Does Howard Stern have enough political influence to cost Bush his reelection?

[tec699]

Howard Stern has come under direct fire lately from the Christian right. aka.. President Bush. Stern's 1st amendment rights are being attacked because there are a few people in Congress that disapprove of his rude and sexual antics on radio. Do you guys really want Congress to decide what?s decent and indecent? I don't.

We'll Stern has literally millions of listeners and viewers and he has told his following to vote anit-Bush. As Stern has stated "Lets get this maniac out of office. Bush is mixing religion and politics and he has to go."

I agree. It's time for Bush to go and people please don't even underestimate Stern. His influence has gotten Whitman and Pataki elected governor of both NJ and NY. Hell when Whitman won for the second time she named a rest stop for Stern. Because of his influence Stern has even helped Schwarzenegger with his bid for governor of California.

I believe he has the influence needed to defeat Bush.

Agree or disagree?

 

[tnitsuj]

WTF are you smoking? Who listens to Howard Stern in regards to politics??

 

[BugsBunny1078]

Howard Stern has gotten worse and worse over the years. WHat was titillating 5 years ago is tame today so he has to degrade further and further into obscenity to achieve the same effect. Taking him off the air will be doing him a favor. His show's content has no social, artistic , or redeeming value whatsoever.Put him out of his stinking misery.

 

[tec699]

Originally posted by: tnitsuj
WTF are you smoking? Who listens to Howard Stern in regards to politics??

Of course no one but you don't get the point. He's being attacked from the Christain right and if they are threatening to pull his show then his fans will be upset and will vote anti-Bush. Most of his viewers are all over the voting age and will vote against Bush if Stern promotes that viewpoint on his radio station.

Don't underestimate the guy.

 

[BDawg]

If Howard has any infleunce over the election, it probably won't matter as his listeners will be too stoned to remember to vote.

 

[tec699]

Originally posted by: BugsBunny1078
Howard Stern has gotten worse and worse over the years. WHat was titillating 5 years ago is tame today so he has to degrade further and further into obscenity to achieve the same effect. Taking him off the air will be doing him a favor. His show's content has no social, artistic , or redeeming value whatsoever.Put him out of his stinking misery.

So basically your saying that since you don't like Stern then we should all have to abide by what you say? I thought this was America? You want to take away my freedom to listen to Stern? You should go to China because America doesn't need people like you.

And to think my father fought for and has seen his friends die in the Korean War for the freedoms that we now enjoy. Why don't you go to the soliders graves and spit on them because thats what your doing right now.

 

[tec699]

Originally posted by: BDawg
If Howard has any infleunce over the election, it probably won't matter as his listeners will be too stoned to remember to vote.

Oh they will remember.

 

[bozack]

It is all smoke and mirrors, really what is happening is that this is all a ploy by the left to try and attack talk radio...they are so hell bent on nailing the conservative right wing radio that they will go so far as to sacrifice some of "their own", they are using Stern and basing it off the Superbowl incident to lay the ground work to regulate talk radio....

just my conspiracy theory for the day.

 

[BugsBunny1078]

You think stern is being taken off the air because of what I say?
The public owns the airwaves and every broadcaster has to follow public guidelines. Howard Stern has been violating the public's broadcasting regulations for along time. He has gotten away with it because the business is big so they could afford to pay the fines. If they make the fines larger then they can;t justify paying the fines anymore because he is no longer making the Broadcasting companies any money. If he stops violating the law then he can continue to do his show.Only you won;t find it interesting because he has no content to offer. He only has obscenity.

 

[tec699]

Originally posted by: BugsBunny1078
You think stern is being taken off the air because of what I say?
The public owns the airwaves and every broadcaster has to follow public guidelines. Howard Stern has been violating the public's broadcasting regulations for along time. He has gotten away with it because the business is big so they could afford to pay the fines. If they make the fines larger then they can;t justify paying the fines anymore because he is no longer making the Broadcasting companies any money. If he stops violating the law then he can continue to do his show.Only you won;t find it interesting because he has no content to offer. He only has obscenity.

That's fine. But why cant the public make the decisions. As you stated the public owns the airwaves and if this is true then why can't we decide if Stern stays or goes? Obviously he has a lot of listeners because the guy is very very successful. When you look at his ratings he always at the top of the list. So people love to listen to him and the fans should be the ones to make the decisions. Not Congress.

 

[Bitek]

If there was no value to his show, it wouldn't be so popular and so widely imitated. If its not what you want to hear you have the freedom as an American to use your fingers and turn the dial to another station. It that simple. There are no illutions when it comes to what his show is about. You know exactly what you're going to get if you tune in.
If those who want to start censoring people they don't like, they should do us all a favor by leaving and joining the Taliban. I'm tired of all the heed that is paid to the Xian zealot minority in this country. This is is a fairly minor issue, but they have their hands on so many, and most to the detriment of our nation.

Can Stern swing the balance? I dunno. Only if it were a very tight race and he could push the vote over in even a single key swing state (like Ohio or PA, Fl or such.) Bush loses a few to Stern, but makes his fundie base happy. Who would you think would be more reliable on Election Day?

 

[bozack]

Originally posted by: Hafen
If there was no value to his show, it wouldn't be so popular and so widely imitated. If its not what you want to hear you have the freedom as an American to use your fingers and turn the dial to another station. It that simple. There are no illutions when it comes to what his show is about. You know exactly what you're going to get if you tune in.
If those who want to start censoring people they don't like, they should do us all a favor by leaving and joining the Taliban. I'm tired of all the heed that is paid to the Xian zealot minority in this country. This is is a fairly minor issue, but they have their hands on so many, and most to the detriment of our nation.

Can Stern swing the balance? I dunno. Only if it were a very tight race and he could push the vote over in even a single key swing state (like Ohio or PA, Fl or such.) Bush loses a few to Stern, but makes his fundie base happy. Who would you think would be more reliable on Election Day?

anyone that argues "value" in programming like Stern's is IMHO a complete moron....it is popular because it is deemed "shocking" and the general moron public, which loves crass TV and other programming loves Stern because they are too stupid to comprehend anything with substance...

Should he have the right to cater to the morons of society? sure...but people in his position should also have the decency to realize what is right and wrong and not sell out and air any raunchy topic just to see his numbers rise...

with the advent of paid sattelite radio I would suggest controversial programming be moved to that, much like we pay for cable.

 

[xochi]

IMHO, he does have influence.

(many spelling errors) Just ask the Governor of New York, George Pataki, Ex New Jersey Gov, Christy Todd Whitman, Ex Senator Alfonse Dimatto, and Rudy Guliani.

He went to bat for every one of these candidates and endlessly supported them on his show. They all won, and i think his fan base was the deciding factor in some of the elections.

I find it more curious that everyone of them is a Republican and Stern is now relentlessly bashing Bush and everything conservative.

 

[Moonbeam]

Well if he could get rid of Bush I would have to re-evaluate my poor estimation of Stern. Go Stern. He should put a Bush mask on some of the bimbos he has on.

 

[Bitek]

Originally posted by: BugsBunny1078
You think stern is being taken off the air because of what I say?
The public owns the airwaves and every broadcaster has to follow public guidelines. Howard Stern has been violating the public's broadcasting regulations for along time. He has gotten away with it because the business is big so they could afford to pay the fines. If they make the fines larger then they can;t justify paying the fines anymore because he is no longer making the Broadcasting companies any money. If he stops violating the law then he can continue to do his show.Only you won;t find it interesting because he has no content to offer. He only has obscenity.

First of all, if the public wants his show, why can't they have it then? This ignores the fact that the FCC is not really a public reg body. They are not elected, only appointed, and scantly overseen by the courts. The FCC has not been acting in the public's favor for a long time (remember all the recent rule changes in station ownership for one example.) IMO much of whole fiasco is due to the public losing its rights over the airwaves to big business/media.


You say he has violated the law? Show us where. Unless you've pinned him for a murder, he has broken no laws.
He may have pushed the limit on some FCC guidelines, which are not passed by the Congress, therefor not laws. They are a loose and vague collection of examples of what is/not appropraie. They are entirely subjective, decided by a small panel of people (often behind closed doors,) not always clear until after you've broken them, and contantly changing depending on the temperment of the current administration.


Who are you to say what's good for me to listen to? If like his content; if I like the swearing, sexual humor and fart jokes, why the F can't I listen to that if I want?! You don't like it, listen to something else.

 

[Bitek]

anyone that argues "value" in programming like Stern's is IMHO a complete moron....it is popular because it is deemed "shocking" and the general moron public, which loves crass TV and other programming loves Stern because they are too stupid to comprehend anything with substance...

Should he have the right to cater to the morons of society? sure...but people in his position should also have the decency to realize what is right and wrong and not sell out and air any raunchy topic just to see his numbers rise...

with the advent of paid sattelite radio I would suggest controversial programming be moved to that, much like we pay for cable.

So now you are the arbiter of substance and intelligence? Who T Fk are you to decide, you ignorant pompous ass? By your condescending elitist prick standards, I would be part of the intellegent sophisticate when I'm listening to NPR or the BBC, but if I get tired of that and switch to Stern I've transformed in to a trashy, crass, ignorant American, barely smart enough to not to crash my car into the first telephone pole I pass? What wonderful magic! You obviously have you fingers on the pulse of the nation.

Tell me this O Enlightened One, where would George Carlin lie? Am I entitled to enjoy his humor? While he has witty and insightful political humor, his show is also incredibly vulgar and not bereft of pusy\kok\and fart jokes?

I already pay for the airwaves (at least whats left of them,) I'm sure as hell not going to start paying for satelite. Moving all "controversial" content to XM is a stupid idea. Who then decides? Rush/Savage/ Right-wing radio can also be classified as controvercial. All good morning jocks push the lines. Don't forget about the Dixie Chicks and Keith Black. Much of the Rap, some R&B. Should those all go? Let's move everything so nothing is left other than Yanni and the Star-Spangled Banner. Or, you can F off and leave people to their own, fascist.

 

[Nitemare]

New York is a lost cause anyways, who really cares what percentage they vote for Herman Munster.

 

[BugsBunny1078]

Originally posted by: tec699

Originally posted by: BugsBunny1078
You think stern is being taken off the air because of what I say?
The public owns the airwaves and every broadcaster has to follow public guidelines. Howard Stern has been violating the public's broadcasting regulations for along time. He has gotten away with it because the business is big so they could afford to pay the fines. If they make the fines larger then they can;t justify paying the fines anymore because he is no longer making the Broadcasting companies any money. If he stops violating the law then he can continue to do his show.Only you won;t find it interesting because he has no content to offer. He only has obscenity.

That's fine. But why cant the public make the decisions. As you stated the public owns the airwaves and if this is true then why can't we decide if Stern stays or goes? Obviously he has a lot of listeners because the guy is very very successful. When you look at his ratings he always at the top of the list. So people love to listen to him and the fans should be the ones to make the decisions. Not Congress.

It is the public and mainly advertisers that will decide if Stern stays or goes. The FCC is going to help him clean up his show hopefully.
Then if after all the obscenity is removed people are still interested in the show, I am sure radio stations will still broadcast it.This is all about money. If the radio stations make a profit selling advertising to his show then they will air it. If advertisers lose interest in his show then they won't. Noone can stop Howard from doing his show except his employers and they will base that decision based on how profitable they think it is to do it. I am betting that if Howard is forced to stick to the guidelines of decency then his show will be too boring to be marketable. By the way what his listeners like to listen to doesn't matter because it is public airwaves. Alot of people would love to have broadcast porn but since children can easily tune in it isn't allowed.The same is true with radio. Howard could put his show on cable exclusively and not be under any FCC guidelines like this.

 

[leeboy]

Originally posted by: BugsBunny1078
You think stern is being taken off the air because of what I say?
The public owns the airwaves and every broadcaster has to follow public guidelines. Howard Stern has been violating the public's broadcasting regulations for along time. He has gotten away with it because the business is big so they could afford to pay the fines. If they make the fines larger then they can;t justify paying the fines anymore because he is no longer making the Broadcasting companies any money. If he stops violating the law then he can continue to do his show.Only you won;t find it interesting because he has no content to offer. He only has obscenity.

You MIGHT want to rethink that "The Public owns the airwaves" statement.

 

[BugsBunny1078]

Originally posted by: leeboy

Originally posted by: BugsBunny1078
You think stern is being taken off the air because of what I say?
The public owns the airwaves and every broadcaster has to follow public guidelines. Howard Stern has been violating the public's broadcasting regulations for along time. He has gotten away with it because the business is big so they could afford to pay the fines. If they make the fines larger then they can;t justify paying the fines anymore because he is no longer making the Broadcasting companies any money. If he stops violating the law then he can continue to do his show.Only you won;t find it interesting because he has no content to offer. He only has obscenity.

You MIGHT want to rethink that "The Public owns the airwaves" statement.

They are called public airwaves for a reason. THe public owns them and lease them to radio and tv stations to broadcast on. As part of the lease they agree to follow guidelines. If they don;t they can be fined which they do not have to pay, but they do have to to keep the lease. If they continue to break the guidelines they can lose their lease.

 

[Red Dawn]

Just another case of the Ridiculous..err Religious Right fscktards trying to push their own hypocrtical values down everyones throat. What might seem obscence to an anal retentive tightasses like BugsBunny is perfectly acceptable to millions of others.

Bozack you disapoint me, I always thought you were a defender of free spech and against censordhip. What happened, you find Jeebus?

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Just another case of the Ridiculous..err Religious Right fscktards trying to push their own hypocrtical values down everyones throat. What might seem obscence to an anal retentive tightasses like BugsBunny is perfectly acceptable to millions of others.

Bozack you disapoint me, I always thought you were a defender of free spech and against censordhip. What happened, you find Jeebus?

Its amazing how bigoted and hateful these boards have become.

 

[Red Dawn]

Originally posted by: nutxo

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Just another case of the Ridiculous..err Religious Right fscktards trying to push their own hypocrtical values down everyones throat. What might seem obscence to an anal retentive tightasses like BugsBunny is perfectly acceptable to millions of others.

Bozack you disapoint me, I always thought you were a defender of free spech and against censordhip. What happened, you find Jeebus?

Its amazing how bigoted and hateful these boards have become.

Well I do hate when a group trys to dictate what others can do in the privacy of their bedrooms and what they can and cannot listen too.

 

[tec699]

This is all about money

No it's all about politics. Stern has been doing his show for over 17 years now and his show has not changed one bit. Why has the FCC changed there stance on the Howard Stern show? I'll tell you... It all happened on Super Bowl Sunday. When Janet showed her tit on national TV the religious freaks came out of the wood work and started to bitch and moan that the entertainment industry is full of indecent hell bound performers and they need to go. So the one person they went after is Howard Stern.

Let me ask you this.. Why doesn't Congress go after Hollywood? I'll tell you why. It's because Congress is scared and they dare not go after that industry if they want to survive in politics. It would be a political disaster if they went after Hollywood. So who do they go after? Howard Stern. It's safe to go after Howard because everyone has gone after him.

So they go after Howard and he is taken off the air. So what's next? Maybe the Bush administration will come out with a rule that were not allowed to critize him or his staff? Our freedoms are being taken from us people and of course... We let it happen.

 

[nutxo]

Originally posted by: Red Dawn

Originally posted by: nutxo

Originally posted by: Red Dawn
Just another case of the Ridiculous..err Religious Right fscktards trying to push their own hypocrtical values down everyones throat. What might seem obscence to an anal retentive tightasses like BugsBunny is perfectly acceptable to millions of others.

Bozack you disapoint me, I always thought you were a defender of free spech and against censordhip. What happened, you find Jeebus?

Its amazing how bigoted and hateful these boards have become.

Well I do hate when a group trys to dictate what others can do in the privacy of their bedrooms and what they can and cannot listen too.

Where are the links for this issue? Howard is still on when I drive to work in the morning...