McDonald's Suspends Advertising On Hot 97

In America, the most powerful pressure comes from those that control economics.

R&R has learned that the fast-food chain's advertising was pulled from CHR/Rhythmic WQHT/New York on Tuesday. The decision was made in the wake of last week's controversial broadcasts that resulted in Emmis' suspending the entire Miss Jones Morning Show team. The controversy erupted over "The Tsunami Song" — a parody that made light of the recent tsunami tragedy in Southeast Asia — and racially charged comments made by team members before airing the song. Lauren Zacardi, a spokeswoman for MWW, the PR representative for McDonald's in the Tri-State area, says, "McDonald's did suspend advertising indefinitely until a big change is made at the station." She says the McDonald's Tri-State operators' group is aware that the morning show is off the air but hasn't decided whether that meets the standard for lifting the ad ban. Zacardi says McDonald's has been a longtime Hot 97 advertiser. Sprint previously confirmed to R&R that it has pulled its advertising from Hot 97 until further notice.