Radio industry being investigated by US Senate for monopoly practices

[blueaguave]

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[jeskibuff]

Radio around our whole nation really is lousy because of these huge corporations. If it weren't for different call letters, you could swear you're listening to a radio station in another city because they have limited playlists and cloned formats that are set in stone. I don't know how anyone can listen to these crap stations for any length of time. I simply turn the radio off and pop in a CD for any extended period of time (road trips, etc.). As for high concert ticket prices, I don't bother - I can buy a CD that sounds better than the concert, listen to it for years to come and say goodbye to less than $15 from my wallet!


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[FUNdamental]

It doesn't surprise me the junior Senator of Wisconsin is trying so desperately to get press that he recruits John McCain, the "champion of the little people" to attack again what is already a working reality. As FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said "The cow is already out of the barn."

Though the legislative branch will talk about this agenda, there is nothing that can be done at this late stage of the game; consolidation is here, it is efficient, profitable, and “it aint goin' away.”

[blueaguave]

Originally posted by FUNdamental
It doesn't surprise me the junior Senator of Wisconsin is trying so desperately to get press that he recruits John McCain, the "champion of the little people" to attack again what is already a working reality. As FCC Commissioner Michael Copps said "The cow is already out of the barn."

Though the legislative branch will talk about this agenda, there is nothing that can be done at this late stage of the game; consolidation is here, it is efficient, profitable, and “it aint goin' away.”

I'm a hypocrite on this issue. On most things I'm a free market, libertarian (except the environment I advocate more government protections). However, I'm so ticked at the lame music being pumped out these days, I gleefully welcome this governmetn intervention. And Clear Channel is responsible for the blandizing of not only music, but even talk radio. You used to be able to drive through this country, hear different preachers, different musics, eat pecan pie in Texas, pierogies in Milwauke. Now its this same, starbucks shopping mall, Britney/Backstreet boys culture.
And don't hold your breat for a "country" station to play Willie, or a "rock" station to play the Stones

[FUNdamental]

Blue,

Your statement is all over the board, you must be in your early to mid 20's to be a libertarian except for environmental issues, and music on the radio. You made me laugh, I appreciate that.

Are you mad at the radio industry for playing the music you find bland, or the record companies for releasing the music you find homogeneous? On this point you are not very clear. Are you also mad at Starbucks?

Face it, before deregulation the radio industry was in bad shape, heavy debt on the owners, falling advertising rates, payroll out of sync with other industries, and constant format switching. Now we have, according to Radio & Records magazine, rising ad rates, higher salaries for talent, more on the air talent for the morning time slot, less format switches, and more friendly radio technology for the consumer. If you feel you can do a better job programming a radio station, then move to a small town (where the conglomerates aren’t) get a job with a radio station to prove what you can do.

[3tbear]

Soaring ticket prices??? Aren't they high enough already???


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[jeskibuff]

Originally posted by FUNdamental
Are you mad at the radio industry for playing the music you find bland, or the record companies for releasing the music you find homogeneous?
...
Face it, before deregulation the radio industry was in bad shape, heavy debt on the owners, falling advertising rates, payroll out of sync with other industries, and constant format switching. Now we have, according to Radio & Records magazine, rising ad rates, higher salaries for talent, more on the air talent for the morning time slot, less format switches, and more friendly radio technology for the consumer.
...
If you feel you can do a better job programming a radio station, then move to a small town (where the conglomerates aren’t) get a job with a radio station to prove what you can do.

I'm angry at the soulless radio stations for broadcasting garbage, the record industry for catering to the lowest common denominator AND the public for buying such crap. Eminem wins a Grammy? If it weren't true, it'd be a good joke!

Maybe the radio stations are more profitable, but does that mean they're any good? The pornography and illegal drug industries do quite well (ask Larry Flynt) - does that mean they put out a good product?

I don't like the government getting into running things and dictating business practices, but I'm all for prevention of monopolies and price-fixing. I think we have bigger fish to fry, but this is just one thing on the Feingold/McCain agenda. Like Blue, I'd like to see changes in the industry, but have no hope that this action will change it for the better as to what I'd like to see it become. This is just a means of saying "I can't stand what you've done to the industry, and I'm a bit hopeful to see you get a little punishment, albeit for a totally different reason". Something like pinning Al Capone on tax evasion rather than murder, you know?

As far as challenging Blue to find a small town and get a job as a D.J. to prove he could do things better, I bet Blue would LOVE to if he had the resources. I certainly would. But to throw a challenge out there like that simply to make a point is ridiculous and uncalled for. Maybe it is something he always wanted to do and may serve as an inspiration for him to get out and "do it". Most likely though, no. He certainly has the right to toss out his sentiments on the issue (as does everybody) without such a put-down.

As to McCain being snidely called a "champion of the little people", I can see no better quality in a politician than trying to serve the people that elected him to the best of his ability. That involves getting to the roots of problems whether they're on conservative or liberal agendas. Then finding pragmatic solutions that SOLVE those problems in the fairest possible way to ALL parties involved. Like him or not, McCain impresses me as someone who does that with minimal fanfare for himself.

kLUnK *



(that's the sound of me falling off my soapbox)


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[FUNdamental]

I hate to break it to you, but radio is a business. Radio is there to serve the masses, not work for one individual. Your passion for change is solely directed at what serves you, not the public.

Without consolidation, most radio stations would be bankrupt. Look at the business... before the 1996 Telecom Act, owners of radio stations couldn't get any investors to bail them out of debt, now, radio stations have a deep value, and recurring revenue sources.

My point is simple, radio is not there to serve you, it is there to serve the community; radio is doing just that with better programming than before deregulation, I am sorry you don’t like it and feel you can do a better job.

[blueaguave]

Originally posted by FUNdamental
I hate to break it to you, but radio is a business. Radio is there to serve the masses, not work for one individual. Your passion for change is solely directed at what serves you, not the public.

Without consolidation, most radio stations would be bankrupt. Look at the business... before the 1996 Telecom Act, owners of radio stations couldn't get any investors to bail them out of debt, now, radio stations have a deep value, and recurring revenue sources.

My point is simple, radio is not there to serve you, it is there to serve the community; radio is doing just that with better programming than before deregulation, I am sorry you don’t like it and feel you can do a better job.

dude, I was in College Republicans, worked part time for the RNC at one time, and have Ronald Reagans autograph. I fully understand all the economic arguements. I'm talking about it from a cultural standpoint.

[FUNdamental]

If you are talking about radio from a "cultural standpoint" then you must turn the dial below 92.1. The frequencies between 88.1 and 91.9 are reserved for non commercial civic use. There is plenty of "cultural" programming there. The commercial band is not entrusted with cultural responsibility.

This agenda of the Junior Senator from Wisconsin is going nowhere, so don’t get your hopes up. Again, there are plenty of radio stations in small towns where you can start your radio career. 20 years ago , before he moved to New York, Howard Stern personally advised me that if I want to get into radio, start in very small or unrated market and move my way up. It worked for him.

I am passing the same advise to you; You can complain all you want, and expect to be right and just, but, until you attempt to change the industry by working from within, as Anne landers would say"Quitchurbellyaching"


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[blueaguave]

[quote]Originally posted by FUNdamental
[b]If you are talking about radio from a "cultural standpoint" then you must turn the dial below 92.1. The frequencies between 88.1 and 91.9 are reserved for non commercial civic use. There is plenty of "cultural" programming there. The commercial band is not entrusted with cultural responsibility.

This agenda of the Junior Senator from Wisconsin is going nowhere, so don’t get your hopes up. Again, there are plenty of radio stations in small towns where you can start your radio career. 20 years ago , before he moved to New York, Howard Stern personally advised me that if I want to get into radio, start in very small or unrated market and move my way up. It worked for him.

I am passing the same advise to you; You can complain all you want, and expect to be right and just, but, until you attempt to change the industry by working from within, as Anne landers would say"Quitchurbellyaching"
[size=1]

I take glee that the government is going to intefere

[chippers21]

Government interference? So what else is new? We have been moving this way in everything for some time now. And the problem, to me, is that you cannot support government interference in one area without tainting your stand against government interference in another area. Our government was set up originally to protect our rights (the Bill of Rights) and to protect our nation. If I could, I would lower taxes and take the FEDERAL government OUT of education and all the programs possible, giving states and local governments alot more say.

Nowadays my pet peeve is reverse discrimination and equal treatment that has no basis in reality. I am for equal rights for all races, religions, sexes. Examples: It is ridiculous to have black beauty pageants and award shows. (If we had them exclusively for "whites" we would never hear the end of it!) And at the same time it is stupid to insist on equal funding for female sports programs, as we are just more interested in male dominated sports such as football, baseball and basketball AND more males are interested in playing sports. I have heard of many colleges which had to drop their athletic programs because they could not meet the equal funding laws we now enforce through one of the infamous Title.... programs.

But moving back to the initial subject of this thread, the best way to protest what you do not lkie is to stop listening to those stations you do not like (I stopped listening to NPR long ago) and patronize the ones that are closest to your liking.

[pandybat]

It's about time someone looked into what is going on with radio these days. Did you know that every radio station in the country is owned by one of four companies?? No wonder it all sounds the same. I'm glad someone is finally doing something about it.

[FUNdamental]

Originally posted by pandybat
It's about time someone looked into what is going on with radio these days. Did you know that every radio station in the country is owned by one of four companies?? No wonder it all sounds the same. I'm glad someone is finally doing something about it.

This statement is absolutely NOT TRUE. Please don't spread false information disguised as fact.

There are over 10,000 commercial radio stations in the United States. Clear Channel, by far the biggest owner, owns 1,211. Citadel owns 206, and Infinity owns 185. Radio One owns 67. There are some of your biggest owners. By you math 1,211+206+185+67=10,000. I hope you don't balance your own checkbook!

There are well over 600 radio station owners in this country, and 600 doesn't equal 4 by what I learned in school.

Now as for the Ms. Black USA pageant, which is NOT a government sponsored program, minorities in this country have the right to compete within their minority for esteem within their own race. BTW we also have a Ms. Italian USA pageant, and I don’t see you using this example to scream about. If a Majority (all white, in this case) did this type of exclusion, it would reek of Hitleristic isolation, separatism, and blockading of self aspirations. It is a minority vs majority issue, If you want to have an all red haired beauty pageant, red haired women being a minority, go ahead. But, an all white beauty pageant is definitely separatist, caste like, and thank God, illegal. I don't see any problem with this type of inclusion contest for minorities, and most sane people would agree with me.

[FUNdamental]

[quote]Originally posted by blueaguave
[b]

Originally posted by FUNdamental
If you are talking about radio from a "cultural standpoint" then you must turn the dial below 92.1. The frequencies between 88.1 and 91.9 are reserved for non commercial civic use. There is plenty of "cultural" programming there. The commercial band is not entrusted with cultural responsibility.

This agenda of the Junior Senator from Wisconsin is going nowhere, so don’t get your hopes up. Again, there are plenty of radio stations in small towns where you can start your radio career. 20 years ago , before he moved to New York, Howard Stern personally advised me that if I want to get into radio, start in very small or unrated market and move my way up. It worked for him.

I am passing the same advise to you; You can complain all you want, and expect to be right and just, but, until you attempt to change the industry by working from within, as Anne landers would say"Quitchurbellyaching"
[size=1]

I take glee that the government is going to intefere

Again, there is very little the legislature can do here to reverse what the market has done. "The Cow is already out of the barn."

By this time next year the consolidation trend will be still moving forward with Radio groups and Newspaper owners getting a bigger media empire by acquiring more radio stations and (the next trend) buying television stations.