Images of book burnings are coming to mind based on the news yesterday that the 1980s song "Money for Nothing" by Dire Straits has been deemed unacceptable for play on Canadian radio. The Canadian Broadcast Standards Council says the song contravenes the human rights clauses of the Canadian Association of Broadcasters' Code of Ethics and Equitable Portrayal Code. One can only assume that the CBSC will begin a review of all recorded music going back to the 1920s or 30s to ensure all lyrics are suitably clean for the ears of radio listeners in this fine country. After all, we are an innocent people.A listener to OZ-FM in St. John's complained last year that the song includes the word "faggot" in its lyrics and is discriminatory to gays. OZ argued that the song had been played countless times since its release decades ago and has won music industry awards; however, a CBSC panel concluded that the word "faggot," even if once acceptable, has evolved to become unacceptable in most circumstances. Obviously, these people are trained sociologists who study the science of linguistic evolution. (NOT!) The panel noted that "Money for Nothing" would be acceptable for broadcast if suitably edited. I truly thought Gerry Phalen, Bob MacEachern and Randy McKeen (among others) were brighter than that. Guess I was wrong.
Anyway, they didn't say "nothing" about the internet ... so here's one for you boys ...
4 comments:
just another example of tyranny creep that is going on in Canada.
I get all my music off the net uncensored
What's next?
I can think of some really inappropriate operas.
XO
WWW
GFB, good point. Just makes radio even less relevant than it has already become. What bothers me is that those radio guys I named in the piece all have 30+ years in radio. They should have more sense than to put their name on such a stupid decision.
WWW, absolument! What's next - politically incorrect children's songs????
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