Brief Spocko Story
Two years ago today was the famous "Get Spocko" day on KSFO. For people unfamiliar with the story below are a few links to fill you in.
I objected to the violent rhetoric from the hosts on ABC Radio station KSFO. I contacted the advertisers with audio clips so they could hear for themselves. ABC Radio Disney had my blog shut down with a meritless copyright claim. They did not want the advertisers to hear what the hosts were saying and what the sponsors were paying for so instead of telling the hosts to knock off the violent rhetoric, the station management threatened to sue me "for everything I've got".
The Electronic Frontier Foundation defended me and pointed out my use of audio clips to alert the advertisers to what the hosts were saying was fair use.
As Matt Zimmerman from the EFF said, "While such radio personalities certainly have a right to air their views, the First Amendment says nothing about a right to advertiser-subsidized speech."
The courts have since ruled in favor of bloggers' fair use of audio clips in this fashion. Sadly, I now expect privacy invasion and more character assassination from KSFO. This is their preferred method rather than addressing their own hosts' attacks on companies, groups or individuals.
By January 2007 28 advertisers, including Bank of American, Fed Ex, Master Card, The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, had pulled their ads when they decided that they didn't want to be associated with these hosts. Many companies own internal advertising policies don't support this kind of violent rhetoric.
The first big blog post from Mike Stark at Daily Kos
Excellent coverage from Media Post Tom Siebert (link)
Online Blogintegrity (link) Link to some of the offensive audio clip from KSFO hosts
SF Chronicle (link)
New York Times (link)
SF Bay Guardian (link)
CBS KPIX 5 (video link)
Guardian in the UK (link)
Pushing Rope has a great collection of stories (link)
I objected to the violent rhetoric from the hosts on ABC Radio station KSFO. I contacted the advertisers with audio clips so they could hear for themselves. ABC Radio Disney had my blog shut down with a meritless copyright claim. They did not want the advertisers to hear what the hosts were saying and what the sponsors were paying for so instead of telling the hosts to knock off the violent rhetoric, the station management threatened to sue me "for everything I've got".
The Electronic Frontier Foundation defended me and pointed out my use of audio clips to alert the advertisers to what the hosts were saying was fair use.
As Matt Zimmerman from the EFF said, "While such radio personalities certainly have a right to air their views, the First Amendment says nothing about a right to advertiser-subsidized speech."
The courts have since ruled in favor of bloggers' fair use of audio clips in this fashion. Sadly, I now expect privacy invasion and more character assassination from KSFO. This is their preferred method rather than addressing their own hosts' attacks on companies, groups or individuals.
By January 2007 28 advertisers, including Bank of American, Fed Ex, Master Card, The Michigan Economic Development Corporation, had pulled their ads when they decided that they didn't want to be associated with these hosts. Many companies own internal advertising policies don't support this kind of violent rhetoric.
The first big blog post from Mike Stark at Daily Kos
Excellent coverage from Media Post Tom Siebert (link)
Online Blogintegrity (link) Link to some of the offensive audio clip from KSFO hosts
SF Chronicle (link)
New York Times (link)
SF Bay Guardian (link)
CBS KPIX 5 (video link)
Guardian in the UK (link)
Pushing Rope has a great collection of stories (link)
3 Comments:
Spocko, you are an Internet legend and more importantly a person of conscience. I support you and always will. (Take some time to enjoy life too - you owe yourself that)
Keep up the good work, Spocko!
I was proud to have played a role in it. I can't believe it's been 2 years! Where does the time go? We definitely need to get together. I'll contact you tomorrow.
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