Update: A Fox News spokesperson responds to the letter: “FOX News Channel’s use of an R.E.M. song during Thursday’s edition of Fox & Friends was in full accordance with its license agreements with all appropriate parties. Nevertheless, we’re always flattered to have this much attention for a song selection and we hope R.E.M. was able to satisfy their publicity fix.”
Original: Rock band REM has sent a cease and desist letter to Fox News Channel, asking the network to stop using its song “Losing My Religion” in its coverage. FNC has aired a number of segments using the song when discussing the removal of some references to “God” and Jerusalem” in the Democratic party platform. Update: FNC says it only used the song once, and it was not in reference to the Democratic party platform. Rather, it was used on “Fox & Friends” in a tease leading up to tape of Congresswoman Debbie Wasserman Schultz.
The band announced that it had sent the letter in a blog post on their official website.
“We have little or no respect for their puff adder brand of reportage. Our music does not belong there,” lead singer Michael Stipe said in a statement.
Of course, with the convention over, and “God” and “Jerusalem” added back into the platform, there probably won’t be much of an opportunity for the network to use the song.