I filed this complaint on December 15, 1997 after Stern broadcast a woman
squirting
Jack Daniels from her vagina into her husband's mouth.
This whiskey douche was broadcast live-as-it-happened at 7:30 AM.
FACT: There can be no doubt that this material is a violation of
indecency laws.
FACT: There can be no doubt that children are in Stern's audience
at 7:30 AM.
Before the
FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION
December 15, 1997
FORMAL COMPLAINT
Filed by: Al Westcott
Box 492
Ojai, California 93024
Violation of:
18 U.S.C. Section 1464
Delivered via USPS, Registered Mail
Licensee:
CBS RADIO, Licensee of WXRK-FM, New York,
KLSX-FM, Los Angeles, California,
WJFK-AM, Baltimore,
WBCN-FM, Boston,
WCKG-FM, Chicago,
WYSP-FM, Philadelphia,
KOME-FM, San Jose,
WJFK-FM, Washington, DC
and other licensees
This FORMAL COMPLAINT is:
a) delivered in proper form, and
b) delivered pursuant to the Commission's requirements for such complaints.
See: "Proper Form Of Submission Of Complaint".
PROPER FORM OF SUBMISSION OF COMPLAINT
This Complaint and the "Significant Excerpts" submitted herewith
as Exhibit 'A' are submitted in accordance with procedures established by
the Federal Communications Commission ("FCC"), as stated at the
FCC's Internet site located at: www.fcc.gov
RADIO STATIONS NAMED IN THIS COMPLAINT
The above cited radio stations are owned by, and licensed to, CBS RADIO
and are collectively referred to herein as the "CBS Radio/Howard Stern
Network".
PROPRIETY AND STANDING OF EXHIBITS HERETO
The propriety and standing of Exhibit 'A' attached hereto can be found as
stated at the Commission's Internet site located at: www.fcc.gov
1) ALLEGATION :
On December 10, 1997, by broadcasting The Howard Stern Show, the CBS Radio/Howard
Stern Network;
a) did willfully, (as defined under 47 USC 312(f)) repeatedly (as defined
under 47 USC 312(f)), and with prior knowledge that said broadcasts were
indecent and legally actionable, violate federal indecency statutes, specifically,
18 U.S.C. Section 1464, and
b) did willfully, (as defined under 47 USC 312(f)) repeatedly (as defined
under 47 USC 312(f)), and with prior knowledge that said broadcasts were
indecent and legally actionable, violate federal broadcasting law, by broadcasting
such indecent material between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M. (ACTION
FOR CHILDREN'S TELEVISION, et. al. v. FCC, June 30, 1995, District of Columbia
Circuit Court of Appeals)
2) EVIDENCE OF COMPLAINT :
In signing this complaint, I certify that I have enclosed written 'significant
excerpts', from the broadcast of The Howard Stern Show on relevant dates,
see: Exhibit 'A'.
3) DATE AND TIME OF BROADCASTS :
The material contained in Exhibit 'A' was broadcast on the above cited radio
stations, on various dates during the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M.
in their respective time zones.
4) SPECIFICS OF COMPLAINT:
a) The material contained in Exhibit 'A' violates federal broadcasting law,
in that:
- it depicts and describes sexual activity and organs,
- it was broadcast by the CBS Radio/Howard Stern Network in a
calculated and willful, (as defined under 47 USC 312(f)), manner,
- it was broadcast between the hours of 6:00 A.M. and 11:00 A.M.,
- it was broadcast purely for purposes of shock value and "titillation",
and
- it was broadcast in a pandering manner, in that, prior to the
actual broadcasting of said material stations of the CBS Radio/Howard Stern
Network, each of them individually and separately, had, through electronic
editing techniques, the opportunity to eliminate such legally actionable
material from being broadcast and each of them, chose not to do so.
5) REMEDY SOUGHT BY THIS COMPLAINT:
a) Appropriate fines and imprisonment in accordance with
USC 18 1464 , which reads,
"Whoever utters any obscene, indecent, or profane language by
means of radio communication shall be fined not more than
$10,000 or imprisoned not more than two
years, or both ."
ARGUMENT FOR REMEDY
Less than five months ago, as a result of the same type of broadcasts by
STERN as presented in this complaint, CBS Radio was fined $6,000 for violation
of USC 18 1464 . Now the Commission must consider the indecency
allegations in this complaint. It is obvious that Licensee CBS Radio appears
to consider such fines merely as a cost of doing business.
As the Commission is aware, CBS Radio's parent company, WESTINGHOUSE, recently
acquired INFINITY BROADCASTING CORPORATION ("Infinity"), a company
that, itself, has received tremendous indecency fines as a result of broadcasting
The Howard Stern Show.
Since the first day that WESTINGHOUSE acquired INFINITY it has been 'business
as normal' and, as witnessed by this complaint, WESTINGHOUSE continues to
violate USC 18 1464. In light of WESTINGHOUSE and STERN's
continued violation of federal law, it it now more than appropriate to request
that the Commission turn the matter over to the Justice Department to seek
imprisonment of MICHAEL JORDAN, Chief Executive Officer of WESTINGHOUSE,
Mel Karmazin, CEO of CBS Radio, and HOWARD STERN. The authority for such
remedy can be found pursuant to USC 18 1464 .
Although it is doubtful that the Commission will seek an imprisonment penalty
against MSSRS. JORDAN, KARMAZIN and MR. STERN, given the egregious, willful,
(as defined under 47 USC 312(f)) and repeated (as defined under 47 USC 312(f)),
violation of USC 18 1464 , by the LICENSEE, it is an appropriate
remedy to issue a Notice of Apparent Liability with resulting monetary fines
to the maximum amounts allowed by law, and, as provided in 47 USC,
312, for the Commission to revoke the broadcasting license of CBS
Radio, in that CBS Radio is unfit to continue to hold a broadcasting license.
In that CBS Radio has been fined in the past for violation of USC
18 1464 and appears to consider such fines as a cost of doing business,
it it now appropriate for the Commission to turn the matter over to the
Justice Department to seek imprisonment of the chief executive officers
of WESTINGHOUSE and CBS Radio.
6) CULPABILITY OF THE CBS RADIO/HOWARD STERN NETWORK
As previously stated the above cited radio stations are all owned by CBS
Radio. With this in mind I draw the Commission's attention to the NAL issued
to CBS Radio, dated June 4, 1997 and released on June 24, 1997 (RE: 1800C1-JEE,
95100477, 96070454, 96100043, 96100438) in which the Commission stated,
"On October 15, 1996, the Commission issued a Notice of Apparent
Liability (NAL) to WVGO License Limited Partnership, licensee of Radio Station
WBZU(FM), Richmond, VA, for violation of 18 U.S.C. 1464 by its broadcast
on October 23, 1995 and June 3, 1996, of certain apparently indecent material
contained in the "Howard Stern Show". On April 8, 1997, the Commission
also issued an NAL to EZ New Orleans, Inc., licensee of Radio Station WEZB(FM),
New Orleans, LA, for violation of 18 U.S.C. 1464 by its broadcast on March
7, 1996 and June 3, 1996, of certain apparently indecent material contained
in the "Howard Stern Show". Since the "Howard Stern Show"
originates at WXRK's studios in New York and because you have indicated
in previous filings with the Commission that it can be assumed that if the
"Howard Stern Show" material was broadcast by a "Howard Stern
Show" affiliate, it was broadcast by WXRK, we presume that the material
aired by WBZU(FM) and WEZB(FM) was also aired by WXRK(FM) on the same dates
and at the times of day as noted above."
For the purposes of this complaint, the key operative phrase in the above
is, "... it can be assumed that if the "Howard Stern Show"
material was broadcast by a "Howard Stern Show" affiliate, it
was broadcast by WXRK ...".
7) CULPABILITY OF OTHER LICENSEES WHO BROADCAST THE HOWARD STERN
SHOW
In addition to the above cited CBS Radio/Howard Stern Network radio stations,
the following radio stations also broadcast The Howard Stern Show and due
to the syndication nature of The Howard Stern Show, are assumed to have
broadcast the material contained in Exhibit 'A', herein. Following the Commission's
logic as stated in the NAL issued to CBS Radio, dated June 4, 1997, it can
be assumed that if the "Howard Stern Show" material was broadcast
by a "Howard Stern Show" affiliate, it was broadcast by WXRK and
ALL Howard Stern affiliates". With this in mind, the following Howard
Stern affiliates are also named in this complaint
The Licensees of these stations are unknown by the complainant but are presumed
to be known by the Commission.
Market Call Letters
Phoenix KEDJ FM 106.3
Fresno KFRR FM 104.1
San Diego KIOZ FM 105.3
Hartford WCCC FM 106.9 and WCCC AM 1290
Fort Myers WRXK FM 96.1
Miami WBGG FM 105.9
Orlando WTKS FM 104.1
Panama City WTBB FM 97.7
West Palm Beach WCLB FM 95.5
Louisville WTFX FM 100.5
New Orleans KKND FM 106.7
Grand Rapids WKLQ FM 94.5
Detroit WYST FM 97.1
Minneapolis \ St. Paul WQRC FM 100.3
Las Vegas KFBI FM 107.5
Reno KRZQ FM 96.5
Albany WQBK FM 103.9
Rochester WNVE FM 95.1
Charlotte WXRC FM 95.7
Fayetteville WRCQ FM 103.5
Cleveland WNCX FM 98.5
Columbus WBZX FM 99.7
Toledo WBUZ FM 106.5
Hazelton/Wilkes-Barre WZMT FM 97.9
Pittsburgh WXDX FM 105.9
York WQXA FM 105.7
Myrtle Beach WYAV FM 104.1
Memphis WMFS FM 92.9
Austin KJFK FM 98.9
The Commission correctly noted that, since The Howard Stern Show is syndicated
and broadcast on many stations across the country, a broadcast of The Howard
Stern Show heard on one CBS Radio affiliate can be "assumed" to
have been broadcast by ALL affiliates.
Whether or not this is the case in this matter can be easily be proven simply
by the Commission asking all CBS Radio/Howard Stern Network stations if
the material cited in Exhibit 'A' was broadcast by those affiliates. My
experience with the CBS Radio/Howard Stern Network leads me to believe that
the answer to that question will be in the affirmative. Therefore, the citing,
herein, of all of the stations on the CBS Radio/Howard Stern Network and
the above syndication stations is appropriate.
8) SUMMARY:
This is not the first indecency complaint against this menagerie of broadcasters.
In dealing with CBS Radio, Westinghouse, Howard Stern and Mel Karmazin in
the past, the Commission has been lenient and has taken the least
punitive measures (fines) in an effort to bring the individuals
and corporations into compliance with federal indecency laws. In response
to the Commission's least punitive measures, these individuals and corporations
merely consider fines to be the cost of doing business and continue to violate
USC 18 1464 .
Based on indecency complaints filed by Al Westcott during the past 4 years,
the Commission has issued more than $1.7 million in fines against WXRK-FM,
KLSX-FM, and others who broadcast The Howard Stern Show yet the material
cited in this complaint is identical in content to material contained in
Westcott's previous complaints which the Commission found to be indecent.
The necessity for the Commission to even have to consider this complaint
only serves to underscore WXRK-FM and KLSX-FM's lack of fitness to continue
to hold a broadcasting license.
During the past four years, the Commission has:
a) issued warnings to WXRK-FM and KLSX-FM for their violation of 18 U.S.C.
Section 1464 as a result of broadcasting The Howard Stern Show, and
b) issued almost $2 million in indecency fines to broadcasters of The Howard
Stern Show for their violation of 18 U.S.C. Section 1464 and yet, here again
are extreme examples of indecent material being broadcast to children by
CBS RADIO, WXRK-FM and KLSX-FM.
CBS RADIO, WXRK-FM and KLSX-FM have habitually , repetitively
and continually disregarded USC 18 1464
and the issue of broadcasting indecent material to children.
Analogous to the continued violation of USC 18 1464 by
CBS RADIO, WXRK-FM and KLSX-FM, is the driver who, habitually
, repetitively and continually speeds
down the same stretch of road every day. Just as the law provides for the
revocation of a drivers license, 47 USC section 312 provides for the revocation
of a broadcasting license of any licensee who violates USC 18 1464
.
Given the egregious and repeated nature of their violations, the Commission
has no other alternative than to revoke under 47 USC section 312
and to seek imprisonment under USC 18 1464 .
Any serious discussion to determine appropriate action against CBS RADIO,
WXRK-FM KLSX-FM, et. al., in this matter, must also take into consideration
all previous violations of 18 U.S.C. Section 1464 by these broadcasters,
including all previous fines against Infinity Broadcasting Corporation (now
Westinghouse Broadcasting Company).
And, once so considered, there can be no other determination than for the
Commission to revoke the broadcasting license of CBS Radio
relative to the CBS Radio/Howard Stern Network stations and to deny any
future license application of CBS Radio, including, but not limited to,
any license requests by WESTINGHOUSE BROADCASTING COMPANY, parent corporation
of CBS Radio, Mel Karmazin and Michael Jordan.
Through its less than effective enforcement measures in the past regarding
broadcasters of The Howard Stern Show, the Commission, itself, has allowed
this type of indecent broadcasting to promulgate. Rather that issuing meaningless
'cost of doing business" fines against the broadcasters of The Howard
Stern Show in 1991, 1992, 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996 and 1997, had the Commission
fully enforced USC 18 1464 there is no question that the
material cited in Exhibit 'A', would NOT have been broadcast and this complaint
would not have been necessary.
During the past 7 years, disciplinary actions taken by the Commission against
these individuals and corporations has been in the form of fines and yet
these broadcasters continue with their indecent and legally actionable broadcasts.
It is now time for the Commission to take proper enforcement and revoke
the licenses of these broadcasters in accordance with 47 USC, 312.
There can be no doubt that graphic broadcasts on the public airwaves is
NOT in the public "interest, necessity and convenience".
Should the Commission have any questions, require clarification of any points
contained herein, or require any additional information, please respond
to the address below.
I await your response.
Sincerely,
(signed)
Al Westcott
Postal Box 492
Ojai, California 93023
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ATTACHMENTS TO THIS COMPLAINT:
Exhibit 'A' - "Significant excerpts of The Howard Stern Show"
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Exhibit 'A'
Significant excerpts of The Howard Stern Show
Date of Complaint: December 15, 1997
Broadcast: Wednesday December 10, 1997
"Woman Shoots Jack Daniels Out Of Her Vagina"
Time Of Broadcast: 7:30am
Mrs. Jack Daniels is what Howard Stern called this woman. She
is able to squirt Jack Daniels liquor out of her vagina.
In this morning's demonstration, her husband stood about 6 feet away and
drank the liquor as it squirted from his wife's vagina.
Her first couple of tries didn't go more than a couple of feet but after
a few practice tries she was hitting her target.
Before the woman did her demonstration she queefed (made vagina noises)
a few times.
Here is the Federal Communications Commission's response to
the above complaint.
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