Ownership Cap

[BJSteigner]

OK Folks:


Clear Channel wants the FCC to relax the ownership rules and local ownership rules.

“Giving terrestrial radio broadcasters equal treatment by eliminating the local radio ownership caps will enable the industry to remain competitive in the current, unsettled economy and in today’s age of media abundance.” Clear Channel also blames radio’s recent financial meltdown not on the worldwide recession, but instead on increased media competition".

How can Clear Channel say such a thing when local radio ownership is a must for every market in the USA?

Open for discussion.

 

[TheBigA]

How can Clear Channel say such a thing when local radio ownership is a must for every market in the USA?

Huh? Local ownership a must? That's never been a requirement in the FCC R&Rs.

Westinghouse Electric, which started KDKA Pittsburgh and WJZ Newark, wasn't a local owner. Ever since the 1930s, when the NY-based networks owned radio stations in LA, DC, and other major markets, it was clear that the location of the owner didn't matter. What mattered was a strong local MANAGEMENT. And if you study how CC operates, they have a very de-centralized management system that promotes local management.

Other than CC, all of the major radio companies are based in NYC, no? So NYC has local ownership. How's that working out?

 

[radioguy39nj]

How can Clear Channel say such a thing when local radio ownership is a must for every market in the USA?

Other than CC, all of the major radio companies are based in NYC, no? So NYC has local ownership. How's that working out?

No local talkradio and music stations voice-tracked. To be fair, VTing is in every market. On the other hand, the complete absence of local talk in NY is appalling. Talkradio in markets outside NY is far superior to what is offered here.

 

[TheBigA]

On the other hand, the complete absence of local talk in NY is appalling. Talkradio in markets outside NY is far superior to what is offered here.

Once again, it's not a "complete absence." It's just not on the most popular stations.

You can find local talk on smaller, more local stations. NJ 101.5 certainly does local talk. Several small suburban stations do local talk. Then of course you have sports talk.

 

[radioguy39nj]

On the other hand, the complete absence of local talk in NY is appalling. Talkradio in markets outside NY is far superior to what is offered here.

Once again, it's not a "complete absence." It's just not on the most popular stations.

You can find local talk on smaller, more local stations. NJ 101.5 certainly does local talk. Several small suburban stations do local talk. Then of course you have sports talk.

I listen to WFAN and to NJ 101.5. WFAN is successful because it's locally focused. Until WEPN gets on FM, 'FAN has no serious competition. 'FAN is right on top of it when there's a major NY sports story. NJ 101.5 was focused like a laser on last year's governor's race.

My point was that the near absence of local talk on major NYC stations is disturbing when it is found in most other large, medium and small markets elsewhere and doing well. There's a governor's race in NY this year and other than news items on WINS and WCBS, it is barely being covered on WOR and WABC. New York issues are virtually ignored on 710 and 770. They are 50 kW distribution centers for national programming, because it's better for their bottom line.

I am not against syndicated talk programming. NJ 101.5 is great, if you live in New Jersey. There should be one station where NYers can go to discuss issues relevant to the Greater NY Tri-State area, other than repetitive all-news.

 

[TheBigA]

My point was that the near absence of local talk on major NYC stations is disturbing when it is found in most other large, medium and small markets elsewhere and doing well.

Well as people often say, New York isn't like all those other places.

 

[htowler]

Isn't one of NJ 101.5 Liners "NOT New York NOT Philadelphia"

 

[MarcB]

Until WEPN gets on FM, 'FAN has no serious competition. 'FAN is right on top of it when there's a major NY sports story.

I think WEPN did a darn good job with local coverage of the death of George Steinbrenner last week. And if WEPN was on FM I wouldn't have been able to listen in the car all the way up in Bristol, Connecticut. Yes on AM 1050 the signal was fuzzy and in some places non-exisitant, but it was still listenable. Our local ESPN station in Hartford, Connecticut Clear Channel's WPOP 1410 had only bird-fed programming on from ESPN Radio and only mentioned Steinbrenner's Death during the SportsCenter Updates. That was pretty crummy considering WPOP is Hartford's home of the New York Yankees. I don't know if they did anything on the local Jason Page show at 3PM. I was still tuned to 1050AM.

 

[DToTheJ]

I heard WFAN ran old interviews with George Steinbrenner during primetime hours last Tuesday (no Mets game due to the All-Star Game).

 

[radioguy39nj]

I heard WFAN ran old interviews with George Steinbrenner during primetime hours last Tuesday (no Mets game due to the All-Star Game).

They most certainly did! Most notable was the one from Jan 5, 1999, when Steinbrenner mended fences with Yogi Berra.

 

[radioguy39nj]

Until WEPN gets on FM, 'FAN has no serious competition. 'FAN is right on top of it when there's a major NY sports story.

I think WEPN did a darn good job with local coverage of the death of George Steinbrenner last week. And if WEPN was on FM I wouldn't have been able to listen in the car all the way up in Bristol, Connecticut. Yes on AM 1050 the signal was fuzzy and in some places non-exisitant, but it was still listenable. Our local ESPN station in Hartford, Connecticut Clear Channel's WPOP 1410 had only bird-fed programming on from ESPN Radio and only mentioned Steinbrenner's Death during the SportsCenter Updates. That was pretty crummy considering WPOP is Hartford's home of the New York Yankees. I don't know if they did anything on the local Jason Page show at 3PM. I was still tuned to 1050AM.

1050 ESPN has a good signal to the north and east of NYC and over Long Island Sound. However, they are not easily received in many parts of the NY area, particularly Western Suffolk County and much of New Jersey south of Newark and to the west. Not good news for Jets' fans!