A budget freeze for Q1 and perhaps beyond has just been issued for all of Clear Channel. From the front page of radio-info.com (and also reported at All Access), the budget freeze edict from John Hogan includes: "all research monies after 2/1. All advertising and promotion monies after 2/1. All new sales hire guarantees not already implemented, effective immediately (do NOT hire any additional salespeople, effective immediately). All new hires budgeted but not hired, effective immediately (do not hire any additional new employees). Any/all discretionary monies (i.e., travel, meals and entertainment) for your market. Additionally, you are not to replace any departing personnel without specific approval from your EVPO."
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Clear Channel freeze
- Thread starter jrplbg
- Start date
The implosion has begun. Why did Clear Channel release this info to the press. To all rival broadcast companies: This is the perfect opp to compete head on with any clear channel radio station...they are going to get weaker and should be instant targets. In fact as a rival company I would use CC press release against them in radio wars now. I mean how stupid can CC be! They don't care about radio...they need to sell all their properties and be done with it!
Holy crud! I'm getting chills reading the article on the front page.... similar to how I felt seeing video for the first time of the Berlin Wall coming down.
Could this be the beginning of the end of radio's darkest hour? ???
I mean, we've joked for years about Clear Channel ("what's the difference between Enron and Clear Channel? Six months," etc.) But to actually see the company say "we can't afford to hire anybody new - not even sales."
WOW!
Could this be the beginning of the end of radio's darkest hour? ???
I mean, we've joked for years about Clear Channel ("what's the difference between Enron and Clear Channel? Six months," etc.) But to actually see the company say "we can't afford to hire anybody new - not even sales."
WOW!
R
RayDOGuy
Guest
Perhaps Hogan would lop a couple million off his salary. That might help.
I shed no tears for Clear (Cheap) Channel but all this is not good news for those of stuck in "the sticks". I am in Rochester, N. Y. There is only one other major operator in town - Entercom. CBS has just sold their Rochester properties stations to Entercom. They now own seven signals in the 54th market. So there is no reason for Entercom to step up. There really isn't any other competion. Radio is in a very bad way.
ha... give me a break.. if you work for CC, this news would not shock you. They are such cheap bastards and havent given anyone a raise forever. This article just confirms that they won't give any raises....
Yeah, they have no money, that's because the guys making 7 figures need their cash. It's really the little guy working at CC who suffers.
Always has been. No raises for like what, 7 or 8 years unless you're a Seacrest or Handel type. CC employees have to be scared to death at what may come next.
Always has been. No raises for like what, 7 or 8 years unless you're a Seacrest or Handel type. CC employees have to be scared to death at what may come next.
S
shirleyschmidt
Guest
I would agree this should not be news to anyone at CC.. or to anyone who has been in the middle of a sale before. This is certainly a standard mode of operation for a company in CC's current position.
Howeer, I also find it strange it would be an item of information released.
Radio as a whole is changing big time, but this could only be the dark before the light? Radio is a media that will stay around, but in what for format or formats is a very good question.
Howeer, I also find it strange it would be an item of information released.
Radio as a whole is changing big time, but this could only be the dark before the light? Radio is a media that will stay around, but in what for format or formats is a very good question.
It could still get a bit darker, particularly with Mitt Romney and Friends buying CC. He loves to cut the bottom line, and you know what that means...
S
shirleyschmidt
Guest
More talk shows about the auto industry??? Kidding.
Now there's a thought.
Now there's a thought.
so...how about those dodgers? got big joe from the yankees...thats a move.
S
shirleyschmidt
Guest
Love the humor.
I wish we could laugh about what is taking place.
I wish we could laugh about what is taking place.
I
Itwasntme
Guest
We SHOULD laugh! God forbid this forces people to think differently. Back at Wild949, Michael Martin used to ask us "what would you do if you had an additional 200k in marketing,........ok now what would you do if you had NO marketing?" Wild was signed on with ZERO research, ZERO marketing. They just had a vibe and a hungry staff. If they had a hundred dollars to give away they made it sound like a million. God forbid stations take a chance with music just because they like how it SOUNDS. Request lines are research, asking people on the street top of mind favorite songs is research, creating a ghetto style focus group where you order pizzas for 50 people and play them a bunch of music in the conference room is research, looking at top downloads is research. It doesnt havwe to be done by a company for 70k a year. Promotions? Buy 50 lotto tix and give away "your chance to win 25 million." Do promotions where "you pick the music." all request hours, etc. Make fun of yourself and lack of money...give away stuff around the office or stuff you "stole" off the bosses desk. The prize is SO secondary to the vibe, feel and fun about the promotion that creates talk. EVERYTHING doesnt cost money and sometimes the best ideas are amazing and sometimes the best funded campaigns are flops.
S
shirleyschmidt
Guest
AMEN TO THAT!!!! I agree. Great campaigns take people thinking outside the box and being innovative. Largely funded promotions can often be a waste of money. Be original. Think differently. Make it fun.
C
ceejay
Guest
radi0active said:
I hope you are not refering to his friends at Bain. He alledgely pulled out of that back in 2001.
The key word is:Alledgedely
Mitts friends at Bain are already in San Antonio, they have evrything to do with the freezes at CC, the head chopping at corporate radio is just getting started! Of coarse corporate radio is all about playing follow the leader.
The slaughter is about to begin, don't worry there is life after radio. There is always a future in broadband radio.
Steve
www.radiobrandy.net
C
ceejay
Guest
XRQKFM said:
Good grief..... I'm begining to wonder if all things evil eminate from Texas, Wait! I'm from Texas. Of course I did, long ago, find the best thing in Texas was the Highway80 out of it .....lol!
No offense to all o' y'all crazy enough to stay there with those dang toronados.
D
DXER1
Guest
Boy now Is when I wish I lived in Kansas City ! ! ! ;D But no my parents decide they want to live in Dallas thats why I'm into DXing is to drown out all the local CC stations of Dallas
DXER1 said:
How do you drown them out?
At night when I scan the dial if the stations are not at least owned by Clear Channel they are carrying Coast To Coast from Premier Radio. I used to love the old days when I lived in Ohio and I could tune across the dial and hear different stations with distinct programming. I even liked the guys selling patent medicines and baby chicks because they played the old good Country and R & B music you can't even find these days.
D
DXER1
Guest
nmoore6676 said:
I use to Pick up KLBJ 93.7 Austin Classic Rock not owned by clear channell. KLAK Sherman Denison AC not owned by clear channell. KFWR 95.9 Country not owned by clear channell and many more stations. I can will kill two birds with one stone.
1) I don't have to listen to the CC stations in Dallas
2) I get to do my favorite hobby
- Status