February 17, 2012

For Immediate Release

Contact: Tracy Rosenberg, Media Alliance (510) 684-6853

LA Clearchannel Hosts John and Ken Suspended for Calling Whitney Houston a Crack Ho:

Kobylt and Chiampou Under Advertising Boycott by LA Community Organizations for Harassing an Immigrant Rights Activist

Los Angeles-AM shock-jock hosts John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou were suspended by management at Clearchannel station KFI-AM in Los Angeles on Thursday, after referring to the recently deceased entertainer and singer Whitney Houston as a "crack ho". The cause of Houston's weekend death has not been determined. She was the subject of an emotional tribute at this past weekend's Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles, where she had been expected to appear. Houston was also the mother of a teenage daughter, Bobbi Christina Brown, who was hospitalized earlier in the week.

The two broadcasters have been the subject of a protest and advertiser boycott spearheaded by the National Hispanic Media Coalition (www.nhmc.org) which objected to the pair targeting Dream Act activist Jorge-Mario Cabrera of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights (CHIRLA) in September of 2011 by giving out his office and personal cell phone numbers and encouraging their listeners to call and harass him. Over 400 did.

Since that time, a number of advertisers have pulled out of the "John and Ken Show" including Albertsons, AT&T Wireless, The Aquarium of the Pacific, General Motors, Home Depot, Kentucky Fried Chicken, Ralph's, Verizon Fios and Von's Grocery Stores.

A paper on hate radio by the National Hispanic Media Coalition can be found here, and a petition asking Clearchannel to stop supporting the duo is here.

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