99% Invisible Bleep!
4 snips
Aug 23, 2022 
Maria Bustillos, a writer and editor at Popula, dives into the curious culture of censorship focusing on the iconic bleep sound. She traces its history and why it has become a staple in broadcasting, reflecting societal views on swearing. The discussion touches on evolving standards of profanity, the technical nitty-gritty of the dump button used in live radio, and the humor surrounding its use. Bustillos shares insights into the intricate balance between maintaining content integrity and navigating censorship in modern media.
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Gwar Interview
- Chris Berube, a 99PI producer, interviewed the band Gwar on his college radio show.
- The interview, filled with bleeps, led to a complaint despite the absence of actual swearing.
Olga Petrova Incident
- In 1921, Olga Petrova read a seemingly innocent nursery rhyme on the radio, which had a hidden message about birth control.
- This incident highlighted the need for censorship backup on radio.
Classical Music Censorship
- Early radio stations used classical music as a form of censorship.
- A separate operator would play music and cut in when something inappropriate was said.