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Clear Channel asks the FCC to lift limits on station ownership
Clear Channel
The request comes in the form of a 102-page comment to the FCC. In it, Clear Channel attempts to make the case that owning over 800 radio stations as it does is not enough, citing that there are competitors now that did not exist in 1996 when the Telecom Act was enacted that relaxed ownership caps, and sent companies like Clear Channel and others on tremendous buying sprees. Clear Channel points to satellite radio, podcasting and internet radio as competition that wasn’t around 14 years ago. It says “Giving terrestrial radio broadcasters equal treatment by eliminating the local radio ownership caps will enable the industry to remain competitive in the current, unsettled economy and in today’s age of media abundance.” Clear Channel also blames radio’s recent financial meltdown not on the worldwide recession, but instead on increased media competition. It says “the radio industry has experienced significant financial setbacks since 2006. Beginning with the financial meltdown of 2007, the number of bankruptcy filings and lender workouts among terrestrial radio companies, along with other broadcast and print media, has ballooned.” The “Clear Channel Plan” calls for “two new ownership “tiers,” increasing from eight to ten the number of stations a single entity may own in markets with between 55 and 64 stations, and from eight to twelve the number of stations that a single entity may own in markets with 65 or more stations.” it would also “abolish AM/FM subcaps,” and create a system where exemptions can be given to companies that promote diversity. It would also allow “grandfathered” station combinations to be transferred intact without restriction. You can read Clear Channel’s complete comments here.
I don't see this happening under the current administration. They already hate the 8 station cap.
Besides, are CC's finances straight enough to make more major acquisitions? I imagine they would love to have the Citadel properties, for example. But the economy is still slow, and they just sold off a bunch of small market stations.
Major market sticks are a zero sum game. This would open the door for competitors to grow as well.
Other media is the reason no one listens to the cookie cutter stations anymore. And the world is still flat.
It's called personality, it's called community involvement, it was called RADIO.
A while back someone posted a link to a national map that showed the song playing at that instant. I watched for a while and could almost tell who's stations they were, for they were playing the same thing nationwide. Diversity. Don't ja love it!
Just think....if the "big guys" would all fail, the "little guys" could come back and make it competive and proffitable again.
Ah, for the days of one AM, one FM, one TV per market. And a newspaper perhaps.
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lastone wrote:Just think....if the "big guys" would all fail, the "little guys" could come back and make it competive and proffitable again.
Ah, for the days of one AM, one FM, one TV per market. And a newspaper perhaps.
Some seem to think that this is CC's extreme counter-argument to this side.
While consolidation has clearly taken a toll on the industry, I honestly have to wonder if it's economically feasible to go back to the pre-Telcom days... A lot has changed since 1996.
An immediate consequence would be a huge drop in webstreaming/new media investment, which is not good in the long term.
Automation/syndication would still be used --a lot. It already was before the Telcom Act.
Consequently, jobs would still be scarce.
Maybe 10 years ago, but I just don't see it making any difference now...
