Michael Savage
Michael Savage’s flagship station in California has decided to drop him. Savage, you may recall, is the genocidal radio personality who has amongst other things called for the “nuking of Muslim countries,” the “killing of millions of Muslims,” and more. He is so over the top you wonder if people take him seriously, but judging from the size of his listeners it seems that enough do for him to be considered a dangerous demagogue.
Zaid Jilani for Think Progress reports,
Earlier today, the conservative blog Patriot Axom noted that far-right radio host Michael Savage has been taken “off the air” from his San Francisco-based flagship station, Talk 910 KNEW. Now, a representative from the station has issued a statement explaining why it will no longer air Savage’s show:
I’m going to answer the very first question many of you have.
“Why did you take Michael Savage off the air?”
Here’s your no-spin direct answer; we have decided to go in a different philosophical and ideological direction, featuring more contemporary content and more local information. The Savage Nation does not fit into that vision.
910 KNEW’s decision is the latest blow to Savage’s efforts to spread hate. Last winter, following a campaign by the Council On American-Islamic Relations and Brave New Films, numerous advertisers ended their relationship with Savage, including Geico, Union Bank of California, and ITT Technical Institute. Savage has in the past advocated killing 100 million Muslims, compared President Jimmy Carter to Hitler, and has said that the U.S. Senate is “more histrionic than ever” because of the addition of female senators.
Cenk Uygur of Young Turks has some commentary that hits the nail on the head:
Reeling from this fresh blow from his flagship station dropping him, Savage’s company was also forced the very next day to apologize to Brave New Films as part of a settlement in a lawsuit brought by Savage,
Yesterday’s news that Michael Savage was dropped in his hometown market, by KNEW, is followed today by news that he and his company, Original Talk Radio Network (ORTN) have reached a settlement in a lawsuit filed by Brave New Films (BNF).
Last year BNF produced a short film, “Michael Savage Hates Muslims,” which was posted on YouTube, consisting mostly of audio clips of Savage ranting against Muslims on his syndicated radio show. ORTN subsequently demanded that YouTube remove the clip from its site; as a result, YouTube took down all of BNF’s online content, and BNF filed suit for damages and free speech rights.
BNF was represented pro bono by Bingham McCutchen LLP and Stanford Center for Internet and Society’s “Fair Use Project,” which was founded in 2006 to provide legal support to a range of projects designed to clarify, and extend, the boundaries of “fair use” in order to enhance creative freedom.
On Aug. 21, Savage and OTRN settled, which included the following written apology:
OTRN acknowledges that it made a mistake by asking YouTube to remove Brave New Films’ video “Michael Savage Hates Muslims” from the YouTube site. Upon further examination, it is clear that video should not have been included in OTRN’s September 29, 2009 takedown notice. OTRN apologizes for this error.
Savage, of course, has taken numerous anti-Muslim stances over the years, many of which can be heard in the film in question:
It looks like the loons are taking some big hits, but it is going to take a lot more to make people realize that individuals such as Michael Savage are so radioactive that you don’t want to be associated with them.
September 14th, 2009 at 5:35 pm
*waits for the right-wing to cry free speech*
September 14th, 2009 at 8:10 pm
I think this post is a little of character. Firstly, do not assume that loons are taking a big hit… there is still a long way to go in getting racism erased from our country.
September 15th, 2009 at 12:20 am
Out of curiousity, what exactly does fair use entail? What are the restrictions and limits for using audio and video which is copyrighted?
September 15th, 2009 at 1:05 am
WDSF,
I do think that this is a big hit against Savage, like Cenk said it’s a big deal when the flagship radio station in your hometown drops you and in pretty straight up terms disavows you. I do agree though, we shouldn’t believe that we are winning against these loons, that would be false security. Part of me also thinks Savage likes this attention, and will try to spin it as him being a “free speech martyr.”
September 15th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
This rectum of talk radio continues to intermittently claim that his Ph.D is in epidemiology. It is NOT! It’s in ethonutrition (what native populations eat and why). My research indicates that it has never been peer reviewed — as are most Ph.D dissertations.
The Savage-Wienie is so desperate for attention (even negative) that he will claim or say virtually anything.
He apparently does have about eight million listeners although it seems doubtful that the majority could be called true believers. I think most listen occasionally to what they perceive as a screaming freak show. Me, too.
As many of us have heard, the Wiener’s mantra is “Borders, Language, Culture.” Presumeably, this includes his favorite expressions: “Putz,” “Schmuck,” “Shmendreck” and other crude Yiddishisms.
I predict that in the not too far future, we will hear The Mouse that Bored crack up completely during a broadcast — thereby finally contributing something of value to the history of talk radio.
September 16th, 2009 at 5:57 pm
Michael Savage (nee Wiener) is an actor playing a dramatic role in a one-man radio-play. Ever see the movie “A Face in the Crowd”? It pretty well describes entertainers like Michael Savage, et al.
I would actually cut people like him a bit more slack if I thought for one moment that they actually believed even a portion of the daily incitement that they spray over the airwaves. But I dont think they do. Their acting just isn’t that good.