It must be an election year; either that or it’s like a bad 80’s flashback. In the eighties we had Tipper Gore and the Parents Resource Council blasting the depraved entertainment community. It’s a new century and the retro puritanism is making a comeback. Janet Jacksons boob has network executives scurrying for cover and the FCC and Congress lining up to take a little batting practice on the softball of obscenity.
The man who responsible for the success of Viacom radio and TV (thanks in no small measure to limit pushing shock jocks) is now cowering according to the Boston Herald.
The head of Infinity Radio’s 180 stations laid down a “zero tolerance” policy against obscenity to all his top executives – including those at a Boston station airing shock jock Howard Stern.
Infinity chief Mel Karmazin, in a reportedly tense conference call, told his lieutenants Wednesday they shouldn’t even come close to “the line.”
“This company won’t be a poster child for indecency,” Karmazin said. Offenders risk firing, warned a follow-up memo.That’s just the beginning. Check out these industry notes from Radio and Record:
What’s next? Some obscenity prosecutions in Cincinnati, like the ones against Larry Flynt in the 80’s?
Fine by me. I’m listening to a golden oldie and then I have to hear some DJ talk about his d*ck. Total buzzkill.
So guessing that means they won’t be showing the cover to her new CD where Janet is naked from the hips up.