Clear Channel Radio Update

Clear Channel Radio Update

Yesterday I participated in another conference call with League of
American Bicyclists Executive Director Elissa Margolin and
Communications Director Patrick McCormick, as well as other cyclist
advocates involved in the Clear Channel issue. The League
representatives met in person with John Hogan, CEO of Clear Channel
Radio, to discuss the issue and how to move forward constructively.
Let it suffice to say that CC is very embarrassed by the actions of
its DJs and by all of the negative publicity the company has received.
They appear very serious about wanting to prevent this from ever
happening again, and about making things right by promoting safe
cycling through their media channels.

Below are a few news items providing more information.

-Steve Goodridge
VP, North Carolina Bicycle Club

---------------------------------------
Bike League News:
LEAGUE AND CLEAR CHANNEL RESOLVE CYCLISTS' CONCERNS

In a letter to Elissa Margolin, the League's Executive Director, John
Hogan, President and CEO of Clear Channel Radio, said, "the comments
made by Clear Channel Radio stations in Cleveland, Houston, and
Raleigh were inappropriate and intolerable ... As CEO of Clear Channel
Radio, I do not support or condone the anti-cyclists messages and have
taken steps to insure they do not occur again." The letter was written
following a November 5 meeting between Margolin and Hogan at Clear
Channel's headquarters in San Antonio, TX. Hogan and Margolin
discussed ways in which the company could work with the bicycling
community to promote safe bicycling and sharing the road and agreed to
meet in early 2004 to review progress and chart next steps. Margolin
said, "The League is pleased with the response from Clear Channel
Radio. The comments broadcast on stations in Cleveland, Houston, and
Raleigh were indeed egregious, but the company's redress has been
aggressive and the measures taken to prevent any reoccurrence are
heartening. CEO John Hogan has clearly demonstrated that any
programming that endangers cyclists will not be tolerated and we
applaud his leadership on this issue. We are particularly pleased that
Clear Channel will work with the bicycling community to help make
America's roads safer for everyone." Martha Roskowski, America Bikes
Campaign Manager, and Sue Knaup, Thunderhead Alliance Executive
Director, both expressed their support for Clear Channel's statement.
Knaup said, "I look forward to building this important partnership
with one of America's leading media companies to help promote safe
bicycling in America's communities and to encourage motorists and
cyclists to share the road."


The letter can be found online as a scanned image at
http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/clear_channel.pdf

--------------------------------------------
Clear Channel moves to woo bicyclists
Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO - Clear Channel Communications has joined forces with the
League of American Bicyclists to promote cycling.

That's after some on-air personalities at Clear Channel radiostations
had suggested mayhem against bicyclists.

In recent months, broadcasts in Houston, Cleveland and Raleigh, N.C.,
included suggestions to throw bottles at riders, hit them with open
car doors and blast horns. Listeners called in to agree, vent and
share stories.

In announcing the alliance on Thursday, officials for the nation's
largest radio group said they will tolerate no more anti-bicyclist
rhetoric by its disc jockeys.

"We look forward to a very productive partnership with this important
organization, focused on promoting safe conditions for bicyclists,"
John Hogan, president of the company's 1,200-station radio division,
said in an e-mail.

Representatives with American Bicyclists, which represents more than
300,000 riders, met with officials at Clear Channel's San Antonio
headquarters Wednesday to air concerns about "shock jocks" encouraging
motorists to harass cyclists.

Clear Channel said the comments were not meant to be serious. The
company has issued an apology and has disciplined some employees,
including firing a Houston producer.

Also, all three stations have since started running public service
announcements to educate drivers about bicycle safety.

Clear Channel stations have promoted or helped sponsor bicycling
events for years - more than 100 since 2002.

The company even had a team of riders in this year's Bike to the Beach
ride from San Antonio to Corpus Christi to raise money for the
Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The cycling group and company officials intend to meet again early
next year to discuss further steps.

"Steven Goodridge" wrote in message
om...
Clear Channel Radio Update
snip

I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so
could someone clue me in . . . was it pure coincidence that DJs in three
pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly anti-cyclis messages at
around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the
tune of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC
brass? I'm guessing that that is an extreme depiction of the situation,
but could someone set me straight?

Brendon

In article ,
says...
"Steven Goodridge" wrote in message
om...
Clear Channel Radio Update
snip

I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so
could someone clue me in . . . was it pure coincidence that DJs in three
pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly anti-cyclis messages at
around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the
tune of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC
brass? I'm guessing that that is an extreme depiction of the situation,
but could someone set me straight?

I think it's more likely that one DJ contacted his friends at other
stations directly and said something to the effect of "my listeners
loved my anti-bike jokes". I doubt even an organization as clueless
as Clear Channel would send a corporate suggestion like that. I could
be wrong, though!

--
Dave Kerber
Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Brendon wrote:
Clear Channel Radio Update
snip

I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so
could someone clue me in . . . was it pure coincidence that DJs in three
pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly anti-cyclis messages at
around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the
tune of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC
brass? I'm guessing that that is an extreme depiction of the situation,
but could someone set me straight?

Maybe all the guilty parties hang out on alt.dj.pranks.and.idiots.

--Karen M.

"Brendon M. Troy" wrote
I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so
could someone clue me in . . . was it pure coincidence that DJs in three
pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly anti-cyclis messages at
around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the
tune of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC
brass?

I have seen no evidence that there was any management direction at
Clear Channel Radio for DJs to make anti-cyclist comments. From what I
have heard directly from the local Clear Channel Raleigh manager and
indirectly from John Hogan through other cyclists, I think it is
unlikely that any encouragement from management was behind the content
aimed at bicyclists in particular.

I personally think that these were independent acts of hostility.
Perhaps there was direct communication between DJs, but I doubt it. I
think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear Channel Radio
tolerates, attracts, or even promotes anti-social behavior in general
by its radio talent. If true, that's a problem that the FCC may want
to address, but one that I think is tangential to bicycling in
particular. Bicyclists were probably just the convenient
target-du-jour. Road bicycling seems to be increasing in popularity
recently, which may have gained cyclists more attention than in
previous years when mountain biking was the big fad.

Steve Goodridge

=v= I know of earlier similar anti-bicyclist incidents at
Clear Channel stations in Portland, Oregon, and the San
Francisco Bay Area.

=v= In the latter case, which I know best, the DJs said
that motorcyclists should be doored, and bicyclists should wear
signs that say "fag" and be run over. Clear Channel was very
quick to apologize (and very lucky that the area's politically
involved gay community didn't get after them for this).

=v= They played some lackluster PSAs about bike safety and then
"fired" the DJs, which meant they were transferred to another
Clear Channel station, where they pulled another stupid stunt
and were "fired" again, which again meant a transfer to another
station.

=v= So, two lessons from this: (1) it's a bigger problem than
just these three stations, and more longstanding, and (2) their
concessions don't seem to be all they're made out to be. Let's
keep an eye on them.
_Jym_

(But what do you expect from an outfit that stages "populist"
pro-oil-war rallies and overreports their attendance?)

P.S.: Have you restocked your supply of FearChannel bumper
stickers yet?

http://www.talkfastrideslow.org/stuff/stuff.html

--I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear Channel Radio
tolerates, attracts, or even promotes anti-social behavior in general by
its radio talent.--

I think that is "arguable" and I will argue that they do indeed hire
"tolerate, attract, or even promote anti-social behavior in general"
radio talent. I have spent some time recently listening to them and that
seems to be exactly what they do.

So when some their purposefully hired, anti-social DJ's step on some
toes, they are shocked and surprised? . . . I don't think so.

If the bicycle "leadership" in the form of associations, wants to be
BS'd into believing that the station managers or higher ups (called
"management" here) have no control over these guys, so be it, and I am
sure that I could not convince them otherwise, but I see more nodding
and winking (on the radio station side) than most people would tolerate.

The big shots in the radio station biz could have these guys drummed out
of the corp, (they do it all the time when they can't cough up enough
advertising bucks) but I have yet to hear of that happening.

Has anyone else?

"Steven Goodridge" wrote in message
om...
"Brendon M. Troy" wrote
I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so
could someone clue me in . . . was it pure coincidence that DJs in
three
pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly anti-cyclis messages
at
around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the
tune of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from
the CC
brass?

I have seen no evidence that there was any management direction at
Clear Channel Radio for DJs to make anti-cyclist comments. From what I
have heard directly from the local Clear Channel Raleigh manager and
indirectly from John Hogan through other cyclists, I think it is
unlikely that any encouragement from management was behind the content
aimed at bicyclists in particular.

I personally think that these were independent acts of hostility.
Perhaps there was direct communication between DJs, but I doubt it. I
think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear Channel Radio
tolerates, attracts, or even promotes anti-social behavior in general
by its radio talent. If true, that's a problem that the FCC may want
to address, but one that I think is tangential to bicycling in
particular. Bicyclists were probably just the convenient
target-du-jour. Road bicycling seems to be increasing in popularity
recently, which may have gained cyclists more attention than in
previous years when mountain biking was the big fad.

Steve Goodridge

Here in Charleston, SC, we can date the birth of 'talk radio' to Hurricane
Hugo. Before HH there was no such thing. A particular country music DJ
moved to the 'news/talk' format to help with the practical matters of
restoring the area. He wore the banner 'conservative' so I listened.

Eventually, nearly a decade later, he abandoned his conservative label and
started using his personality and selling it rather than any political bent.
This was done in the guise of 'balance' and 'tolerance', really just 'lack
of principle'. This was driven home to me when he used the argument 'might
makes right' against bicyclists. At the same time (perhaps on the same
show) he argued that ships should give way to his fifteen-foot fishing boat.
When I argued - on the air and reasonably - he ended the argument with
'cyclists may have the right but they may be dead right'.

Perhaps six weeks ago and well after the CCC controversy matured, our local
CCC conglomerate of stations hired him away from the little local station
with great fanfare - their only local jock. I despise him for his lack of
principle and them - CCC - for their blatant commercialism.

Break CCC.

A bit of research will show that CCC does not have any interest in its
listeners but only in their sponsors and their bottom line.


"Eric Vey" wrote in message
...
--I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear Channel Radio
tolerates, attracts, or even promotes anti-social behavior in general by
its radio talent.--

I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear
Channel Radio tolerates, attracts, or even promotes
anti-social behavior in general by its radio talent.
I have spent some time recently listening to them and
that seems to be exactly what they do.

=v= Yep, the whole shock jock thing and the general degradation
of civil discourse (e.g. Rush Limbaugh and his ilk) have both
contributed to this.

=v= Another contribution is the whole drive-time radio concept.
The format is to mindlessly pander to a captive audience, a
bunch of people stuck in traffic in cars. This genre attaches
itself to ill-considered causes that at first blush seem to be
to their audience's benefit, but ultimately isn't.

=v= Thinks like supporting more freeways and parking lots,
opposing HOV lanes, ranting about higher gas prices (remember
the Great American Gas-Out?), fighting air quality improvements,
and railing against bicyclists.
_Jym_