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So much for satellite radio being a medium where shock jocks can get away with anything. XM Satellite Radio (XMSR) announced Tuesday that the network was suspending Gregg “Opie” Hughes and Anthony Cumia and ceasing to broadcast their “Opie and Anthony” show for 30 days effective immediately.
The two came under fire last week after they aired a segment that featured a homeless person saying he wanted to have sex with Condoleeza Rice, Laura Bush and Queen Elizabeth. The two even joked about Rice being raped and punched in the face. (We’re not going to link to their comments, but for those of you who want to hear exactly what they said, the audio can be easily Googled.)
Although the shock jocks apologized on Monday’s show, XM did not seem satisifed with their remarks.
“XM Radio deplored the comments aired on “The Opie & Anthony Show” last week. At the time, the company strongly expressed its views to Opie and Anthony, and they issued an immediate apology,” the company said in the statement.
“Comments made by Opie and Anthony on yesterday’s broadcast put into question whether they appreciate the seriousness of the matter. The management of XM Radio decided to suspend Opie and Anthony to make clear that our that our on-air talent must take seriously the responsibility that creative freedom requires of them,” the company added.
The Opie and Anthony controversy could not come at a worse time for XM, which has agreed to merge with rival Sirius Satellite Radio (SIRI). That deal needs to get the approval of both the Federal Communications Commission and Justice Department - and there is a growing sense that regulatory opposition may kill the deal. Several members of Congress have also come out saying that they are against the merger.
It just goes to show that even for satellite radio, where hosts can curse and use other objectionable language since they are not being broadcast on free “terrestrial” radio, racy comments can get on-air personalities in trouble.
So at the risk of angering many readers who flamed me when I suggested that there was no way Sirius or XM would hire Don Imus after CBS (CBS) fired him for his racist and sexist remarks about the Rutgers college women’s basketball team …I told you so.
The fact that XM was willing to suspend Opie and Anthony is proof that offensive programming could hurt even satellite radio, a medium that does not depend on advertising dollars as free radio does. XM and Sirius do have to worry about losing subscribers if shock jocks go too far.
The suspension also demonstrates how scared the satellite radio companies are of looking like the poster children for bad behavior at a time when XM and Sirius will depend on the goodwill of the government to green-light their merger.
Many readers argued that Opie and Anthony got away with a lot because of the fact that people have to pay for satellite radio and suggested that Imus could do the same.
But it’s really starting to look like all radio hosts, whether they work for free radio or satellite, are going to be held accountable for controversial comments. And XM is making it clear that if they have to sacrifice Opie and Anthony in order to have any hope of getting approval for the Sirius merger, they will do it.
XM just fucked themselves 
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