Radio Station Apologizes Over Tsunami Slur




By Mark Egan

NEW YORK (Reuters) - A New York radio station apologized on Monday for repeatedly airing a joke song that ridiculed victims of the recent tsunami in South Asia and used racial slurs, saying the piece was in poor taste.



New York FM radio station WQHT, or HOT 97, ran the segment on its "Miss Jones in the Morning" show. The piece used racial slurs to describe people swept away in the disaster, made jokes about child slavery and people watching their mothers die.


The hip-hop and R&B station, known for its "shock jocks," apologized on its Web site, saying it, "regrets the airing of material that made light of a serious and tragic event. We apologize to our listeners and anyone who was offended."


WQHT's program director and deejay Tarsha Nicole Jones, who uses the on-air name Miss Jones, apologized on the program and said the segment should not have been broadcast.


The piece drew wide criticism from Albany to New York's City Hall, with many lawmakers calling on the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (news - web sites) to fine HOT 97.


"At a time when virtually the entire world has come together to help in the tsunami tragedy relief, employees of HOT 97 have come up with this song," said New York State Assembly member Jimmy Meng, a Democrat from Queens. "We are disgusted and demand immediate action by the FCC (news - web sites)."


An FCC spokesman in Washington had no immediate comment.


The piece was also denounced by the Washington-based Council on American-Islamic Relations, which said it had received calls from Muslims offended by the piece.


Station-owner Emmis Communications Corp. issued an apology and said the seven-person staff of the show has agreed to contribute one-week's pay each to tsunami-relief efforts.


Four weeks after giant waves killed as many as 234,000 people across the Indian Ocean region, workers are still pulling hundreds of bodies from the mud and rubble each day and aid groups say they are struggling to reach isolated areas.

'bout freakin time.


i still won't listen tho.

to flippin late.

they should be sorry. what gets me is that these are adults. when they were doing this stupid song didn't their brains tell tell them it wasn't right? it amazeds me how people do things without thinking just for attention.

Unfortunatly, after this incident, everybody knows about this station. They got what they wanted - free publicity.

And as if a week pay will tickle their testicles. they get paid too much, one week pay is not enough to make them sorry.

Heavenly said:

being fired should do the trick.

heybaby said:

THANK YOU!

This whole thing still disgusts me.

heybaby said:

Unfortunately, there are people like that in the world. That said, these people are NOT adults. They acted like spoiled little punk brats.

We had a DJ fired here in Chicago for less than this. The problem lies in the people who will continue to listen to these people.

DUMB, DUMBASS STATION, TOO FUCKING LATE. THE DAMAGE IS DONE

luv4u said:

A week's pay??? That's IT???

Weak, man. Really weak.

heybaby said:

You got your wish...they have been suspended indefintely. And majority of listeners are calling saying they dont want them back.

one2three said:

Really?

it was reported in a britsh newspaper too.

Them bitches been suspended!!!


Statement from WQHT-FM, HOT 97

New York City - Miss Jones and the HOT 97 Morning team have been indefinitely suspended for the airing of a song that made light of a catastrophic event, as well as comments made at the time the song was aired.

Earlier this week, Miss Jones said on the air "I apologize to all who have been offended by my poor decision to go along with playing that insulting (to say the least) Tsunami song. I should have known better and I didn't. So I'm sorry and hopefully we can move forward from this, or I can move forward from this being a better hostess, because I am better than that, and I know better than that -- and you deserve better radio than that."

While Miss Jones has apologized on the air, in the media and on the HOT 97 website, station management felt that stronger action was necessary to demonstrate the severity of the situation.

Emmis Radio and HOT 97 will not tolerate such derogatory and racially insensitive content. This incident in no way reflects the spirit of HOT 97. The station has a long-time and well-known reputation for community involvement and support.

Emmis Radio President Rick Cummings said, "What happened is morally and socially indefensible. All involved, myself included, are ashamed and deeply sorry. I know the members of the morning show are truly contrite. They know their actions here are inexcusable."

We would like to clarify that no company advertising on our station had any connection to the Tsunami Song and no company advertising on our station endorsed or sponsored the offensive material aired on the "Miss Jones in the Morning" show. We apologize for any misunderstanding that may have caused listeners to believe that anyone, other than the morning show staff, was responsible for the material that should not have been aired.

I didn't read this till now..

Wow, how could people be so cruel..

And they deserver suspension, forever.

TheOrgerFormerlyKnownAs said:

SAY WHAT?!