Clear Channel yanks Howard Stern
February 26, 2004Well, fallout from Janet Jackson’s boob-incident at the Super Bowl continues–Clear Channel says that they’re dropping Howard Stern for now, until they get assurances his show will meet decency standards. This affects Louisville since it’s Clear Channel’s stations here that air Stern.
Now I’m not a big fan of Howard, but for heaven’s sake Clear Channel knew before this what they were getting when they signed up to syndicate Stern’s show. It’s typical corporate timidity, the paradox of very large companies having very small backbones when it comes to standing up to any public scrutiny. They are just so fearful of some kind of backlash similar to the Jackson boob fury.
It’s a shame if this is what media has become in our hyper-consolidated world, where a few mega-companies get to make the decision on what people hear and see. Based entirely on the backbone, or lack thereof, in the corporate senior management.
The Internet was supposed to change that, level the playing field and make it possible for niche media to survive and thrive. Instead it turns out the big guys own the niches, like the raunch radio that Stern represents. And when the heat is on in those niches they back down.
I fear for the grey, monotone media future this presages. What’s next, a ban on Tinkie Winkie because somebody thinks he’s too gay?
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