Date: Wed, 17 Jul 1996 15:01:18 -0700 From: glaad@glaad.org (Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation) Subject: POWER 106 FM CANCELS ANTI-GAY RADIO SEGMENT OFFENSIVE SKETCH PULLED FROM "BAKER BOYZ" MORNING SHOW MEDIA RELEASE FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Contact: Alan Klein (212) 807-1700 Pager: (800) 601-5483 (please include area code) Email: klein@glaad.org POWER 106 FM CANCELS ANTI-GAY RADIO SEGMENT OFFENSIVE SKETCH PULLED FROM "BAKER BOYZ" MORNING SHOW LOS ANGELES, JULY 17, 1996-Following a letter of protest from the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), KPWR-FM (Power 106) announced it would no longer air "Gay Watch," a controversial radio show segment that was broadcast during the Baker Boyz morning show throughout May and June. GLAAD charged that "Gay Watch" was not only offensive to lesbians and gay men but also promoted gaybashing. The sketch featured two stereotypically effeminate gay characters, Billy and Princess. In one episode, a straight character discovers that Billy is gay and proceeds to, "beat him so badly that Billy is now in the hospital." As the taped segment aired, uproarious laughter was broadcast through the studio microphones. "There's nothing funny about gaybashing-which is a growing, real-life problem on the streets of Los Angeles," said John Henning, Chair of GLAAD's Los Angeles Monitoring and Response Committee. "Power 106's homophobic sketch was certainly done in bad taste and was both dangerous and irresponsible." In a June 17 letter to GLAAD, Power 106 General Manager Marie Kordus apologized for offending listeners by airing the radio segment and added that the "Gay Watch" sketch had been pulled. Henning added, "We're pleased that Power 106 has put an end to its radio gaybashing and we're hopeful that KPWR, and all Los Angeles radio stations, will be more sensitive to the concerns of the lesbian and gay community. Time is running out for shows like "Gay Watch." GLAAD is the nation's lesbian and gay news bureau and the only national lesbian and gay media watchdog organization. GLAAD promotes fair, accurate, and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. -30- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) glaad@glaad.org VISIT THE GLAAD WEB SITE AT http://www.glaad.org! GLAAD promotes fair, accurate and inclusive representation as a means of challenging discrimination based on sexual orientation or identity. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ "GLAAD" and "Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation" are trademarks of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation, Inc.