May 22, 2014
The radio shock jock days of Howard Stern, Opie & Anthony and The Greaseman are long gone. Corporate radio has a zero tolerance for over-the-top offensive comments as an Entercom morning show duo found out yesterday. After making anit-transgender comments, the morning team of Kimberly and Beck (pictured here), heard on 98.9 The BUZZ in Rochester, are now jobless. The city of Rochester’s new heath care policy will allow city employees to receive services related to gender-reassignment surgery. That didn’t sit well with the hosts and they went on a 12-minute rant in opposition. They were suspended Wednesday and fired today. Entercom Rochester GM Sue Munn issued a statement about the incident.
“This morning Entercom fired Kimberly and Beck effective immediately. Their hateful comments against the transgender community do not represent our station or our company. We deeply apologize to the transgender community, the community of Rochester, and anyone else who was offended by their comments. We are proud of our past work on behalf of the local LGBT community and we remain committed to that partnership.”
The pressure came on fast and furious from the gay, lesbian, and transgender community in Rochester who wanted the station to take swift action, which clearly it did. In the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Coordinator of Outreach with the Susan B. Anthony Center for Women’s Leadership and Chair of the Pride Alliance at the University of Rochester John Cullen said, “Entercom radio was very swift in their response and I think it demonstrates that the station supports and affirms the LGBT community.” An online petition at change.org quickly accumulated over 4,000 signatures to have them fired.
This absolutely disgraceful. How dare they speak their minds about something so sick as gender reassignment. It’s disgusting. It’s wrong.