happytypinggirl
06-14-2007, 12:27 PM
While we continue to be disappointed by the actions taken by XM Satellite Radio in the last thirty days, specifically the public reprimand and suspension of the Opie and Anthony show as a reaction to comments aired on May 9th, People Against Censorship applauds XM for returning the Opie and Anthony Show to their regular programming schedule this Friday. It seems all too often that the suspension of broadcasters serves as a prelude to their firing, and we are relieved to see that XM has not followed the recent trend of dismissing talent when a show draws criticism from special interest groups. We were also pleased to see that earlier this week XM spokesman Chance Patterson released a statement noting that XM “will not be censoring Opie and Anthony” when the show returns this Friday.
We are optimistic about XM's promise that they will not be censoring the Opie and Anthony show. However, many of our members have expressed concern about the company’s credibility, and a sizable number of our members have made it clear that they will not re-subscribe to XM. While we certainly respect that decision, we also believe XM’s statement that the show will be “uncensored” is a significant testament to free expression, and indicates that they have heard, and are addressing our concerns.
Accordingly, we are advising our over 13,000 members to re-subscribe to XM based on the statement that the Opie and Anthony will not be censored, and XM’s offer to waive re-activation fees. However, we will be monitoring the situation, and if it appears that XM’s promise is disingenuous, we will react immediately.
We sincerely hope that XM will use this opportunity to become an industry leader in the arena of unrestricted creative expression, and we hope that in the future, XM will recognize the importance of supporting their talent more strenuously.
We are optimistic about XM's promise that they will not be censoring the Opie and Anthony show. However, many of our members have expressed concern about the company’s credibility, and a sizable number of our members have made it clear that they will not re-subscribe to XM. While we certainly respect that decision, we also believe XM’s statement that the show will be “uncensored” is a significant testament to free expression, and indicates that they have heard, and are addressing our concerns.
Accordingly, we are advising our over 13,000 members to re-subscribe to XM based on the statement that the Opie and Anthony will not be censored, and XM’s offer to waive re-activation fees. However, we will be monitoring the situation, and if it appears that XM’s promise is disingenuous, we will react immediately.
We sincerely hope that XM will use this opportunity to become an industry leader in the arena of unrestricted creative expression, and we hope that in the future, XM will recognize the importance of supporting their talent more strenuously.