Interviews and information of interest to Hispanics, Latinos, & the multicultural community at large

Clear Channel's, 700 WLW Radio Cincinnati Offensive To Hispanics...Yet Again...This Time On Air

Published 14 August 07 09:09 PM

8/14/07-Clear Channel's, WLW 700 Cincinnati, continues to mock immigrant Hispanics.  Following is a translation of a WLW 700 Ad which recently ran mocking illegal immigrants:

{Music…Mariachi music playing}…”Illegal aliens…they’re here and they don’t speak English, which makes talking to an illegal alien difficult.  So here are a few useful phrases for next time you converse with an illegal alien.   Si qualquiera pregunta les diga sus estudiantes de cambio de Suecia……… If anyone asks tell them you're exchange students from Sweden.  Tenga cuidado con esas xxxx de podar(?)……. Be careful with those hedgeclippers around the garden. Stay tuned for more helpful phrases on 700 WLW, The Big One.”    [WLW's translation]

Below is a letter written by senior LULAC leadership to ClearChannel, WLW's parent company, which came to our attention most recently after the above 30 second broadcast. (We are working to get this 30 second broadcast up on our site, as soon as possible. Please check back.)

I know it has been some time since we last spoke, but I wanted to bring to your attention a concern with WLW 700 in Cincinnati.

 

In May of this year the station put up an offensive billboard "the Big Juan" in an effort to promote themselves with anti-immigrant English speaking listeners (see billboard below) by making fun of the Latino community.

The Big Juan 

LULAC Ohio Deputy Director Jason Riveiro rallied a broad coalition of organizations against the billboard and was successful in getting them removed.

 

General Manager Chuck Fredrick met with Jason and committed to cleaning up the stations act to prevent future offensive material claiming that the station made a change in policy and that he would have the final say on all advertising campaigns.

 

Unfortunately, Mr. Fredrick has already reneged on his commitment as the enclosed audio clip of a WLW 700 advertisement currently playing on the station underscores.

 

The local Hispanic community is outraged that the station is deliberately demeaning them in an effort to increase ratings and profit at the station. They are demanding that Mr. Fredrick be removed from his position and that the demeaning advertisements stop. They also want to have a community advisory board appointed in order to work with the station's management to prevent future misconduct by the station.

 

As you know the station feature's Bill Cunningham, the conservative talk show host, who has already had several Don Imus type incidents himself.

 

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Hispanic leadership is urgently working to setup meeting with ClearChannel to discuss the company's response to WLW's actions.  

 

-Hispanic.com

 

 

by admin
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Comments

# TMartinez said on August 15, 2007 2:18 PM:

Quit being so sensitive.  Why do you want to cry like the NAACP.  All they do is cry and get upset.  I tell you what, A minority with an education can get a job faster than a Cracker.  Now if they were to get a group together for your average white guy.  We would be upset again.  QUIT CRYING

# KellyS. said on August 15, 2007 9:00 PM:

I am offended by your comment TMartinez.

I heard the radio spot, and it is extremely offensive.  It has a woman talking saying something in accented Spanish (pretending to be an immigrant), and then the announcer says "The translation is:" (directing the advice towards immigrants) "IF ANYONE ASKS, TELL THEM YOU'RE A SWEDISH EXCHANGE STUDENT"

Not funny.

& Very offensive, as was your comment.

# Carey C said on August 21, 2007 9:24 PM:

I agree with Kelly S.

TMartinez, your comment was ignorant.  The fact that someone is a hispanic, black or a "cracker" as you so eloquently put it, has no bearing on their ability to get a job.

Simply put, the radio spot was ignorant as was your comment.  Your label was just as misguided as theirs.  

700 WLW's views on illegal immigrants can be spoken without being offensive and stupid.

# R. Emmes said on August 22, 2007 11:56 AM:

I take exception with the article stating that Bill Cunningham makes Imus type comments. Yes, he is controversial, yes, he is abrasive, but you can't compare Cunningham's comments with what Don Imus has said. And a community advisory board? Why would anyone in their right mind bring a radio station under their collective thumbs, unless they're trying to pander to the media. I listen to WLW on a regular basis, and, yes, they can be insensitive at times, but if you listen closely, the personalities can be abrasive to each other. They're like a dysfunctional family on the air. I'm surprised that anyone with a pulse wouldn't cringe at one time or another listening to WLW. The fact is that WLW does parodies about what's currently in the news, and they have done that for as long as I've been listening, and that has been at least 40 years. Then, if you're still upset about the way WLW goes about their business, consider that there is also a thing known as the First Amendment. Calling for Chuck Frederick's resignation won't solve anything. And, as far as I'm concerned, the only organization that's profiting from this is the LULAC.

# Trucker said on August 24, 2007 3:19 AM:

Listen up people. That includes you hispanics too.

Do you not understand what you are talking about?

ILLEGAL ALIENS.. I have to watch my back every second when Im in Mexico, just to get out alive, it seems. ILLEGAL ALIENS deserve whatever us LEGAL CITEZENS can muster up the courage to say to them.

THEY ARE ILLEGAL... I-L-L-E-G-A-L

(TRANSLATION)- ILLEGAL!!! Let them be offended that we are offended by their presence here.

Still a damn site better than back home I would reckon. Would they rather look at a billboard, or be DEPORTED, or IMPRISONED?  

I feel that the biggest crime they commit, more offensive than the number of jobs they aquire... ILLEGALY, is that they have the nerve to cry about being mocked, or made fun of.

its ok though, cuz bush will be gone soon, and then they're gonna be runnin back accross the border.

GO HOME, YOU ILLEGAL ALIENS, AND STOP CRYING ABOUT THE WAY YOU ARE TREATED HERE.

WE ARE TREATED MUCH MUCH WORSE IN YOUR HOMELAND ACCROSS THE BORDER, AND I KNOW ALL TOO WELL WHAT IM TALKING ABOUT.

DONT BITE THE HAND THAT FEEDS YOU. DOGS THAT BITE, HAVE TO BE DESTROYED.

# Jackie Lewis said on August 25, 2007 8:17 PM:

If you are offended by the comments and billboards about ILLEGAL ALIENS  Leave the USA

Hey maybe go to Mexico

# humblywalkin' said on August 26, 2007 4:16 PM:

the only thing i find encouraging about this strand of comments is the possibility that T. Martinzez, R. Emmes, Trucker, and Jackie Lewis might receive a bit of education by reading articles on Hispanic.com.  or perhaps, they'll simply return to listening to WLW and other right-wing idealogues that make mega-dollars by spewing divide-and-conquer political tactics in order to their vested interests in office.  the hypocrisy becomes evident when they advocate deportations that would divide millions of spouses and parents/children.  scapegoating immigrants because of one's own economic stagnation and vulnerable employment is as old as the republic herself...

# Trucker said on August 30, 2007 5:36 AM:

well "humbly", let me educate YOU on what happens to US in MEXICO, I mean "us" as in WHITES, or AMERICANS. I have been all over mexico, and south america, and for the most part, and ESPECIALY in MEXICO, I am welcome as long as I have lots and lots of CASH to hand out. I have been robbed, beaten, kidnapped and dumped, all by the POLICIA, or.. "MEXICAN POLICE". They ALWAYS ROB ME, if im there long enough. And what do they do here you ask?? well watch the news you tree hugging democratic moron! 160 or 170 some of them were arrested what... YESTERDAY?!?!?! FOR IDENTITY THEFT, BEING HERE ILLEGALLY IN JUST ONE BUILDING... MAN THE LIST GOES ON AND ON, EVERY DAY... ON AND ON.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH... PEOPLE LIKE YOU PISS ME OFF TO NO END. EVERYTHING YOU JUST SAID MADE ABOUT AS MUCH SENSE AS THE TEACHER ON CHARLIE BROWN. THERE SHOULD BE NO DISCUSSION ABOUT IT.. VIOLENTLY "THROW" THEM BACK ACCROSS THE BORDER, AND LET THEM COME HERE LEGALLY, IF THEY WANT TO. YOU ILLEGAL MEXICAN BANDITO'S STEALING IDENTITIES WILL SOONER OR LATER WISH YOU WERE BACK HOME LIVING IN THAT VW BEETLE SHELL. THE MORE YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT PEOPLE GIVING YOU A HARD TIME BECAUSE YOU ARE HERE ILLEGALY, ALL THE WHILE YOU ARE RAPING OUR DAUGHTERS, AND STEALING OUR IDENTITES... AND YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT DIRTY LOOKS, OR FUNNY BILLBOARDS?

SHAME ON YOU...SHAME-ON-YOU, AND TO THOSE LIKE "HUMBLY" HERE FOR EVEN THINKING ABOUT DEFENDING YOU.  HUMBLY... YOU READ HISPANIC.COM, AND ILL READ SOMETHING A LITTLE CLOSER TO HOME FOR ME. GO LIVE IN MEXICO.

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