shock jocks that deserve to be fired

[Ragone]

The song aired twice on the "Miss Jones in the Morning" show on January 18, 2005. The radio hosts received complaints soon after airing the song and responded by playing the song again, an anonymous source told Asian Media Watch.

This comes on the heels of another racist broadcast by the self-proclaimed "haters" of the "Star and Buc Wild" morning show on Power 99 WUSL-FM Philadelphia. Radio host Star (Troi Terrain) called a customer service call center in India, threatened to "choke" the operator, and called her a "filthy rat-eater" and "-----."

Miss Jones are Star (Troi Terraine) are former co-hosts on the same radio program.

As with Star (Troi Terraine), this is not the first incident in which "Miss Jones" has made racially inflammatory comments. In response to the sale of a board game called Ghettopoly, Jones enflamed an already racially charged situation by asking listeners make their own board game called "Chinkopoly" and to make demeaning imitations of Asians as retaliation towards Ghettopoly's creator who is an Asian American.

Asian Media Watch urges concerned individuals to demand an apology from New York's Hot 97 WQHT-FM and its parent company Emmis Communications. A complaint may be filed with the Federal Communications Commission which enforces laws prohibiting "the broadcast of indecent programming during certain hours" (including profanity).

hxxp://www.thesilent1.com/longer_hot97_tsunami.mp3


which leads me to ask, what human being makes something like this?

[Suicane75]

I take pitty on people who find that entertaining, and i'm not even talking about Tsunami song.

OK, now i'm hearing the song....and it just isn't funny. I don't find the topic unfunny because i can find humor in just about anything, but the song is not even trying to be funny I don't think, just looking for a way to say to chink and attack ethnicitys, and theres a difference.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Ragone

which leads me to ask, what human being makes something like this?

Couldn't hear the mp3 and don't even know what song you're talking about but I know the answer to the question.

A human being who caters to their audience.

This is what people want. It's who people are. People love to spout platitudes but bottom line is, the vast majority of people are assholes and eat this kind of "entertainment up." These are the kind of people who'd be first in line at a public execution. Just good clean fun.

Sure, lots of them would be wearing hoods because they're "good, decent folks" and they wouldn't dare be seen otherwise but do the math. Most media people get fired based on a miniscule number of complaints when compared to the number of listeners who are pleased with the product.

The end result is that when the station acts on these complaints it perpetuates the illusion that people ( their listeners )are better than they really are and so is the station because as we all know, 'management is deeply offended etc etc' but they keep hiring these kinds of "performers" because they bring in money and are basically a dime a dozen. They feed our need sadly enough.

That's reality.

Want to know what kind of people would make something like this? Look around your neighborhood in the morning. I'd be willing to bet you'd find more than you need.

Scarier question, who listens to this crap? Again, look around your neighborhood and multiply that answer by the thousands at the very least.

Basically, as a species we think we're evolved because we have made so many advances but really we're just primative pseudobeasts with cell phones.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by Suicane75

I take pitty on people who find that entertaining, and i'm not even talking about Tsunami song.

OK, now i'm hearing the song....and it just isn't funny. I don't find the topic unfunny because i can find humor in just about anything, but the song is not even trying to be funny I don't think, just looking for a way to say to chink and attack ethnicitys, and theres a difference.

Don't pity them Suicane, they're in the majority.

Darwin has spoken and they are the winners.

[Karlifornia]

Ghettopoly? Shit--It must be required to put that thing on layaway *gives triple-snap* Uh huh! You know what I'm talkin' bout?!

[Suicane75]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Don't pity them Suicane, they're in the majority.

Darwin has spoken and they are the winners.

Unfortunatly I agree with you.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by RadioFriendlyUnitShifter

Ghettopoly? Shit--It must be required to put that thing on layaway *gives triple-snap* Uh huh! You know what I'm talkin' bout?!

Undoubtably you own a cellphone.

[Axxon]

In case folks think I'm exaggerating about this, look at this article which gives some background on these two.

hzzp://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/ent_radio/story/234741p-201624c.html

They're so popular that there are worth fighting in court to get them in your market. Must not represent the views of too many folks in those communities right?

I'm glad to see Miss Jones integrity, I mean, it takes principles to quit over a tastless stunt like playing plane crash sounds behind a plane crash story that kills an african american and still find the courage to put racist anti asian material on the airways.

Kimba Woods? Remember her? That's a name from the past.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Sure, lots of them would be wearing hoods because they're "good, decent folks" and they wouldn't dare be seen otherwise but do the math. .

Umm ... I think the hoods would be kinda odd ... considering all of this drama is playing out on Urban/Hip-Hop stations.

Maybe you meant "in da hood"?

[sachmo71]

All of them?

[JonInMiddleGA]

I just think it sucks that the legendary Ed Lover was bumped back to afternoons to make room for Star & Buc.

[JimboJ]

Originally Posted by Axxon

Couldn't hear the mp3 and don't even know what song you're talking about but I know the answer to the question.

A human being who caters to their audience.

This is what people want. It's who people are. People love to spout platitudes but bottom line is, the vast majority of people are assholes and eat this kind of "entertainment up." These are the kind of people who'd be first in line at a public execution. Just good clean fun.

Sure, lots of them would be wearing hoods because they're "good, decent folks" and they wouldn't dare be seen otherwise but do the math. Most media people get fired based on a miniscule number of complaints when compared to the number of listeners who are pleased with the product.

The end result is that when the station acts on these complaints it perpetuates the illusion that people ( their listeners )are better than they really are and so is the station because as we all know, 'management is deeply offended etc etc' but they keep hiring these kinds of "performers" because they bring in money and are basically a dime a dozen. They feed our need sadly enough.

That's reality.

Want to know what kind of people would make something like this? Look around your neighborhood in the morning. I'd be willing to bet you'd find more than you need.

Scarier question, who listens to this crap? Again, look around your neighborhood and multiply that answer by the thousands at the very least.

Basically, as a species we think we're evolved because we have made so many advances but really we're just primative pseudobeasts with cell phones.

Excellent post Axxon.

The only jocks who deserve to be fired are the ones who don't get ratings. As long as they are providing "entertainment" and people are listening, they are doing their jobs. If enough people were offended, they would stop listening, ratings would be down, and then the jocks would be fired.

[Axxon]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Umm ... I think the hoods would be kinda odd ... considering all of this drama is playing out on Urban/Hip-Hop stations.

Maybe you meant "in da hood"?

Not really. That would make sense if you're looking at a specific act of racism. I don't. I hate it all.

For an easily recognizable symbol of generic racism, the hood serves as well as others and since it highlights the cowardice of the common racist, it fit my point quite well.

To avoid confusion though, minority racists REALLY need to adopt their own unique symbols. The whole thing would be less confusing to the nonracists out there.

[Tekneek]

People should be allowed to be offended.

[Craptacular]

Originally Posted by sachmo71

All of them?

You beat me to it.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Note: this link appears to be dynamic & could change at some point. If the story doesn't appear, just go to radioandrecords.com and then go thru the "Today's News" tab to find the 1/25/05 archive.
http://www.radioandrecords.com/Newsr...5/topstory.asp


Controversy Continues Over WQHT/New York 'Tsunami Song'
Emmis CHR/Rhythmic WQHT (Hot 97)/New York is still feeling the heat a week after the Miss Jones in the Morning show aired what many felt was an ill-advised and racially charged song parody concerning the victims of the recent tsunamis in southern Asia. In the bit, a song sung to the tune of "We Are the World" says the tsunami "washed your whole country away," and victims are referred to as "screaming Chinks" and "little Chinamen." "We are absolutely appalled, saddened, outraged and angered," said Kai Yu of Asian Media Watch, quoted yesterday in the New York Daily News. According to John Mainelli of the New York Post, in a letter to the station Asian Media Watch accused the show of "repeated racist attitudes" and called for the show to be taken off the air. Along with reports in the New York press, news of the parody has now hit the national wire services.

Additionally, in a tense and disturbing Jan. 20 on-air exchange about the song between Jones, co-host Todd Lyn and newsperson Miss Info, who is of Asian descent, Miss Info objected to the song and Jones retorted, "I know you feel you're superior, probably, because you're Asian, but you're not." Minutes later, Lyn muttered, "I'm going to start shooting Asians." WQHT PD John Dimick issued a recorded apology for the parody on the air yesterday, adding that the show's seven staff members are each donating a week's salary to tsunami relief efforts, and an apology, which is also Emmis' official statement on the matter, appears on the WQHT website. That statement reads in part, "Hot 97 regrets the airing of material that made light of a serious and tragic event. We apologize to our listeners and anyone who was offended." It also notes the station's part in radio's tsunami relief efforts.

[Ragone]

The radio station made her donate her weeks salary to the tsunami fund.. you know that had to tick her off to no end..

http://www.nydailynews.com/front/sto...p-235138c.html

another link

[DanGarion]

They have been suspended

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/ns/news/...&w=RTR&coview=

[JonInMiddleGA]

Okay, maybe it's just my years of insensitivity training kicking in, but I don't see why this guy got the boot. Seems to me he was taking a shot at Beckham's intelligence perhaps, and not mocking the tsunami victim's in the slightest.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlin...322961&cc=5739
LONDON -- An English sports commentator was fired Tuesday for making a joke about the tsunami disaster.

Former English soccer player Rodney Marsh made the comment Monday night during a phone-in program on Sky Sports. A Sky spokesman said Marsh apologized on the air for the comments, which were edited when the program was retransmitted.

In his comments, Marsh jokingly said Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham turned down a transfer to the English club Newcastle after hearing of trouble with the "Toon Army in Asia."

Supporters of Newcastle are called the "Toon Army," which sounds similar to the word "tsunami."

"During the live nighttime phone-in, Rodney made comments that were offensive and inexcusable," Sky said in a statement. "These remarks should never have been made, and Sky would like to offer its apologies to those who were offended."

A former striker for Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City and Fulham, Marsh was a regular sports commentator with Sky, Britain's satellite broadcaster.

[Axxon]

Rodney Marsh, the "Clown Prince of Soccer" and one of the original Tampa Bay Rowdies. He was also the reason I fell in love with the sport.

I agree that his joke had nothing to do with mocking the tsunami victims and it's sad to see him shafted this way.

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Okay, maybe it's just my years of insensitivity training kicking in, but I don't see why this guy got the boot. Seems to me he was taking a shot at Beckham's intelligence perhaps, and not mocking the tsunami victim's in the slightest.

http://soccernet.espn.go.com/headlin...322961&cc=5739
LONDON -- An English sports commentator was fired Tuesday for making a joke about the tsunami disaster.

Former English soccer player Rodney Marsh made the comment Monday night during a phone-in program on Sky Sports. A Sky spokesman said Marsh apologized on the air for the comments, which were edited when the program was retransmitted.

In his comments, Marsh jokingly said Real Madrid midfielder David Beckham turned down a transfer to the English club Newcastle after hearing of trouble with the "Toon Army in Asia."

Supporters of Newcastle are called the "Toon Army," which sounds similar to the word "tsunami."

"During the live nighttime phone-in, Rodney made comments that were offensive and inexcusable," Sky said in a statement. "These remarks should never have been made, and Sky would like to offer its apologies to those who were offended."

A former striker for Queens Park Rangers, Manchester City and Fulham, Marsh was a regular sports commentator with Sky, Britain's satellite broadcaster.

[andy m]

marsh is a really annoying football pundit, but he should never have been fired for that. fired for being rubbish, sure. but for that?

[JonInMiddleGA]

from radioandrecords.com

McDonald's Suspends Advertising On Hot 97
R&R has learned that the fast-food chain's advertising was pulled from CHR/Rhythmic WQHT/New York on Tuesday. The decision was made in the wake of last week's controversial broadcasts that resulted in Emmis' suspending the entire Miss Jones Morning Show team. The controversy erupted over "The Tsunami Song" — a parody that made light of the recent tsunami tragedy in Southeast Asia — and racially charged comments made by team members before airing the song. Lauren Zacardi, a spokeswoman for MWW, the PR representative for McDonald's in the Tri-State area, says, "McDonald's did suspend advertising indefinitely until a big change is made at the station." She says the McDonald's Tri-State operators' group is aware that the morning show is off the air but hasn't decided whether that meets the standard for lifting the ad ban. Zacardi says McDonald's has been a longtime Hot 97 advertiser. Sprint previously confirmed to R&R that it has pulled its advertising from Hot 97 until further notice.

I'd say this make the firing of some jocks (and maybe others) more likely than not.
Nothing gets negative attention from management quite like losing existing advertisers.

[Schmidty]

I'm disgusted by all of this, but Tekneek is totally right.

What the fuck happened to free speech? Just don't listened to the stupid, racist bitch.

[Huckleberry]

Free speech?

Did somebody imply that she should be arrested or otherwise bothered by the government or any law enforcement agency?

[Schmidty]

Originally Posted by Huckleberry

Free speech?

Did somebody imply that she should be arrested or otherwise bothered by the government or any law enforcement agency?

I have no idea.

I was just speaking in general. Losing your job when you're a "shock-jock" (if she does) seems pretty bad in and of itself.

[Huckleberry]

That has nothing to do with "free speech," though.

She works for a private company, which gets revenue from advertising from private companies, primarily. She can be fired if she negatively affects the company's ability to do business.

Normally they don't care what she says because crap sells and people listen. People listening equals ratings equals advertising revenue.

But when she goes overboard and the public backlash is so severe that major advertisers start pulling out, then she's screwed herself and can be fired.

That's not 1st Amendment stuff. That's business.

[sachmo71]

Originally Posted by NY Daily News

It degrades the more than 200,000 victims," Liu said.

In the grand scheme of things, no matter how tasteless it was, it doesn't matter to these folks.

[JonInMiddleGA]

from www.radioandrecords.com
(the underlined part is my emphasis, highlighting something I didn't realize until I saw it in this article)

Emmis' Hot 97 Terminates Two Over 'Tsunami Song'
CHR/Rhythmic WQHT (Hot 97)/New York has fired two members of its Miss Jones Morning Show for their role in the repeated airing of a parody song that made light of the victims of the Dec. 26, 2004 tsunami in South Asia. Morning show member Todd Lynn was fired for making what management deemed "offensive, racially insensitive comments while on the air." Additionally, producer Rick Delgado was terminated for writing, producing and airing the "Tsunami Song." Morning team members Miss Jones, DJ Envy and Tasha Hightower have each been suspended until Feb. 9, with each individual's pay being redirected to charity organization Give2Asia for the duration of the suspension. Morning show member Miss Info, who is Asian and protested the airing of the Tsunami Song during an on-air dispute with Miss Jones and Lynn, was not suspended. In addition to the suspended morning show host's salaries, Emmis said it has made a $1 Million donation to Give2Asia. "The actions of the morning show crew were socially and morally indefensible and the entire Emmis family is ashamed by this," said Emmis Radio President Rick Cummings. "Emmis and Hot 97 have investigated this matter thoroughly over the course of the last week. Our decision to terminate Mr. Delgado and Mr. Lynn while suspending the other members of the morning crew sends a message that this type of insensitivity is utterly unacceptable." Delgado was also the producer for infamous radio hosts Opie & Anthony's former WNEW/New York afternoon show.

[Suicane75]

Man, you'd think he would learn.

[Ragone]

So how in the hell did Miss Jones not get fired? thats what i wanna know

[Crapshoot]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

from radioandrecords.com

McDonald's Suspends Advertising On Hot 97
R&R has learned that the fast-food chain's advertising was pulled from CHR/Rhythmic WQHT/New York on Tuesday. The decision was made in the wake of last week's controversial broadcasts that resulted in Emmis' suspending the entire Miss Jones Morning Show team. The controversy erupted over "The Tsunami Song" — a parody that made light of the recent tsunami tragedy in Southeast Asia — and racially charged comments made by team members before airing the song. Lauren Zacardi, a spokeswoman for MWW, the PR representative for McDonald's in the Tri-State area, says, "McDonald's did suspend advertising indefinitely until a big change is made at the station." She says the McDonald's Tri-State operators' group is aware that the morning show is off the air but hasn't decided whether that meets the standard for lifting the ad ban. Zacardi says McDonald's has been a longtime Hot 97 advertiser. Sprint previously confirmed to R&R that it has pulled its advertising from Hot 97 until further notice.

I'd say this make the firing of some jocks (and maybe others) more likely than not.
Nothing gets negative attention from management quite like losing existing advertisers.

Im curious Jon- dont you work in Radio Ads ? If so, at what point does stuff like this actually happen ? Have you pulled stuff because you've been offended ?

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Crapshoot

Im curious Jon- dont you work in Radio Ads ? If so, at what point does stuff like this actually happen ? Have you pulled stuff because you've been offended ?

The point where ads get pulled are going to vary by client & situation. I know, I've just proven I have a firm grasp of the obvious here, but that's really what it'll boil down to.

I think this particular case illustrates a pretty strong rule though -- say something really offensive & you've got a chance of getting away with it, but say it AND get bad press in the process, well, that's a lot harder to get by without someone paying attention.

In my particular case, the high-profile events of the past couple of years caused us to have several conversations with both of our main clients, trying to get a good understanding of what lines they didn't want crossed in the first place. That's really step one on my side of the business AFAIC, know your client well enough to know what will upset them, and if you don't know, ask them. My personal breaking point was having a ten day stretch where 2 stations (different markets) we were running on managed to capture 3 sets of headlines in their local market daily paper. Again, bad press = backlash & you never know whether that backlash will extend to advertisers. As luck would have it, our flights were ending just as the mini-shitstorms broke, so I didn't have to pull anything in the middle of the flight.

As it stands right now, there are several syndicated shows that have earned themselves an outright ban from anything we do -- Stern, Mancow, Bubba the Love Sponge, Bob & Tom (who may finally get themselves off the list if they stay clean for another 3-6 months or so), and Lex & Terry (the foulest thing I've ever heard on radio without uttering a curse -- those misogynistic pricks are disgusting). Beyond that handful, every station/show is evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

Being an old radio guy, there's a lot of things I do differently than most agency side people, one of them being keeping close tabs on pretty much every market & every station I buy (it's not unusual for me to know about format or personnel changes at a station before their own sales reps know). Station websites are a quick window into the attitude & approach of a station & in formats where concerns are highest (most rock formats, some talk, some CHR's),I actually take a look at every station being considered for a buy. I've bounced quite a few stations from consideration based on their web content -- if you've got hardcore porn links on the main page, I think it's a pretty reasonable assumption that you're going to have some questionable content on air. Another thing I do though is try to isolate the problems I find -- if you're running Stern in the morning but check out fine in the other dayparts, then I give those slots normal consideration.

And, opinionated heart-on-sleeve bastard I may be, I can honestly say that I've only ever bounced one daypart on one station from due consideration because of my personal reaction to their content. It was something said that crossed a personal line with me & I really don't know if I could ever have put money there again without a serious crisis of conscience. I made both the client & the station aware of the situation, both accepted my reaction & my reasoning and we moved along from that point. Almost certainly coincidentally, that jock was fired a couple of months later, solving the problem for me.

Oddly enough, I've only had to pull spots off the air one time in over five years -- in the aftermath of 9/11. As bad luck would have it, we had inherited some previously recorded (i.e. before we were involved w/the client) spots that featured a sort-of "combat/military" theme. I had those off the air in every market by noon on 9/12, and in all but two markets by mid-afternoon on 9/11 -- those two markets had telephone outages during the day of the attacks & I couldn't reach my reps with the stop orders.

I know that probably seems like a really odd thing to be worrying about that day, but it was pure instinct or something that took over. My first ad agency environment included a number of people with experience in "disaster scenarios" -- both airline industry experience (where a crash by any commercial airline activates a stop-ads procedure for every airline) and one of the co-owners had once worked on the Kool-Aid account ... at the time of the Jim Jones/Guyana mass suicides. Needless to say, she'd BTDT when it came to getting spots off the air in a hurry. Things I learned from them just kicked in I guess.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by Ragone

So how in the hell did Miss Jones not get fired? thats what i wanna know

My honest guess? Her contract is too big (and didn't include adequate language to dump her) as are her ratings. So Emmis scapegoated the cheapest people they could find handy.

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

Delgado was also the producer for infamous radio hosts Opie & Anthony's former WNEW/New York afternoon show.

I almost mentioned this quite some time back. It's amazing how such in-depth reporting missed this fact for so long. I had not seen it in a single article until you posted this.

It really should have been a much larger angle if the media wanted to make this a big story.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Originally Posted by cthomer5000

It really should have been a much larger angle if the media wanted to make this a big story.

From what I saw on some industry msg boards & such, this was known in the biz and in the market but really wasn't getting much play even there until the last day or two. A minor side discussion on one of the sites talked about whether this guy was now "unhireable". Sadly, I'd say no, and within 3 months, I expect he'll be at it again.

[Crapshoot]

Hmm- thanks for the explanation. And I find the fact that you know what's going to happen before the station's own sales reps somewhat amusing.

[Klinglerware]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

A minor side discussion on one of the sites talked about whether this guy was now "unhireable". Sadly, I'd say no, and within 3 months, I expect he'll be at it again.

I would agree wholeheartedly--Delgado was probably was hired in the first place because of his O&A connection. They knew what they were getting themselves into (and I would assume that they knew it was a very real possibility that he would eventually do something over the line), and if the edginess managed to pump up the listenership numbers (at least temporarily)--mission probably accomplished. Much like O&A, Delgado most certainly will land on his feet...

[cthomer5000]

Originally Posted by JonInMiddleGA

From what I saw on some industry msg boards & such, this was known in the biz and in the market but really wasn't getting much play even there until the last day or two. A minor side discussion on one of the sites talked about whether this guy was now "unhireable". Sadly, I'd say no, and within 3 months, I expect he'll be at it again.

Oh, it was most certainly known in the biz , and everyone was immediately talking about what he'd done (I believe he actually wrote the song). I'm just amazed by the shoddy journalism when there was a huge storyline there that got completely neglected.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Ran across something tonight that made me think of this thread

http://www.ajc.com/news/content/shar...g_Contest.html
Radio Station to Stop Slapping Contest
By MICHAEL GORMLEY
Associated Press Writer

ALBANY, N.Y. — A New York City radio station that earlier mocked tsunami victims on the air has agreed to stop its "Smackfest" promotion, in which women slapped each other for prizes, the state attorney general announced Monday.

WQHT Hot 97's parent company also agreed in a settlement to pay $240,000, which equaled the maximum fine it faced, Attorney General Eliot Spitzer said.

Spitzer and the state Athletic Commission said the hip-hop and rhythm and blues station held 24 "Smackfest" contests from April 2004 to January 2005. Young women took turns "violently" slapping each other for concert tickets and as much as $5,000 in cash, Spitzer said. Images of the slapping then ran on the station's Web site.

Spitzer investigated the case as a potential violation of state law on promotion of a combative sport.

Indianapolis-based Emmis Radio, a division of Emmis Communications, noted in a statement that the contestants were volunteers but said "it was not our finest hour, and New York City deserves better."

WQHT agreed to pay $60,000 of the settlement to a nonprofit group that promotes awareness of domestic violence.

In April, the station was criticized for broadcasting "Tsunami Song," which mocked victims of December's flooding disaster in south Asia that killed tens of thousands. The producer who wrote the song was fired and other station employees were suspended.

Emmis Chairman Jeffrey Smulyan said then that the song was "morally indefensible," adding "the entire Emmis family is ashamed."

And also, just as predicted

http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercu...c/12083254.htm
Station hires twice-fired producer of offensive parody

By Brad Kava

Mercury News

KYLD-FM (Wild 94.9), the San Francisco radio station that fired members of its controversial ``Morning Doghouse'' for making offensive sexual comments off and on air, has hired an even more controversial figure to replace them: the twice-fired New York producer who aired a couple allegedly having sex in St. Patrick's Cathedral and a song parody about tsunami devastation that included anti-Asian racial epithets.

The managers of the Clear Channel-owned station, Kim Bryant and Dennis Martinez, said they consider producer Rick Delgado to be a major talent in morning radio, and added that he will be carefully supervised on the ``Strawberry in the Morning,'' with local deejay Strawberry and Miami import Fay Carmona, which starts Monday at 6 a.m.

In an exclusive interview with the Mercury News first reported on mercurynews.com, Delgado said his earlier actions were edgy, but misinterpreted, and added that he wouldn't change his act very much for the new station.

``It was a matter of bad taste, like a blond joke,'' Delgado said of the ``Tsunami Song,'' which was set to the tune of ``We Are the World'' and made a joke of people dying in the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Delgado said the song was meant to parody a then-promised tsunami song by Sharon Stone and Sharon Osbourne.

``His job is to say he won't be censored, but he will be,'' said Bryant, who got her start in Spanish radio and now heads 11 stations in the Bay Area, including San Jose's KUFX-FM (98.5), KCNL-FM (104.9) and KSJO-FM (92.3).

``We are in it for the long run,'' Bryant said. ``We are going to protect our license, and we are here for the community and the listeners.''

The tsunami song, which drew massive protests from minority groups, was aired on New York's Hot 97, WQHT-FM, on the ``Miss Jones in the Morning Show.''

``It was meant to be a bad spoof of celebrities and telethons,'' Delgado said. ``My job is to put stuff out there and see what gets a reaction. Hopefully, people will get a kick out of it.''

Delgado and air personality Todd Lynn were ultimately fired, and three other morning show members, including ``Miss Jones,'' were suspended for two weeks.

Delgado said that managers at the station owned by Emmis Communications knew about the song and approved it before it aired. After protests from Asian media watchdog groups and politicians, the station contributed $1 million toward tsunami relief.

``We are appalled at the lack of sensitivity to the pain and suffering of the recent South Asian tsunami victims,'' said Ginny Gong, president of the national Organization of Chinese Americans, at the time. ``Miss Jones and Todd Lynn's broadcast included racially insensitive and inflammatory statements that encourage hatred and violence towards people of Asian descent.''

She added: ``The use of racial slurs is simply unacceptable, no matter what one's ethnicity.''

Delgado, who is of Spanish and Puerto Rican descent, said he thought racial humor was still acceptable, so long as the person making fun of a race is of that race.

``When you hear it from your own people, it doesn't make it seem as racial,'' he said. ``It's not supposed to be racial. It's supposed to be a goof.''

The station aims for an audience of women from ages 18-34. It was eighth in the market among all listeners over 12 in the last ratings period, with roughly a 2.9 percent share of 5.8 million listeners.

[Cringer]

I see nothing wrong with the first one. Dumbasses want to slap each other, let them.

[JonInMiddleGA]

The first one ("Smackfest") isn't an FCC thing, it's a NY Athletic Commission thing, I just thought these particular paragons of good taste getting themselves in trouble with anybody was kinda interesting.