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I was on Wisconsin Public Radio earlier today (Hello Wisconsin!), and I'll be on the Young Turks later today talking about my book, Youth to Power. 3:30pm Eastern on Air America Radio. Tune in if you can.

FCC Chilling Effects: Pacifica Won't Air "Howl"

Just caught this on Boing Boing:

The FCC's war on dirty words is having a chilling effect -- even WBAI Pacifica, the radical radio station in NYC, is scared of airing Allen Ginsberg's magnificent poem, Howl.

Pacifica's attorney for FCC issues, John Crigler, thinks airing "Howl" would be "a great test case" in the current environment. But he understands why WBAI won't broadcast "Howl," even between the hours of 10 p.m. and 6 a.m., the hours the FCC has cordoned off for rougher language.

WBAI program director Bernard White fears that the FCC will fine the station $325,000 for every one of Ginsberg's dirty-word bombs. If each Pacifica station that aired the poem - and possibly repeated it - were to be fined for airing "Howl," it could mean millions of dollars in fines.

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