Top Stories of 2003: It's Official -- Howard Stern Hosts 'Bona Fide News Program,' Says FCC
by Jody Brown
December 30, 2003
(AgapePress) - The Federal Communications Commission evidently feels that the nationally broadcast radio program hosted by shock jock Howard Stern has some redeeming value. But the agency's decision may upset those who consider themselves to be "real" journalists.One can almost hear pro-family groups saying "You've got to be kidding." The Federal Communications Commission on Tuesday announced that The Howard Stern Show -- just like Meet the Press, The CBS Evening News, 20/20, and others -- is a bona fide news program. The profanity-laced shock jock's employer, Infinity Broadcasting, had petitioned the FCC to exempt the radio program from federal equal-time rules.
The Washington Post
says Infinity's "seemingly long-shot argument" was that Stern's program qualified for an exemption because his show has "elements of a legitimate news-interview program." The petition, according to the report, was motivated by Stern's desire to interview Arnold Schwarzenegger about his candidacy for California governor. Without the exemption, Stern would be obligated to give equal time to any of the other 134 gubernatorial candidates in the Golden State.It should come as no surprise that several pro-family groups are upset about the FCC's decision. Brent Bozell, president of the Parents Television Council, says the FCC is not doing its job.
"Stern's radio program is by far the raunchiest program on American airwaves," Bozell says in a written statement. "When a program such as Stern's continually violates the public trust, over the public airwaves, the FCC should enforce the law and instead be revoking Infinity's broadcast license."
In the past, the FCC has repeatedly fined Stern for violations of its indecency standards, based on his program's raunchy content. In 1995, Infinity agreed to pay $1.7 million to settle a series of indecency charges leveled against the show.
In light of the FCC's past charges against Stern's show, the Family Research Council has called on FCC chairman Michael Powell to explain why the agency has suddenly done a turnabout and classified the show as "news programming." Tony Perkins, president of FRC, says Stern's show is not only disgusting, it is "the worst that American entertainment has to offer."
"This FCC has taken its abysmal record on enforcing indecency violations to a whole new low by giving Howard Sterns' pornographic program the label 'news,'" Perkins states in a press release. "[The federal agency] should be finding a way to take Howard Stern off the air -- not giving his show the dignity and respect it has now bestowed upon it."
But in New York City, the interfaith organization Morality in Media points out that Stern's program can still be found to be "indecent" even with its new designation. That group's president, Robert Peters, says to his knowledge, the FCC has not yet granted news programs a total exemption from the indecency law.
"Stern's radio program is a concoction of radio shock jock swill and libertarian political diatribe," Peters says. "When Stern is in his 'swill' mode, the FCC should -- when appropriate -- continue to treat him as a pig in the parlor and levy indecency fines against the stations that carry his program."
"But even when Stern is in his so-called 'news' mode, the FCC can still determine that particular program content violates the broadcast indecency law."
Steve Lerman, an attorney for Infinity Broadcasting, told The Washington Post that in light of news exemptions the FCC has awarded to other programs, the agency "made the correct decision." He pointed out that such programs as Sally Jessy Raphael, Jerry Springer, and Politically Incorrect have been exempted from granting equal time.
