C
Casablanca
Guest
Wonder if the firing of Imus indicates a paradigm shift in talk radio and beyond. Whether the right wing or the left wing for that matter likes it or not talk radio will never be the same after the firing of Don Imus.
Until sometime in the 1950's it was acceptable public theatre to have minstrels shows with white men an sometimes even black men in "black face". We would be shocked if we were to see that today on the stage or television. Some extremists are even offended by the play/movie "Showboat" because it depicts this.
So it might be with talk radio. Shock-talk is now dead or dying. It has become an albatross aroung corporate's neck. Although they will deny it commercial talk radio will pull back to the center. Locally, management might let the likes of Jay Severin and Howie Carr continue with their personal attack rants ie. "AXE the Governor" and "Towel Heads" but it will become an unwritten line that they and others like them will cross at their peril.
The question remains however if those same standards will apply to radio stations that play gangsta rap and the like - even in an edited form. Shouldn't the same standards apply to them, the record producers and the "artists" who produce them.
If B*I *C *H and HO and the like are unacceptable on talk they should be unacceptable across the radio dial.
You can't have a double standard . . . or can you.
Heard some rappers say their language is "artistic license" well couldn't the same be said for Don Imus. They are both acts - just on different stages.
Still, the age of tabloid and personal attack talk radio is coming to a deserved end. Will the same be said for the racial vulgarity of some rap? IMHO less likely as long as corporate and the advertisers are still making money. Plus, they know that those who listen do not have the interest or experience to demand a change. They are sheeple ready to be sheared for the almighty dollar.
Until sometime in the 1950's it was acceptable public theatre to have minstrels shows with white men an sometimes even black men in "black face". We would be shocked if we were to see that today on the stage or television. Some extremists are even offended by the play/movie "Showboat" because it depicts this.
So it might be with talk radio. Shock-talk is now dead or dying. It has become an albatross aroung corporate's neck. Although they will deny it commercial talk radio will pull back to the center. Locally, management might let the likes of Jay Severin and Howie Carr continue with their personal attack rants ie. "AXE the Governor" and "Towel Heads" but it will become an unwritten line that they and others like them will cross at their peril.
The question remains however if those same standards will apply to radio stations that play gangsta rap and the like - even in an edited form. Shouldn't the same standards apply to them, the record producers and the "artists" who produce them.
If B*I *C *H and HO and the like are unacceptable on talk they should be unacceptable across the radio dial.
You can't have a double standard . . . or can you.
Heard some rappers say their language is "artistic license" well couldn't the same be said for Don Imus. They are both acts - just on different stages.
Still, the age of tabloid and personal attack talk radio is coming to a deserved end. Will the same be said for the racial vulgarity of some rap? IMHO less likely as long as corporate and the advertisers are still making money. Plus, they know that those who listen do not have the interest or experience to demand a change. They are sheeple ready to be sheared for the almighty dollar.
