With these tactics, one has to wonder if they're related to scientology.
i work A LOT of concerts and i can tell you this--clear channel rules the music/meda world with an iron fist.
tell them we're sick of their shit. BOYCOTT CLEAR CHANNEL
Clear channel boycott
by blackflagsoveramerica Thursday March 27, 2003 at 01:35 AM
shut these fucks down
NY Times Reveals Link Between Clear Channel And Pro-War Rallies
by Arnaud Hubert Tuesday March 25, 2003 at 11:40 PM
Media conglomerate Clear Channel, which operates many radio stations in the Bay Area, has orchestrated "Rally for America" pro-war demonstrations around the country.
Paul Krugman detailed in his colum in today's
New York Times how Tom Hicks, vice-chairman of Clear Channel Communications, is behind pro-war rallies that have been presented as independent initiatives by local radio stations. Interestingly enough, most of the stations in question belong to his group, which in the Bay Area owns KMEL-FM, KYLD-FM (Wild 94.9), KABL-AM, KKSF-FM, KISQ-FM (KISS-FM), KUFX-FM (KFOX), KSJO- FM, KIOI-FM (Star 101.3) and KLDZ-FM (Channel 104.9).
This is hardly surprising, considering Premiere Radio Networks, Inc., a subsidiary of Clear Channel Worldwide, publicized last week "Glenn Beck's Rallies for American Troops". Premiere Radio Networks also syndicates Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura's programs across the country.
Like many other media outlets, Clear Channel offers war coverage, particularly thanks to Houston-based KTRH-AM reporter Aaron Katersky, who is currently embedded with the Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 533.
See also Salon's coverage of Clear Channel for more.
Clear Channel Inc., who owns over 1200 radio stations in the U.S., is
sponsoring pro-war rallies across the country. The article is a few days
old and more have been planned since. They also own or run numerous
large performance venues in the U.S. and U.K. including: SF's Warfield
and Fillmore, Shoreline Amphitheatre, Chronicle Pavillion, and the Greek
Theater in Berkeley.
Boycott their radio stations and venues and call or email your local stations.
Please forward this . . . .
For a list of Clear Channel venues see:
http://www.clearchannel.com/entertainment/venue.php For radio stations see:
http://www.clearchannel.com/radio/search.php Clear Channel Sponsoring Pro-War Rallies:
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/0319-01.htm Published on Wednesday, March 19, 2003 by the Chicago Tribune
Media Giant's Rally Sponsorship Raises Questions
by Tim Jones
Some of the biggest rallies this month have endorsed President Bush's
strategy against Saddam Hussein, and the common thread linking most of them
is Clear Channel Worldwide Inc., the nation's largest owner of radio
stations.
In a move that has raised eyebrows in some legal and journalistic circles,
Clear Channel radio stations in Atlanta, Cleveland, San Antonio, Cincinnati
and other cities have sponsored rallies attended by up to 20,000 people. The
events have served as a loud rebuttal to the more numerous but generally
smaller anti-war rallies.
The sponsorship of large rallies by Clear Channel stations is unique among
major media companies, which have confined their activities in the war
debate to reporting and occasionally commenting on the news. The San
Antonio-based broadcaster owns more than 1,200 stations in 50 states and the
District of Columbia.
While labor unions and special interest groups have organized and hosted
rallies for decades, the involvement of a big publicly regulated
broadcasting company breaks new ground in public demonstrations.
"I think this is pretty extraordinary," said former Federal Communications
Commissioner Glen Robinson, who teaches law at the University of Virginia.
"I can't say that this violates any of a broadcaster's obligations, but it
sounds like borderline manufacturing of the news."
A spokeswoman for Clear Channel said the rallies, called "Rally for
America," are the idea of Glenn Beck, a Philadelphia talk show host whose
program is syndicated by Premier Radio Networks, a Clear Channel subsidiary.
'Just patriotic rallies'
A weekend rally in Atlanta drew an estimated 20,000 people, with some
carrying signs reading "God Bless the USA" and other signs condemning France
and the group Dixie Chicks, one of whose members recently criticized
President Bush.
"They're not intended to be pro-military. It's more of a thank you to the
troops. They're just patriotic rallies," said Clear Channel spokeswoman Lisa
Dollinger.
Rallies sponsored by Clear Channel radio stations are scheduled for this
weekend in Sacramento, Charleston, S.C., and Richmond, Va. Although Clear
Channel promoted two of the recent rallies on its corporate Web site,
Dollinger said there is no corporate directive that stations organize
rallies.
"Any rallies that our stations have been a part of have been of their own
initiative and in response to the expressed desires of their listeners and
communities," Dollinger said.
Clear Channel is by far the largest owner of radio stations in the nation.
The company owned only 43 in 1995, but when Congress removed many of the
ownership limits in 1996, Clear Channel was quickly on the highway to radio
dominance. The company owns and operates 1,233 radio stations (including six
in Chicago) and claims 100 million listeners. Clear Channel generated about
20 percent of the radio industry's $16 billion in 2001 revenues.
Size sparks criticism
The media giant's size also has generated criticism. Some recording artists
have charged that Clear Channel's dominance in radio and concert promotions
is hurting the recording industry. Congress is investigating the effects of
radio consolidation. And the FCC is considering ownership rule changes,
among them changes that could allow Clear Channel to expand its reach.
Sen. Russell Feingold (D-Wis.) has introduced a bill that could halt further
deregulation in the radio industry and limit each company's audience share
and percent of advertising dollars. These measures could limit Clear
Channel's meteoric growth and hinder its future profitability.
Jane Kirtley, a professor of media ethics and law at the University of
Minnesota, said the company's support of the Bush administration's policy
toward Iraq makes it "hard to escape the concern that this may in part be
motivated by issues that Clear Channel has before the FCC and Congress."
Dollinger denied there is a connection between the rallies and the company's
pending regulatory matters.
Rick Morris, an associate professor of communications at Northwestern
University, said these actions by Clear Channel stations are a logical
extension of changes in the radio industry over the last 20 years, including
the blurring of lines between journalism and entertainment.
From a business perspective, Morris said, the rallies are a natural fit for
many stations, especially talk-radio stations where hosts usually espouse
politically conservative views.
"Nobody should be surprised by this," Morris said.
In 1987 the FCC repealed the Fairness Doctrine, which required broadcasters
to cover controversial issues in their community and to do so by offering
balancing views. With that obligation gone, Morris said, "radio can behave
more like newspapers, with opinion pages and editorials."
"They've just begun stretching their legs, being more politically active,"
Morris said.