Re: the latest article about Clear Channel

[Donna Halper <dlh@donnahalper.com>]

>Mike wrote--
>Maybe updating their business model to more accurately reflecct the 
>digital age of music distribution and paying artists what they're worth 
>would solve their problems, not whining and complaining  about a company 
>that's looking out for it's best interests.

I appreciate Mike's eloquent defence of Clear Channel, much of which I 
snipped in the interest of brevity.  I never said (nor do I think Eric 
Boehlert said) that CC is the ONLY villain in this piece.  But, just as 
Enron and WorldCom have come to symbolise corporate greed, so I believe 
some of CC's practises, while legal, were perceived as vicious and 
heavy-handed.  You say in your post that they did nothing wrong.  I say 
they drove many good people out of the industry, and permitted an 
environment of sexual harrassment at several of their stations, in addition 
to expecting one PD to run 5 stations at no additional pay and with no 
additional help.  Yes, they had a right to do what they did, but was it 
right to do what they did?  I say not always.  And I say that the 
destruction of local radio and the decline in time spent listening, while 
not solely the fault of Clear Channel, has come about because the 
conglomerates that bought up the majority of the stations cared more about 
making a buck than serving the public.

And Mike,  I am not being sarcastic in my praise for what you said when you 
were defending CC-- I really do think you made some good points, and I 
don't agree with everything in Eric's articles either.  However, it is 
facile to excuse a company's actions by saying "hey this is how business is 
done today, so get used to it."  Radio is at a cross-roads, it seems to 
me.  I hope the era of corporate greed is replaced by prudent managers who 
know how to run stations effectively but who also know that making a profit 
shouldn't mean you treat your employees like disposable parts or ignore the 
needs of your audience.  Just my opinion, but of course I could be wrong...