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Opinion On The Blocking Of Abortion Audio On A Radio Program HoaxOpinion On The Blocking Of Abortion Audio On A Radio Program Hoax
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Subjects > Radio Talk Show > [Glen Beck Show]?Create > [April 30 2004 - Glen Beck Show Notes]?Create
By [Garnet R. Chaney]
April 30, 2004
Today was the first time I heard of your plain to air "audio of an abortion in progress". I quickly got ready to take notes on what your show would reveal, and to publicize information about your daring broadcast. I know enough about medicine, and have witnessed enough operations, to know that operating room conversations during routine procedures are likely to be rather dull and uninteresting. Doctors involved in very routine procedures might even discuss their own golfing outings. But I still thought it would be interested to hear this live. I wanted to share notes about this broadcast with the widest possible audience.
When I heard what seemed to be audio substitution by the local affiliate radio station, I wondered how the local station chose the audio that was being substituted. It seemed strange to me that they would take the time to so carefully edit in some kind of joke interview of someone pretending to be the president, and why they'd be so surgical as to only obscure that abortion audio, but still allow you to broadcast your comments.
I was very upset with the idea that the local station might have replaced parts of your audio with some kind of excerpts of jokes. After I heard what you claimed was actions by local stations to block your message, I called my local radio station to complain to several people, I complained to Clear Channel also.
Phil Hendrie has made several complaints about affiliates modifying his program, and his displeasure over them ruining his hard work just to add a couple more commercials to his time slot. I think he has a very good point. In his case he complains about cash boxing ruining the timing of his programs, by speeding up the audio and removing pauses. It seems to me the process of modifying his show in this way constitutes the creation of a "derivative work", and if he owns the copyright on his work, he has the right to restrict the production of derivative works. He should be able to prevent the radio stations from ruining his content.
If my local station was modifying Phil's show in this way, I would have called long ago to complain.
So after hearing Phil's comments and anger over the changes to his show, when I thought I heard this happening to your show, I tried to step up and defend your right to run an unedited program..... I called the station challenging them to justify their decision..... I called as many people there as I could... I even had time to call Clear Channel to find out if they were involved, since someone at the local station thought that maybe it was something Clear Channel was doing to the feed.
I usually don't fall for hoaxes, but I fell for this one.
Shame on you.....
Do you understand, my comments about this have nothing to do with my feelings on Abortion one way or another.....
My issue with your show today is a totally seperate issue: It involves free speech, over regulation by the government, etc.... Your right to broadcast your program on legal topics without unfair interference.... Given the environment today of all the problems with Janet Jackson, etc., you've taken advantage of that to play your hoax. Without all that other controversty, people might not have believed that the radio stations would do this to your audio. Given the current politics of the fines by the FCC, who knows what jittery local program manager might have decided to pre-empt your show.
I am an amateur radio operator, KC6YKE. I know what it is like to be under the thumb of the FCC. I know what it is like to be a control operator of a radio station, and be responsible for overseeing the speech or transmissions of someone else, knowing my license is at risk if the rules are not followed.
I listened to comments from your listeners.
Glenn then saying to a caller: "I feel bad for the listeners.... Kind of feel bad....."
Give me a break! You made a conscious effort to mislead your fans..... I didn't recognize the Al Franken reference, I just assumed that the local station was using some handy audio.
I have read of the story of "War of the Worlds" broadcast and the panic it caused.... I dont think you should play that with something like abortion, freedom of speech, and overregulation of the government, which are real problems..
I have already called my local station to apologize, and let them know I am not supporting your playing a hoax that overloaded their switchboards. You didn't have a right to abuse your affiliate stations, or your fans in this dishonest way....
I listened to what caller Steve and Brian...
You say you are wanting to have discussion. With a true discussion comes honesty. You could have discussed this without pretending that your affiliates were damaging your show. You could have given everything up to the first pretend excerpted audio... You could have even pretended to have a little bit of excerpted audio... But very quickly letting people know that this was a hoax would have been much better... Your hoax went on long enough that I had a chance to call and complain at 4 different people at my local radio station and at Clear Channel.
Your talking about the choice between hacking off pro-lifers or pro-choices isn't my issue. You knew you would aggravate one or the other....
Just so you know, you aren't hacking me off because I am pro-life or pro-choice. That has nothing to do with this......
You are hacking me off for creating a hoax that could damage your affiliate stations and make people look like fools. You're messing with free speech, yelling "represssion!!! censorship!!!" in an environment rife with unfair real repression and censorship....
- Garnet
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