Ant vs. Elephant (March/April 2007)

Ant: Spocko, a self-described "fifth-tier" hobby blogger who lives in San Francisco

Elephant: Disney/ABC-owned KSFO-AM, a conservative San Francisco radio station

Beef (Ant): Content aired by KSFO-AM crossed the line of acceptable speech, becoming hate speech. In one case, KSFO's host Lee Rodgers suggests that a protester be "stomped to death right there. Just stomp their bleeping guts out." In another clip, host Brian Sussman tells a caller: "I would take it that you're probably Muslim." "No," the caller said, "I'm independent." "Why don't you right now say Allah is a whore and that would prove it to me," Sussman said.

Beef (KSFO-AM): Spocko is violating copyright law by posting audio clips of shows on his blog and sending them to the station’s advertisers. Advertisers like Bank of America and Mastercard eventually pulled their sponsorship because of the negative publicity.

Politics (Ant): KSFO-AM hosts must be held accountable for their hate mongering

Politics (KSFO-AM): If hate speech sells and increases ratings, why not?

Weapons (ant): One person with a computer and an Internet
hookup

Weapons (KSFO-AM): The threat of a copyright lawsuit

Oh SNAP! (ant): Spocko thinks it would be dangerous to dismiss the comments on KSFO as the sort of ratings-boosting hyperbole endemic to talk radio. "It's entertainment until somebody is attacked," Spocko said. "Until it crosses the line, which I think this does."

Oh SNAP! (KSFO-AM): KSFO-AM host Melanie Morgan said: "Yes, this is a freedom of speech issue," she said. "But he's trying to take away my livelihood, and I'm not trying to take away his."

Conclusion:
Spocko’s blog is still up at www.spockosbrain.com, thanks to the help of attorney friends with the Electronic Frontier Foundation, a non-profit dedicated to protecting digital freedom.

Source: SF Chronicle, January 11, 2007