Will the real Slim Shady please shut up

[Alan Olsen]

On Thu, 7 Jun 2001 George at Orwellian.Org wrote:

> What's the deal with the FCC fining (censoring) a Colorado radio
> station for playing the _censored_ version of one of his songs?

"If any sign of pleasure is exhibited,
 report to me and it will be prohibited!
 so shall it be! This is the Land of the Free!"

> 
> http://www.nme.com/NME/External/News/News_Story/0,1004,32248,00.html
> #    
> #    SHADY MOVES LEAD TO FINE FOR RADIO STATION
> #    
> #    A radio station in the US has been fined $7,000 for playing 
> #    EMINEM's 'THE REAL SLIM SHADY', even though the tune had been 
> #    edited for broadcast.
> #    
> #    The FCC (Federal Communications Commission) slapped the fine 
> #    on KKMG-FM of Colorado Springs because, it said, the station 
> #    had be censured despite the edit, because of the tone of the 
> #    tune.
> #    
> #    "The edited version of the song contains unmistakable offensive 
> #    sexual references. In this regard, portions of the lyrics contain 
> #    sexual references in conjunction with sexual expletives that 
> #    appear intended to pander and shock," they said in a statement.
> #    
> #    Two months ago, the FCC issued new guidelines to be used when 
> #    determining what is obscene and what is decent and made it clear 
> #    that innuendo was a factor, even if specific expletives were 
> #    missing.
> #    
> #    The fine has been roundly condemned. Hilary Rosen, chief of the 
> #    RIAA (Recording Industry Association of America) told Variety 
> #    magazine that: "It would be a disgrace if the FCC were to impose 
> #    a violation on a radio station because they didn't like the 
> #    'suggestive' nature of a song. That goes right to the heart of 
> #    idea-based censorship."
> #    
> #    A spokesperson for Citadel Communications, KKMG-FM's parent 
> #    company, said the fine set a dangerous precedent.
> #    
> #    "The danger involved is that folks at the station level can't 
> #    take comfort in the fact that something labelled 'radio edit 
> #    version' is in compliance with the FCC's rules," he said
> 
> 

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