Verizon, AT&T Reportedly Pull Ads From Anti-Immigrant LA Radio Show

The Los Angeles Times reported on October 13 that Verizon and AT&T Wireless have pulled their ads from the John & Ken Show, a Los Angeles-based radio show with a history of inflammatory anti-immigrant rhetoric.

In September, the show's hosts, John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, aired the personal cell phone number of Jorge-Mario Cabrera of the Coalition for Humane Immigrant Rights of Los Angeles (CHIRLA). The hosts urged listeners to leave messages about Cabrera's advocacy of the California DREAM Act, telling them to “congratulate” Cabrera on “his victory,” which they described as “the theft of tax money for illegal aliens.”

Cabrera received hundreds of threatening calls after his phone number was aired.

The Times further reported that “Vons and Ralphs, which have advertised on the show in the past, have agreed to not advertise in the future.”

From the Times:

Verizon and AT&T Wireless have pulled their advertising off KFI's “John and Ken” show in response to a campaign by several Latino groups to drive the controversial radio talk hosts off the air.

Vons and Ralphs, which have advertised on the show in the past, have agreed to not advertise in the future.

The National Hispanic Media Coalition made the announcement during a demonstration Thursday in front of KFI's offices in Burbank.

The campaign to fire John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou began after the duo read the phone number of Jorge-Mario Cabrera, a local immigration rights advocate, on the air. Within minutes, Cabrera, a staff member with the Coalition of Humane Immigration Rights of L.A., reportedly received hundreds of hate-filled calls.

The National Hispanic Media Coalition has written confirmation from the companies, according to Rosalia Tenorio, spokeswoman for the coalition, which was the lead player in organizing the demonstration.