Cable TV Station Revamping Ads That Created Stir

Billboards advertising Spanish-language newscasts on KRCA-TV Channel 62 that struck a nerve with opponents of illegal immigration are being changed in an effort to resolve the controversy, the station’s owners said Wednesday.

“Those billboards were never intended to stir up hatred,” said Lenard Liberman, executive vice president of Burbank-based Liberman Broadcasting. He said the decision to change the signs “had to do with the virulent opposition, which included phone threats. We hadn’t intended to stir up racism.”

Liberman said the threats included messages like “ ‘I’m going to come over there and teach you a lesson,’ that sort of stuff.” He said the company had not filed any complaints with police about the threats.

As originally posted, the 75 billboards in Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Bernardino counties showed two newscasters sitting in front of a downtown skyline, with “Los Angeles, CA” printed across the top. The “CA” is crossed out, and “Mexico” is printed in bright red beside the crossed-out letters.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger called the billboards divisive, saying they promoted illegal immigration. Other critics agreed.

“I think it’s irresponsible corporate citizenship to be promoting that type of message,” said Daryl Jurbala, a spokesman for Americans for Legal Immigration, an anti-illegal immigration group based in North Carolina. “I don’t think it’s responsible for anyone to encourage or reward or try to make illegal immigrants feel welcome.”

Someone draped an American flag over the “Mexico” on a billboard in Fullerton, and radio station KFI-AM (640) posted a billboard of its own on Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks that reads: “Just to clarify, you are here,” with an arrow pointing to “Los Angeles, CA USA.” The radio station’s billboard concludes, “Gracias, KFI AM 640.”

“I never thought for a moment that those billboards would generate such a controversy,” Liberman said of the cable Channel 62 ads. The advertising campaign was designed to tie the station’s news shows closer to their Spanish-speaking audience in the city, he said.

Liberman said replacement signs will show the newscasters in front of the skyline, without the printing at the top. Beside and below the newscasters, as on the original billboards, will be the words “Noticias 62” -- News 62 -- and “Tu Ciudad. Tu Equipo” -- Your City. Your Team.