A shock jock is a radio broadcaster or DJ who entertains listeners and attracts attention using humor or melodramatic exaggeration that may offend some portion of the listening audience. The term is used pejoratively to describe provocative or irreverent broadcasters whose mannerisms, statements and actions are typically offensive to much of society. It is a popular term within the radio industry. A shock jock is the radio equivalent of the tabloid newspaper in that both consider entertaining their audience to be as important as—if not more important than—providing factual information. A radio station that relies primarily on shock jocks for programming has what is called a hot talk format. The term is used in two broad, yet sometimes overlapping, contexts:

Background

The idea of an entertainer who breaks taboos or who is deliberately offensive is not a new one: Blue comedians have existed throughout history; take, for example, offensive performers such as George Carlin, Petronius, Benny Bell, Le Pétomane, Redd Foxx and Lenny Bruce. Petey Greene, who started broadcasting in 1966, has been called the original radio shock jock by some, although the term was not used until 1986, two years after Greene's death. Greene was an influence on Howard Stern, whose radio shows in the 1980s led to the first widespread use of the term "shock jock". Shock jocks also tend to push the envelope of decency in their market, and they may appear to show a lack of regard for communications regulations (e.g., FCC rules in the U.S.) regarding content. However, nearly all American broadcasters have strict policies against content that is likely to draw indecency forfeitures, and air personalities are often contractually obligated to avoid broadcasting such content. Many shock jocks have been fired as a result of such punishments as regulatory fines, loss of advertisers, or simply social and political outrage. On the other hand, it is also not uncommon for such broadcasters to be quickly rehired by another station or network. Shock jocks in the United States have been censored under additional pressure from the United States government since the introduction of the Broadcast Decency Enforcement Act of 2005, which increased the fines on radio stations for violating decency guidelines by nearly 20 times.

Notable examples

North America

Great Britain

Australia