The Boston Globe reports that at least “some sponsors at Boston’s WTKK-FM radio station have stopped advertising and balked about whether to resume their ads if the station reinstates Jay Severin, the talk show host suspended last week for derogatory comments about Mexicans.”
Severin is said to be in talks with the station about returning to the air, and his agent expects he will be back on his afternoon drive-time show soon.
Severin was suspended after calling Mexicans “criminaliens,”leeches,” “the world’s lowest of primitives,” and exporters of “women with mustaches and VD.”
His remarks caused at least a few advertisers to pull ads , such as The Retailers Association of Massachusetts, which planned to broadcast 25 commercial spots over two weeks in protest of a proposed hike in the state’s sales tax.
“If he comes back on, we’re not spending any money with him,” said Will Keyser, a spokesman for the Retailers Association. “We don’t want to be associated with him. This guy is very controversial right now. He said some things we don’t want to be associated with.”
Another company’s advertising plans with the station were said by a spokesperson to be “in a holding pattern.”
“If the situation is rectified correctly — an apology and a retraction of his statement would be appropriate – I would consider advertising with him again,” he said. “There’s no need for any racism, and we don’t want to offend a group of people. I am waiting to hear from the station about their plans.”
“Jay remains suspended indefinitely,” station spokeswoman Heidi Raphael noted. “We have no further comment.”
