Re: Why Lower Power?

[Garrett Wollman <wollman>]

<<On Mon, 28 Jan 2002 09:10:27 -0800 (PST), Rick Fortunata <rickyfortunata@yahoo.com> said:

> So maybe their sacrificing the weaker formats to
> increase power in the stronger ones. What about the
> ability to purchase new stations in that or an
> adjacent market? Could they be doing this to buy even
> more stations in Bangor and/or Augusta?

Clear Channel is well-known for playing allocation games with their
properties.  It is in theory not permitted to reduce the service area
of a station simply in order to avoid ownership restrictions.
However, I'd be surprised if the Powell FCC gave a whit about that (or
had any notion of the meaning of ``public interest, convenience, and
necessity''), and even if they did, Lowry's Boys are politically very
well-connected with the current administration.

-GAWollman