The 1st line of Bohemian Rhapsody & Smells like teen spirit r never radio censored. Bcoz they r white artists?

Question

If rappers/r'n'b artists mention the words gun, killing, *****, suicide they will always be bleeped by radio. But Lou Reed is never bleeped for the phrase 'giving head' in walk on the wild side. Meredith brooks is never bleeped for saying the word '*****' repeatedly. What's with Sean Kingston not being able to say suicidal? It's ridiculous. I could go on...... Snoop dogg - Signs, cannot say 'She could get high all in an instant' without radio bleeping him. I'll stop rambling now. Bye Bye!!!

Answer 1

prime time radio have to edit things at different times of the day because of miners listening.

but to be honest our local radio station does not bleep anything out like that so i would say change your station to a better one

regards x Kitti x

Answer 2

Some stations do censor Lou Reed's song.  White artists get censored also...such as one of my fave tunes recently..."Johnny Cash" by Jason Aldean.  In the song the guy tells his boss, "s***w you, man."...and the country stations here do censor that part out.

Answer 3

Good question, and some valid points there. Frankie Goes To Hollywood were censored with "Relax" though. As for the guy going on about being suicidal over a girl, I think it trivialises something very distressing.

Answer 4

Degree of censorship depends on the radio station. Usually stations owned by Clear Channel are more strict about profanity, as opposed to independently owned stations, or so I've noticed. Perhaps that's what's going on.

Answer 5

You want the real answer? Here it is in a nutshell. The FCC controls these things in the US.

The FCC will NOT give specific examples of what is objectionable and what is not. All they've done is give a 10PM time zone on some matters.

Stations test the limits. Sometimes they get bit. Rarely will the FCC act without a complaint from an individual or group devoted to this sort of thing.

So there are many agendas at play: from the Commission (charged with controlling the airwaves); to station management (charged with selling ads and making money); to programming and talent (charged with attracting listeners); to groups and individuals who can't learn to turn the k**b when they hear something they don't like (not charged with anything, they just stick their noses in other people's business because it gives them pleasure).

It's not black, it's not white, it's just ludicrous (the word, not the rapper). All other enforcing agencies have specifics for when you break the rules. The radio groups have been begging the FCC to give them specifics for years, to no avail.

So groups, stations and talent interpret the vagaries as best they can. And busybodies sit by their tape recorders hoping to catch someone in an error. And woe be to the jock who goofs up!

- a guy named duh

PS: As to the Bono thing. The Commission has said that certain words used in "the heat of the moment," are not chargeable as they are spontaneous. This is as opposed to the continuous tenor of a particular air talent or radio/TV show.

Answer 6

why would bohemian rhapsody need censoring?

Answer 7

Eight Miles High by the Byrds was banned in the 60's, as was the verse to the Doors' Light My Fire on the Ed Sullivan Show (though Morrison, always the trouper, went and sang it anyway; get in!)  Both were white bands.

Answer 8

what's offensive about  "Is this the real life...Is this just fantasy?"

Answer 9

Bono said the F word at the grammys and the FCC said it was used as an adjective, and not a verb describing a sexual act...therefore, the F word was not deemed offensive.

All depends on the target and who is listening that will complain.  Ask Howard Stern about all the times he discussed s*x and was fined, but Oprah discussed the same exact topics (Oprah even described salad tossing) without a stir.

In short, freedom of speach exists, but the freedom to hear that speach is not.

Answer 10

Bohemian Rhapsody is essentially an opera condensed into 1 song.  It doesn't romanticize murder, does it?  And I rarely heard Lou Reed's song uncensored, at least until recently. I don't know who Meredith Brooks is, so I can't answer that one.  Same for Sean Kingston, but unless he makes suicide sound like a good thing, I could understand your point.