which cusswords are ALLOWED on radio?

Question

A lot has changed with the FCC.

Answer 1

On regular radio AM/FM it's not really what's allowed it's about who complains. If someone complains that you say damn all the time to the FCC, they'll fine you. Any cuss word. FCC doesn't care like they used to. They more so deal with complaints now. You can almost say whatever you want on Internet or Sattelite radio.

Answer 2

actually it's a lot harder subject to define than you think.

George Carlin's 7 dirty words is one list you can't say:-)

But no..the actual FCC mandate on words is called community decency standards.

The FCC determines by complaints from people in the community about a radio station what is considered decent in a community.

Ok, here is an example, B**** and P**** can and do fly in LA and in New England, but say in many areas of the midwest and south, this will not fly and the station can possibly expect a fine if someone complains to the FCC.

The FCC will look the other way if the dirty word is needed to convey a message of importance and there is no real way of getting around it. Usually this is reserved for television, and is usually only done on historically significant shows or movies (such as what they do for "saving private ryan" and them explaining FUBAR)

The Janet Jackson reveal and the conservative nature at the FCC currently however is producing community standards closer to the conservative right , right now.

Answer 3

Crap, damn, hell, etc. Those are allowed on the radio by FCC standards.

These are the words you ABSOLUTELY CANNOT say on radio:
* S***
* Piss
* F***
* C***
* C**ksucker
* Motherf***er
* T***

You also cannot talk about obscene material, such as getting a BJ, at any time of the day. You can talk about indecent material, such as taking a dump, during the FCC Safe Harbor from 10PM-6AM. It's also important to note that you need someone to complain in order to get the FCC to fine you. So if noone complains, you can get away with saying "f***" on-air (though don't count on doing this).

In addition, some organizations will censor you further. The college station I work for doesn't want us to say damn, crap, a**, etc., or the phrases "oh my God" or "ghetto."

Sorry about the language, but you get the idea.

Answer 4

That depends on the DJ and the station. Many stations are a little liberal during the early hours of the morning, even with the 6 second delay. However, sadly, most stations don't have DJs that are anywhere near the quality of Paul Robson of Metro Radio (Newcastle) or James Whale (Radio Leeds) during the eighties. It has not a thing to do with the censors or any other governing body, it's simply down to the individual station, the individual DJ (Presenter) and the Radio Station management. All Radio Stations, as all TV Stations do, police themselves and set their own standards. If a station sets low standards, it would lose it's listeners and therefore lose it's advertising revenue and eventually shut down. That is why the best programs for adults are the phone ins in the middle of the night. All the kids and adult kids are in bed then.

Answer 5

There is no real "List of words we can't say. Most Air Personality's are pretty good at knowing how far we can push the envelope before getting a call from the Program Director to "stop in his office after the show."

It is kinda easier to list the words we can't say... Things like F^%#, Sh$#, Etc. You know what I am talking about...

When you get right down to it, you don't need to swear to get your point accross on the radio. I still remember something my first Program Director told me..... He said "Any schlub can go in the on air booth and swear, It takes an intellegent person to go in there and get his point accrosswithout using any foul language." And he was right!

As far as things changing with the FCC, yes they have. Sadly it all goes back to the Janet Jackson "Nipple-gate" incident. Who would have thought a second long visible boob on TV would have sent the entire country into a moral connumdrum. It's just a sad situation.

Answer 6

In LA you can say a $$ but not a $$ hole. you can say b*tch, you can even say pu$$y, but only if you're referring to someone being a wuss. Damn and hell are ok. Sometimes you can say piss sometimes not.

Everything else is off limits. You can also refer to George Carlin's Seven Dirty Words. They still hold true to today.

Answer 7

It depends on the station, on my favorite one, DC101 Washington, D.C.'s Rock Station (WWDC), especially on the morning show Elliot in the Morning, they can say "P*ssy" (as in wuss, but not the bit of the female anatomy), "B*tch", "T*ts", "Dick (as in being a jerk, but not the bit of the male anatomy), "God damn", "Piss", and I think that's it for the ones that no other station, like the Top 40 could get away with.

They talk about BJs on there, they just say it very cleverly. ; )

Answer 8

Not many cuss words are allowed on the radio. But they might get away with the words "damn" or "hell."