Clear Channel renews bid to ease ownership limits

[Roland99]

http://cnn.netscape.cnn.com/news/story.jsp?id=2005100321110002771388&dt=20051003211100&w=RTR&coview=

WASHINGTON, Oct 3 (Reuters) - Clear Channel Communications Inc. , the biggest U.S. radio station operator, on Monday renewed its call for Congress to ease restrictions on the number of outlets it can own in a market so it can better compete and boost profits.

Clear Channel Chief Executive Mark Mays, citing competition from satellite-delivered subscription radio, proposed that broadcast radio operators be able to own 10 stations instead of eight in markets where there are at least 60 stations and up to 12 stations in markets where at least 75 radio outlets operate.

"Free radio is struggling. The cost of competing with new technologies and increased listener choice is staggering and profits are down," Mays said at a speech to the Progress and Freedom Foundation.

"Specifically free radio needs Congress to relax outdated restrictions on our operations," he said. "Free radio is not asking for much more room."

Waaaaah!!!

[Bluzmann57]

1. Wonder if they ever stopped to think why free radio is suffering

Because it's the same crap all over America. Think I'm wrong? Drive from one market to another sometime and check it out. Recently, I drove to Green Bay, WI and when I got up there, the radio stations were the same thing I left, except no AAR. "Classic Rock" that isn't so classic, "New Rock" which was played over and over again, Top 40 which sucks, right wing and sports talk. There was some local talk, mostly about the Packers, but that was all. So wake up Clear Channel and the other six companies that own all the radio stations in America, we like variety and local stuff.

[Roland99]

2. That was my thought, too.

They've turned radio into a homogeneous product.