GLAAD, NHMC Disappointed in Outcome, Continue to Demand Action
Pasadena, CA - On June 17, representatives from the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and the National Hispanic Media Coalition (NHMC) met with the principals of Liberman Broadcasting, Inc.: Chair José Liberman, his son, President and CEO Lenard Liberman, and Chief Operating Officer, Winter Horton. The Libermans own EstrellaTV Network and a number of broadcast stations across the country that air EstrellaTV, including Los Angeles-based KRCA. Estrella TV airs José Luis Sin Censura, a program produced by Liberman Broadcasting. Representatives from Liberman Broadcasting offered an apology for anti-LGBT content that aired on the show, but had no response to numerous other issues raised by GLAAD and NHMC, including indecency, obscenity, misogyny, and violence. They offered no proposals for how to rectify this situation.
The meeting came on the heels of national outcry about the program following GLAAD and NHMC's FCC complaint demonstrating that KRCA (and all of the stations that air José Luis Sin Censura) are in violation of federal law, and after national advertisers including AT&T and Time Warner Cable as well as affiliate stations in Miami and Kansas City pulled support for the program. In April 2011, more than 30 organizations including the Human Rights Campaign (HRC), League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC), the Southern Poverty Law Center, United Church of Christ, and the Women's Media Center, sent a letter to the FCC, urging swift action. Thousands have participated in an online action to contact the FCC in support of the complaint:www.glaad.org/jlsc.
The original FCC complaint was filed on February 28, 2011. It documented over twenty episodes that aired between June 18 and December 7, 2010, which contains images and language of the nature that is never displayed or is bleeped out of pre-taped English-language programs of the same nature, including the words "pinche" ("f*cking" in English) and "culero" ("assf*cker"), anti-gay language, including epithets such as "puto," "maricón," "joto" and "puñal" (or "f*ggot"), anti-Latino slurs, such as "mojado" ("wetback"), and anti-female terms such as "piruja" and "puta"("whore"). The program frequently features blatant nudity and female guests have been shown in violent fights. Guests and audience members are often incited to engage in verbal and even physical attacks. Many episodes show the audience standing and shouting anti-gay epithets and profanity at guests. Despite the complaint to the FCC, such content continues to air during the daytime in markets throughout the country, unaltered. NHMC and GLAAD are continuing to contact advertisers and affiliates. To view clips of the program please visit www.nhmc.org/joseluissincensura.
"The Libermans have now had the opportunity to step up, admit their wrongdoing and accept the consequences," stated Alex Nogales, NHMC's President and CEO. "They can do this in one of two ways. Either they can pull José Luis Sin Censura from the airwaves, and compensate the community for the harm the program has caused, or face further efforts to discourage advertisers and current EstrellaTV affiliate stations from continuing their relationships with the network."
"We have asked the Libermans to sign a Memorandum of Understanding that will do away with the current type of programming, but it doesn't seem they even understand the effects of this hateful programming," said Jessica J. González, NHMC's Vice President of Policy and Legal Affairs. "They failed to acknowledge many of our concerns, and even seemed unaware of some content airing on José Luis, including vicious violence against female guests and the frequency of anti-female content. I was also shocked to hear that the Libermans do not believe that the program violates FCC rules, demonstrating either a willful ignorance or a blatant disregard to their obligations as public trustees."
"Although LBI apologized for a small portion of the content that makes José Luis such a deplorable show, that is not nearly enough," said Monica Trasandes, GLAAD's Director of Spanish-Language Media. "With the consistent use of anti-gay language, this is the most hurtful show on television. Until Liberman Broadcasting recognizes the harm that shows like Jose Luis Sin Censura inflict on viewers and voice a firm commitment to removing the outrageous anti-LGBT violence, additional advertisers and affiliates will no doubt continue to withdraw support. The FCC would not support such content on English-language media and it is time that they took a stand to enforce Spanish-language media in the same way."
"The worst thing about this program is that it airs during the day when our children are watching," added Alex Nogales. "The messages they take from the program is that women are objects, and that it is okay to ridicule and physically attack gay and transgender people, women, or really anyone that disagrees with them."
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