| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 02/17/2003 : 12:29:12 AM
ClearChannelSucks.org is a free speech website dedicated to educating the public about entertainment giant Clear Channel. Clear Channel owns over 1,200 radio stations and 37 television stations, with investments in 240 radio stations globally, and Clear Channel Entertainment (aka SFX, one of their more well-known subsidiaries) owns and operates over 200 venues nationwide. They are in 248 of the top 250 radio markets, controlling 60% of all rock programming. They outright own the tours of musicians like Janet Jackson, Aerosmith, Pearl Jam, Madonna and N'Sync. They own the network which airs Rush Limbaugh, Dr. Laura, Casey Kasem, and the Fox Sports Radio Network. With 103,000,000 listeners in the U.S. and 1,000,000,000 globally (1/6 of the world population), this powerful company has grown unchecked, using their monopoly to control the entire music industry. If you find this alarming, ClearChannelSucks.org is the place for you.
http://www.clearchannelsucks.org/ OUTDATED
NEW LINK: http://www.clearchannelsucks.net/ |
| 19 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| SurferX |
Posted - 08/14/2006 : 7:07:17 PM
You know, now it's ironic...With my new project in TX, Live Nation now works for me! 
Man, I love life... |
| Robin |
Posted - 08/13/2006 : 3:43:58 PM
Thanks for the heads up. I keep getting spam from Live Nation, such a friendly sounding name...good to know the truth. Peace, Robin |
| SurferX |
Posted - 08/12/2006 : 8:02:21 PM
Good to see them back...I was a frequent visitor there after they laid off the entire staff at the station I worked at back in '01...I was the only person left on staff because I was an intern working for college credit instead of money... |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 08/12/2006 : 5:38:08 PM
Ahhhhh, they are revived as:
http://www.clearchannelsucks.net/
Check it out! |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 08/12/2006 : 5:33:52 PM
"What's in a name? That which we call a rose, by any other word would smell as sweet." Shakespeare
In this case, "What's in a name? That which we call shit, smells like shit and by any other word would still smell like shit."
You may have heard of this "new" organization called LiveNation. In reality LiveNation is Clear Channel under a NEW name. Recently Clear Channel has opted to allow their subsidiary companies to return to their former names before they were bought. I see this as direct attempt to hide the Clear Channel name from the music and ticket buying public. Cellar Door Productions, a once independent company, is now returning to using it's former name but don't be fooled, it's still Clear Channel. I think if Clear Channel had wanted to perpetuate this myth and deflect criticism on their monopoly over the industry that they should have had this policy from day 1. I think it's to late now to switch back. Anyway, the reason I bring it up is I read some very disturbing news:
quote:
Musictoday Sold to Clear Channel
Aug.01.2006
Clear Channel Entertainment, spun off from Clear Channel earlier this year under the name "LiveNation," has agreed to buy Musictoday. The merchandise and ticket sales business was established in 2000 by Dave Matthews Band management, whose success building DMB's online merchandising infrastructure proved in demand among other musical acts who sought to avoid the expensive existing merchandising channels. Clear Channel invested in Musictoday early on, seeing that the merch company could grow enough to threaten the monopoly's dominance of the American music industry. Given Dave Matthews Band's historic distaste for Clear Channel, it's an ironic end to Musictoday's indie status.
It also appears that clearchannelsucks.org is no longer and active website. Sad, sad, sad the independents seem to go the way of the dinosaur. Will noone stand up to Clear Channel? |
| Arthen |
Posted - 08/28/2003 : 12:41:16 AM
Unfortunately the war is not... |
| Fleabass76 |
Posted - 08/27/2003 : 7:57:42 PM
Sweet, a battle won! |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 08/27/2003 : 7:19:08 PM
STICKIN' IT TO CLEAR CHANNEL!!!
Subject: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NEGATIVLAND PRANKS CLEAR CHANNEL, FORCES RADIO FORMAT CHANGE
Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2003 02:07:29 -0400
8/26/03
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(links to websites and audio are below)
NEGATIVLAND PRANKS CLEAR CHANNEL, FORCES RADIO FORMAT CHANGE
An online media prank has changed the programming of a major market
Clear Channel FM radio station.
Seattle's KJR-FM, a Clear Channel radio affiliate, quickly and quietly altered its playlist, following an amusing online tirade accusing the station and its Program Director of "false advertising."
Negativland, known for their media-critiquing music collage and culture jamming hoaxes and pranks, outed KJR-FM on charges that it played at least 114 different songs from the early to mid-1980's, despite marketing themselves as being a "Just the Greatest Hits of the '60's and '70's" radio station. Negativland members noticed that it was virtually impossible to listen for even a short period of time without hearing hits from such quintessential 80's artists as Huey Lewis and the News, Air Supply, Men at Work, Cyndi Lauper, and many others. KJR recently pushed the envelope further by adding "Kokomo," a 1988 hit by The Beach Boys.
In a moment of maniacal inspiration, Negativland decided to point out this ridiculous deception by sabotaging the public's perception of the station. The group created an online rebuffing of Clear Channel, KJR-FM, and KJR Program Director Bob Case, in a tabloid-style internet magazine parody, complete with damning evidence and scathing audio commentary. Disguised as the abrasive, misguided and over-the top outlaw media journalist "Jack Diekobiscz", Negativland cited Clear Channel's contempt for its listeners and willingness to lie and re-write music history for profit. Negativland claims their stunt was an obtuse and funny way to draw attention to Clear Channel's much-criticized involvement in the general dumbing-down and homogenization of radio as the company, with the blessings of the FCC, continues to gobble up station after station across the USA.
Timing of the event added injury to insult. Negativland's expose was unveiled August 10th on the eve of a massive promotion by Clear Channel to improve KJR's continued poor ratings. Popular local celebrity Pat Cashman was poised to make a much-heralded debut as KJR's new morning announcer, with festivities that included a high-profile live broadcast at the base of Seattle's famous Space Needle.
Pat Cashman is well known across the country as the co-star of Disney's "Bill Nye the Science Guy," and had a series on Comedy Central a few years ago. In Seattle, Pat is a phenomenon with a huge fan-base known as "The Pat Pack."
To generate support for their mission, the URL to Negativland's new "Jack Diekobiscz" website was leaked to a popular Pat Cashman message board where hundreds of fans and lurkers had gathered to discuss Pat's triumphant return to radio after a year-long absence. Within minutes, visitors to the site began contacting Clear Channel as instructed by "Jack."
Fearing negative publicity, and not wanting to take unnecessary chances with their newest audience, KJR-FM pulled all 1980's songs from their playlist less than 12 hours later. Said Negativland members, "We were amazed that they caved in so quickly. When we do creative projects that might be considered 'culture jamming' we always try to pursue it in a funny and oblique way, and this prank is a good example of that. Truth is, we really don't care so much that KJR-FM plays so many songs from the 80's, but their lying and disrespect for the listening audience gave us a good idea for a prank, and it was inspiring to us to see how quickly Clear Channel folded under the pressure."
Negativland's dubious association with KJR and Clear Channel is nothing new. One year ago, Negativland was invited to contribute audio material to a massive microradio invasion of the Seattle airwaves as part of "Reclaim The Media," an event sponsored by the Seattle Indy Media Center that was scheduled to take place at the 2002 National Association of Broadcasters Convention being held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Downtown Seattle. Rather than composing a predictable narrative criticism of Clear Channel, Negativland decided to strike out with a more engaging approach that would hit local radio listeners where they lived. The strange absurdity of a Clear Channel station that refused to stay true to its own heavily marketed identity seemed an obvious way to showcase the company's attitude toward its listeners.
Utilizing KJR's own canned liners and jingles, Negativland produced a convincing 24-minute recording that simulated a telescoped version of KJR's format. Host "Jack Diekobiscz" ranted against Clear Channel and named KJR's program director, Bob Case as responsible for the misrepresentation, as he played one 1980's hit from KJR's playlist after another. For the duration of the NAB convention, six pirate microradio stations across the FM dial streamed anti-Clear Channel programming, including repeated performances of the Negativland/Diekobiscz show, sometimes playing in a 24-minute loop for seven hours at a time. Despite some bad publicity and a flurry of e-mails, Clear Channel and Bob Case refused to remove the songs from their playlist until hit with the events of last week.
Visit the Jack Diekobiscz LISTEN HERE website and hear Jack's microradio attack on KJR:
http://www.negativland.com/listenhere
Contact Clear Channel with your questions or comments:
Lisa Dollinger, VP of Corporate Communication
Tel. 210-822-2828
E-mail - lisacdollinger@clearchannel.com
Contact KJR-FM Program Director Bob Case at:
Tel. 206-421-9595
E-mail - Programming@957KJRfm.com
KJR-FM online playlist:
http://www.957kjrfm.com/playlist.html
or
http://www.negativland.com/listenhere/kjrpl.html
The "Pat Pack" Pat Cashman message board: http://www.patpack.org
More excellent coverage on "Radio's Big Bully":
http://archive.salon.com/ent/clear_channel/
Negativland's website:
http://www.negativland.com
SEE! a FEW people CAN make a BIG difference!!! |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 08/01/2003 : 7:56:49 PM
TTT for Fleabass! Way ahead of you my friend, you must have missed this one. More info for your cause. |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 02/22/2003 : 3:57:23 PM
And they wonder why we're afraid of consolidation of radio and the concert industry?
Here is the CEO of Clear Channel (the largest owner of radio stations and concert promoters in the country) saying proudly in FORTUNE MAGAZINE:
"If anyone said we were in the radio business, it wouldn’t be someone from our company," Mays said. "We’re not in the business of providing news and information. We’re not in the business of providing well-researched music. We’re simply in the business of selling our customers’ products."
Isn't the radio spectrum a finite resource that is regulated by our government specifically to guarantee the public's access to news, information and even entertainment?
I still try to believe in the power of the free market and the opportunities provided by the capitalist system, but these guys sure make it hard.
Summary below or link to the full article: http://www.fortune.com/fortune/ceo/articles/0,15114,423802,00.html
Clear Channel Profiled in Fortune
Fortune magazine ran a piece about Clear Channel that has Chairman/CEO Lowry Mays defending the company, saying they are not the bad boys of radio. In fact, the nuts and bolts of radio don’t concern Mays. "If anyone said we were in the radio business, it wouldn’t be someone from our company," Mays said. "We’re not in the business of providing news and information. We’re not in the business of providing well-researched music. We’re simply in the business of selling our customers’ products." Mays agreed to the interview with Fortune in an effort to help with the company’s image problems. Detractors have pointed to Clear Channel as all that is wrong with radio, from their rapid rise to the top via consolidation to the company’s use of voicetracking. "At the risk of sounding flippant, it’s entertainment," CC Radio CEO John Hogan said of voicetracking, or as he calls it "talent exportation." In a familiar Clear Channel refrain, Hogan says musicians were threatened when vinyl recordings replaced live orchestras. "Now everything’s distributed digitally," he continued. "I understand why people object, because it’s scary for those who can’t change." Randall Mays added: "People who say we are the evil empire just aren’t educated enough about who we are." Mark Mays finished the thought saying, "They just need to be enlightened."
|
| Fluffy |
Posted - 02/21/2003 : 2:31:02 PM
These losers came up once before just after 9/11 with a similar ban sheet. Check it out:
http://www.timreynolds.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=501 |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 02/18/2003 : 3:50:12 PM
Evergreen commented: quote:
Interesting that no Pearl Jam made the list like Black, Immortality, Given to Fly, In My Tree (where "newspapers don't bother me"), WMA, Rats,,,,etc.
Fluffy posted: quote:
They are in 248 of the top 250 radio markets, controlling 60% of all rock programming. They outright own the tours of musicians like Janet Jackson, Aerosmith, PEARL JAM, Madonna and N'Sync.
Maybe they see it as a "conflict of interest" which would make the whole situation EVEN SCARIER. Yes, PJ may have some things to say that are questionable, but we can't afford to cut our own throats and include them in the ban on questionable music, we stand to lose to much money. HMMMMMM(could be, SCARY)
MissSorrel commented: quote:
Louis Armstrong "What A Wonderful World".....Not to just single out only one song that seems strange to "refrain from playing"..... but does this seem odd to anybody else??
Very ODD that songs speculating on how wonderful life could be are considered "Questionable Content", it really makes me wonder where their heads are at. They truly are the devil. Even scarier but in the same league is John Lennon's IMAGINE. Aside from which songs they picked, it is just downright scary to me that ANYONE thinks they should be making these decisions(read:CENSORSHIP)for the rest of us. We only HEAR what THEY want us to hear. That is a scary concept. |
| Evergreen |
Posted - 02/18/2003 : 09:48:07 AM
Well that is some seriously disturbing information!!!!
We hear what they want us to hear. Thats why everyone
should get themselves a shortwave or ham radio for pertinent
world info and listen to underground college radio if your going to listen to radio at all. Boycott syndication. My other idea was to circulate that song list and give it to everybody you know and then have everyone continually call all their local radio stations and request only the songs on the don't play list.
Interesting that no Pearl Jam made the list like Black, Immortality, Given to Fly, In My Tree (where "newspapers don't bother me"), WMA, Rats,,,,etc.
Rats
They don't eat, don't sleep
They don't feed, they don't seethe
Bare their gums when they moan and squeak
Lick the dirt off a larger one's feet
They don't push, don't crowd
Congregate until they're much too loud
Fuck to procreate till they are dead
Drink the blood of their so called best friend
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way
Don't pack themselves together and run as one
Don't shit where they're not supposed to
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare
They don't scam, don't fight
Don't oppress an equals given rights
Starve the poor so they can be well fed
Line their holes with the dead ones bread
They don't scurry when something bigger comes their way }
Don't pack themselves together and run as one } (2x)
Don't shit where they're not supposed to }
Don't take what's not theirs, they don't compare... }
Rats...They don't compare (2x)
Ben, the two of us need look no more (5X)
|
| CPPJames |
Posted - 02/17/2003 : 5:06:11 PM
Say Hello to Heaven? Jeez...that's a great song. Wonder what they're opposed to with it. |
| Miss Sorrel |
Posted - 02/17/2003 : 4:30:05 PM
quote:
Originally posted by Fluffy
Also:Clear Channel's list of songs with questionable content and should refrain from playing......
Louis Armstrong "What A Wonderful World"
Not to just single out only one song that seems strange to "refrain from playing"..... but does this seem odd to anybody else?? |
| tim~and~dave |
Posted - 02/17/2003 : 4:27:10 PM
quote:
Also:Clear Channel's list of songs with questionable content and should refrain from playing.
.
.
.
Limp Bizkit "Break Stuff"
can't fault em fer that |
| Fleabass76 |
Posted - 02/17/2003 : 3:57:13 PM
Clearchannel=Evil
Paul Wellstone was actually working on a case against ClearChannel after listening to a bunch of local musicians here in MN. |
| Fluffy |
Posted - 02/17/2003 : 12:34:28 AM
Also:Clear Channel's list of songs with questionable content and should refrain from playing.
Drowning Pool "Bodies"
Mudvayne "Death Blooms"
Megadeth "Dread and the Fugitive"
Megadeth "Sweating Bullets"
Saliva "Click Click Boom"
P.O.D. "Boom"
Metallica "Seek and Destroy"
Metallica "Harvester or Sorrow"
Metallica "Enter Sandman"
Metallica "Fade to Black"
All Rage Against The Machine songs
Nine Inch Nails "Head Like a Hole"
Godsmack "Bad Religion"
Tool "Intolerance"
Soundgarden "Blow Up the Outside World"
AC/DC "Shot Down in Flames"
AC/DC "Shoot to Thrill"
AC/DC "Dirty Deeds"
AC/DC "Highway to Hell"
AC/DC "Safe in New York City"
AC/DC "TNT"
AC/DC "Hell's Bells"
Black Sabbath "War Pigs"
Black Sabbath "Sabbath Bloody Sabbath"
Black Sabbath "Suicide Solution"
Dio "Holy Diver"
Steve Miller "Jet Airliner"
Van Halen "Jump"
Queen "Another One Bites the Dust"
Queen "Killer Queen"
Pat Benatar "Hit Me with Your Best Shot"
Pat Benatar "Love is a Battlefield"
Oingo Boingo "Dead Man's Party"
REM "It's the End of the World as We Know It"
Talking Heads "Burning Down the House"
Judas Priest "Some Heads Are Gonna Roll"
Pink Floyd "Run Like Hell"
Pink Floyd "Mother"
Savage Garden "Crash and Burn"
Dave Matthews Band "Crash Into Me"
Bangles "Walk Like an Egyptian"
Pretenders "My City Was Gone"
Alanis Morissette "Ironic"
Barenaked Ladies "Falling for the First Time"
Fuel "Bad Day"
John Parr "St. Elmo's Fire"
Peter Gabriel "When You're Falling"
Kansas "Dust in the Wind"
Led Zeppelin "Stairway to Heaven"
The Beatles "A Day in the Life"
The Beatles "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds"
The Beatles "Ticket To Ride"
The Beatles "Obla Di, Obla Da"
Bob Dylan/Guns N Roses "Knockin' on Heaven's Door"
Arthur Brown "Fire"
Blue Oyster Cult "Burnin' For You"
Paul McCartney and Wings "Live and Let Die"
Jimmy Hendrix "Hey Joe"
Jackson Brown "Doctor My Eyes"
John Mellencamp "Crumbling Down"
John Mellencamp "I'm On Fire"
U2 "Sunday Bloody Sunday"
Boston "Smokin"
Billy Joel "Only the Good Die Young"
Barry McGuire "Eve of Destruction"
Steam "Na Na Na Na Hey Hey"
Drifters "On Broadway"
Shelly Fabares "Johnny Angel"
Los Bravos "Black is Black"
Peter and Gordon "I Go To Pieces"
Peter and Gordon "A World Without Love"
Elvis "(You're the) Devil in Disguise"
Zombies "She's Not There"
Elton John "Benny & The Jets"
Elton John "Daniel"
Elton John "Rocket Man"
Jerry Lee Lewis "Great Balls of Fire"
Santana "Evil Ways"
Louis Armstrong "What A Wonderful World"
Youngbloods "Get Together"
Ad Libs "The Boy from New York City"
Peter Paul and Mary "Blowin' in the Wind"
Peter Paul and Mary "Leavin' on a Jet Plane"
Rolling Stones "Ruby Tuesday"
Simon And Garfunkel "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
Happenings "See You in Septemeber"
Carole King "I Feel the Earth Move"
Yager and Evans "In the Year 2525"
Norman Greenbaum "Spirit in the Sky"
Brooklyn Bridge "Worst That Could Happen"
Three Degrees "When Will I See You Again"
Cat Stevens "Peace Train"
Cat Stevens "Morning Has Broken"
Jan and Dean "Dead Man's Curve"
Martha & the Vandellas "Nowhere to Run"
Martha and the Vandellas/Van Halen "Dancing in the Streets"
Hollies "He Ain't Heavy, He's My Brother"
San Cooke Herman Hermits, "Wonder World"
Petula Clark "A Sign of the Times"
Don McLean "American Pie"
J. Frank Wilson "Last Kiss"
Buddy Holly and the Crickets "That'll Be the Day"
John Lennon "Imagine"
Bobby Darin "Mack the Knife"
The Clash "Rock the Casbah"
Surfaris "Wipeout"
Blood Sweat and Tears "And When I Die"
Dave Clark Five "Bits and Pieces"
Tramps "Disco Inferno"
Paper Lace "The Night Chicago Died"
Frank Sinatra "New York, New York"
Creedence Clearwater Revival "Travelin' Band"
The Gap Band "You Dropped a Bomb On Me"
Alien Ant Farm "Smooth Criminal"
3 Doors Down "Duck and Run"
The Doors "The End"
Third Eye Blind "Jumper"
Neil Diamond "America"
Lenny Kravitz "Fly Away"
Tom Petty "Free Fallin'"
Bruce Springsteen "I'm On Fire"
Bruce Springsteen "Goin' Down"
Phil Collins "In the Air Tonight"
Alice in Chains "Rooster"
Alice in Chains "Sea of Sorrow"
Alice in Chains "Down in a Hole"
Alice in Chains "Them Bone"
Beastie Boys "Sure Shot"
Beastie Boys "Sabotage"
The Cult "Fire Woman"
Everclear "Santa Monica"
Filter "Hey Man, Nice Shot"
Foo Fighters "Learn to Fly"
Korn "Falling Away From Me"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Aeroplane"
Red Hot Chili Peppers "Under the Bridge"
Smashing Pumpkins "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"
System of a Down "Chop Suey!"
Skeeter Davis "End of the World"
Rickey Nelson "Travelin' Man"
Chi-Lites "Have You Seen Her"
Animals "We Gotta Get Out of This Place"
Fontella Bass "Rescue Me"
Mitch Ryder and the Detroit Wheels "Devil with the Blue Dress"
James Taylor "Fire and Rain"
Edwin Starr/Bruce Springstein "War"
Lynyrd Skynyrd "Tuesday's Gone"
Limp Bizkit "Break Stuff"
Green Day "Brain Stew"
Temple of the Dog "Say Hello to Heaven"
Sugar Ray "Fly"
Local H "Bound for the Floor"
Slipknot "Left Behind, Wait and Bleed"
Bush "Speed Kills"
311 "Down"
Stone Temple Pilots "Big Bang Baby," Dead and Bloated"
Soundgarden "Fell on Black Days," Black Hole Sun"
Nina "99 Luft Balloons/99 Red Balloons"
taken from:
http://www.fuckedcompany.com/extras/clearchannel_email.cfm
|
| Fluffy |
Posted - 02/17/2003 : 12:32:15 AM
Post from website by Waldo from nancies.org:
Clear Channel's KFBK and KSTE have had a memo leaked that provide details as to their commercial plans in the case of war with Iraq. They've already developed detailed plans for how they're going to use not-even-declared war to their own advantage. "Our Coverage will be called America's War with Iraq." "Make sure we own being FIRST." " People will be angry, frightened...the emotion of America IS part of the story. Use it!" "It is in these first few minutes or hours we'll either win or lose the image." "Remember, no fishing shows, gardening shows. We are AT WAR." Except, of course, we're not.
Posted by Waldo Jaquith on Thursday, February 13, 2003 - 08:19 AM CST
Make sure you take the TIMe to read the internal memo talked mentioned, it is posted below. SCARY STUFF!!!(Sorry it's so long)
THE MEMO:
Clearchannel
Preparing for war
WAR PLANS
KFBK and KSTE
NEWS
Make certain that we are monitoring CNN and ABC's Sat Que. Sat Que must be turned up loud. We can not just rely on someone occasionally checking the wires. Do NOT turn down the volume on ABC Sat Que. Ross, please consider setting the volume high and removing the volume knob, otherwise someone will turn it down and you'll miss an important bulletin.
Board ops: The second you get a notification that war has begun make sure you are prepared to hit news bulletin sounder and get the information on IMMEDIATELY. As soon as it is offered, cut to network updates or long-form coverage immediately. Then call and page Ken and Cristi.
If War breaks out after 10AM M-F please make sure that we call Joe and Jack to come in and take KSTE into long-form as well.
Our Coverage will be called America's War with Iraq In writing copy please call our coverage, 'LIVE In-Depth Team Coverage of America's War with Iraq.'
After a major terror attack or after the war begins take all presidential addresses and public appearances.
Branding liners have been produced and are in the system. Michael please issue a memo making it clear where board ops will find this important imaging. Mike also make certain that our cross promos on the FMs all address Live in-depth team coverage of the War with Iraq on Newstalk 1530 KFBK
Editors, producers get to work on a 'war list' immediately. Make sure it includes local experts, sources, military types, other CC newsrooms around the country, network contacts etc. Cristi please coordinate this and make certain it is posted everywhere.
As soon as something happens, notify everyone! Cristi will make sure a complete staff phone list is posted in the newsroom, the studios. Take one home; leave one in your car. You may be asked to help with staff notification.
As it becomes evident something is approaching, the entire news staff will be placed on standby, even when you're not working. In your off hours listen to KFBK, KGO, and KCBS, watch CNN, MSNBC. Not only will this help keep you posted on war and possible attacks you will find some terrific story ideas. News immersion. Watch, listen, read!
Make sure pagers, tape decks, mini discs all have fresh batteries. Carry spare batteries. Reporters should carry cell phones at all times. Remember¡K.we ARE or about to be at WAR.
CNN-TV audio feed will undoublty be our first on air coverage. Make certain that you know how to bring CNN up on the boards of both KFBK and KSTE. They were first by a mile in 1991 during the Persian Gulf War and again on September 11th. Despite all the news sources out there they are the best in spot situations and could be first again.
When the war begins take What CNN and ABC offer. Go to long form as soon as they offer it. Turn it up and let it go.
While I fully expect to be executive producing our coverage you may find yourself in charge of this breaker for some time prior to Cristi or I getting to the station. Anchors only, unless you think you can do a better job by jumping in and out of network long-form with local windows, stay with it. You can still start branding our coverage immediately with the bumpers already standing by in the system. Just force them over the network. Network coverage sounds good and will contain the information the listener most wants to hear. And the network has national resources that simply cannot be duplicated on a local level. Getting to network coverage quickly and staying with it for a time also allows our newsroom to mobilize forces to gather angles pertaining to our region.
While the network is on make sure our team of reporters, editors, anchors and talk hosts are working local angles, local people involved, local experts for commentary, federal buildings on alert, watch local gas prices etc.
Then when appropriate we'll find ways to work local into the national programming. ABC has a tight long-form wheel but there are optional cutaways at :19:55, :30:25, :49:50 and :58:50 around status reports.
Remember, don't do local just to do local. This is an international/national story and the nets do a great job. You will know when it is right and you have the right stories to use. If you are going to make a mistake, do too much network. Especially early. THIS IS WAR. We will only get hurt by not giving people enough information at a time like this not by giving them too much.
If long form coverage is not warranted by the situation, then carry ABC status. Anchor those in studio plus other locally produced coverage. Start with four per hour minimum. Always err on the side of overkill. Actually, there is no such thing as overkill in a situation like this. Ideally, long form coverage is the way to go using a combination of local anchors/hosts and network updates and cutaways.
The initial hours of coverage are critical. People who have never listened to our stations will be tuning in out of curiosity, desperation, panic and a hunger for information. RIGHT NOW, convert them to P-1's, or at least make them a future cumer. We must make sure we meet their expectations, otherwise they're gone forever and they ain't coming back.
Don't forget KGBY, KHYL and KSTE. They'll need help and information as well. They will help with KFBK cross-promotion also.
Monitor TV networks and local stations for contacts and leads. If they have good ideas, turn them around and quickly make them our own.
Don't forget, when appropriate use language like 'a Newstalk 1530 KFBK exclusive' 'a story you are only hearing on KFBK' or 'a story you heard first on KFBK'. Make sure we own being FIRST.
Ross, if possible, can we have a short wave radio wired up in the newsroom so that we can capture audio. Obtain a copy of the latest edition of Monitoring Times magazine, which lists all of the International English language broadcast stations. If we don't have one in the family I would recommend pricing the Sony ICF-2010 (or its equivalent) for a good, moderately priced, portable short-wave radio with an antenna on the roof.
Don't forget about the time difference between here and the Middle East/Iraq. They are eight to ten hours AHEAD of Eastern Standard Time. In other words, when it's 12 Noon on the West Coast, its 11pm in Baghdad.
Make sure a list of all Satellite channel assignments along with instructions on how to access them is posted in pit and both control rooms. Plus all network news numbers need to be all over your news and control rooms.
Make sure everyone is accessing WireReady checking the Clear Channel Wire Service for updates, information, ideas, news copy, etc.
ALWAYS roll on every on air interview, including during the network coverage. You never know when they will have something for other dayparts and for your newscasts. Remember the War Room with Mark Williams needs a ton of stuff.
Fold audio back into newscasts, talk shows, promos and sweepers
Talk shows, find the right time to work local callers into the coverage. People will be angry, frightened¡Kthe emotion of America IS part of the story. Use it!
INTERVIEW AND NEWS POSSIBILITIES:
Local and State Universities for a published guide of
'Spokespersons and Experts.'
Local Congressmen (know key committees involved)
Local Senators (same)
Terrorism experts
Chemical/Biological warfare experts
High ranking local military or ex-military officials
Military History professors
Former G-Men
Local Mosque spokesperson
Political Science professor
Government & Politics professor
International affairs experts and/or professor
Hazardous materials expert / Local Haz-Mat Director
Middle Eastern Studies professor
ROTC Instructor
Veterans of Desert Storm or the recent Afghanistan Conflict
Local families with loved ones currently in the Middle East
Local families of business types working in the Middle East
Local Companies with business ties to the Middle East (oil etc.)
Arab League Rep
Jewish Community Center Rep
Local airports and airlines
Military recruiting offices
Hotels ¡V stranded travelers?
National Guard/State Police (Are they on alert?)
Local emergency management officials or agencies
What about public access to Federal and State buildings?
Local schools ¡V business as usual?
Psychologists for effects on children
Is there a foreign consulate nearby (Israel has one in Houston)
Keep focused on the wires whatever for story angles occurring in CC markets
If a local TV station sends someone to the area find a way to use them, radio exclusive
Anti-war types
Dispatch reporters to area military bases. Talk to anyone you can. Most officers can't and won't speak directly about any ongoing actions in the Middle East. However, they will usually speak in hypothetically and quote standard procedure, etc. Look for protestors outside the bases as well.
PROGRAMMING
An 'A' team(s) will be identified and on hot standby at all times. I'll try to schedule talent intelligently and strategically. Since initial reports and coverages will probably be network, we'll save morning drive team for morning drive.
Start booking guests immediately¡K.regardless of the time. DO NOT worry about waking up people¡K.there's a war going on! Plus we can stash the tape for later use if these folks can't be on call for later. Even guests of national stature won't hang up on you during a time like this. You can't afford not to do it. It is in these first few minutes or hours we'll either win or lose the image.
Exploit our web site. Provide updates, informal flash polling, email reaction. Put links on your site to good links. If you have web questions contact Andy Friedman. He is the Senior Content Manager for News/Talk with Clear Channel Interactive. He can be reached at [phone removed] or at [email removed]. Make your coverage a truly interactive experience for the listeners. The Internet is also an obvious valuable resource for information, guests to interview, weather in Iraq, etc.
Talk shows are also a very important piece to the coverage puzzle. After the long form coverage dies down talk shows should live it and breathe it 24 hours a day. YOU CANNOT OVERKILL this story. It's like disc jockeys playing records. When the jock gets tired of it, the public is just getting warmed up. Stay focused and on Topic 'A'. Fresh angles, relentless promoting and pre-promoting. Talk shows are very important for the public just to vent at first.
Don't get hung up on being 'local.' Just be the BEST. Doesn't matter where the talk show originates from, as long as it is the best available. Remember after 9-11 Clear Channel provided some around the clock talk programming focused on the news for stations without local hosts. These were great programs and better than taped syndicate fare. Especially in a time of War. I am sure our company will look to do this again. Keep your eye on your e-mail for updates and I will keep you posted on what I find out. But let's plan on not running Best ofs during the first few days of the conflict.
Remember to ask me if regular programming should continue to run on weekends and if we have specialty shows that can't or won't talk about the war¡K.we will probably blow them off. Even Dr. Laura. Remember, no fishing shows, gardening shows. We are AT WAR.
In the opening minutes of coverage blow off commercials. Contact me immediately.
Be sure to discrep all commercials that are missed. We'll have a plan for making spots good.
If there is imminent danger, under the FCC rules, AM stations may remain at full power through the night as long as they are in a non-commercial mode. This would be under the most extreme circumstances. For instance, the New York AM's did this the first couple of nights after the World Trade Center bombing. Ross, keep this in mind for KSTE.
Remember, normal weather, traffic, news beds may not be appropriate in wall to wall coverage. Please ask before proceeding on auto-pilot
As Rivercats season approaches we need to make sure we are aware of our contractual obligations with regard to interruptions for news of this magnitude.
We'll be proactive. Let's set a meeting with Rivercats now and make them aware of War or Terror attack plans? We MUST find a way interrupt for bulletins.
Everyone should know studio ISDN numbers. Everyone should be fully trained on ISDN. Make sure every shift has someone trained on how to use the ISDN any time day or night. This will come in handy for several reasons.
We may be feeding content to our new station in San Francisco Talk 910 KNEW. Their ISDN numbers will be on phone list. Please note they are included on notification list.
Notification list:
Ken Kohl
[phone removed]
Cristi Landes
[phone removed]
Don Alias
[phone removed]
Brad Waldo
[phone removed]
Clark Reid
[phone removed]
Len Konecny
[phone removed]
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