Fresno community group leaders have joined forces to ask the area's most popular talk radio station, KMJ, to make changes to their programming. According to spokesperson, Les Kimber, the group Citizens for Civility and Accountability in Media (CCAM) was formed in October 2009 out of concern about what is broadcast daily on their local radio station.

KMJ is Fresno’s only 24-hour talk radio station. The station has approximately 80,000 listeners out of the one million residents in its broadcast range across the Central Valley. In March, KMJ expanded its reach by acquiring an FM frequency.

CCAM sent a letter to KMJ in November of last year requesting that the station negotiate "changes in programming that will allow for reasoned discussion and countervailing opinion". The letter was met with a response shortly after from General Manager Patty Hixson, claiming the group was incorrect in their assessment of the station and suggesting they change the channel. CCAM has yet to receive a response to their follow up letter.

                                                                                                                              On May 20th, CCAM held a press conference at the Holiday Inn in Fresno to address their concerns about KMJ to the public. Approximately fifty people attended. News organizations present included KFCF, the California Advocate, KNXT TV, KFTV (Univision) and KMJ. The conveners of CCAM explained why they think KMJ’s current programming is harmful and nonresponsive to the needs of the community.

                                                                                                                           Vickie Fouts, CCAM convener and director of the Uprooting Racism Project complains that corporate media did not cover the story adequately. According to Fouts, the Fresno Bee did not attend the press conference but ran a short piece that reflected KMJ's misunderstanding of their motives. She stated, "They didn’t think we, a local group, were news worthy but a Limbaugh rant against us was".

                                                                                                                         Despite the lack of response from management, a few KMJ DJs caught wind of the press conference and spoke about it on their shows that day. Rush Limbaugh, whose national show is syndicated on KMJ, told listeners, "A typical ACORN type group, a typical Obama type group, is demanding that KMJ remove all conservatives because they incite violence. It's begun." Local DJ Ray Appleton covered the press conference on his show later that day. He said Limbaugh's remarks set off a flurry of calls to KMJ from angry listeners. Appleton also claimed the station gets these types of complaints on a regular basis and normally he wouldn't address them at all.

                                                                                                                         CCAM maintains they are not asking the station to remove DJs nor calling for censorship. What the group wants is for KMJ to take their powerful position in the community seriously. Richard Stone, the Vice President of the Fresno Center for Non-Violence stated at the press conference, "As a licensee of public air space, KMJ has a responsibility to serve the public welfare by not structuring its programs in a way that fuels extreme disrespect and intolerance. In allowing little or no room for reasoned disagreement, while demeaning those who offer dissent, KMJ's chosen line-up of commentators has created a profoundly undemocratic and potentially dangerous presence in our community."

                                                                                                                           KMJ DJ Chris Daniels spoke about CCAM's requests on his May 20th show as well. He claimed he is first and foremost an entertainer whose job is to make money. Daniels' first caller defended the group’s point that KMJ DJs promote violence. He asked that at least one of the 24 hours of programming on KMJ broadcast something different. Daniels responded "You're literally asking us to cut our profits in order to provide something that we are not in any way obligated to provide."

                                                                                                                       Kimber points out that a large part of KMJ's success is due to their relationship with the public institution, California State Fresno. As the "Home of the Bulldogs," KMJ has the exclusive rights to broadcast CSU sports games. As diversity is a key component of the university's mission statement, Kimber points out "It is a major contradiction for KMJ on the one hand to be the exclusive home of the CSUF Bulldogs and on the other hand be the home of biased daily programming that offers no diversity."

                                                                                                                         CCAM named various examples of what they consider to be hate speech broadcasted on KMJ at their press conference as well as on their website. Examples range from DJ Inga Barks agreeing with a caller who said delivering food to the earthquake victims in Haiti is "like trying to feed a pack of rats" to DJ Ray Appleton suggesting that Secretary of the Interior, Ken Salazar, should be given a reception with a .45 handgun the next time he visits Fresno.

                                                                                                                                A common theme among speakers at the press conference was fear for President Obama's life when DJs like Mark Levin advocate doing "whatever is necessary to stop Obama from destroying our country." Kimber stated, "Not unlike what is happening today, Dr. King was constantly demonized by his opponents which created an atmosphere of hate and violence that convinced his assassin James Earl Ray he would be doing the country a favor by killing Dr. King."

                                                                                                                       CCAM is not alone in their fight against hate speech in the media. This past month a coalition of over 30 organizations requested the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) investigate the extent of hate speech and its effects. Led by the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC), the groups claim many radio and cable television programs “masquerading as news” are using hate as a profit model. They are asking the FCC “to examine the extent and effects of hate speech in media, including the likely link between hate speech and hate crimes, and to explore non-regulatory ways to counteract negative impacts.”

                                                                                                                         Since the press conference, CCAM has received a slew of negative messages from KMJ listeners. Kimber says some of the messages are irrational and threatening, proving their point that KMJ may incite people to act violently. Multiple attempts were made to contact KMJ management for comment with no success.

                                                                                                                        Kimber claims the community KMJ serves is very diverse and not overwhelmingly conservative. He urges other concerned community members to sign their petition to KMJ asking that their programming reflect the diversity of the area it serves. In addition people can write letters to KMJ and other news organizations.

                                                                                                                       Kimber says, "Our main objective is to enlighten folks about the negative impact the constant hate messages have in our area."

                                                                                                                             For more information visit:

http://www.FresnoStopHate.org

http://www.NHMC.org