Congressman Wilfredo Caraballo has warned Dunkin’ Donuts that if the company does not withdraw its advertisement support from “Jersey Guys,” a Millennium Radio program, Latino communities in New York and New Jersey will boycott their stores.
“We want to show that Latinos have economic power and that we want to exercise that power to demand respect,” Congressman Caraballo (D-Essex) said by phone.
A letter sent on April 20 to Jon Luther, president of Dunkin Brands in Massachusetts, explains that the threat to boycott is to protest “La Cucha Gotcha,” a radio segment that requests that listeners report undocumented immigrant to immigration authorities or to the radio station.
The initial objective of the program was to denounce at least 300 undocumented immigrants before May 5, Mexico’s national holiday. Jersey Guys disk jockeys Craig Carton and Ray Rossi, at WKXW in New Jersey, even discussed the possibility of renting a bus and themselves drive around NJ streets to try and apprehend undocumented immigrants.
In the letter, Caraballo writes that several Latino organizations, as well as New York and New Jersey chambers of commerce, have contacted him to support the boycott if the advertising support is not taken away.
There was no response from Dunkin’ Donuts before press time.
Caraballo is looking to force the withdrawal of advertising support for the program, similarly to what occurred recently with DJ Don Imus. The withdrawal of advertisers resulted in Imus being fired by CBS, after the radio announcer made several racist remarks about the Rutgers women’s basketball team.
ATT announced last week that it would withdraw its support of Jersey Guys. Other advertisers include CVS Pharmacy, Verizon, Acme, Hyundai, Volvo, Fox TV Station, GoodAccountant.com, Sleepy’s, Rockaway Bedding, Rag Shop, PNC Bank and Nissan Parts and Services.
[Immediately after this printing, Dunkin’ Donuts released this statement: “It has come to our attention that Dunkin’ Donuts advertises on Milennium Radio’s ‘Jersey Guys’ program, which is currently running a radio campaign that is not reflective of the views of Dunkin’ Donuts and our commitment to the Hispanic community. Effective immediately, Dunkin’ Donuts has pulled all advertisements from the show.”]
