Radio censorship & maintaining the integrity of music

[Zaia]

Everyone knows that there are some words that the FCC forbids on freewave radio, like "fuck" and "shit" (although "bitch" is ok? Eh, whatev). However, radio stations deal with this problem in different ways. Some radio stations remix the song so that the offensive word is 1) dropped (the vocals blank but everything else intact), 2) replaced by a garbled mess, 3) replaced by a sound effect, 4) replaced by ye olde "bleep," or 5) the little part of the song that contains the offensive word is simply cut out.

As a musician, I have a HUGE problem with #5. It's bad enough to mess with a song too much when polishing it up for radio, which is why #1 above is the best possible option in my opinion, since you aren't altering the song as much. But to CUT OUT part of the music?! You're tapping your foot to the beat, and then all of a sudden, you're totally off. No, not because you have no rhythm (well, that may be the case for some of you), but because every time Green Day sings the lines "Read between the lines/What's fucked up and everything's alright," that measure suddenly has 3 1/2 beats in it instead of 4 when they (read: fucking lameass DC101) just cut out the word "fucked" and all the music that goes with it.

Who's brilliant fucking idea was it to abandon all the other methods of censoring offensive lyrics and destroy the entire song? I can't listen to DC101 now because they so butcher their goddamn songs. You know the end of System of a Down's "BYOB?" Same thing! A bunch of 3 1/2 beat measures in a 4/4 song because they sing 'fuck' too many times.

Is anyone else as irritated by this as I am? If I was one of those artists, I think I'd prefer to have my song pulled from the playlist of stations like that instead of having it mutilated in such a fashion. Why the hell is dropping the word out not good enough anymore? When they do that, they don't even leave the first letter anymore (usually), so hyper-sensitive conservative parents worried about their kid figuring out the swear words from the first letter and the context have nothing to complain about if there's no fragment of the word left in the lyrics! Just blowing over that portion of the music accomplishes NOTHING. Why do it? Because they can? Because that's how unbelievably conservative the US is? What purpose does it serve?

[Stofsk]

And that, my dear Z, is why I dont listen to the radio.

[Kuja]

Maybe they're lazy and don't want to go through the effort of erasing the words and still leaving the music, so they just slice out that chunk altogether.

Thank god the Edge doesn't do that.

[Stravo]

Satellite Radio is your friend. I have never gone back to terrestrial radio.

[Zaia]

Satellite Radio is your friend. I have never gone back to terrestrial radio.

I like my DJs. I'd miss my DJs. THE STATIONS JUST NEED TO START TREATING THE MUSIC WITH SOME GODDAMN FUCKING RESPECT!

*ahem* Sorry.

[Mad]

What purpose does it serve?

It's probably faster and easier.

Though all I can recall hearing is option 1) for most songs (with 2) being used for some songs, such as Papa Roach's "Last Resort"). Either that, or I'm just clueless about beats and didn't notice that BYOB lost some rhythm. I just hear a short gap of no voice but music playing for it and most songs.

Actually, I wasn't even aware that the radio stations did the editing themselves, because all the stations I listen to around here have the exact same editing and, I'm sure the stations all play the same edited version, obtained from the same editor. Didn't know it varied by region, though. I figured the distributor gave radio-edit copies to the stations.

[The Grim Squeaker]

Is satelite radio available outside of the US?

[Zaia]

It's probably faster and easier.

Because saving some editing jackass a few minutes is way more important than keeping the song as close to its original as possible, since it'll be played over and over and over and over again. *scowls*

Though all I can recall hearing is option 1) for most songs (with 2) being used for some songs, such as Papa Roach's "Last Resort"). Either that, or I'm just clueless about beats and didn't notice that BYOB lost some rhythm. I just hear a short gap of no voice but music playing for it and most songs.

At the end, it's supposed to go, "Where the fuck are you?" a few times, and on DC101's edited version, it goes, "Where are you?" with a half a beat or so lost with each cut (four total I think: two, then other stuff, then another two). It happens twice and then goes into something else, so the fact that it's paired off makes it sort of even out (since the two half-beats end up making one whole beat over the course of the two measures).

Actually, I wasn't even aware that the radio stations did the editing themselves, because all the stations I listen to around here have the exact same editing and, I'm sure the stations all play the same edited version, obtained from the same editor. Didn't know it varied by region, though. I figured the distributor gave radio-edit copies to the stations.

They must do their own editing. 98 Rock and WHFS both play the same songs and do not have edits that drop entire sections of those songs (the Green Day and System songs I mentioned--there might be others, but I haven't come across them if there are).

[Mad]

Because saving some editing jackass a few minutes is way more important than keeping the song as close to its original as possible, since it'll be played over and over and over and over again. *scowls*

Laziness and no attention to quality. I'm glad I haven't experienced it.

At the end, it's supposed to go, "Where the fuck are you?" a few times, and on DC101's edited version, it goes, "Where are you?" with a half a beat or so lost with each cut (four total I think: two, then other stuff, then another two). It happens twice and then goes into something else, so the fact that it's paired off makes it sort of even out (since the two half-beats end up making one whole beat over the course of the two measures).

On both FM99 and 96X over here, I hear "where the [...] are you!?" Music is playing during the cut, so the beat isn't interrupted. (Not sure if I've heard it played on 100.5 MAX-FM yet.) They sound like they're the same edited version.

They must do their own editing. 98 Rock and WHFS both play the same songs and do not have edits that drop entire sections of those songs (the Green Day and System songs I mentioned--there might be others, but I haven't come across them if there are).

Maybe DC101 is also too cheap to license a version edited by someone else? I'll try to listen more closely to the edits on stations here... but they sound the same across stations around here. (I do know that TV stations here that do closed captioning for commercials will allow other local stations to use their captioning, probably for a fee, of course.)

I'd be incredibly annoyed, too, if the song actually had time chopped out of it.

[Chmee]

The same exact issue with movies on broadcast tv just makes me grit my teeth.

What I hate about it is that some programming director is essentially substituting his artistic tastes for that of the director/songwriter/etc. Well you know, if you actually had the talent to make those kinds of decisions, you wouldn't be a fucking programming director, you'd be making art yourself!!

Either play it the way the artist created it, or leave it alone, don't bastardize it with your own personal vision of what the artist *should* have made.

TNT and TBS used to be the worst offenders, but now even Bravo and AMC cut out original content from movies ... AMC! This hit me right in the face watching Catch-22 on AMC ... in the opening scene with all the B-25's revving up to take off, they show all the planes, but then edit out Yossarian flipping off the generals! Changes the whole artistic meaning of the opening scene! Rrrrrrrrrrrr ....

Does Stravo have any spare blood pressure meds?

[gizmojumpjet]

Satellite Radio is your friend. I have never gone back to terrestrial radio.

I like my DJs. I'd miss my DJs. THE STATIONS JUST NEED TO START TREATING THE MUSIC WITH SOME GODDAMN FUCKING RESPECT!

*ahem* Sorry.

You actually listed to radio stations that have DJ's that actually control their own playlists? I was under the impression that that was pretty rare these days, with program managers determining what gets played. It's the only reason I can imagine why they still play putrescence put out by Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam ten years ago all the fucking time on one of my local stations that bills itsself as playing the new Buzz music or some bullshit like that. Bah! I actually started listening to rap music stations because they're the only ones that reliably play music with the sort of agressive, driving rhythms I appreciate during my daily commute.

Maybe musicians can, you know, start omitting offensive (as determined by the FCC) words in their songs? C'mon, really, every song does not need the word fuck in it. English has a wonderful vocabulary, perhaps musicians worried about the purity of their music will avail themselves of said vocabulary?

[gizmojumpjet]

TNT and TBS used to be the worst offenders, but now even Bravo and AMC cut out original content from movies ... AMC! This hit me right in the face watching Catch-22 on AMC ... in the opening scene with all the B-25's revving up to take off, they show all the planes, but then edit out Yossarian flipping off the generals! Changes the whole artistic meaning of the opening scene! Rrrrrrrrrrrr ....

Wow, I never realized AMC did that. I've never noticed a "changed from original format" message on any of their broadcasts. How disappointing.

[Duckie]

I don't listen to the radio, so this issue is beyond me, but I remember one that was interesting:

Some new pop song crap or something went:
"[Undecipherable noises], don't -mess!- with my heart." with a clearly different singer and no backround music during the split-second editing.

Why, you ask? The original was quite obscene:
"[Undecipherable noises], don't funk with my heart.". I'm not making that up.

It speaks volumes about whoever edits songs that they would actually edit a word that sounds closer to fuck just so that they have all their bases covered, and then clearly just got some girl to say "Mess." and plugged it in there.

I do hate movie censoring. Not only does TNT or whatever they're calling themselves edit The Matrix, they sound retarded doing it:
Jesus Christ = Jeepers Creepers
Jesus Christ = Judas Priest
Then they cut out Mouse with his pinup sheet, the "digital pimp", half of the lobby, the spoon kid, etc.

[Zaia]

You actually listed to radio stations that have DJ's that actually control their own playlists? I was under the impression that that was pretty rare these days, with program managers determining what gets played.

Yes, the legendary WHFS, currently on Live 105.7 in Towson, Maryland. It's the best station ever, and it completely listener-driven, with the DJs digging up obscure covers, live performances and B-sides regularly to comply with listener requests. I love it.

It's the only reason I can imagine why they still play putrescence put out by Stone Temple Pilots and Pearl Jam ten years ago all the fucking time on one of my local stations that bills itsself as playing the new Buzz music or some bullshit like that. Bah! I actually started listening to rap music stations because they're the only ones that reliably play music with the sort of agressive, driving rhythms I appreciate during my daily commute.

Pardon?

Maybe musicians can, you know, start omitting offensive (as determined by the FCC) words in their songs? C'mon, really, every song does not need the word fuck in it. English has a wonderful vocabulary, perhaps musicians worried about the purity of their music will avail themselves of said vocabulary?

Why the fuck should artists change their music because some pansy-ass whiners can't take a goddamn curse word now and then? There's more than enough kowtowing to small-minded conservatives in this country as it is. They don't get to dictate what words I'm allowed to hear on my stereo too.

In other words, you can, you know, shove that suggestion up your ass. No way in hell should anyone tell a musician what to write.

[aerius]

Maybe musicians can, you know, start omitting offensive (as determined by the FCC) words in their songs? C'mon, really, every song does not need the word fuck in it. English has a wonderful vocabulary, perhaps musicians worried about the purity of their music will avail themselves of said vocabulary?

How about no. What word would you propose to replace "bullshit" in Pink Floyd's "Money"? I can't think of one that would do the job without fucking up the rhythm & meaning of the song. Or the word "fucked" in Sarah McLachlan's "Building a Mystery"? That ain't gonna work either.

[gizmojumpjet]

You actually listed to radio stations that have DJ's that actually control their own playlists? I was under the impression that that was pretty rare these days, with program managers determining what gets played.

Yes, the legendary WHFS, currently on Live 105.7 in Towson, Maryland. It's the best station ever, and it completely listener-driven, with the DJs digging up obscure covers, live performances and B-sides regularly to comply with listener requests. I love it.

That sounds like a radio station my buddy listened to in the USN called, I believe, Radio Free Hawaii, and it sounds pretty cool.

Pardon?

My point was that I can't understand how a radio station with DJ's choosing and spinning music on the fly would continue to play the same tired '90's music as regularly as they do around here on stations which bill themselves as playing "new music," and that I wish they had some stations around here like that.

No way in hell should anyone tell a musician what to write.

I didn't mean to suggest that anyone should tell a musician what to write. Rather, I was pointing out that it should come as no surprise to a musician to hear their music altered for radio play considering current broadcast standards, a la the FCC. Please don't misinterpret that as supporting any specific broadcast standard; as a believer in small government I think people should exercise their rights to change the channel if they don't like what they're seeing, but the current situation is that as a factual matter, certain words aren't allowed and it has been decided that the gummint does get to regulate what gets broadcast over the public airwaves, so including them in a song intended for airplay is just asking for the work to be altered by third parties.

As a musician you may know more about how the industry works than I do, and it seems the thesis of your complaint is the manner in which songs are edited for airplay, so I'll try yo get back on topic. Maybe there's a solution to the problem. Are radio edits always done in house by the stations, or can artists release their own? If you do it yourself, I suppose you could control how the restricted content is edited out. From a musician's persepctive, do you know if that's possible and practical?

[Cal Wright]

I'm with you. If they just blank the vocals I'm fine, or if they garble beep anything. But when they cut parts of the damn song, it's irritating as shit. And mind you I am as musical as a doorknob.

[Lonestar]

I agree with Stravo, Z. I got XM radio and I've never looked back. They have "regular" stations, and those with foul language.

admittedly, I mostly use my XM for news and talk stations. And "Lucy". I loves me some Lucy.

[Zaia]

I agree with Stravo, Z. I got XM radio and I've never looked back. They have "regular" stations, and those with foul language.

admittedly, I mostly use my XM for news and talk stations. And "Lucy". I loves me some Lucy.

Unless I can get WHFS on it, I'm not interested.

[Lonestar]

Unless I can get WHFS on it, I'm not interested.

That a local station in Maryland? Probably not. But betting odds that you'll be able to find a XMradio station that's similiar in format.

[The Dark]

It's definitely the stations or their owners that do the editing. The Kid Rock / Sheryl Crow song ("Picture") had three different sets of editing in Orlando for the line "fuelin' up on cocaine and whiskey." One station left it intact, one edited it to "coke and whiskey". The last did a horrible editing job, cutting the word entirely and deleting the music with it. However, none of them touched the line about "living my life in a slow hell," which surprised me.

Personally, I dislike any editing of the song. There is such a thing as too much profanity (Lil Kim pops to mind for some reason), but most songs are nowhere near that. One or two words in a lyric won't kill a person, particularly as unclear as many of them are sung. It's the same theory I hold towards TV - if it offends you, turn it off. Nobody's forcing you to tune in.

[weemadando]

In Australia, the CBAA regulations (the most strict of the whole damn bunch) means that though you *can technically* use nearly any language you damn well want, they'd prefer it if you left it until after 10pm.

Surely the US would be a much happier place if they just let go of the censorship leash a little.

[Singular Quartet]

In Australia, the CBAA regulations (the most strict of the whole damn bunch) means that though you *can technically* use nearly any language you damn well want, they'd prefer it if you left it until after 10pm.

Surely the US would be a much happier place if they just let go of the censorship leash a little.

Nope. Baptist ministers would go apeshit. Cause that's the reason the FCC has control over what can and can't be said over the radio and on TV. A baptist minister went apeshit, and Reagon listened.

Fuckers.

[Ghost Rider]

I agree with Stravo, Z. I got XM radio and I've never looked back. They have "regular" stations, and those with foul language.

admittedly, I mostly use my XM for news and talk stations. And "Lucy". I loves me some Lucy.

Unless I can get WHFS on it, I'm not interested.

Sadly...no. Charlie has Satellite radio, and doesn't get it, and unless Sirius has a different set up, not there either.

[gizmojumpjet]

In Australia, the CBAA regulations (the most strict of the whole damn bunch) means that though you *can technically* use nearly any language you damn well want, they'd prefer it if you left it until after 10pm.

Surely the US would be a much happier place if they just let go of the censorship leash a little.

Nope. Baptist ministers would go apeshit. Cause that's the reason the FCC has control over what can and can't be said over the radio and on TV. A baptist minister went apeshit, and Reagon listened.

Fuckers.

So they couldn't use the term "pregnant" on I Love Lucy because of Baptists and Ronald Reagan, right? Censorship of the public airwaves all started with him, and them, right?