# CNN Poll; Almsot half of respondents think Rush Limbaugh should be BANNED from radio **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [March 13, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613 "2012-03-13T02:48:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 2:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/1 "2012-03-13T02:48:32Z")
Uh, really? As of right now the CNN question “Should Rush Limbaugh be banned from public airwaves” has 46% support. I know, it’s not much of a poll scientifically speaking, as it’s self-selecting. But still, fifty thousand people (so far) who are presumably smart enough to use a mouse think a man should be banned from speaking his mind? Even if he’s an irritating blowhard? I wouldn’t believe Rush Limbaugh if he told me the sky was blue, but holy shit. ---
**Author:** ![boytyperanma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4491bb/32.png) [@boytyperanma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/boytyperanma)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/2 "2012-03-13T03:01:58Z")
I’d love to see a breakdown by political affiliation. Is it Repulicans who want him to stop speaking because he’s making them look bad or Democrats that are willing to drop their ideals of free speech just to make the man shut up. ---
**Author:** ![Simplicio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c37758/32.png) [@Simplicio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simplicio)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/3 "2012-03-13T03:08:54Z")
Or one bored weirdo has enough time to vote 20,000 times. Internet polls are pretty worthless indicators of much of anything. ---
**Author:** ![andros](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e480ec/32.png) [@andros](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/andros)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/4 "2012-03-13T03:21:46Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > Uh, really? People are fucking idiots, my friend. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/5 "2012-03-13T03:30:24Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Or one bored weirdo has enough time to vote 20,000 times. Internet polls are pretty worthless indicators of much of anything. That. Lest we forget, the internet is where Moot from 4chan was elected Time’s Man of the Year. So let’s not get too shocked by this. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/6 "2012-03-13T03:33:05Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > I know, it’s not much of a poll scientifically speaking, as it’s self-selecting. A poll either (i) uses randomly chosen respondents, in which case it produces reliable results, or (ii) uses respondents chosen some other way, in which case it produces unreliable results. There is no middle ground. A poll with self-selected respondents isn’t just “not much of a poll scientifically speaking,” it’s completely worthless scientifically speaking. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/7 "2012-03-13T03:55:03Z")
Jane Fonda wants the FCC to shut Rush down. Ah, Jane… such a babe… such an idiot. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/8 "2012-03-13T03:59:59Z")
Does the FCC even have the theoretical power to ban somebody from appearing on the radio? ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/9 "2012-03-13T04:04:55Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > Does the FCC even have the theoretical power to ban somebody from appearing on the radio? Sort of, I think. They can take away your broadcaster’s license. ETA: I’m not talking about the license the station has, but the license the individual has. Radio DJs have them (I have one because I used to be a radio DJ). ---
**Author:** ![DoctorJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctorj/32/2904_2.png) [@DoctorJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DoctorJ)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/10 "2012-03-13T04:06:35Z")
You can’t ban someone from the public airwaves for the same reason the government can’t just give people a Carlin-style list of words that can’t be said–it constitutes prior restraint. If someone really felt like tilting at some windmills he could file complaints that Rush’s tirades calling Fluke a slut and a prostitute violated community standards of decency, but even in the vanishingly unlikely event that this went anywhere I’m pretty sure the local station would be punished and not Rush. I’d like to see Rush _effectively_ banned from the airwaves, with advertisers abandoning him and affiliates dropping the show. That’s far from the same thing, but I can see how people would answer “yes” meaning “I want Rush to go away”. ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 5:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/11 "2012-03-13T05:10:24Z")
> [@Simplicio](#): > > Internet polls are pretty worthless indicators of much of anything. This. What is the evidence that there is something even worth discussing here? ---
**Author:** ![mister\_nyx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/df705f/32.png) [@mister\_nyx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mister_nyx)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/12 "2012-03-13T05:11:49Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Jane Fonda wants the FCC to shut Rush down. > > Ah, Jane… such a babe… such an idiot. Link? I’m curious to contextualize what she said because honestly I have a hard time imagining she wasn’t at least selectively quoted here. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/13 "2012-03-13T06:04:16Z")
> [@mister\_nyx](#): > > Link? I’m curious to contextualize what she said because honestly I have a hard time imagining she wasn’t at least selectively quoted here. [Link](http://www.cnn.com/2012/03/10/opinion/fonda-morgan-steinem-limbaugh/) The article was written by Fonda, Robin Morgan, and Gloria Steinem. Basically, they’re suggesting that listeners complain to the FCC about the stations that carry Limbaugh, because the FCC “takes such complaints into consideration when stations file for license renewal.” They argue that stations carrying Limbaugh are not carrying out their obligation to broadcast in the public interest. They conclude the article: > [@](#): > > This isn’t political. While we disagree with Limbaugh’s politics, what’s at stake is the fallout of a society tolerating toxic, hate-inciting speech. For 20 years, Limbaugh has hidden behind the First Amendment, or else claimed he’s really “doing humor” or “entertainment.” He is indeed constitutionally entitled to his opinions, but he is not constitutionally entitled to the people’s airways. > > It’s time for the public to take back our broadcast resources. Limbaugh has had decades to fix his show. Now it’s up to us. I don’t care how many people complain, pigs will fly out my butt before the FCC actually takes away a broadcasting license based on something like this. ---
**Author:** ![Jake\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Jake\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jake_Jones)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 6:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/14 "2012-03-13T06:04:23Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > ETA: I’m not talking about the license the station has, but the license the individual has. Radio DJs have them (I have one because I used to be a radio DJ). While my initial reaction was that your post was bullshit, it seems that you used to be right. Operator licenses are no longer required. [DJ Licenses are No Longer Required – DJs and other persons operating a licensed broadcast station are not required to have an operator’s license. The broadcast licensee continues to be responsible for proper operation of the licensed station. Report and Order, MM Docket 94-130, 10 FCC Rcd 11479](http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/audio/fm.html) ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/15 "2012-03-13T06:10:23Z")
> [@Snowboarder\_Bo](#): > > Sort of, I think. They can take away your broadcaster’s license. > > ETA: I’m not talking about the license the station has, but the license the individual has. Radio DJs have them (I have one because I used to be a radio DJ). I admit that i’m no radio industry expert, but i read a bit about the media and i’ve never heard of a license required by an individual in order to participate as an announcer on a radio station. Nor have i ever heard of the FCC having the ability to ban a particular individual from the air. A search of the FCC’s website doesn’t bring up any individual license that i could find, and the only licenses they refer to are the ones required for the station as a whole, for the use of the airwaves. ETA: Well, it appeared that **Jake Jones** answered my question. ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 6:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/16 "2012-03-13T06:34:43Z")
> [@Jake\_Jones](#): > > While my initial reaction was that your post was bullshit, it seems that you used to be right. Operator licenses are no longer required. > > [DJ Licenses are No Longer Required – DJs and other persons operating a licensed broadcast station are not required to have an operator’s license. The broadcast licensee continues to be responsible for proper operation of the licensed station. Report and Order, MM Docket 94-130, 10 FCC Rcd 11479](http://transition.fcc.gov/mb/audio/fm.html) I managed to track down MM Docket 94-130. You can get it from [this page](http://www.fcc.gov/guides/unattended-operation-radio-and-television-broadcast-stations), or download it directly [here](http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-95-412A1.pdf) (PDF). Firstly, the requirement for an operator’s license was dropped 17 years ago, in 1995. Secondly, as far as i can tell from reading that document before my eyes glazed over, the requirement for the license never had anything to do with content, or with what the DJ actually said. The license was wholly related to technical issues, and to the operator’s ability to maintain the station’s broadcast within the technical requirements set by the FCC. It seems, from the document, that one reason the license requirement was dropped was that improved technology made it much easier to broadcast automatically, or to monitor broadcast quality remotely. The prime concerns seem to be issues like the potential for interference during equipment malfunctions. Thirdly, the report notes that, even when the license (the Radiotelephone Operator Permit, or RP)was required, it was so easy to get that it was effectively useless. > [@](#): > > The comments were nearly unanimous in expressing the > opinion that the RP serves no useful purpose and repre- > sents an unnecessary expense. > > \ > > The Commission is unpersuaded that the $35 cost of > an RP and its potential for revocation constitute much of > an incentive to operate a station responsibly. The vast > majority of the commenters expressed the opinion that the > RP is completely useless. While the fee covers processing > costs, it is, in and of itself, no indicator of the value of the > permit. And finally, as far as i can tell, it’s not even clear that the person speaking over the air was required to hold such a license. The requirement was that someone with a license was there to operate the station, but if you had a DJ _and_ a licensed operator, there would be no need for a DJ to have the license at all. I can’t imagine someone like Rush Limbaugh, with a nationally-syndicated radio show, is also responsible for the technical and engineering quality of the equipment that he uses. I’m guessing that they hire someone else for that. Also, as a syndicated program, Limbaugh’s show is broadcast by hundreds of separate stations nationwide, each of which, even in the years where licenses were required, would have had their own properly licensed and trained operators. In short, even if this had happened in 1994, before the license requirement was revoked, i see no evidence that the FCC could have removed Limbaugh, as an individual, from the airwaves. ---
**Author:** ![Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Swords_to_Plowshares)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/17 "2012-03-13T12:39:56Z")
While many people claim they believe in the free market, at the end of the day if they could use the government as a magic genie who intervenes and grants their wishes, they would. This (banning Rush) is not much different. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/18 "2012-03-13T12:49:13Z")
People really only believe in the free speech they agree with. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/19 "2012-03-13T12:54:26Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > People really only believe in the free speech they agree with. Including yourself? Or are you above the rest of the sheeple? ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2012, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613/20 "2012-03-13T12:56:09Z")
> [@Swords\_to\_Plowshares](#): > > While many people claim they believe in the free market, at the end of the day if they could use the government as a magic genie who intervenes and grants their wishes, they would. This (banning Rush) is not much different. Totally. You see it, too, when the same idiots who scream “get the government away from [X, Y, or Z]” then turn around and whine “But why doesn’t President Obama do something about the price I pay for gasoline _now_?”. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cnn-poll-almsot-half-of-respondents-think-rush-limbaugh-should-be-banned-from-radio/615613.md?page=2)