Clear Channel Chairman Stepping Down/StopRush Gathers Momentum

[kpete]

Mar 27, 2013, 10:59am CDT
Mark Mays to step down as chairman of Clear Channel’s board

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This week media giant Clear Channel Communications revealed that its Chairman of the Board (and son of the company's founder) Mark Mays will be leaving his position in May.

It's been a very rough year for Clear Channel. Their right wing radio golden boy Rush Limbaugh has been battered by the StopRush movement through the efforts of activist groups like Flush Rush Facebook. Last month, Clear Channel reported losses of $424 million for 2012. The media company has been firing employees throughout the past year in an effort to stop the hemorrhaging, to no avail.


http://www.bizjournals.com/sanantonio/blog/2013/03/mark-mays-to-step-down-as-chairman-of.html
http://www.dailykos.com/story/2013/03/28/1197547/-Clear-Channel-Chairman-Stepping-Down-StopRush-Gathers-Momentum

[orwell]

1. Of course you fire the "little people"...

and even the Chairman of the Board...

before you would ever remove the tumor known as Rush.

Nice business decisions...

[BlueStreak]

43. Well, their problems aren't just about Rush

In reality they have been at the forefront of "Wal*mart-ising" radio for years. The theory was that you could outsource local production of radio programs to third world places like Georgia and Florida. You could have a building full of right-to-work-cheap people acting like they were actually in each local market and there would be no consequences.

Well, there are consequences. You might argue that some of this is inevitable, like the end of printed newspapers and magazines.

I bet they look upon Limbaugh as the the least of their problems -- after all, he is still on the air in lots of markets and still sells enough advertising to be profitable - but maybe not under Limbaugh's current contract, which pays him $50M a year through 2016.
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/03/business/media/03radio.html?_r=0

I don't know if his contract is contingent on advertising revenues, but it seems certain that a big reckoning is coming in 2016. Maybe he will decide that is a good time to retire, because if he takes a cut of 80%, for example, (which would still be a very healthy $10M a year), that would hurt his brand and ego. And really, how much money does anybody need?

[still_one]

2. couldn't happen to a nicer company, I hope clear channel goes under for all the damage they caused

by allowing their hate radio to pollute the country

[MynameisBlarney]

3. Agreed.

And also for ruining regular radio.
The format is the same no matter where you go..

[BillStein]

4. and worst of all

replacing local broadcasts with syndicated shows, like that horrible delilah woman

[MynameisBlarney]

12. There was a kerfluffle

here a few years ago with some of the local radio show hosts getting shit-canned after clear channel took over.
They have now started their own radio show on one of the few non clear channel stations left in the Keys.

[mac56]

16. BS. I work in small market radio.

You belie your ignorance.

[xtraxritical]

19. Hey Mac - There's no need to call people "ignorant" because you think you

have a better grasp of a subject.

[MynameisBlarney]

21. How very nice for you.

You know, you could try to correct people without insulting them right off the bat.
And anyway, nowhere in my OP did I imply that no small market stations exist anymore.

[mac56]

24. Apologies.

See below, responded to the wrong post. Seems I'm the ignorant one!

[mac56]

23. I apologize.

This struck a nerve, I guess. We work hard to not be what I thought was being implied.

Apologies again.

[datasuspect]

5. the damage they've done to radio in general

let alone the hate radio.

that's why there is precious little regional variation in radio anymore.

free form FM formats? what's that?

[mac56]

17. See above.

Free form FM is alive and well in small market radio.

[Buddyblazon]

25. Do you want to give any type

of explanation? Or are you the type that is smug about people not knowing about YOUR industry? Because from someone that works in the music industry...I have zero idea of what you are talking about.

I've been in production (currently a production manager for a major venue in this town) for 16 years. I'm neither smug nor vague about what goes on in my industry when people ask. I feel it's my chance to inform.

I certainly don't just tell people around me discussing my industry, "you're wrong". And if I was arrogant enough to do that, at least I would tell them why they were wrong.

[MynameisBlarney]

26. Do you work for clear channel?

or an independent station?

[mac56]

29. Seems I'm shaking the walls of the china shop today.

Once again, I apologize. I didn't intent to insult, demean, or come across as smug. I guess even we in the communications industry have trouble communicating sometime.

I manage an independent, family-owned, small-market station midway between three metropolitan markets. We strive to be inclusive and reflective of all viewpoints, "fair and balanced" if you will. It's not easy. The influence of the Clear Channel stations in the bigger markets have poisoned the waters for we independents.

And we maintain our free-form FM format, again in deference to the homogeneity being pumped out by the big boys. Broadcasting often becomes "narrow-casting" in their world, and we set out to do things very differently.

[MynameisBlarney]

33. Dude, no worries.

Shit happens.
All that matters is that now we know where we both stand, and it is on the same side.

[mac56]

34. thanks

Add on edit: The survival of stations like ours is becoming more and more uncertain.

[MynameisBlarney]

40. I stopped listneing to commercial radio

years before I stopped watching tv. Though it was basically for the same reasons.
Never what I wanted to hear, and the commercials are insulting.

Is your station on the internets?

[mac56]

46. Sadly, no, for many of the reasons I've already touched on.

When a terrestrial station streams on the Internet, the music royalties increase by an order of magnitude. The big boys with deeper pockets spread the added cost across all their stations, and/or pass it along to their advertisers. Our advertisers are primarily mom'n'pop businesses, like we are, so couldn't easily take the hit. Besides, it's not a "value added" if the ad for their Main Street hardware store can be heard by someone streaming the signal halfway across the globe!

Small-market broadcasting is a different world, and it's understandable why it's (unfortunately) moving toward extinction.

[MynameisBlarney]

52. Ooohh

Damn, I didn't realize that was how that worked.

[mac56]

54. We carry local prep sports games, lots of them.

If a local team goes to the state championship, occasionally we have streamed the signal over our website. Listeners from all over the world have followed the games that way.

We have to be very, very scrupulous about the background "music beds" we use on the ads we play at those times. If it's generic "production music" that we've already paid for, we're in the clear. But if it's a few bars of "Layla" or Leo Kottke or George Benson, we have to re-record the ad with different bed music or none at all to avoid the astronomical royalties. Not easy!

[Buddyblazon]

35. Thank you for the explanation...

and I believe Clear Channel has done a great disservice to radio and music. I hope Independents can make some headway on gaining back a portion of radio. Music needs it.

[MynameisBlarney]

41. Clear Channel can kiss my butt

And yes, music definitely needs to be rid of Clear Channel.

[datasuspect]

58. not everyone lives in bumfuck egypt though

chicago radio - pure shit.

get about 100 miles west, there's some good AM stations, but you're mostly still looking at greatest hits of the 60s, 70s, and the 80s/JACK radio and its variants/and autotune pop/hip hop/modern country.

houston is pretty cool though, last time i was there, they had an oldies country station on FM

[mac56]

59. I wouldn't worry about it.

I have a feeling you'll ALWAYS be welcome in Bumfuck Egypt.

[datasuspect]

60. i live in bumfuck egypt

its technically in the chicago MSA though. it's right around where chicago stations start to fade (under certain atmospheric conditions).

40 years ago, it was "out of town" now it's an exurb.

i couldn't figure out if you was being a wiseass, but i'll treat you neighborly just the same.

if you were being a wiseass - try harder. i'll teach you for $40 and a six pack of old style.

[iandhr]

13. I still feel for the folks who lost their jobs though.

[Spartacus Maximus XL]

6. That is good news.

I hope Rush and all that heat filled talk radio, including Glenn Beck and Laura Ingraham and specially that knucklehead Sean Hannity all go away permanently. I would also be happy to see clear channel fold, along with all of the commercial radio stations who have the same terrible and repetitive music formats. I have Satellite radio and so never have to listen to that crap, anyway.

[bluedigger]

7. RNC probably needs a new director of communications.

"probably"...

What the hell am I thinking?

[DebJ]

8. I didn't know Clear Channel was bought by Bain Capital.

Makes it even more fun to watch them bleed money.

[Cracklin Charlie]

9. Lost 424M even after firing employees for a year?

That's huge!

They could have saved a lot more money by firing one big mouth employee.

[BlueCaliDem]

51. True. But Corporate America likes them sum Rush. Keeps the unwashed masses divided

which is good for their bottom line. That's the only reason why Hate-Radio dominates the airwaves, backed by multi-national, billion-dollar corporations. They might not make big bucks funding $50 million dollar a year contracts for that stain on American society, but they get it through huge tax breaks and government money from congresscritters that voters who have been poisoned enough elect to power; money that would otherwise flow to the people who need it the most.

A united people is dangerous to fascists and their bottom lines, dontcha know.

[mac56]

57. Some parts of corporate America like Limbaugh. Advertisers, though, dislike controversy.

Unfortunately, though, they also dislike "rocking the boat" and speaking out against him. (That constitutes its own form of controversy.)

Sometimes, though, a tipping point is reached. Sponsors spoke out loudly about Limbaugh's racist BS and led to ABC/ESPN dumping him as a commentator on NFL football.

[Lil Missy]

10. mark for later

[samsingh]

11. splendid. the market forces have said that you are a waste of an organization

[Myrina]

14. The only employee they need to fire to 'stop the hemmoraghing' is Rush.

They can't see that??

[Jackpine Radical]

44. They can't fire Rush et al.

They're their raison d'être.

Clear Channel doesn't exist just to make money for itself (although it had better!). It exists to pump vitriol into the national body politick.

[WillyT]

15. K & R !!!

[DissidentVoice]

18. Not just Limbaugh

Not just Limbaugh, but hate radio/TV (Beck, Hannity, Levin, Savage etc) has been one of the primary poisoners of the well of political discourse over the past 20-odd years.

[loudsue]

20. I'm surprised the Koch brothers haven't bought Clear Channel

That's prolly their next coup.

[appleannie1]

22. Firing the wrong people is not good business practice.

[L0oniX]

27. Clear Channel killed local music air time. Fuck them. Die quickly assholes!

[fitman]

30. Old geezers listen to talk radio

and they are dying off. More people listening to stuff like Sirius, heck even online-Youtube etc..

I predict Limbaugh will one day go satellite or conservatives will start their own radio communications "empire"

Thinking about it further, Limbaugh will not go down with the ship..he will retire while still on top for history sake- he wants his legacy to show he was the "king"

[grandpamike1]

37. Nope

That title will always be Howard Stern's.

[Ford_Prefect]

31. Clear Channel is a propaganda machine like FOX news. It was never based on listener interest.

That is also the principle reason for its present condition.

[Jackpine Radical]

45. GMTA. nt

[maindawg]

32. clear channel is learning

that their business model does not work. Without the muscle to go with the propaganda, the propaganda is ineffective. No matter if you own all the radio stations, no one has to listen.
Rush is a pig. He has done a considerable amount of damage to our republic and indeed to the world in general. He belongs in prison along with the criminals he works for. History will not be kind.

But it was Reagon who destroyed the American way of life. It was GE who gave us Reagon. Always remember it was GE. Check the maker , and boycott GE every chance you get.

[grandpamike1]

36. A list of current

advertisers has to be made here and at other progressive web sites and letters to them need to be written. Maybe we can double the losses of last year at Clear Channel.

[OldDem2012]

38. Remember what Clear Channel did to the Dixie Chicks and the ant-war movement in 2003?.....

Music, money and war: Dixie Chicks vs. Clear Channel

But like the rest of us poor and peace-loving people, the Chicks are under attack for their principled honesty. When lead singer Natalie Maines said to a packed and roaring crowd at a London concert, “Just so you know, we’re ashamed that the president of the United States is from Texas,” it was fated that the Chicks would be prime targets for a pro-war assault.

Their subsequent clarifications of their anti-war feelings have landed them in even deeper trouble with the mammoth conglomerate Clear Channel, which controls no less than 60 percent of the nation’s rock music airwaves. The Clear Channel director for two Jacksonville stations said in a press release, “Out of respect for our troops, our city, and our listeners, [we] have taken the Dixie Chicks off our playlists.”

Clear Channel, which is also under congressional investigation spearheaded by Sen. Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.) because of its growing monopoly and the strong-arm tactics that took it to the top, is also a large promoter of war fanaticism around the country. Its stations all over the country have been sponsoring large “patriotic rallies.” According to a Feb. 27 press release the “Rallies for America” are the brainchild of Glenn Beck, a nationally syndicated Clear Channel talk show host, who said, “I want them [the troops] to hear from us, whether we agree or disagree with war, we stand behind them . . . These rallies are intended as a venue for reasonable, thoughtful and prayerful people who want the opportunity to express their support for our troops.”

Yes, it is not surprising that the company, which owns the widely syndicated Rush Limbaugh Show, would also use its control of the media to promote war and squash dissent. A recent Chicago Tribune (3/19) story brought to light the conflicts of interest that Clear Channel has in sponsoring what it calls “patriotic rallies” while censoring the music played on its stations.

What comes around goes around.

[tularetom]

39. I keep hearing this but all I see is "progressive" radio stations flipping formats

Just since January 1, I'm aware of the following:

KPTK Seattle
KJFK Reno
KPOJ Portland
KYNS SLO, CA

All flipped to sports talk or all news. There may be more. Meanwhile I never hear any specifics about Limbaugh going off the air anywhere. I do know that KMJ in Fresno dumped him but he was quickly picked up by some 50 watt station in the area.

I understand that terrestrial radio is in deep shit but so far I see the hit being taken by the "progressive" talkers.

So while I always click on these threads predicting the imminent demise of this bloated pervert, I'll believe it when I actually see it.

[Jackpine Radical]

47. I think Progressive Radio is a very different animal from the RW airwaves.

In particular, progressives don't need to keep getting recharged with outrage, hate and fear. Personally, I listen to Amy Goodman & a few other things once in a while & often find their stuff interesting because it's new information. However, Malloy generally doesn't turn me on because he's too much like a mirror-image of Rush/Hannity/etc. I'm just fine with my online reading for information & don't need the daily cortisol/epinephrine fix.

[freshwest]

50. +1. Also, Rush is still getting tax dollars on Armed Forces Radio.

[SoCalDem]

56. As much as I think sports-radio is "too much", it's still preferable to Rush

The whole "market" is too saturated these days (as is everything).

There was a time when every town of any size had at least 3 radio stations, and local businesses & listeners kept them going , but that was a time before malls & big box capitalism. It was before long commutes to work, and was a time when commercialism stopped at 5:30 pm weekdays, noon on Saturday and closed on Sundays. Radio was the way that small towns kept on top of the goings on. News, sports, weather and local ads...interspersed with music//that was radio.

No more...now it's all cleverly packaged, and aimed for such a specific listener-type.

Guys like Rush are perfect for this type of radio, and as long as they can talk( and are not convicted & jailed) there is no reason to retire.

Right wing radio does not have to be factual or polite.... all it has to do is propadandize and get out the "message". As long as there is a sugar-daddy somewhere who will subsidize it, they will always have a place in radio, even if their listeners drop off..

[Hekate]

42. It is amazing that they are willing to go down with the Titanic

... in the form of Rush Limbaugh. In trying to save him, for whatever cockeyed reason, they are sinking themselves.

[siligut]

53. For now, his message is their whole mission

RW radio needs its heroes.

[Initech]

48. Flush that turd down the drain! He's done.

[EC]

49. Maybe they should fire the one person responsible

instead of all the other employees that have nothing to do with why they are hemorrhaging $$$$'s.

[Blue Owl]

55. Terlit Talk with Flush Dimbulb

n/t