Support Free Speech (dump your XM)

[Kypt]

I know there are a few Opie and Anthony fans on this board, and even if you aren't a fan of theirs, you have to agree what's happening to them is just not right.

They have been suspended for 30 days by XM radio, and as a form of protest, the fans are cancelling their subscriptions. DO NOT accept the deals they'll offer you. It's important that you terminate your subscription permanently. We need to send a message that censoring supposedly "uncensored" radio is unacceptable and we won't give cash to a company that doesn't support their talent's rights.

Link to story about suspension:

http://www.breitbart.com/article.php...show_article=1

Censorship in this country is completely out of hand. Free speech is for everyone, not just the people you agree with.

[billamj]

Only the government can censor anything. If an employer decides that they don't like the actions of an employee they have the right to suspend them. In Pa., which is an "at will" employment state, an employer can fire you for no reason whatsoever just like you have the right to quit at any moment. In this instance XM was getting pressure from advertisers because the day after Opie and Anthony apologized for the routine they were making jokes about it again. You can't yell fire in a theater and you can't joke about raping someone, it just ain't there.

[Kypt]

you can't joke about raping someone, it just ain't there.

Since when? You can joke about whatever you want. Whether or not it's funny is another matter entirely.

And for the record, not once in the broadcast in question was rape EVER mentioned. It wasn't even hinted at. You're obviously commenting on something you haven't heard yourself. Don't believe everything the media tells you.

Only the government can censor something? Wow.

[Kypt]

Only the government can censor anything.

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Censorship

Censorship is the removal and withholding of information from the public by a controlling group or body. Typically censorship is done by governments, religious groups, or the mass media, although other forms of censorship exist. The withholding of official secrets, commercial secrets, intellectual property, and privileged lawyer-client communication is not usually described as censorship when it remains within reasonable bounds. Because of this, the term "censorship" often carries with it a sense of untoward, inappropriate or repressive secrecy.

Censorship is closely related to the concepts of freedom of speech and freedom of expression. When overused, it is often associated with human rights abuse, dictatorship, and repression.

The term "censorship" is often used as a pejorative term to signify a belief that a group controlling certain information is using this control improperly or for its own benefit, or preventing others from accessing information that should be made readily accessible (often so that conclusions drawn can be verified).

[billamj]

Only the government can censor something? Wow.

That is correct it is not censorship if your employer says that you said something that they find offensive and then suspend you. It was not censorship when people turned away from the Dixie Chicks after their remarks in England, that was the market making a statement.

[billamj]

OK, lets try it this way. I work for you and we make a new type of wingnut. You tell me that while I work for you I am not to talk to Fred Johnson at XYZ corp. about wingnuts. I run into Fred at the mall and during the course of the conversation I mention a 1/4 20 wingnut. You later find out about this and suspend me for a week. You are 100% within your rights and I have not been censored, I have been suspended for violating coporate policy. That is what is going on with Opie and Anthony, they've even admitted that they went to far. That is what a free market does.

ETA: I will repeat for the 100th time that I will not accept Wikipedia as a source since it is an open doc and can be modified by anyone to say anything that their little heart's desire.

[Kypt]

Sure, XM can fire anybody for any reason. Fair enough.

O&A say far worse than what was said Wed. on their show all the time. The only reason XM found it "offensive" this time is because the media picked up on it. Then the special interest groups jump on the bandwagon and want someone's head on a platter. XM gets all scared and suspends them.

The point is, we're doing the only thing we can to show we're sick of this type of thing. Hitting XM financially might show them that they made a mistake, which in turn takes away some of the power the special interest groups have.

I think you're not seeing the big picture here. XM is but an instrument we're using to combat the real problem.

[billamj]

Hitting XM does nothing to the special interest groups that you say are your target. If anything you put pressure on an organization that is responding to market pressure. If you want to make your feelings heard then take it to the groups that are putting pressure on XM. If it is the offices of the "Moral Majority" pressure them to lay off, if it is some other group then pressure them. By putting pressure on XM you run the risk of putting them out of business, if they go out of business then there is one less, and in this case that is very ugly, outlet that puts on the type of programming that you are interested in. Attack the attackers, not the tool.

ETA: Think of it like the fight with the Antis. You are doing precisely what the antis do, attacking the inanimate object and not the one who misues it.

[Johannes_Paulsen]

The broadcast was clearly in poor taste...in fact, disgusting (I did not hear it, just judging based on what was mentioned in the linked article.)

But (scratches head) not sure what the point of having this sort of radio show, intended for mature audiences only, by subscription only (in fact, don't you have to pay an EXTRA surcharge on top of the normal XM subscription fee just to get it in the first place?) is if they can't be out on the cutting edge, and say things that are offensive to some (perhaps most) people from time to time. This is a bad move by XM, in my opinion.

I agree with billamj, though -- there is no First Amendment issue as such here. A bunch of corporate hacks trembling in their boots at what might happen if a bunch of idiot, mentally weak busybodies, perhaps, but no censorship.

[djturnz]

XM and Sirius are not totally about free speech, they are free from the FCC.

And as long as they get a paycheck, it's not their forum for free speech. The advertisers control the content by buying commercials. If they want totally free speech, they can buy a server and run their own internet radio show.