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Letter to the editor

St. Petersburg council says radio show intolerable

If Clear Channel ignores their protest of racial slurs on the morning show on WXTB-FM 97.9, members vow other action.

By CARRIE JOHNSON
Published July 9, 2004

ST. PETERSBURG - Clear Channel executives have stood behind a syndicated radio show on their stations that uses racial slurs, saying the show hasn't generated any public complaints.

On Thursday, someone complained.

The St. Petersburg City Council voted unanimously to send a letter to Clear Channel Broadcasting condemning the language used on The Monsters, a four-hour morning show broadcast locally on WXTB-FM 97.9 (98 Rock) whose hosts use derogatory terms for people of color and homosexuals.

"We want to send a clear message that we aren't going to support that kind of activity," said council member Earnest Williams, who proposed sending the letter.

The Monsters is an Orlando-based show, which also airs in Jacksonville and nationally on XM Satellite Radio. It was used by Clear Channel to fill the 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. void left on WXTB after shock jock Bubba the Love Sponge Clem was fired following a federal fine of $755,000 for sexually indecent speech.

The Monsters show features jokes about white rural culture and a cast of characters who extol the pleasures of beer, partying, sex and pranks. The characters have been known to use words such as "nigra," "spic," "jigaboo" and "fag."

Council members said they learned of the offensive language in an article Tuesday in the St. Petersburg Times.

"As I was reading it," council member Jay Lasita said, "I couldn't believe this was happening in the year 2004."

While Clear Channel instituted a "responsible broadcast initiative" after the Federal Communications Commission slapped it with the unparalleled indecency fine earlier this year, company officials say the new policy does not cover racial slurs.

A Clear Channel spokesman said the company would not be able to comment on the council's action until it received the letter.

Council Chairman Bill Foster said if they get no response, council members will decide whether to take further action against Clear Channel.

While it has no regulatory authority, the city has a business relationship with the broadcasting company.

Clear Channel puts on the annual July Fourth fireworks show at the Pier. In exchange, Clear Channel is allowed to set up promotions at city parks, Foster said.

Also, Clear Channel handles some billboard leasing for the city, according to Deputy Mayor Tish Elston.

"They need to understand they're making a very large partner upset by condoning this racist conduct at one of their member affiliates," Foster said. "It's offensive to us, and we're not going to tolerate it."

- Carrie Johnson can be reached at 727 892-2273 or cjohnson@sptimes.com

[Last modified July 9, 2004, 01:07:16]