O’Shaughnessy Warns Air Staff on Indecency

Saying these are “desperate and dangerous times for free expression and creativity,” broadcaster William O’Shaughnessy has issued a memo to on-air hosts, producers and board ops.
“From this moment forward, you are put on Notice that we will countenance no swearing … no vulgarity … and no utterance which is offensive to our audience or in violation of our own established high standards,” he wrote. “We have established a 24-hour Monitoring System to ensure compliance.”
O’Shaughnessy is president and editorial director of WVOX in Westchester, New York, and a long-time advocate of what he sees as broadcasters’ free speech and First Amendment rights.
“Congress has rolled over on this fundamental issue,” he wrote. “And the Commission has, as you also know, moved in with draconian fines for any Violation.”
He also wrote, “I very much dislike making threats, but I have to tell you, in no uncertain terms, that anyone who utters a profanity or a vulgarity over these airwaves will never work again in commercial radio, if I have anything to do with it.”
In a cover note to media, O’Shaughnessy said that he is “immensely proud” that his stations have operated without a delay for almost three decades but hinted he’s about to change that policy.