DIXIE CHICKS "How did the media coverage of the Dixie Chicks and their music change after their anti

1
DIXIE CHICKS "How did the media coverage of
the Dixie Chicks and their music change after
their anti-Bush comments during a London concert
in 2003?"

• By Liora Lobel

2
Dixie Chicks is a female country music group who
has sold over 36 million albums worldwide!
Natalie Maines
HOME
SHOULDNT A TOLD YOU THAT
Emily Robison
TAKING THE LONG WAY
LITTLE OLD COWGIRL

• Martie Maguire

FLY
WIDE OPEN SPACES
3
The 3 Ladies
The Dixie Chicks
4
Behind the Scenes

• Dixie Chicks Home album was released in 2002 and
  sold about 10 million albums- PLATINUM status!
  
• Home won 4 Grammys in 2003
• Dixie Chicks were the highest selling female
  group in their genre
  
• The Dixie Chicks achieved
• success not by cleaving to
• the conservative dictates
• of the country music industry
• by taking risks that could just
• as easily have been big
• mistakes. - Bill Friskics-Warren
• The Dixie Chicks are the biggest
• of the big right now, we play their
• music as often as can get on
• it on the air. -Bill Friskics-Warren

5
2003-The Infamous Comment

• On March 10th, 2003 the Dixie Chicks performed
  in concert at Shepherds Bush Empire in London,
  England
  
• During the concert, in between songs, Maines said
  the following comment, not realizing what the
  aftermath would bring
  
• Natalie Maines
• "Just so you know, were on the same side as
  yall, and we're
  
• ashamed the President
• of the United States is
• from Texas"

6
The Leak

• The Guardian, a London newspaper, printed the
  comment.
  
• The comments were posted on a website called
  FreeRepublic.com quickly
  
• The Drudge Report and FreeRepublic.com, both very
  conservative mediums, publicized these comments
  all over the web and when American citizens found
  themall hell broke loose.

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Bush, Texas and the Dixie Chicks

• The same week Natalie Maines made her comment,
  President Bush declared war with Iraq to fight
  terrorism
  
• Coincidentally, President Bush is from Texas, the
  same state the Dixie Chicks are fromthe Dixie
  Chicks have been publicly known for disagreeing
  with War and being politically active and
  outspoken

8
Apologetic Maines

• Maines quick Apology
• As a concerned American citizen, I apologize to
  President Bush because my remark was
  disrespectful. I feel that whoever holds that
  office should be treated with the utmost
  respect

Although the apology was given a mere 4 days
later, on March 14, 2003, it was too lateby the
time the Dixie Chicks returned home from their
European tour, they were the talk of the town
and the center of boycotts
SIDE NOTE Down the Road, in 2006, Maines
apology became a regretI apologized for
disrespecting the office of the President..but I
dont feel that way anymore. I dont feel he is
owed any respect whatsoever.
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The Manic Media

• If they Dixie Chicks were looking for a
  reaction, they certainly didn't have to wait
  long, radio stations have been busy dropping
  their music like a rock

The comments touched a deep nerve in Texas
because they came from one of the biggest country
groups to come out of the state and were directed
at a President who calls Texas home. -Paul
Williams (Director of Dallas Radio Station 99.5)
"In other countries if you speak out against your
leader there are dire consequences. Maybe if she
had to go hungry for a while she would learn to
keep her mouth shut. All of my Dixie Chick CDs
are history -angry telephone caller
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• Radio stations began to pull their songs from the
  song rotations and the sales of the bands current
  album, Home had already began to slip
  
• Clear Channel Communications, owner of hundreds
  of radio stations were one of the first to take
  the Dixie Chicks songs off the air
  
• Clear Channel also claims that as a major
  company, they did not order their local radio
  stations to take the Dixie Chicks off the air
  these stations made their own decisions to do so
• It was not the major radio conglomerates that
  banned the Dixie ChicksI find that opposition
  to the Dixie Chicks represents grassroots
  conservative sentiment, which may be exacerbated
  by the ideological connotations of country music
  or tempered by tolerance for dissent
• Texas radio stations were at the top of the list
  for stations that banned airplay first and for
  longer periods of time, showing that the
  conservative, country music loving, fans from the
  Chicks home state were the first to be upset.

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Radios Quick Move to Boycott

• More radio owners followed the trend. Cumulus
  Media stopped all of its 42 country stations from
  playing Dixie Chicks songs.
  
• We pulled the plug out of deference to our
  listeners said Cumulus Medias chief executive
  Lewis W. Dickey Jr.
  
• Cox Radio followed both Clear Channels and
  Cumuluss lead and boycotted Dixie Chicks songs
  stating,
  
• Country music is a very patriotic formatI
  didnt want to come out on the wrong side of the
  issue.
  
• KCS 96.3-Texas radio station listener
• Were going to boycott you if you dont stop
  playing it.
  
• Response Maam thats the last one your gonna
  hear
  

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• Fans began to burn CDs and other Dixie Chicks
  memorabilia
  
• In Louisiana, radio stations invited listeners to
  have their CDs crushed by tractor trailers
  
• In Kansas City, 61A.M. Country radio station held
  a Dixie Chicken toss party where CDs and other
  Dixie Chicks memorabilia were put in trash cans.
  About 100 people showed up and many albums were
  sent back to the bands record label.
• Poster (held by fan, Don Wilson of South
  Carolina) showed altered photograph of Dixie
  Chicks with their arms around Saddam Hussein
  while burning the flag

At a concert in 2003, the Dixie Chicks used this
trashing to show how they were being treated.
During the song, Truth No.2 video screens in
the background showed protesters, book and record
burnings, and people destroying the Chicks CDs
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Gallaghers Army

• Radio talk show host Mike Gallagher and his
  organization, Gallaghers Army, put together a
  Rally for the Troops on the same day, in the
  same city, that the Dixie Chicks launched their
  music tour for their 2003 album, Home
• His motive was to get people to come to his rally
  instead of the Dixie Chicks concert
  
• Gallagher gave free admission and VIP seating to
  anyone who came to his Rally with a Dixie Chicks
  concert ticket
  
• He tried to do this for numerous concerts during
  this tour
  
• However, the Dixie Chicks set an industry mark
  by selling out fifty-one of those dates (59 set)
  on the first day of ticket sales.
  

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Because of death threats, metal detectors were
used at every venue during their 2006 Taking the
Long Way Tour Robisons property was vandalized,
books were burned, and letters were written
The Chicks wrote about this in their song, Not
Ready to Make Nice Write me a letter saying you
better shut up and sing or your life will be
over

• Im concerned about my safety, Im concerned
  about the safety of my family said Emily Robison

My problem is when does it cross the line? When
is trashing Emilys property OK? When is writing
a threatening letter OK?- Martie Maguire
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The TV Medium

• President Bush addresses Tom Brokaw about the
  incident in 2003
  
• They shouldnt Dixie Chicks have their
  feelings hurt just because some people dont buy
  their records when they speak out
  
• Maines was watching and responds to the TV
• They shouldnt have their feelings hurt? What a
  dumb fuck

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2003-Analyzing the Media

• Radio Stations main reason for boycotting the
  Dixie Chicks and taking away their airplay was
  because they wanted to play only what their
  listeners wanted to hear. The medias frenzy with
  getting the Chicks off the air became a major
  factor in why fans and other citizens became
  critical of the Chicks. Fans began to follow the
  entertainment industry, thus leaving the media in
  qualms whether they were making the right move or
  not.
• They must express views commonly shared by
  Americans. Because the War in Iraq was a big
  controversy in America, citizens wanted to
  support their president and their troops.
  Mainess comment was interpreted by some to be
  unpatriotic and un-American.
• Banning airplay for all of the Dixie Chicks
  music was a move when each station had to make
  the decision based on their listeners concerns.
  Angry telephone calls flooded stations and radio
  hosts had to comply.

Clear Channelmakes carefully researched
decisions about what Americans are free to listen
tohas decided that patriotism sellsuntil the
invasion on Iraq, the band that everybody in
Nashville most wanted to copy was the Dixie
Chicks
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2006-Analyzing the Media

• Although there are still some informal bans for a
  few radio stations (mainly in Texas), many have
  once again followed what their listeners want
  They want to sing along with the Dixie Chicks
  new album, Taking the Long Way.
• Even Clear Channel, whom led the way in banning,
  changed their stance saying
  
• We need them, radio is always looking for great
  artists
  
• with great music, great hits.
• The media definitely caused a commercial toll not
  
  
• only for the country music industry but the Dixie
  
  
• Chicks success as well but, musically, the
  Chicks
  
• have never been stronger. Reviews similar to
  this
  
• one popped up around the country when Taking
• the Long Way hit shelves on May 23rd, 2006.

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Fan Quotes

• I don't even know the Dixie chicks, but I find
  it an insult for all the men and women who fought
  and died in past wars when almost the majority of
  America jumped down their throats for voicing an
  opinion. It was like a verbal witch-hunt and
  lynching.
• - Merle Haggard, Country Music Star

What happened to them was a result of war
feverthey are smart, tough women who didnt back
down..but its one of those sad paradoxes that in
theory were fighting for freedom, and the first
thing people are willing to throw out is freedom
of speech -anonymous review
If I were the Chicks, I wouldnt give a rats
behind if country radio played us
-Robert K. Oermann, country music historian
I thought the comments made should not have b
een blown out of proportion, especially since
they have been known for being politically out
spoken. -avid fan, Kate Fleming
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The Chicks are not Ready to Make Nice

• Not Ready to Make Nice- First single from 2006
  album
  
• Im not ready to make nice, Im not ready to
  back down, still mad as hell and I dont have
  time to go round and round round. Its too late to
  make it right, probably wouldnt if I could cause
  Im mad as hell cant bring myself to do what it
  is you think I should.
• In my bed I sleep like a baby no regrets an I
  dont mind saying it sad sad story when a mother
  will teach her daughter that she oughta hate a
  perfect stranger how in the world can the words
  I said send somebody so over the edge that they
  would write me a letter saying I better shut up
  and sing or my life would be over.

Click to Listen!
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Taking the Long Way.to winning even more
Grammys
Taking the Long Way album explores themes both
deeply private and resoundingly political
They walked away with 5 Grammys at the 49th
annual show in 2007!!

• ..the songs are so much better and mean so much
  more when you can let yourself be vulnerable and
  be honest with your emotions and your beliefs.
  -Maines

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Wrap Up
This album was total therapy, Im way more at
peace now. Writing these songs and saying
everything we had to say makes it possible to
move on. -Maines

• After a long 3 years, the Dixie Chicks are back
  in action. Their new album was a HUGE hit and
  many fans are back on the bandwagon.
  
• Even after radio stations left them high and dry,
  they have slowly begun to play Not Ready to Make
  Nice-the first single from the album.
  
• This song was created to allow listeners to hear
  and feel all of the emotions the group felt
  during this controversy as well as let them know
  that the group WILL continue to speak out and
  they believe in being who you are and standing up
  for what you believe in

Im not truly embarrassed that President Bush is
from my state, thats not really what I care
about, it was the wrong wording. Am I sorry I
said THAT? Yes. Am I sorry I spoke out? No
-Maines
I learned I was ready to put my career on the
line for something I believed in. Emily and I
could have pressured Natalie to apologize, and I
was so proud that I had inner strength-that
nothing is as important as standing up for what
you believe in. -Martie Maguire
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• Taking the Long Ways existence is designed to
  thumb its nose at countrys intolerance for
  ideological hell raising, and buying it or
  cursing it reveals something about you and your
  politics- or at least your ability to put a
  grudge above your listening pleasure. And however
  you vote, its tough to deny that by gambling
  their careers, three Texas women have the biggest
  balls in American music.

Taking the Long Way is just so true to who they
are as a group and every song in it describes
feelings they had felt at some point
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Works Cited-Primary

• Primary Sources
• 1 Corliss, Richard. The Dixie Chicks and the
  Good Soldiers. TIME Magazine.com. 17 Sept.
  2006. 25 Jan. 2008. http//www.time.com/time/arts
  /article/0,8599,1535763,00.html
• 2 Dasnby, Andrew. Chicks Received Death
  Threats. Rolling Stone. 24 April. 2003. 28
  Feb. 2008. www.rollingstone.com/artists/dixiechick
  s
• 3 Dansby, Andrew. Anti-Chicks Show Planned.
  Rolling Stone. 01 April. 2003. 28 Feb. 2008.
  www.rollingstone.com/artists/dixiechicks
  
• 4 Dixie Chicks Homepage. DixieChicks.com. 24
  January 2008. www.dixiechicks.com Dixie Chicks
  MSN Homepage. MSN Exclusive. DixieChicks.msn.com.
  25 January 2008. http//dixiechicks.msn.com/artic
  le.aspx?cp-documentid5817958
• 5 Fleming, Kate. WEB CAM INTERVIEW.
• 6 Paras, Andy. Hail to the Chicks. Rolling
  Stone. 02 May. 2003. 28 Feb. 2008.
  www.rollingstone.com/artists/dixiechicks
  

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Works Cited-More Primary

• 7 Pareles, Jon. Down Home and Defiant. The
  New York Times. 23 June 2003. ProQuest
  Historical Newspapers. University of Oregon,
  Eugene, OR. 24 Jan, 2008.
• 8 Patchett, Ann. The Country of Country. The
  New York Times. 11 May 2003. ProQuest Historical
  Newspapers. University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. 20
  Jan. 2008.
• 9 Schwartz, John and Geraldine Fabrinkt. War
  Puts Radio Giant on the Defensive. New York
  Times. ProQuest Historical Newspapers. University
  of Oregon, Eugene, OR. 31 March 2003. 20 Feb.
  2008.
• 10 Shut Up and Sing. Dir.
  DVD.
  
• 11 St. John, Warren. The Backlash Grows
  Against Celebrity Activists. New York Times.
  Proquest Historical Newspapers. University of
  Oregon, Eugene, OR. 23 March 2003. 4 Feb. 2008.
  
• 12 Sullivan, James. Nashville Pines for Dixie
  Chicks. Rolling Stone. 20 Jan. 2006. 27
  
• Feb. 2008. www.rollingstone.com/artists/dixiechic
  ks
  
• 13 Tyrangiel, Josh. Chicks in the Line of
  Fire. Time Magazine.com. 21 May. 2006. 27 Jan.
  2008. www.time.com
  

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Works Cited-Secondary

• S1Easton, Jake. Dixie Chicks. Radok News,
  Tabloid Column. 23 April 2003. 25 Jan. 2008.
  http//www.tabloidcolumn.com/dixie-chicks.html
  
• S2 Friskis-Warren, Bill. The Dixie Chicks Keep
  the Heat on Nashville. New York Times.
  Proquest Historical Newspapers. University of
  Oregon, Eugene, OR. 25 Aug. 2005. 8 Feb. 2008.
• S3 Rossman, Gabriel. Elites, Masses, and Media
  Blacklists- The Dixie Chicks Controversy.
  University of North Carolina Press, Project Muse.
  University of Oregon, Eugene, OR. 24 Jan. 2008.
  http//0muse.jhu.edu.janus.uoregon.edu/journals/s
  ocial_forces/index.html
• S4 GOOGLE IMAGES. www.google.com.
• S5 Dixie Chicks pulled from air after bashing
  Bush. CNN.COM/ENTERTAINMENT. March 14, 2003. 1
  March. 2008. http//www.cnn.com/2003/SHOWBIZ/Musi
  c/03/14/dixie.chicks.reut/