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PANEL DEBATE01 January 2001 The Market and Media Censors Panel debate at the 1st Freemuse World Conference on Music and Censorship Moderator: Mr. Johan Fornäs, Prof. Stockholm University, Sweden Introduction: Mr. Ole Reitov, Editor, Danish Broadcasting Corporation Panelists: Mr. Noam Ben-Zeev, Music Critic & Journalist, Haaretz Daily, Lecturer, Alon School for the Arts & Sciences, Israel Mr. Gerald Seligman, Senior Director, EMI UK, founder of Hemisphere, UK Mr. Martin Cloonan, Ph.D., Researchfellow, University of Stirling, Scotland More from the conference Read article as PDF Read more about corporate censorship: Clear Channel: September 11 & Corporate Censorship Corporate censor no. 1, or just the market leader? A collection of articles on Clear Channel - including the debate on the infamous list of 'potentially offensive songs', which Clear Channel suggested its 1.300 radio stations not to play following the September 11 terrorist attacks in the US 01 December 2002 Postscript to report on censorship in Zimbabwe "Playing with Fire: Fear and Self-Censorship in Zimbabwean Music". Extensive Freemuse report, including case studies on Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi. Read abstract and full report (PDF) 05 January 2005 Damon Albarn: Music is destroyed by censorship The record industry exerts a covert censorship, which makes it difficult for musicians to express themselves freely, was the message from Damon Albarn, Tony Allen and Ty at the Roskilde Festival 2003 01 July 2003 Freemuse report on music censorship in Zimbabwe "Playing with Fire: Fear and Self-Censorship in Zimbabwean Music". Extensive Freemuse report, including case studies on Thomas Mapfumo and Oliver Mtukudzi. Read abstract and full report (PDF) 25 October 2001 3rd Freemuse World Conference on Music and Censorship 200 professional musicians, scholars, and composers from 22 countries met at the 3rd Freemuse World Conference on 25-26 November 2006 in Istanbul, Turkey 18 December 2006 China: The Rolling Stones accepts censorship Veteran rock star group The Rolling Stones will likely follow the beat of China's censors when they perform in China in April concert 03 March 2006 Elton John attacks new 'era of censorship' in America The British singer has attacked what he calls a McCarthy-like "era of censorship" in America. Entertainers who speak out against the Bush administration or its policy on Iraq, he claimed, risk scorn and damage to their livelihood 17 July 2004 Australia: New censorship codes imposed Robyn Riley, Far North Queensland's answer to Tipper Gore, is a shining example of how one person can make a difference. A Christian activist and fanatical letter writer, Riley believes song lyrics cause suicide, murder and teen behavioural problems 01 March 2004 Roskilde Festival 2003, Damon Albarn on music censorship Damon Albarn, Tony Allen and Ty on self-censorship, corporate censorship, censorship in Africa, and music during wartime - video excerpts from the Freemuse organized press conference on freedom of musical expression, Roskilde Festival 2003 26 August 2003 USA: What if they gave a culture war and nobody came? Extensive article on the history of music censorship in the U.S., detailing the occasions when judicial and legislative authorities have focused attention on popular music as expression 28 January 2003 USA: Dixie Chicks' triumph over censorship: Five Grammys It was a victory over censorship and death threats when Dixie Chicks 'swept' the most prestigious honours in the global music calendar, the Grammy Awards 12 February 2007 USA: Dixie Chicks film about censorship censored The American tv-network NBC and the CW Television Network has refused to air ads for the new Dixie Chicks documentary, ‘Shut Up & Sing’ 30 October 2006 China: Rolling Stones had five songs censored Chinese censors restricted the Rolling Stones from performing five songs when they made their debut in mainland China on 8 April 2006. 10 April 2006 Freemuse report on censorship in post 9/11 USA ’Singing in the Echo Chamber’. Music censorship in the U.S. after September 11. New report published by Freemuse 13 February 2006 Musical responses to 9/11: From Conservative patriotism to radicalism This article poses the question: What would a suitable American popular music response to the events of 9/11 sound like? Read the chapter by Martin Cloonan, from the book "9/11 – The world's all out of tune" 09 December 2004 Repression against musicians of Belarus Open letter from Belarusian musicians concerning political pressure being placed on musicians who allegedly oppose President Aleksandr Lukashenko 08 October 2004 Independent record labels unhappy with Sony – BMG merger Small record labels fear more corporate control: "This merger is not about economic necessity in a changing market, it is about the desire to dominate and to control the outlets at media and retail level” 20 July 2004 USA: 'Crash into me, baby!' America’s implicit music censorship since September 11. Read the chapter from 'Shoot the Singer!', by Eric Nuzum on how the September 11 terror attacks have affected freedom of musical expression 03 June 2004 Shoot the Singer! Book "Shoot the Singer! Music Censorship Today". The first worldwide presentation of contemporary cases of music censorship, with cases from i.a. Burma, Mexico, Middle East, France, Algeria, Zimbabwe, USA, South Africa, Turkey. Edited by Freemuse director Marie Korpe, published by Zed Books, May 2004. 25 May 2004 Singer 'strips' over censorship Wearing a "nude suit" on stage to complain about censorship in the US, Alanis Morissette criticised a radio station for forcing her to change strong language in one of her recent songs 06 April 2004 Viva Corporate Control!? European independent music companies slam Universal’s alleged payola deal with Viva to guarantee video-time for Universals’ artists in return for payment 12 December 2003 Music during wartime An extensive collection of links to articles related to how the war on Iraq affected freedom of musical expression - from American country albums being burned to the rise in protest music 10 June 2003 Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation employs Ian Smith laws Article on Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation - still the sole broadcaster in Zimbabwe despite calls from all sectors of the media to free the airwaves 14 October 2002 Turkey: New media law heavily criticised The Turkish parliament has approved a controversial bill that critics charge will further curtail press freedoms and strengthen media monopolies 16 May 2002 Local TV censored A 200-year-old Kurdish song caused the closure last week of a television station operating in southeastern Turkey, home to the country's Kurdish population. Gun-TV was taken off air on Friday for one month after broadcasting the song 29 March 2002 Patti Smith From Tibet to the US: Video interview with Patti Smith on the importance on free musical expression 17 August 2001 Singapore upholds Janet Jackson ban Officials in Singapore have thrown out an appeal against a ban on Janet Jackson's album, ‘All For You’. The Publications Appeal Committee, a panel of academics and professionals, decided that the lyrics of the album, particularly one song, Would You Mind, were "not acceptable to our society". 05 June 2001 Israel: On the road to McCarthyism? With sponsors canceling events as a result of the artist's political views, artistic freedom could be under threat 24 April 2001 UK: Britain at War Extensive article on how music was "restricted" during the Falkland and Gulf war, with focus on UK legislation and corporate censorship. Presented by Martin Cloonan at the 1st World Conference on Music and Censorship, 1998 01 January 2001 Kris Kristofferson Video interview with American folk singer Kris Kristofferson about his personal experiences with music censorship in USA - and in Russia 31 March 2008 USA: The US rock group Pearl Jam’s anti-Bush statement censored on webcast Parts of a Pearl Jam live concert webcast was left out by the main sponsor AT&T. When the lead singer sang “George Bush, leave this world alone” transmission was interrupted 15 August 2007 India: Album recalled and destroyed because it offends Christians EMI Music has pulled the new album by the American Heavy Metal band Slayer from music stores across India because of protests from the Christian community 12 October 2006 Tunisia/Egypt: Najla too sexy for Egyptian tv The Egyptian music channel Mazzika will not air Tunisian singer and dancer Najla’s new music video because it is considered pornographic 23 February 2006 USA/UK: Media giant claimed to threaten British music “Texan media firm Clear Channel Communications is increasingly casting its shadow over the music scene in Britain,” writes Granville Williams 23 February 2006 USA: Rock superstars censored for their lyrics On February 5, 2006, rock music veterans The Rolling Stones were censored during their performance at the Super Bowl - one of the most-watched events on US tv 10 February 2006 UK: Banned group returns to stage They were censored on Top of the Pops and infuriated the National Front in the late 70’s. Now the Gang of Four returns to the stage for a few gigs. Vocalist Jon King claims Gang of Four was banned more than the Sex Pistols 11 January 2005 List of banned songs in Zambia 2004 A few Zambian artists gained further popularity in 2004 by releasing controversial songs, but several artists learned a tough lesson when songs with “vulgar language” were banned by local radio stations and condemned publicly. “Opinion” in Times of Zambia supported the censorship 05 January 2005 Wal-Mart is sued over rude lyrics The parents of a 13-year-old girl are suing US supermarket giant Wal-Mart over a CD by rock group Evanescence that contains swear words. Wal-Mart has a policy of not stocking CDs which carry parental advisory labels 11 December 2004 Musical responses to 9/11: List of allegedly 'banned' songs A list of "lyrically inappropriate" songs banned from some US radio stations in the wake of the World Trade Center attacks in 2001 09 December 2004 Zimbabwean rapper Maskiri banned Maskiri says his latest album has been banned from the airwaves because of what State radio bosses considered offensive content 30 November 2004