Wow
ClearChannel has been working behind the scenes in a rather unsavory way to prevent the XM-Sirius merger from happening. I know ClearChannel is “evil” because it killed local radio years ago (I ask, who still listens to local radio, and why?), but its reliance on the government to protect its business is silly. Since when was it the government’s job to ensure your business is successful?
The national radio corp says XM-Sirius would have/already has too much spectrum. It says this threatens commercial, over-the-air radio, its bread and butter. It says you can’t go around saying XM-Sirius competes with every audio device (Note: Yes you can. I say it all the time.) because then that’d put regular radio under “intense competitive pressure” because things like iPods are unregulated. The fact is, I don’t listen to FM radio because I listen to an iPod. I’m pretty sure that’s called substitution, aka competition. ClearChannel also wants the XM-Sirius spectrum to tack on a HD Radio signal. Again, bail us and our friends out, government.
If you’ve read between the lines, you’ll notice that ClearChannel has a basic problem with the XM-Sirius spectrum. It shouldn’t surprise you, then, to learn that the whole point of its complaining to the FCC is to wrest some of that spectrum away. Classy.
Clear Channel continues anti-merger blitz [Orbitcast]
Source: Surrendering spectrum is the “end game” [Orbitcast]
“(I ask, who still listens to local radio, and why?)”
I do.
NPR, because I not only want the national programs, but I want local news too, which is something I don’t get on satellite.
KEXP, because I like to find out about new music, something that won’t happen if all I listen to is my own extensive music collection.
And, while I’m at work, I stream a local station out of Philly (WXPN) because I like the eclectic mix of music they provide as well (I consider XPN to be an adult version of KEXP, which seems to trend more to the younger demographic).
I also still listen to local radio. XM is fine, but the sound quality isn’t the greatest, and their are some local stations that provide the mix of what I’m looking for where it can take switching between two or three XM stations. I also like my prefer my local NPR stations to the national feed on satellite. I also prefer my local sports stations to the national stuff you find on satellite. Maybe if satellite could provide local content like satellite tv does, I could do without local FM/AM, but I don’t see that happening.
What a farce – good luck Clear Channel/HD Alliance/iBiquity!
http://hdradiofarce.blogspot.com/2007/12/free-ride-for-ibiquity.html
I think the point is that no one (and by no one I mean fewer and lower quality channel of people advertising customers) listens to corporate programmed FM radio becuase it is all crap, little diversity. Clear Channel-type consolidation is to blame.
Who’s the “little” guy in the above picture? Is he the one that plays on Fantasy Island”? The little ugly guy that says “The plane boss… The plane”…
This Old Dawg Loves His Sirius….. And hope to see the merger go through without any more “B.S.”…
Clearchannel is, and always was, evil.
I am surprised at Google’s willingness to partner with Clearchannel. I hope Google knows what it is doing. I hope they do not get sued for the same reasons that Clearchannel is suing banks. Further, Google, Clearchannel has demonstrated a pejorative legal business pattern.
Clearchannel has killed the local radio market the same way Home Depot has killed the local hardware store.
Do they realize that their market share is suffering not because of hard-times but because their product is uni-faceted and boring? That their losses are based on generic fishy product, lacking originality in a field based on creativity?
Perhaps it is unrealistic to speculate that time is a factor in unveiling a lackluster product, that a corporate band-aid market elephant might just be ho-hum, without local flavor, decaffeinatted, etc.
Don’t blame your competitors, new technology competition with Internet or satellite radio.
You have yourself to blame, Clearchannel. Not banks, nor the economy nor the credit crunch.
I only hope Google is smart enough to not get drowned in the mess.
It is time for Clearchannel to evolve into something it has never been. Try giving back what you have taken.
Perhaps afterwards you will discover possibilities.
Presently- be careful, Google.