Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo

CARABALLO: STOP STATE SUBSIDIZED ADVERTISING
ON RADIO STATIONS THAT AIR RACIAL SLURS

(NEWARK) - Assemblyman Wilfred Caraballo today urged Governor Jon S. Corzine to suspend and prohibit state subsidized advertising on media networks that broadcast racially charged comments of talk-show hosts Don Imus of WFAN and "Jersey Guys" Craig Carton and Ray Rossi of NJ101.5 FM.

Caraballo (D-Essex) called for the advertising ban in a letter to the Governor in which he expressed outrage over Imus's racially charged references to the Rutgers University women's basketball team and Carton and Rossi's recent "LaCucha Gotcha" ethnic stereotyping of Hispanics.

"While Don Imus has set himself apart from The Jersey Guys by publicly apologizing for his over-the-line racial slur, these two recent episodes of talk-show stereotyping of blacks and Hispanics are nonetheless shameless, unconscionable, and indefensible," Caraballo wrote in his letter.  "They are part and parcel of an alarming trend in broadcasting, one that should be demonstrably counteracted by elected officials and community leaders."

Caraballo is calling for the State of New Jersey to refrain from providing paid advertising to the employers of Don Imus and Carton and Rossi.  Caraballo said the state should take action against Imus employers WFAN, CBS radio (owned by WFAN), MSNBC (which airs the show on cable television), and NBC (owner of MSNBC).  Caraballo also called for an end of state advertising with  all stations owned by Millennium Radio Group, which owns NJ101.5 FM.

--A copy of Assemblyman Caraballo's letter is below--

April 9, 2007

The Honorable Jon Corzine
Governor, State of New Jersey
State House
P.O. Box 001
Trenton, N.J. 08530

Dear Governor Corzine:

I am certain you will agree that radio talk-show-host Don Imus’ recent insulting and condescending reference to the Rutgers University women’s basketball team will surely go down as one of the most ignorant and nasty things ever uttered over the airwaves.  Not only are the women on that basketball team a credit to our state and a source of pride for all of our residents, they have been exemplary in academics and in their conduct off the basketball court.

Unfortunately, Mr. Imus’ racially insensitive banter is increasingly prevalent on a variety of radio outlets.  “The Jersey Guys� program on the New Jersey 101.5 FM station recently engaged in ethnic stereotyping of our state’s Hispanic residents with a publicity stunt called “LaCucha Gotcha,� in which talk-show hosts Craig Carton and Ray Rossi urge listeners to report suspected illegal aliens to the authorities.  The two radio hosts promoted their campaign by playing Mexican music, setting an initial reporting deadline of May 5 (Cinco de Mayo), and employing a play on word for the Spanish word for cockroach – cucaracha.

While Don Imus has set himself apart from The Jersey Guys by publicly apologizing for his over-the-line racial slur, these two recent episodes of talk-show stereotyping of blacks and Hispanics are nonetheless shameful, unconscionable and indefensible.  They are part and parcel of an alarming trend in broadcasting, one that should be demonstrably counteracted by elected officials and community leaders.

For my own part, I recently organized a press conference to raise awareness of The Jersey Guys’ specious “La Cucha Gotcha� exploits.  Similarly, a litany of public figures and organizations have called for Imus’ resignation or firing in the wake of his ill-conceived commentary.

This wave of speaking out is certainly important and constructive.  But given the hyper insensitivity displayed by talk-show hosts like Imus and The Jersey Guys, I believe that tougher sanctions should be employed with respect to the media enterprises that employ Imus and The Jersey Guys.

To ensure the employers of these talk-shows get the message that ethnic and racial remarks can never be countenanced, I respectfully request that the State of New Jersey refrain from providing paid advertising to the employers of Don Imus and Carton and Rossi.  For the Imus program, this would include radio station WFAN, CBS radio (which owns WFAN), and MSNBC and NBC (which owns MSNBC).  For The Jersey Guys program, consideration should be given to a prohibition on taxpayer-financed state advertising for the entire Millennium Radio Group, which operates NJ101.5 FM.

 
Sincerely,

Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo
D-Essex