How to End the Reign of Shock Jocks (AlterNet)

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How to End the Reign of Shock Jocks

By Rory O'Connor, AlterNet. Posted May 16, 2007.



Other than the desire to shock listeners -- and thereby create controversy, grow audiences and sell advertising -- the current spate of repulsive shock-jock gibberish all share something else: a salary from CBS.

What do recent radio references to "nappy-headed hos," raping Condi Rice, and "slimp flied lice" have in common?

Other than the desire to shock listeners -- and thereby create controversy, grow audiences and sell advertising -- the current spate of repulsive shock-jock gibberish all share something else: a salary from CBS.

Once peacock-proud of its self-styled "Tiffany" network -- so-called for its supposed devotion to quality -- the corporate heirs of William Paley traded public service for private profit long ago. But now no amount of filthy lucre can perfume away the stench wafting from the current trench of programming sewage being shoveled our way of late by such CBS on-air alleged "talent" as Opie & Anthony, JV and Elvis, and Don "I-Man" Imus.

It was CBS, of course, that offered Imus $40 million to render services of an "irreverent" and "controversial" nature -- and then fired him when he did the job too well. And it was CBS that hired JV and Elvis to crack wise on "The Dog House" before the "Imus effect" thankfully led to the cancellation of that program, after the hosts made a racist, sexist and homophobic on-air prank call ordering "slimp flied lice" from a Chinese restaurant.

And it was CBS that re-hired Opie and Anthony after dumping them five years ago for staging an on-air sex contest, complete with live coverage of a couple having sex in Saint Patrick's Cathedral. After outraged Catholics protested the desecration of their church, the duo looked for other employment -- and eventually found it, not only on XM satellite radio, where they staged their latest repellent stunt, but also on New York's WFNY-FM, where they are employed by -- wait, wait, don't tell me! -- CBS Radio.

...(snip)...

Of course, when stupid people say stupid things, only stupid people are surprised. And it would be stupid to blame dopey Opie and Anthony -- not to mention the idiotic likes of Glenn Beck, Neal Boortz, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly, Michael Savage, Michael Smerconish, and John Gibson, who have their own issues with bigotry and hate speech targeting race, gender, sexual orientation, religion, and ethnicity.

Moreover, targeting individuals does raise free speech and censorship concerns. Better to exercise our own free speech and purchasing power by telling and showing media companies and advertisers that encouragement of and complicity with such offensive remarks will hurt their bottom lines. CBS executives should know better, and if they don't get it yet, the best path to their collective corporate brain is clearly through their pocketbook.

At least some advertisers appear to get it. After deserting Imus, sponsors seem poised to do the same with Opie and Anthony -- and we should do our humble best to encourage them.

We can start by sending props out to representatives from both the New York State Lottery and to Trojan condoms for already announcing that they will no longer advertise on the CBS version of the "Opie & Anthony" show. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.alternet.org/mediaculture/51927/?page=1