For over 15 years, radio talk show host Mark Belling has provided a strong voice for anyone concerned about the wide-ranging issues discussed on his program airing weekday afternoons on WISN-AM (1130) in Milwaukee, particularly conservatives in southeastern Wisconsin. Enjoying phenomenal ratings, including one of the highest rated afternoon drive talk shows in America, Belling has also become a regular substitute host for Rush Limbaugh.
As the most influential talk radio personality in Wisconsin, Belling carries a strong following and, also, several critics seeking opportunities to silence him. Over the past several days, those critics apparently found their occasion.
Belling commented, Oct. 27, on prevalent voter fraud in Milwaukee and non-citizens illegally casting ballots saying, “You watch the voter turnout on the near south side, heavily Hispanic, and compare it to the voter turnout in any other election, and you’re going to see every wetback and every other non-citizen out there voting.”
This goes without saying, but I will say it anyway: Belling was wrong in using the word “wetback.” Belling himself said it best in formally apologizing Nov. 6 for both his language and initial handling of the reaction, stating, “I apologize to my listeners and I extend a specific apology to the tens of thousands of Hispanic and Latin Americans in the metropolitan Milwaukee area for my terrible choice of words. Additionally, I apologize for the manner in which I have handled the legitimate, negative reaction to my ill-advised language. That was the wrong thing to do.”
Two days after Belling’s formal seven-paragraph written apology and 12 days after his unfortunate comment, parent company Clear Channel Communications and station management removed Belling from the air Monday, delighting those seeking to silence him after his mistake. Among others, gay and lesbian, educational and labor organizations sought full removal of Belling, regardless of any apology or subsequent actions taken by station management. Some even worked to challenge WISN’s license with the Federal Communications Commission.
In removing Belling from the air, Clear Channel and management did not commit censorship (a commonly misused word in the English language), as no governmental agency intervened. However, they made a business decision pandering to liberal interest groups, rather than their customers — listeners of Belling’s program. In doing so, they could have set a dangerous precedent: wait until the radio host you dislike trips up and then organize a mob demanding his removal.
Fortunately, Belling returned to his program Monday, and made several observations about the controversy, above all clearly noting the difference between those strongly criticizing his mistake and liberal interests simply seeking to remove dissenting opinions, “Many people were sincerely offended by what I said and how I dealt with the situation. Many others had agendas separate from that and were actually gleeful that they saw an opportunity to silence me.”
In March 2003, Clear Channel found themselves inside another controversy over free speech issues after Natalie Maines of the Dixie Chicks made a remark in London about President George W. Bush and his foreign policy. Several Clear Channel-owned stations temporarily suspended their music based on audience research. Clear Channel issued no sweeping ban, and many Clear Channel-owned stations, including Madison’s Z104-FM and Q106-FM, continued to play their songs; some even increased their airplay after Maines’s comments.
The decisions by a few radio stations based on market forces received far more scrutiny by those in public forums than the decision to suspend Belling based on outside interests. In Madison, 10 of 20 City Council members co-sponsored a resolution to adopt the Dixie Chicks as the city’s country band after Maines’ comments. Eventually, City Council changed the resolution to proclaim Madison the “City of Tolerance” — a resolution they should probably repeal after all the hostility throughout the last election.
Although the Milwaukee city and county governments generally conduct themselves with slightly more professionalism, the same sense of political correctness abounds. Not one elected official publicly denounced attempts to remove Belling. Fortunately, thousands of listeners supported Belling, helping to prompt his reinstatement.
As Mark Belling returned to his show, he preceded his theme music by playing the familiar cut from Chumbawamba’s hit song “Tubthumping”: “I get knocked down. But I get up again. You’re never going to keep me down.” Belling’s resolute and determined return to the airwaves is a victory not only for conservatives in Wisconsin, but also for free speech throughout America.
Mark A. Baumgardner ([email protected]) is a senior majoring in electrical engineering.