gay groups trying 
to get sponsors and venues to not support performances by Jamaican musician 
Beanie Man due to anti-gay lyrics in some of his songs.  The stories did not 
mention radio and I do not know if he gets much radio play in this country. 
The thing that stood out to me in the NPR stories was there was no mention 
of free speech, artistic freedom, silencing of minority views, ect. that 
came up during the Dixie Chicks controversy.  Now I do not mean to equate 
what Maines said to this guys lyrics but its is interesting that artistic 
freedom tends to be more respected depending upon whose ox is being gored.