For a country that values its freedom of speech so much, America sure does embroil herself in controversy surrounding censorship on a regular basis.
By now, censorship has become a staple of news media and dinner table conversations, and, as most of us have hopefully experienced, it also has taken its place in heated classroom discussion.
In light of shock-jock Howard Stern's recent removal from some radio markets, another radio personality is being removed from the airwaves for using that favorite four-letter word we're oh-so-familiar with.
Sandra Tsing Loh, a 42-year-old popular radio commentator, was removed from KCRW-FM in Los Angeles for dropping the f-bomb. It was the first time that had happened on Loh's show. That single incident resulted in her removal after a six-year run on the station.
The general manager of the radio station told Reuters that "Loh made a calculated use of obscenity in a politically charged time," and likened the mishap to the now infamous Janet Jackson Super Bowl performance. "It is her responsibility to deliver a program that is ready for broadcast."
The program that apparently wasn't ready for broadcast involved a comment on a Bette Midler concert Loh attended where she watched her husband, who played in Midler's band. "My husband, my soul mate, my ROOMMATE of 15 years -- he sleeps LATE, doesn't LISTEN, moves my STUFF around. But he DOES play guitar for Bette Midler on her MASSIVE new STAGE show. There are times he STANDS within five FEET of her!" Loh said. "So I guess I have to f--- him."
What a prerequisite for sex.
Loh claims, however, that one of the station engineers told her to say the f-word in the program, and assured her that he would "bleep it out." Loh was evidently more worried about offending Midler, and in awe that she would actually be placed at the same level as Howard Stern over this little debacle.
In contrast, Stern has been rocking airwaves for decades with raucous talk on any and every issue. If there was a creative way to incorporate expletives and scandalous talk, Stern definitely reigned over the radio stations across America as the self-proclaimed "King of All Media." Ironically, Stern announced just last week that he believed his show would be coming to an end soon. Stern was even quoted as saying, "I'm a dead man walking."
So, who is really at fault for all the fiascos that take place on the radio? Loh put the blame on her engineer, and the station put the blame on her.
We have to face the fact that we heard it, we were offended, but we just have to move on. It's not like we can ask for that split second back to have someone say "earmuffs!" just in time for us to cover our endangered ears.
Those of us who find the f-word offensive certainly struggle to avoid it. We hear it all around us. People use it in normal conversation (as a verb, an adjective and other parts of speech). We hear it in music, read it in print and sometimes just use it ourselves to accentuate a point (like my beloved native Bostonian aunt does).
Obviously, those who regulate the airwaves need a standard way to make things justified. Until then, those of us who find it offensive may need to avoid certain types of programming, or just walk around with our hands constantly over our ears.
John Ronquillo is a journalism senior. Reach him at johnron@asu.edu.
