I always thought that one definition of "decency" stemmed from a reflection of the community in which it (entertainment) was available. As an example, more police enforcement of laws against prostitution around neighborhoods than around certain, decaying areas of a city. If you look at the airways, the "community" that is exposed, (which is anybody who
finds the channel) may be a more conservative audience that doesn't appreciate Stern's form of
humor.
Stern, some say, has huge numbers. Pit them against the total listening community and how huge are those numbers? I honestly do not know. As more and more people turn to and seek out "talk radio" as Arbitron Ratings suggests, what percentage does Stern appeal to?
I DO think that the moral climate of the country has reached a point where "content" matters very much. It's not new. Look back to Tipper Gore and her push for warnings on record labels. Not that it really changed anything in that venue...