No Age censored by CBS over pro-Obama shirt
October 8th, 2008 by Chad Radford in Music news
Welcome to 1984! According to The Arthur Blog, Last week No Age drummer Randy Randall was told by a random stage employee at CBS that he would not be allowed to wear a a pro-Obama T-shirt, just minutes before he was to perform for “some sort of Craig Ferguson/CBS TV thing that was to be broadcast October 27.”
According to Arthur editor Jay Babcock’s story, “…the CBS person said, the Obama shirt was on-air editorializing–a possible violation of some FCC edict which this person claimed called for equal time to be given to opposing political viewpoints.”
But CBS person was wrong.
Babcock continues, “One problem: the last remnant of the so-called “Fairness Doctrine” was repealed in 1987; the repeal was upheld by court ruling in 1989.
Since then, corrollary rules of the Fairness Doctrine–the “personal attack” rule and the “political editorial” rule–have also been struck down in the courts, with the last court ruling (and subsequent FCC order) coming in 2000.
In short, there is no fairness rule. Randy’s Obama shirt was perfectly broadcastable under every existing law.
But neither No Age nor their people at Sub Pop were aware of the Fairness Doctrine’s long-ago demise, and took CBS at their word.
After much deliberation, Randy put on another shirt, which said ‘Free Health Care,’ the band played, and the show will, apparently, air.”
Read the full story here.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:53 am
Keep in mind that all CBS “stagehands” are probably Teamsters union members. If you don’t do what those thugs say, then you’re on your own! Then again… who has the Teamsters endorsed? Will have to Google that one… back later.
October 8th, 2008 at 11:57 am
Ah ha! The Teamster have endorsed Obama:
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/02/20/teamsters.obama/index.html
No surprise there. Still, next time you stop by Black Rock, I’d go with a “Teamsters Heart Obama” motif.
October 31st, 2008 at 7:37 pm
I am a former obama suporter for the first time in my life I will vote a complete republican ticket obama is the most unqualified most unknown candidate he has the shady history with ayers that he has lied about from just a guy in the neighborhood to I thought he was reformed farricon wright resco how any one could accept these relationships and not question them is beyond me if it were Mcain or Palin the press would be all over it how can you accept the press and media shoving this down your throat are you all drinking the koolaid they did in jones town and look what happened there the FACTS he has voted to raise taxes 95 times 75% of his votes were present not yea or nay what the hell is that Palin has much more practical experience than obama ever has she has actually run something please take off the blinders think for your self do not let the media do it for you look at this link the last 30 seconds says it all http://video.nbc6.net/player/?id=797441