Stern predicts end of radio show is near

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/world/8122219.htm

Howard Stern, sounding grim and depressed, said Friday on his top-rated morning show that he expected to be forced off the radio within three months, the victim of a political and financial campaign driven by right-wing religious conservatives. He urged listeners to vote against President Bush in revenge.

``The plug is about to be pulled on me,'' he told his audience, which he estimated at about 16 million listeners nationwide. ``I'm saying my goodbyes now. There's nothing you can do about it. . . . Vote George Bush out of office. That's all I ask. Remember me when you go to the voting booth.''

Until recently, Stern has stayed away from politics. ``I just want to do fart jokes and have stripper chicks in here,'' he said Friday.

Stern's show, carried on more than 40 stations nationwide, is broadcast from WXRK-FM (92.3) in New York. It was suspended Feb. 24 from six stations owned by Clear Channel Communications, a Texas company whose owners are major backers of Bush. Stern is syndicated by Infinity Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Viacom that owns more than 100 stations, including the Bay Area's KITS-FM (105.3), which carries his show.

...more...

I want to write him and tell him I don't want his show pulled off the air

it was PC to be a patriotic Rethug-loving, war-mongering a-hole, he and sidekick Quivers were toeing and mouthing the Repub line!!! Now when his millions dollar job is on the line, he is pretending to have liberal leanings.

sternshow@howardstern.com!

His show wasn't on the line until he started bashing bush*

He's being made an example...

As well as mostly conservative leanings...it's Bill Maher all over again (only Stern doesn't focus mainly on politics anyway.)

"You're either with us or you're against us", ALL THE TIME. Pick a side and stick to it...no independents, no libertarians...it works for Rush and Ann and O'Really.

IMO, Stern has always been a Repuke, and openly so. But his irreverent objectives regarding sex, gays, and his criticism of Prince Bush cannot be tolerated whatsoever during an election year.

Stern isn't that bright, and he still believes he his the right to say want he thinks on public airwaves. Hellooooo Howard...ever hear of this huge thing called Clear Channel? You expected the show to go on as usual?

Silly man, to think waking in lockstep with the GOP only 80% of the time would fly in this day and age.

but more importantly, i think we should remember that eventually everybody will come around to realizing Bush is a failure. So we need to be prepared to embrace the exodus rather than be accusatory.

I don't think is the money that much. He has to be worth about $50 to $100 mil, even after the divorce and can wait for a year or two.

He loves the job he has and hates to lose the war on that. People make mistakes, so instead of being happy, let's get all the help we can to get Bush out.

I don't care for him or his show but he reaches a lot of people, so let's encourage him to continue speaking out against Bush.

This isn't about Stern. It's about the inability of the people to publicly criticize the chimp.

Does this ring a bell to you?

First they came for Stern
and I did not speak out
because I was not a Stern fan...

Who will be next?

and then there are Cynthia McKinney, Tim Robbins and Susan Sarandon

and Michael Moore

though they don't count as heavily because they did not start out as Republican supporters.

The tactic is undeniable now. And very disturbing. HUAC, anyone?

Many rw groups have targeted the names mentioned in your post, but if the FCC shuts down Stern, he will be the first one silenced by the government.

but the article does not make it clear that the government is behind the "threats of heavy fines.." that Infinity faces. I was referring to the six Clear Channel stations that dropped him, which are at the top of the story. It is interesting that one has to drill down and think to understand the government is behind this. My HUAC comment was about where this is all leading.

who, besides the government, can impose fines for "indecency?"

There are lots of Stern threads in LBN and GD from the past couple of days that contains lots of information about Stern's situation.

I tuned into his show yesterday and it was clear to him that mikey powell and the FCC are behind the latest push to silence him.

http://www.fcc.gov/ and since Mikey Powell took over under this demonic group in the White House they are only looking out for the Bushies big broadcast contributors.

FCC didn't budge to 3 million e-mails, letters regarding consolidation. Silly focus group.

FCC went bonkers when Janet Jackson's boobie was exposed and 500,000 e-mails were sent. Right-wing base, act immediately.

Religious right-wing will do the same w/ Stern on this one - nothing to do with indecency, everything to do with his anti-bush message. Right-wing base, must act immediately.

and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Communist.

Then they came for the Jews,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Jew.

Then they came for the Trade Unionists,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Trade Unionist.

Then they came for the Catholics,
and I didn't speak out because I wasn't a Catholic.

Then they came for me,
and there was no one left to speak out for me."

- Pastor Martin Niemoller

to take down the Bush regime, he should come clean on the way he was told to toe the line on cheerleading for imperialism since 9/11.

I have a lot of friends and relatives who were cheerleaders for imperialism after 9/11. Everyone did. I always made my point clear but emotions were running too high.

The important thing is that the hysteria has worn off and voters really see how insane the shrubco cabal is now. The tide has turned. I welcome them all back in to our tent. We need every one of them.

that Bush is a coward for not fulfilling his National Guard duties and that Gore won the election. Having said that, in the run up to the Iraq war, he was definitely pro-Bush.

Doesn't everyone make mistakes in judgement? We should forgive him and welcome him back into the anti-Bush crowd instead of seeking only those that have hated Bush throughout. It's like cutting your nose off to spite your face.

a lot of former * supporters are now seeing the light.

I don't care under which circumstances -- I only care about the end result -- that they are seeing the light, and seeing * for what he truly is.

I'm not a regular Stern listener, but I used to listen occasionally on my way to work several years ago. I seem to recall that Stern defended Clinton about the blow job investigation. Of course he goofed on Clinton and Monica Lewinsky as objects of sexually oriented humor. But I seem to recall Stern strongly criticizing Ken Starr and the witch hunts being engaged in by the holier-than-thou Republicans at the time. In fact, I recall Stern lamenting the fact that even though he never joined the anti Clinton bandwagon, that the FCC nonetheless continued going after him during that period.

Also, Stern has been a mortal enemy of Rush Limbaugh through the years. He's always called Limbaugh a bag of hot air. "Pumpkinhead" is what he always calls Limbaugh.

I am more than willing to take his help this year. We need all the help we can get, and if Howard Stern can convince even a fraction of his daily audience to go with Kerry this time around, I'll thank him for it.

You have a guy with MILLIONS of listeners every day telling them to vote Bush out of office. To reject such a gift is sheer idiocy.

Go Howard, Former King of all Media!

He's making fact-based cohesive arguments against these institutions. He's taking every opportunity to pound away at them, and he's just daring them to make his prophecy come true.

The biggest worry for Clear Channel is that Stern will take his act to a liberal station and will expose them as being guilty of what is truly obsene--restrictions of rights, political sabotage, and suffocation of the left. If Stern gets fired, he would be re-hired somewhere, and he's just the kind of guy to be a martyr and make a crusade out of the whole thing.

Listen to him if you can. He's doing an unbelievable job saying the kinds of things you would usually only find on DU.

Go Howard>

If the excuse is airing of a racial slur, how many racial slurs has Limbaugh made in the past several years.

Here's the quote:
"Clear Channel CEO John Hogan said Stern was punished because a caller used a racial slur."

Rush should have been taken off the air years ago if this is the standard clear channel is pursuing.

It's all politically motivated to shut up critics of Bush the republicans are trying to shut up Moveon.orgs critical ads through the FEC. If they succeed we are in for an uphill fight to get heard above the Right Wings voice on the media.

I couldn't have said it better myself. He's spending hours a day talking about this.

If they vote against Bush to get rid of Michael Powell and the other rightwingers in the FCC, I'll say welcome aboard!

Trying to activate his listeners against Bush. Pound on them for three more months, then go out as a martyr!

That should work.

... Stern got where he is being stupid is delusional. I think he goes over the line on occassion, but if you listen to him a while you will realize he is anything but stupid.

Here is a comprehensive guide to the evil of Clear Channel, with links to multiple articles:

http://www.salon.com/ent/clear_channel/

----
I don't like Stern personally - but Clear Channel didn't go after him AFTER he started criticizing Bush. I have also read they reportedly fired two DJs who criticized the war in Iraq.

----
An earlier post noted how Limbaugh wasn't suspended when he made racial or ethnic attacks. Clear Channel doesn't just carry Limbaugh's show - Clear Channel literally OWNS his show. They bought the show from Limbaugh.

Of Stern-I think there is a tendency to trap New Yorkers and other Americans as served them right Gopers. Remember Stern show on 9/11 was a great and sad show-very sad-a lot of us-me included cried for the dead and wanted revenge-our city was defaced by stone age racist thugs-we had every right to be angry and to want justice-did that make us cheerleaders for robbing people of their jobs?, to defy international treaties? to rape the environment? and to start a war for no reason?-America was at its best on 9/11-the bravery and concern for people was an example for the world-and the world did see that and love it-don't let the GOP own the valiant of 9/11-they were simply Americans-Stern was broadcasting that day from a city under attack-the shame should be on the GOP who took the positive of the USA of 9/11 and turned us into a pariah and corporate thug nation. The attacks on Stern from the right is part of the great silencing of dissent. To Change the discussion of structural concerns for the government to cultural war issues. There is so much crassness in the GOP stealing 9/11. We can't let them steal that day and the good memory of our fallen fellow Americans.

I'm all for it!

The guy is listened to religiously by a LOT of people who don't pay much attention to anything else.

What you might call "swing voters".

Hello?

Howard can sway a LOT of opinions from a LOT of non-political people.

Even though Howard is lacking in taste, think of the reach that man has. He has a huge listenership, in the millions. They are mostly younger men between the ages of 18 and 26 and have a lower than average income.

They do, however, possess a vote. A vote which could be used against Bush. These are precisely the people who I'm planning to sign up to vote: teenagers who are lovable but lazy.

Also, consider the anger it would cause if Stern's show is flushed. Howard will not go down without a fight, and the Bush re-election campaign is vulnerable because of jobs. And don't forget, "I am a uniter, not a divider".

I could never accomplish what Howard could, in the span of 30 seconds, endorsing Kerry. So we should be thankful for the message, even though the messenger is somewhat suspect.

Hell, I was even flattered when Kim Jong Il called Bush a "filthy liar". I was pleased when the leader of Zimbabwe told Bush to "go to hell" last week.

He does bring out the best in us, doesn't he?

all those listeners just MIGHT go out and vote against Shrub, Inc. -

The fact that he's even gotten away with his smutty show all these years is what amazes me. I can't figure why he wasn't yanked years ago. They are cracking down on slime post-Janet Jackson, and he's an obvious target. It has nothing to do with W.

Uncanny coincidence, eh?

The guy is a pig.............................

Yes, HS is and has been a pig. BUT that does not change the REALITY that in March 2004 we suddenly have a massively popular radio host with millions of listeners, POUNDING on Bush every morning during drive time.

From yesterday morning, HS was basically saying that it's inevitable that his show is through, he was painting the scenario that the fix is in where the FCC will impose a substantial indecency fine on Viacom/Infinity (that is his mother network with whom he is contracted, Clear Channel was a much smaller part of his stations) essentially forcing them to get rid of him or go out of business. He basically implied that he had an FCC insider who told him as much and viewed it as a done deal.

But he then said, "But payback has to be a bitch. And the payback is to vote George Bush out of office."

HS's message on this has been on

1) Censorship of the media without recourse of the courts, either by monopolies like CC shutting down media like HS or Dixie Chix with an antiRepub message or FCC levying fines on companies pressuring them to squeeze out performers like HS

2) Takeover of the country and its politics by the religious Reich as facilitated and encouraged by the Bush administration.

If Rush Limbaugh and Hannity suddenly started telling all their listeners to vote shrub out of office, I'd still think they were twerps, but it would be a WELCOME development, and I'd listen to see if they actually had some kind of change of heart. If you haven't been listening to the show recently (and I haven't been some kind of slavish fan), you don't understand that he is REALLY coming down hard on shrub. And spending a long period of time every day doing it.

If Mike Malloy comes down on Bush, how many listeners does he have to influence? And he is already preaching to the motivated choir. Any voters Howard will bring in as a result of this will either be

1) New voters
2) Former Bush voters

Either of which is great! Take off your politically correct earmuffs and eyeshades for a second and wake up! This is war, and this November we really need to win it!

along w/ his 'squatter out' message, encouraging his audience 2 register and VOTE? If that is not a major part of the message, we will reap few benefits.

They will just fine him and stations will start running his show on delay.

What does the FCC or any other gov entity have to do with this case?

It's great that he is blaming bush and all that but I really despise a whiner. I would prefer that a private corp (CC or other) has the final say in what make the airwaves in their name.

Basically he is saying, that CC has censored him off their network, putting "their" stations at a commercial disadvantage (since HS's show is very popular). FCC will do them a favor and "level" the playing field by fining Viacom/Infinity, Howard's real network of stations, and essentially forcing them to get rid of him in a way that totally avoids any scrutiny of the "indecency" issues involved without recourse to a hearing in the courts. He implied that he has inside info from the FCC that they are going to do this. We will see.

Stern started expressing negative opinions about Bush on the air. Clear station thought dissing the chimp was obscene speech an pulled the plug on Stern.

Clear station then went to the FCC and Congress and reported that they are cleaning up their act, starting with Stern. Hence the governmental involvement.

Kicking Stern off the air because of his political views was indirect governmental involvement. Since there was no FCC order you may chose to think that there is no connection between Stern's fate and the political powers in Washington. I suspect you employ this sort of denial all the time.

You suspect incorrectly.

Now if you want to provide a link to back up your claims I have the time for the truth to listen.

Howard Stern has broadcast the same disgusting, racist, women hating garbage for about twenty years. His show has not changed at all. What has changed is his political comments against Bush. Clear Channel can air whatever it wants, but it is a disturbing "coincidence" that Stern is taken off of the air at the same time that he changes his tune about Bush.

If you need links to realize this, then you can easily look them up on your own. www.google.com .

Won't miss him.

they could build a radio network around Howard Stern.

I'm sorry but I'm not touched by his depression. With his millions I'm sure he can afford something to cheer him up.

I really have no pity for those with millions and could possible gain some for the right donation of cash from them.

with himself. As if I would think about him when I go to the polls.

Maybe he can have the morning drive time slot, if he promises to keep his show political.

They know he's a pig, too, so it's not going to happen.

And yes, I get that the FCC and Clear Channel must be stopped. I'm going to pick my battles, however. There are LOTS of liberal radio people who have lost their jobs and they aren't pigs. I'd far rather spend the time and money helping them get on the air.

Even if we don't like what someone has to say (just like the far right dislikes what we have to say) it is extremely important to defend their right to say it. This means protecting everyone from anyone who would limit someone's speech, especially when that speech turns political.

At this time in our history we don't get to choose battles simply because we dislike one person or group. We need everyone pulled together under the same protective umbrella.

why can t we be irresponsible idiots for a half hour. anyway if Howard can help to get those evil creeps out of the white house we should cheer him.

The fcc does not make any laws, the only laws imposed on stern are those 7 deadly words of the supreme court (which he censors regularly), anything else can be challenged in a court of law. There are no actual "decency laws". Also, this is because of bush. There is no reason that the fcc would censor him over a caller, they have seven delays. And for those of you who think it's ok to ignore this because you don't like him, just remember that he shares the same first amendment right as you do. If the ACLU can defend Rush Limbaugh, then we can defend Howard Stern. PS: enter key not working, seriously.

.... the stark fist of removal!

paraphrase: was Stern penalized for indecency, or for his political beliefs?

I used to listen to Howard religiously when I lived in Los Angeles about ten to twelve years ago - - they ran his show on the L.A. station in the wee hours Pacific time, while it was being first broadcast in New York City, so you could stay up from 3-5:30 AM or so, which I did often, and get most of the show live (with the censorship delay).

Eventually I moved to cities that didn't have him and, although he's on where I am now, I haven't listened to him in a long while.

I always found his taste questionable, of course, but it was all in good fun, in my opinion. I think we all have questionable taste sometimes. The man is an entertainer.

As for the pre-Iraq support for Dumbya, I was disappointed by that when I read and heard about it, but I understood it, based partly on the days when I listened regularly. The guy is and always has been a passionate New Yorker, and he was profoundly affected by the September 11 attacks just as many New York-based entertainers were. Remember Letterman's reaction? Or John Stewart movingly tearing up? Unfortunately, Stern bought into the jingosim, and translated that into support for Iraq without really thinking it through.

Now, say what you want about this guy being a pig and a whore, or whatever. Perhaps this is all just a ploy to ensure his own survival. However, I doubt it. He may very well have seen the light; he has railed against censorship for years, and to the best of my ability to determine, his social views are liberal. My point is the same as that of many other posters: if this guy can use his very loyal listener base to help turn the tide against Bush* in a demographic that does not trend toward the Democrats in typical times, then you have to embrace that. You simply have to.

I hope he follows through with it, and I think I'll turn on his show at some point this week.

so how come up till now he has been such a racist sexist pig, that kind of thing only egged them on. :argh: