Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable  February 18, 2012  for Immediate Release  Contact: Earl Ofari Hutchinson 323-383-6145  Press Advisory: Civil Rights Leaders Discuss Suspension of Radio Talk Jocks…

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable

 February 18, 2012

 for Immediate Release

 Contact: Earl Ofari Hutchinson 323-383-6145

 Press Advisory:

Civil Rights Leaders Discuss Suspension of Radio Talk Jocks for Houston Slur with KFI Management

Renew Call for Zero Tolerance by KFI for Demeaning Attacks by Radio Talk Jocks

Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable President Earl Ofari Hutchinson and other civil rights leaders on Saturday, February 18, held a talk with KFI Management about the suspension of John and Ken. They initially called the suspension an “insulting hand slap non-punishment” and demanded that the pair and other KFI radio hosts undergo sensitivity training, issue a public pledge to end racial, ethnic and gender attacks, and that KFI Clear Channel declare zero tolerance for on air abuse by its hosts. The shock jock pair were suspended for slurs of Whitney Houston as a “crack ho” and for mocking her death by implying that she should have been dead long ago.

KFI Program director Robin Bertolucci made it clear that John and Ken were suspended for ten days without pay. She also confirmed that the station in the future will be firm in not condoning overt or veiled inflammatory racial and ethnic and personal attacks by its hosts. Hutchinson and the other leaders renewed their demand that management vigorously monitor the on air conduct of talk jocks and implement a zero tolerance station policy to suspend or fire any radio host that violates that policy.

“KFI management is to be commended for taking swift action in suspending John and Ken for the Houston slurs,” says Hutchinson,” But given the history of John and Ken’s and other KFI radio talk hosts racist, ethnic and gender incendiary attacks. KFI must put firm safeguards in place to insure that there is no repeat of any on-air abuse and misconduct by their show hosts.”

Endorsers: Earl Ofari Hutchinson, President Los Angeles Urban Policy Roundtable Deborah Washington, National Council of Negro Women Robert Taylor, Black Ministerial Alliance Dwayne Wyatt, L.A Black Employees for Fairness Lita Herron, President Youth Advocacy Coalition Eddie Jones, President Los Angeles Civil Rights Assn. Reverend KW Tuloss National Action Network (Al Sharpton) West Coast Representative Pedro Baez, Founder Voice of the People Willis Edwards, NAACP National Board Member