Illegal Immigration, New Jersey 101.5 FM, Talk Radio, 'La Cuca Gotcha'

LA CUCA STUNTA

Shock Jocks Succeed In Gaining Attention







Proving just how easy it can be to raise the ire of advocacy groups for fun and profit, a pair of New Jersey- based shock jocks are under fire over a headline- generating stunt.

After Hispanic activist organizations learned of "La Cuca Gotcha", a campaign cooked up by New Jersey 101.5 jocks Craig Carton and Ray Rossi (known as the "Jersey Guys"), they quickly denounced the pair.

"La Cuca Gotcha" encourages listeners to report suspected illegal aliens to either the station or federal authorities.

New Jersey 101.5 is a highly- rated non- political FM talk station catering to younger listeners.

From NorthJersey.com:

Hispanics steamed by shock radio stunt


Thursday, March 22, 2007

By ELIZABETH LLORENTE
STAFF WRITER


Hispanic political and community leaders are up in arms over a New Jersey radio show that is exhorting listeners to report suspected illegal immigrants to 101.5 FM or federal authorities.

The leaders say the radio station's campaign -- named "La Cuca Gotcha" -- is clearly anti-Hispanic and may encourage racial profiling and other bias incidents against Hispanics.

"It's a despicable campaign and clearly slanted at Hispanics," said Assemblyman Wilfredo Caraballo. "The campaign describes us as bugs that have to be stamped out."

Hispanics, including some from North Jersey, are demanding that the station end the on-air campaign, and that the hosts -- Craig Carton and Ray Rossi, aka "The Jersey Guys" -- apologize publicly to New Jersey's Hispanics.

Carton, who along with Rossi has been mired in other controversies, said the campaign is not anti-Hispanic and that they want listeners to help authorities track down illegal immigrants "of any origin."

Caraballo, a Democrat, said the campaign "encourages a vigilante movement against illegal immigrants, or people who look different."

Hispanic leaders plan to voice their concerns at a news conference today at Caraballo's district office in Newark.

Caraballo said he plans to obtain a list of the show's sponsors and ask Hispanics to boycott their products if the hosts don't apologize and end the campaign.

In a letter he wrote to the station, Caraballo said the campaign uses a slogan -- "La Cuca Gotcha" -- that "insults the Hispanic community through a play on the Spanish word for cockroach – "cucaracha."

In an e-mail to The Record, Carton said the campaign focuses on a valid concern – illegal immigration – and encourages listeners to help through legitimate channels.

"Any suggestion that this is motivated by racism is a crock and offensive," he said. "We have never condoned any type of violence or other immoral act against illegal immigrants. We have nothing against Hispanics at all and have never suggested that the only illegal immigrants in New Jersey are Hispanic."

Carton also dismissed speculation among Hispanic leaders that the campaign was a ratings ploy. "I don't need any more attention nor help with the ratings," Carton said of the well-known show.

While your Radio Equalizer supports immigration reform, including a far- reaching crackdown on illegal aliens, cheap stunts by semiliterate FM shock jocks only undermines this cause.

And if it didn't generate free press coverage, these guys wouldn't spend two minutes dealing with the issue.

So why write about it here? Your Radio Equalizer believes it is important to distance legitimate efforts to reform immigration from these childish antics.


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