Radio Stations Ban Michael Jackson's Music After 'Leaving Neverland' Premieres

Celebrity | Music

Radio Stations Ban Michael Jackson's Music After 'Leaving Neverland' Premieres

Casta03 - Wikimedia / HBO

After years of controversy, accusations, and court cases, a shocking documentary has proved to be the last straw for some radio stations.

Networks around the world have announced they will no longer play Michael Jackson's music, after the premiere of the documentary Leaving Neverland revealed new, disturbing allegations of child abuse against Jackson.

Stations in Canada and New Zealand, including that country's public broadcaster RNZ, have advised listeners that Jackson's extensive collection of pop hits has been taken off the airwaves.

Michael Jackson concert
Jackson's music has been taken off certain stations in Canada, Australia, and New Zealand.Wikimedia

Cogeco Media, which owns more than 20 stations throughout Canada, told Variety that they "are attentive to the comments of our listeners, and the documentary released on Sunday evening created reactions."

"We prefer to observe the situation by removing the songs from our stations, for the time being."

Meanwhile, no major American radio networks have pulled Jackson's discography so far.

A rep for Cumulus, the country's second-largest network, said they are "never in favor of censorship."

Leaving Neverland
The four-hour documentary features new allegations of child abuse against Michael Jackson.HBO

"This is a local market decision where the company is allowing local Program Directors to make the right decision regarding airplay for their communities."

Jackson's music is still streaming on both Apple Music and Spotify, which recently took steps to ban artists including R. Kelly and XXXTentacion for "hateful conduct" before reversing the decision.

In Finding Neverland, a pair of men claim they were routinely sexually abused at Jackson during their childhoods.

Jackson's estate has challenged the claims made in Leaving Neverland and calls the documentary "an outrageous and pathetic attempt to exploit and cash in on Michael Jackson."

[H/T: Variety]

Will you stop listening to Michael Jackson's music from now on?

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