Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles Applauds FOX's Decision on the ``R'' Word.

LOS ANGELES -- Peter Ligouri, President of FOX Broadcasting Network, will lock out the word "retarded" from Fox Productions, according to Lawrence Jacobs, General Counsel of Fox Entertainment Group and News Corp in New York, in a response to the Down Syndrome Association of Los Angeles (DSALA).

Public demand has brought FOX to this decision. The National Down Syndrome Society in New York received phone calls from concerned parents about a promo airing during FOX's top grossing show "American Idol" for the upcoming comedy series "The Loop." The promo included the statement "you have a retarded squirrel look on your face." NDSS alerted Gail Williamson, Executive Director of the DSALA and long-time media advocate for people with disabilities. Williamson contacted Jacobs, who had come to her aid on a previous media issue. Jacobs' concern got the studio to pull the promo, but was told it was too late to re-edit the first episode of "The Loop," due to premiere on Wednesday, March 15th following "American Idol."

The National Down Syndrome Society (NDSS), the National Down Syndrome Congress (NDSC) and the Arc of the U.S. have fought this fight before but never has a studio heard and responded to their concerns with such a definitive response. Jacobs reported that Ligouri felt if the use of the word offended a group of people this much it should be left out of any program they produce. Williamson and the DSALA have been campaigning to keep the word "retarded" from being used in the media to slam someone or something for many years. She reported, "The word exists on the medical charts of over 2 million people worldwide trying to fit into their communities and participating in education, employment, living, worship and recreation opportunities; it is extremely dangerous to use it as a derogatory term. This casual use of the word meant to offend can escalate to isolation, segregation and even abuse of people with intellectual disabilities."

Jon Colman, NDSS Acting Director, applauded Ligouri for this groundbreaking decision. "NDSS is pleased with Fox's response and hopes that other studios and networks will review how their Standards and Practices Departments govern the use of the word as well," said Colman.