• by Tom Siebert , January 8, 2007

Media critic Spocko, whose blog was shut down last week in response to Disney's complaints that he violated its copyright by posting audio files from right-wing San Francisco talk radio station KSFO, is once again online.

Sunday morning, his muckraking blog Spocko's Brain (www.spockosbrain.com), had resurfaced on the Web, hosted by Computer Tyme Web Hosting. What's more, several bloggers from around the world posted the disputed audio files--all but daring Disney to go after them as well.

Last week, Spocko's previous Internet service provider, 1&1 Internet, shuttered the Spocko's Brain blog after Disney ABC Radio complained that the site's posting of audio files of Disney-owned KSFO's morning drive time talk show hosts violated the company's copyright.

Julie Hoover, a spokesperson for Disney subsidiary ABC Radio, declined comment.

The blogosphere rushed to the defense of online media critic Spocko this weekend after his dispute with Disney became public. A multitude of new Web hosts stepped forward to provide access to the disputed KSFO audio files. Disney slapped Spocko's Brain and its ISP, 1&1, with a cease-and-desist letter in late December because of alleged copyright violations against the ABC Radio affiliate.

Spocko says he took the material in question down from his site on Dec. 22; 1&1 says he left the material up, and after a more than a week of warnings, they removed the site completely.

Spocko's Brain had posted dozens of examples of KSFO right-wing talk show hosts spewing vitriol at a variety of politicians, journalists, minorities, and Muslims. At one point, the hosts enact a mock electrocution of New York Times editor Bill Keller in a faulty electric chair, the victim shrieking extensively. Several times they call for the execution of journalists. They demand callers mock Islam. They call themselves "pro torture."

For advertisers, the context can prove jarring. In a surreal moment, the hosts immediately switch from talking about "crushing" an adversarial e-mailer's "cajones" to promoting Brite Smile toothpaste.

Spocko sent letters to KSFO's advertisers, pointing out the potential brand hazards for products associated with the views expressed on the station, and inviting the marketers to listen to program segments via audio files posted on the Spocko's Brain site.

Visa has already stopped advertising on the station, due to the programming. Spocko says that others, including Netflix and Bank of America, also have departed.

It took less than 48 hours for the material Disney tried to keep quiet to go wide. By Friday night, the site Online Blogintegrity linked to zip files of the entire collection of KSFO hate rants, as well as solo links to separate incidents. These links were supported by one of Blogintegrity's seven regular contributors, Iowan Scott Ripley, on his personal site, The Zen Cabin (www.zencabin.com). By Saturday morning, a site in Hong Kong and one with sympathies to the Arab world had added the audio files. By early Saturday afternoon, there were a dozen sites supporting them, including the progressive blog that sparked the first news of Spocko's situation, The Daily Kos.

By late Saturday afternoon, selections were posted on YouTube and the battle to suppress the information was effectively over, with Disney and KSFO the losers.

Late Sunday, Spocko identified himself as P. McNash, a San Francisco area resident and "Star Trek" fan.