Define Offensive...

[leethalweapon]

I live in Australia, and our broadcast laws are somewhat more relaxed in relation to what is defined offensive. I was listening to the KYSR stream on my way home from work. A gold track, Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitter, was played. To my amazement it was edited, with the words "God damn you" removed. WTF? How is that offensive?

For a country that screams about free speech, it is pretty tight on broadcast censorship.

 

[michael hagerty]

I live in Australia, and our broadcast laws are somewhat more relaxed in relation to what is defined offensive. I was listening to the KYSR stream on my way home from work. A gold track, Harvey Danger - Flagpole Sitter, was played. To my amazement it was edited, with the words "God damn you" removed. WTF? How is that offensive?

For a country that screams about free speech, it is pretty tight on broadcast censorship.

Lee:
That one has me stumped. I can understand why it would offend certain listeners, but stations have played the Eagles' Life In The Fast Lane for the past 32 years without an edit. And, for that matter Steppenwolf's The Pusher for the past 42. Both use the phrase.

The actual indecency rules cover words for sexual and excretory functions, period. And even then, Steely Dan's Showbiz Kids and The Who's Who Are You have been dropping the F-Bomb on classic rock stations for decades.

So I'd take it up with KYSR rather than making a blanket statement about the country, free speech and broadcast censorship.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[leethalweapon]

The reason I brought on the comment about the whole country, was because the amount of times you read about people dropping the F-bomb, when in reality it is such a minor offence. There are far more offensive things on air than the odd F-bomb. If it happens at the station I work at, then there is a delay. However, on the odd occasion that it has slipped through, there is no which hunt or scalps taken.

At the end of the day, it was just a broad observation.

 

[LKellerIII]

Lee,

The FCC under the Bush Administration would levy huge fines against networks and stations for minor offenses. If I remember correctly, one TV network was fined major money because Cher uttered the F word on an awards show. I never understood how it was the network's fault that a celebrity went off script and uttered a swear word that wasn't bleeped in time. But that's how it went under 8 years of conservative Republican rule. So broadcasters are naturally a bit gun-shy and probably tend to over-censor. This may change once some of Obama's people get on the FCC.

I occasionally hear the original censored versions of old classic hits or Oldies. About a year ago, I heard the Wild Cherry song Play that Funky Music (White Boy)...with the "white boy" deleted. I've also heard Steve Miller's The Joker with the line "I'm a midnight toker" deleted.

These censored versions are from the 1970s, and obviously reflect the 70s sensitivity toward race and drug use. But I seriously doubt that even the Bush FCC would make a fuss about them. I assume the stations played them only because those are the versions that somehow got loaded onto the hard drive, and the Music Director isn't paying enough attention.

 

[Dj Woody]

What really strikes me is how spanish radio in the US can get away with a lot more! I hear lots of cussing on spanish stations all the time. Not only in the music but on their jocks.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Government rules and the FCC may have nothing to do with the "censorship"  I've never been to Australia so I don't know what your social customs are, but the legacy of having Christianity as the most popular religious and philosophical influence has left us with a lot of citizens who will tell you in a heartbeat that they are offended by the particular phrase that you asked about.

Some stations write that audience off.  Let them find a tamer place to listen.  Other stations try to placate the pious.  We are indeed a "many splendored" collection of peoples in this North American land.

And I suspect many of our Jewish friends would be even MORE offended by the phrase in question.

 

[radiojomo]

That's funny because I was listening to Flagpole Sitta on sister Alternative station KTCL in Denver and it's not blocked! I think the "god damn you" is blocked because KYSR was originally a Modern AC station and they used to play the song when they were Modern AC. Since Modern AC targets a women audience and they assume that women are against dirty language and kids are around with their moms, they must have blocked it and kept that copy in their library. But sometimes, I do agree radio stations are blocking way too much.

 

[evolve991]

I'm amazed some stations play 'Semi Charmed Life' unedited. Some cut out a few words,other a whole verse but CC stations play it all. But they cut 'Bullet and a Target' up.

 

[SuperRadioFan]

I'm amazed some stations play 'Semi Charmed Life' unedited. Some cut out a few words,other a whole verse but CC stations play it all. But they cut 'Bullet and a Target' up.

I noticed that some stations omit the risque verse, but even when it's unedited, I have to say its really hard to pick up the lyrics since they are sung so fast.

 

[AM FM listener]

I believe I have heard "bull s@#t" on Pink Floyd's "Money" when played on a Classic Rock station but it was bleeped out when played on an Oldies station.

 

[justpassingthough]

I would hope we are starting to move past the idea of certain words being "offensive", when there are far greater thoughts and ideas that are offensive than a casually dropped F bomb or the S-word. If we are truly a marketplace of ideas, then we should really lighten up about the occassional use of these words in the public forum. Censorship of words, thoughts and ideas is juvenile and petty. Adults use these words- some less frequent than others- but they are an important part of our language, and they convey a meaning that just can't be replaced by less "naughty" words.

Its almost comical that this is still in issue in 2009, given the current state of the world.

 

[Dr. o Fun]

Lee,

To answer the title of your post, Define Offensive, would be:

Anything I wouldn't want my eight-year old daughter to hear (in song or dialogue) including the seven words you cannot say on TV/radio as so eloquently stated by George Carlin.

dr

 

[michael hagerty]

Lee,

To answer the title of your post, Define Offensive, would be:

Anything I wouldn't want my eight-year old daughter to hear (in song or dialogue) including the seven words you cannot say on TV/radio as so eloquently stated by George Carlin.

dr

We need to remember that radio is a mass medium...anyone with a receiver can tune in, meaning anyone, from your great-grandparents to your great-granchildren, could be listening in at any time on any frequency. If that's too restrictive, there are alternatives that include uncensored music, Howard Stern and Playboy Radio (all for a fee, on satellite....in much the same way you pay for content on HBO and Cinemax that the broadcast networks can't provide).

About 10 years ago, I wrote a regular column about Phoenix radio for David Ferrell Jackson's ahead of its time RadioDigest.com. One of them was about this very topic...and why we were still worried about words, either spoken by talent like Howard Stern or in song lyrics.

The analogy I made at the time was that McDonald's could score very big points for edginess if it renamed its signature sandwich the Big F***in' Mac. There are millions of people who would see it on the menu, love the joke and the irreverence. But they're probably already buying McDonald's food. You've amused them, not converted them.

There are millions more who would turn around and never set foot in McDonald's again no matter what.

The object of broadcasting...perhaps more now with PPM than in the past couple of decades...is to get the largest possible number of a given group to listen. The more that do, the more you can charge for your advertising.

Very few people will stop listening because you don't say those words on your air. An exponential number will if you do....even if it's only when they've got the kids in the car with them.

---Michael Hagerty

 

[One Who Knows]

What really strikes me is how spanish radio in the US can get away with a lot more! I hear lots of cussing on spanish stations all the time. Not only in the music but on their jocks.

Then, you should record the program and sent the tapes to the FCC. Just 'cause they're talking in spanish doesn't
absolve them from the rules and regs.

 

[Dj Woody]

Then, you should record the program and sent the tapes to the FCC. Just 'cause they're talking in spanish doesn't
absolve them from the rules and regs.

Nah! It doesn't bother me at all.

 

[Questor]

I believe I have heard "bull s@#t" on Pink Floyd's "Money" when played on a Classic Rock station but it was bleeped out when played on an Oldies station.

Speaking of Pink Floyd and animals, I'm always wary of typing the name of the animal that says "quack" because 'd' and 'f' are neighbors.

Back to reality, sometimes when entire album sides are played on radio stations, no editing is done.

Example: Steely Dan's "Countdown to Ecstasy" has the song "Show Biz Kids." It's the one that background singers throughout the whole song chant "Lost Wages, go to Lost Wages." At the very end, Donald Fagen sings,
"Show biz kids making movies
Of themselves you know they
Don't give a f--- about anybody else."

 

[johnbasalla]

Saying God's name in vain is never a good thing. That it is being considered acceptable is just another of the many examples of a society in decline (imho).