Clear Channel (was Re: rock club question)

[manny at telerama.com]

Thank you for the below Brian. I am sure anyone with a little time can
easily dig up the connections between Clear Channel and the right wing.

What is my vested interest here? My vested interest here is in the
independent music ethic and aesthetic. Clear Channel is taking it apart,
wiping it out. They are further along in many other cities than they are
in Pittsburgh. In addition to that, I put on small and medium-size shows.
When Clear Channel is done wiping out Elko and Joker by either outbidding
them for acts or buying them out, they will come for me. And for the
31st St Pub and Roboto and so on. If you don't think this will happen,
you are wrong. For example, in Philly, this has already happened. A couple
years back, Clear Channel swallowed up the most experienced indie rock
promoter in Philly (Brian Dilworth) and now he works for them. They
launched a frontal attack on the last small/midsize indie promoter left
(Sean Agnew of R5) and almost succeeded in crushing him but he fought
back. Surely they are still keeping an eye on him. Meanwhile they took
over shows at venues as small as 150-200 capacity (e.g. the Khyber Pass).
The same thing has happened in Buffalo. If you talk to people at the Grog
Shop in Cleveland, I bet you get the same story - CC swallowed Belkin, and
Belkin now controls most shows in Cleveland AND in Pittsburgh, so I'm
betting they are putting the squeeze on the smaller places there now.
If Joker and Elko fall, there is nothing between me and Clear Channel.

So, that's my vested interest, both in a philosophical sense and in the
practical sense, smart boy.

On Thu, 2 Dec 2004, Mick wrote:

> Howard Stern was pulled for more than Bush bashing. The fines he amassed CC 
> and loss of sponsors was the number one reason. Yes, they are a right-wing 
> company, but Stern, by contract, could have sued if they just yanked him for 
> Bush bashing. His comments about Bush might have added to the final straw, 
> but it was not the end all, be all for the release of his show from CC 
> stations.
> 
> The Dixie Chicks, I know nothing about. Would be cool to know more about 
> that.
> 
> What is Manny's vested interest here? They do not compete with him. They do 
> not stop his shows. They do not limit what shows he does. They do not tell 
> him what bands to book or not to book as it might be. If I am wrong tell me 
> how.
> 
> --Mick
> 
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Brian J. Parker" <beep at telerama.com>
> 
> 
> > The minimal research of plugging '"Clear Channel" republican' into Google
> > isn't too tough, if one wishes to explore links between the media giant
> > and the Republican party.  Some of their controversial decisions that
> > indicate a likely right-wing bias are well-known: pulling Howard Stern's
> > show after he criticized Bush, removing the Dixie Chicks and other
> > peacenik artists from their playlists.  But there's more, if you have
> > time.
> >
> > Not that one could blame them or be surprised: generally, Republicans want
> > to remove restrictions on businesses, including monopoly laws that inhibit
> > the growth of giant media conglomerates like Clear Channel.  Democrats
> > tend to be more regulatory.
> >
> > Political inclinations aside, it's easy to argue that Clear Channel hurts
> > consumer choice.  It takes little research to realize their vast reach;
> > they own multiple radio stations in most cities and leverage that monopoly
> > to control which concerts appear.  As a result, less musical choice is
> > available to the consumer, and they don't need to compete to provide
> > higher quality or lower prices.  Manny has a vested interest, of course,
> > but he's right on.
> >
> > Mick, your argument that there are better companies to boycott is fairly
> > facile (though I suspect you know that and just like winding Manny up).
> > To take an example: I could probably afford to give $1000 to help feed
> > starving children.  But I'm selfish and spend $900 on myself, then give
> > $100 to an animal shelter.  Should I just have spent that $100 on myself
> > since I didn't give every possible cent to the best possible charity?  Or
> > is it better to do a little than nothing at all?  I'd argue the latter any
> > day.
> >
> >
> > Brian
> >
> > P.S. - Google 'Rupert Murdoch' while you're at it, and boycott Fox.
> > Stream Air America radio.  Write your congressman.  Vote.
> >
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> 
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