KLSX Decries Ad Boycott, Calls Latino Group’s Tactics ‘Bullying’

KLSX-FM(97.1), the local outlet for Howard Stern’s nationally syndicated morning show, is fighting back against a Latino organization that organized a boycott of station advertisers. General Manager Bob Moore has gone on the air with an editorial denouncing the group’s “bullying” actions and urging listeners to call the organization to complain.

The spot, which began airing on KLSX Tuesday afternoon and continued on Stern’s show Wednesday, features Moore exhorting listeners to speak out against those who attempt to “silence voices they disagree with.”

Moore’s action is the latest volley in a controversy surrounding Stern, who on April 3, in the wake of the fatal shooting of Latino singing star Selena, made derogatory comments about her tejano music and the people who like it, joking that her fans “live in refrigerator boxes . . . like to make love to a goat and . . . like to dance with velvet paintings and eat beans.”

Stern said his comments were in jest, but Latino organizations in Texas and California expressed outrage and have sought to get stations and advertisers to drop him. In Los Angeles, the National Hispanic Media Coalition instituted a boycott of Stern sponsors and claims to have persuaded five advertisers to drop their spots from Stern’s show or from KLSX in general.

KLSX’s editorial is aimed directly at the coalition.

“I’m here to remind you that taste is a highly individual issue,” Moore says in the editorial. “What is objectionable to some people is not to others. If you don’t like what you hear, turn to another station or turn the radio off. Unfortunately, one special-interest group is trying to limit our free choice. How? By bullying advertisers who exercise their freedom to advertise on the Howard Stern show.”

He goes on to tell listeners to “let the National Hispanic Media Coalition know how you feel” and gives out the coalition’s phone number.

Coalition chairman Alex Nogales said the group had received about 120 calls as of midday Wednesday. He characterized many of them as “very, very threatening, racist and very derogatory.”

“By airing these editorials, (Moore) is fighting us,” Nogales said. “He’s taking on 42% of the population. He’s fighting the entire Latino community. . . . I find it so incredibly indecent. But then it’s par for the course for anyone who carries Howard Stern’s show. They’re after ratings.”

KLSX officials declined comment Wednesday beyond making copies of Moore’s editorial available.

Nogales’ group is also targeting KRLA-AM (1110)--both are owned by Greater Media Corp.