[OutVoice] FCC Bleeping

[Jimcarper at aol.com]

I have a different take on this subject, mainly because After Hours airs 
during the so-called "safe zone" of midnight to 5AM.
The rules have constantly changed over the years, but right now we have some 
leeway in what we can air.  

It all depends on content.  One or two sensitive words in the lyrics that 
give an added emphasis to the meaning are ok, except I really have to think about 
the "f" word and the "c" word is totally out of the question.  (Although I've 
longed to play Marianne Faithful's "Why'd Ya Do It" for years.)  I know, I 
know, it's all very subjective and sometimes we DJs feel like censors, but the 
FCC's rulings are so esoteric.  In spoken dialogue we subsitute "FCC" for the 
"f" word - as in "What the FCC were they thinking?"  It gets the idea across.

Years ago I spent the time to edit an early Pansy Division song by putting it 
on reel-to-reel, splicing out the word, turning that little piece of tape 
upside down and putting it back in the tape.
It effectively had them singing the word backwards so the momentum of the 
music wasn't lost.  It's the last time I did that.  When Rainbow Flava came along 
I played most of their stuff and laid low waiting for the ceiling to crash in 
on me.  But that didn't happen.

Actually I'd rather not play music with sensitive wording in it.  Over the 
years of having a certain freedom of words I've discovered that, for the most 
part, the sensitive words turn off listeners rather than attract them.  



Jimmy Carper, Co-Executive Producer
After Hours, KPFT, 90.1FM
419 Lovett Blvd., Houston 77006
Sunday mornings 1-4AM CST
www.kpft.org