RE: Music police -- myth or monster?

replyFrom: John C. Bunnell

> "Hoax" seems to be the wrong word for the Clear Channel
> situation, although
> it's the one my local CC air personality used. I'm not sure
> "urban legend"
> is right either, however -- another source just sent along this NY Times
> story about the matter.
>
> http://www.nytimes.com/2001/09/19/arts/music/19POPL.html
>
> The truth seems to be less than corporate censorship, but still
> enough to be
> distinctly unsettling.

Having already looked this over, I don't find it disturbing at all.

Whenever there is a truly major disaster in this country, radio stations try to avoid certain songs because they are afraid of upsetting people. This "self-censorship" is nothing but editorial policy, which _always and continuously_ edits what you hear on any particular radio station. It would have to, unless you just listen to a station that has recordings of all songs everywhere and plays them at random.

If this had been a call from the government, or even a general call to all radio stations, that would be a different matter. But, as it is, this is no more censorship than refusing to play C&W or punk rock, or not playing Eminem because you think he is a bigot. You _always_ have a perfect right to choose what your own organization plays, and this isn't even a forbidden list, only suggestions.

Filksinger Received on 09/19/01