Keep Howard Stern on free radio. Call your Senators soon, don't pay later.

[Eric J in MN]

Right now, you can listen to Howard Stern for free if his show is broadcast in your city.

However, last week, the House passed "The Decency Enforcement Act of 2004" increasing FCC fines by 20 times, to $500,000 per-incident of supposed indecency.

If the Senate passes it, Howard Stern will go to satellite-radio. Then if you want to listen to his show, you will have to spend $200 for a satellite-radio and $12-per-month to subscribe.

By making a free phone call to each of your Senators and asking them to vote AGAINST increasing FCC fines, you can save yourself money later.

The free Capitol Switchboard number is:
1-800-839-5276

sample phone words:
Hello, can I speak with the office of Senator _______?

Hello, my name is ____, can I speak to someone about the FCC bill?

I'd like to leave a message for Senator _____, please vote against increasing FCC fines. This bill would hurt freedom-of-speech.

----------
If you don't know the names of both your U.S. Senators, you can look them up at:
www.vote-smart.org
If you would like to read more about this issuse, go to "MoveLeft Media" at:
www.moveleft.com

[galadrium]

1. sign the petition

www.stopfcc.com

[kanrok]

2. Done

Thanks for the link. Welcome to DU. Cheers! :beer:

[Eric J in MN]

16. Done. (nt)

nt

[lastknowngood]

3. Sorry I don't get it. Stern is an ass who has said nothing good

about Dem's for years and now I'm supposed to care that clear channal has taken him of a few affilates. I believe in free speach and all but I have no dog in this fight. Libs are running around acting like he is a friend. He got relgion when his sugar daddy turned on him.

[Eric J in MN]

4. If Al Franken or Jeanine Garafalo make jokes about

If Al Franken or Jeanine Garafalo make jokes about sex, Republican FCC Chairman Michael Powell will be able to use that to drive them off the air, too.

We need to stop this now. Please call the toll-free number and tell your Senators that free-speech is better than heavy FCC fines.

[sendero]

5. This is why the left...

... gets their asses handed to them time and time again. Stern doesn't meet your standard of ideological purity so you want no part of him.

WHO GIVE'S A RATS ASS WHY HE IS DOING IT? He is trashing Bush* in front of 15 million people every morning. You know someone else with that kind of audience that is going to tell the truth about George Bush? I thought not.

Do you want to get Bush* out or not?

[neverforget]

9. Couldn't have said it better myself. Some people just don't get it.

To some, freedom of speech only applies to those they agree with.

[dad]

6. .

Speaking as someone WITH satellite radio, living in a non-Howard city, I hope he DOES go to satellite!! We still love ya in CLT HOWARD STERN!

[Not Me]

10. I have XM

And I can't get him on satellite.
I live in Orlando, and the Clear Channel blackout affects the Orlando affiliate (WTKS). And since XM picks up WTKS as their feed, they too have lost Stern in the morning.

I am double fucked.

[cliss]

7. I"m dubious about Howard, myself.

I like the message, but I don't like the messenger.

I'm not sure his opinion is necessary for the Democrats' message to get through to people. He certainly has a large orbit of listeners - I've read 8 million.

However, he's suddenly turned against Bush only because his show is threatened. NOT because he feels that the Democrats' cause is the right one, or that Kerry should be the next president.

This is nothing more than a reaction. It's not sincere, and maybe the listeners will pick up on that. I could be wrong.

[Eric J in MN]

8. The chronlogy: first Howard Stern started criticizing Bush,

The chronology: first Howard Stern started criticizing Bush, then Clear Channel took him off six stations, then he criticized Bush more.

Howard Stern didn't start crticizing Bush because Stern was taken off Clear Channel.

[cliss]

11. Eric, thankx for the facts.

But I'm wondering: why did Stern start to criticize Bush? I've read that he's a staunch Bush supporter, and he supported the war in Iraq.

Why the sudden change?

[Eric J in MN]

12. After a one-week vacation, he said that he had read Al Franken's book,

After a one-week vacation, Howard Stern said that he had read Al Franken's book, "Lies and the Lying Liars Who Tell Them," and it made him realize that Bush should go.

[Bushknew]

13. Howard Stern is a narcissistic media whore asshol@#

ItÕs all about him and his $$$$, he doesnÕt really care about the issues.

Where was he pre Janet Jackson?

HeÕs changed his tune only after the FCC has come after him.

F%$# Howard and Tom Likus for not using their intelligence for good.

F%$# all the comedians that portrayed Dean as a conspiracy wacko, or made fun of DK appearance instead of focusing on his message.

I have little sympathy now that the Bushistas are coming after them.

I hope PowellÕs son fines them all to bankruptcy.

Maybe next time theyÕll stop being such tools.

IÕm vengeful like that.

[Eric J in MN]

14. Did Howard Stern make fun of Howard Dean and Dennis Kucinich? (nt)

nt

[Bushknew]

15. That comment was directed at the SNL comedians

<<F%$# all the comedians that portrayed Dean as a conspiracy wacko, or made fun of DK appearance instead of focusing on his message.>>

That comment was directed at the SNL comedians, who have been really soft on W.

They are STILL trotting out the Bill Clinton impersonation.WTF

I think it is safe to say that in these PAST 4 years at SNL, there has been more
Clinton jokes and impersonations than Bush jokes and impersonations.

[AP]

17. Let him do whatever makes him the most money. He deserves it.

However, I can't help but think that this whole thing is just a marketing campaign for the inevtiable switchover to pay radio, featuring Howards Stern.

[Eric J in MN]

19. Howard Stern is already doing well on free radio. He has no

Howard Stern is already doing well on free radio. He has no reason to want to go to satellite, unless FCC pressure gives him little choice.

Maybe he'll be successful on satellite radio, or maybe he won't, but it's not a gamble he wants.

It isn't a coincidence that he's going to leave free radio if the Senate passes the bill for massive FCC fines. He can't risk such massive fines.

[AP]

20. It's all about the money. Have you seen this article:

http://www.audiorevolution.com/news/0204/27.stern.html

...

All of these FCC threats mean nothing to outspoken Howard Stern who now literally begs to be fired released from his contract on his show. He threatens that he will take his estimated 18,000,000 listeners to satellite radio and kiss Viacom goodbye. Stern’s importance is two fold for Viacom. He not only generates incredible revenue in syndication to clients like Clear Channel – he also serves as the main draw for Viacom’s vast network of male oriented, FM talk radio stations across the country. One would think they would do anything to save the “King of all Media” but that might not be the case.

Despite Stern’s power, it is not inconceivable to see him cut loose by Karmazin assuming Viacom started losing stations. In the event Stern was let go, the ramifications would be earth shattering. If Stern ended up on satellite radio he could change that media forever much like he defined the male demographic on terrestrial radio. Currently, satellite radio has about 1.3 million total subscribers with a little over 1,000,000 on XM and about 250,000 on competing Sirius. Even a tiny fraction of Stern’s 18,000,000 listeners could take a second place player like Sirius and turn them into the leader in satellite radio literally overnight. More importantly, with satellite radio’s subscription model each new listener equals profitability.

Perhaps the political climate will soon simmer down as a natural course of events? Maybe in a few months a new, more moderate American president could create a more harmonious environment in the entertainment business. One thing is for sure, the last guy John Hogan, Mel Karmazin, Michael Powell and especially George W. Bush want to tangle with is Howard Stern. While his content is (and has always been) a little off-color, his audience is wide reaching and highly powerful. He is the kind of catalyst who could inspire radical change whether it is on Pennsylvania Avenue or in the world of satellite radio.

[Eric J in MN]

21. nothing in that article convinces me that he'll make more

Nothing in that article convinces me that Howard Stern will make more money next year if he's on satellite radio.

Right now, he has 8-18 million listeners.

How many would he have on satellite? Even if some of his existing fans buy satellite radios, other people won't discover him if he's on satellite.

Also, some people in Congress want to outlaw "indecency" on satellite radio, too. The "Decency Enforcement Act of 2004" isn't something Stern wants to become law. Neither do I. It's bad by itself, and could lead to even worse legislation.

Please call your Senators against increasing FCC fines.

[frank frankly]

18. done and done

thanks!!!