Clear Channel permanently pulled Howard Stern off the air Thurs. ...
Clear Channel permanently pulled Howard Stern off the air Thurs. in the wake of a proposed FCC $495,000 fine for indecent content on the shock jock’s show, the company said. “Unfortunately, the FCC’s latest action, combined with deafening silence…
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from the Stern show on their future plans to comply with the law, leave us no choice but to abandon the program for good,” said Clear Channel’s Pres.-CEO John Hogan. In Feb. Clear Channel suspended the show in 6 markets and asked the show’s syndicator that steps be taken to ensure FCC compliance. The FCC fined Clear Channel’s stations WBGG(FM) Ft. Lauderdale, WTKS(FM) Cocoa Beach, Fla., WTFX(FM) Louisville, KIOZ(FM) San Diego, WNVE(FM) Honeoye Falls, N.Y., and WXDX(FM) Pittsburgh, the maximum $27,500 for each of 18 total indecency violations. Clear Channel was fined $247,500, Citicasters Licenses $165,000, and Capstar TX $82,500. The FCC also asked the Enforcement Bureau to investigate Infinity Bcstg., which originates the show. “For the first time, the Commission assesses a fine against more than a single utterance, rather than counting an entire program as one utterance,” Comr. Copps said. FCC’s action also “makes clear” that indecency enforcement will address not only the station that is the subject of the compliant but any other station that aired the same programming, Copps said. At issue was Stern’s show that aired around 7:30 a.m. April 9, 2003, when a cast member mentioned anal sex. Stern expressed revulsion at the thought of a naked, sweaty, obese man engaging in cunnilingus. The fines, the 4th largest for indecency, were expected. The FCC last month imposed a $27,500 fine against Infinity for airing indecent material on Stern’s show. Stern said he wasn’t surprised by the fines: “It is pretty shocking that governmental interference into our rights and free speech takes place in the U.S. It’s hard to reconcile this with the land of the free and the home of the brave.” Separately, the FCC affirmed a $14,000 fine against Emmis Radio for airing indecent material over station WKQK(FM) Chicago during “Mancow’s Morning Madness” program. The FCC rejected Emmis’ arguments that the complaints didn’t include enough information to support indecency findings. Copps said the fines should be higher for repeat offenders like Emmis.