The Engadget Hugh Panero (XM CEO) Debacle
Thursday, January 6, 2005 at 10:37 AM
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Just a quick note on this, just because several have been emailing me about it.
The boys over at Engadget caused quite a stir yesterday when at CES the question was asked:
?Dr. Laura over the past couple of years said that gay people are biological errors. You talked before about decisive programming (i.e. Stern), I wonder what XM?s position is on hate speech was and if you condone it. And why would you associate yourself with her after you said you wouldn?t associate with Howard Stern because of controversial issues. Are you going to lose subscribers, and do you feel gay people are biological errors??
They then went on to ask:
?Any plans on putting the KKK on? ... Any plans on other racists on the network? KKK? Arian racists? Anybody else coming on board soon??
This caused quite a frenzy amoungst the commenters of that post.
Here's my take on the whole thing.
Engadget is welcome to ask, or post, any political questions or commentary they want. They can, because it's their site, and if you have a problem with it - then don't read it. Simple as that.
In following that line of thinking,
XM Radio is welcome to include any programming they want as well. They can, because it's their service, and if you have a problem with it - change the fucking channel. Simple as that.
Don't like it? Don't listen.
Talk radio is a very emotionally charged subject. That's why it gets the ratings. If XM chose to exclude some programming because of personal political opinions, then they would be NO BETTER than the FCC. Newsflash: Just because XM signed on Dr. Laura, doesn't make Hugh Panero a racist. It really doesn't work that way.
Whether you agree or disagree with anyone's political opinions, I hope you understand that Satellite Radio provides a medium in which you can actually listen to radio without censorship. FREE SPEECH should not have to follow any political agenda - Right, Left, Center or whatever.
That's all I gotta say on it. Now back to the real Satellite Radio news.
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