From: Samantha Atkins (samantha@objectent.com)
Date: Thu Aug 22 2002 - 20:09:13 MDT
Loree Thomas wrote:
> --- "E. Shaun Russell" <e_shaun@extropy.org> wrote:
>
> http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=495&ncid=689&e=1&u=/ap/20020822/ap_en_mu/shock_jocks_fired_1
>
>>So whatever happened to the: "If you don't like it,
>>don't listen" idea?
>
>
> It doesn't seem like a free speech issue to me. I
> have to believe the owners of the radio station have
> every right to fire (as long as it doesn't violate
> whatever contract is in force) any on air personality
> for any show they feel reflects badly on their station
> and/or might affect their bottom line.
>
> If they were just bowing to pressure from offended
> folk, then I don't have any admiration for their
> integrity, but they still didn't abrogate anyone's
> free speech.
>
As long as the content is not something the owners are enamored
of as worthwhile then I don't see why there is any loss of
integrity in giving way to customer opinions. But I agree very
much this is not a free speech issue. There is a dangerous meme
mutation that effectively claims freedom of speech means not
only that anyone can say anything they want but one must provide
the means for them to do so even if one owns those means and
finds the content offensive. It is like it is considered
Neanderthal to have any values or taste at all or to act on
such. This is a trend that disintegrates cultures.
- samantha
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