Clear Channel Radio Cuts Could Effect Country Music More
Late last week it was announced that dozens of local DJ’s from the US’s largest radio station operator Clear Channel were being cut all across the country. Most had no notice, and were not able to say goodbye to the communities they serve. Clear Channel owns around 850 stations that reach more than 154 million people, or roughly 75% of the US population 18 and older. The media company is being very secretive about the amount of DJ’s that were cut, but estimates are that it’s in the hundreds.
What we do know is that the cuts were in regional markets. Out of Clear Channel’s stations, about 600 are regional, and 250 are large market stations, meaning stations in big cities like New York and Los Angeles, while regional outlets constitute towns like Waco, TX, or Asheville, NC, or even smaller (see list of US Radio Markets). Though large market stations are less in number, they broadcast to the vast majority of people, being centered in the country’s population bases. The regional markets cover more rural, outlying communities, or the country, where much of country music’s traditional demographics live.
When the FCC updated the ownership regulations of local radio stations on June 2, 2003, allowing companies to own more radio stations in any given market, consumer and media watchdogs sounded the alarm this could cause large consolidation in media ownership, and create homogenization of local radio markets. After the rule change, large media companies like Clear Channel and Cumulus began to buy up stations that were either independently owned, or owned by local or regional companies. Clear Channel spent $30 billion buying up local radio stations, and now with the economic downturn, find themselves $20 billion in debt, facing default, and forced to cut local radio talent and replace it with national programming; the very fear media watchdog groups had in 2003 when the new regulations took effect.
The reason smaller, regional radio stations are effected disproportionately is because on-air talent in these smaller markets represents a disproportionate amount of the budget per listener. One DJ in Los Angeles can broadcast to 10 million people, while a DJ in Sioux City, IA only broadcasts to 100,000. Clear Channel’s plan is to eliminate many of these local positions, and replace them with syndicated programming, or with simulcast talent from other regional markets. This means more Ryan Seacrest, more Bob & Tom for regional markets, and less local and regional music talent being mixed in with national talent and programming by local-based DJ’s.
Local stations will still have local weather and traffic programming, but much of the music programming will be regionally or nationally-based. Successful regional shows will be broadcast on other regional markets than the ones they originate from, and top on-air talent not located in the market will “conduct custom breaks and produce localized content for each city” according to a Clear Channel spokesman. Clear Channel has already been using “NexGen”, a system that allows for voice tracking, remote control, and complete station automation from a remote location for years.
And this trend could only get worse, as the US population continues to shift more towards the large media markets, and Clear Channel continues to deal with debt default and bankruptcy concerns.
October 31, 2011 @ 10:52 am
I loathe Clear Channel Radio and nothing would make me happier than them dying so the new generation of talented DJs and podcasters (some of whom could be found on this very website) could rise up and give the people music worth listening to once more. And with NYC having the largest market, radio here is absolutely terrible. I cannot recommend one station worth listening to. It’s a shame.
October 31, 2011 @ 11:10 am
Well in the future, the radio choices you have in New York might be the exact same choices you have in Osh Kosh. And though I would love to see Clear Channel go belly up, and that is a very real possibility, it also could backfire for local radio, with creditors and banks being in charge of these radio stations, likely meaning more automation and nationalized programming.
October 31, 2011 @ 1:28 pm
I’m afraid that’s already happened. The stations I grew up on that played the best in Rock, Jazz, Classiscal, and R&B are all gone and replaced by Clear Channel stations playing Top 40 drivel. The two stations that have survived are NPR and the college station (which barely comes in). Those are good but well, bland.
October 31, 2011 @ 2:35 pm
Gillian, if you think your college station is bland, then do something about it! I’m not a college student, and in fact have never taken a course at my local college, but that hasn’t stopped me from doing my own radio show on the local station for over 3 years now. Check out my link if you want to hear some. The best way to keep music alive is to give something back by helping others hear the great stuff you love.
October 31, 2011 @ 7:31 pm
deadneck – great minds think alike! I tried to get into the station a few years ago to influence it a bit and apparently so are thousands of fellow music nerds. I did get to know a few of them and the music isn’t bad, it’s just that mine’s better (don’t we all feel that way?)
October 31, 2011 @ 11:51 am
That’s to bad that this has happened but I can’t say I’m surprised. I also can’t say that this hurts me much. Since there is virtually no radio station that plays anything interesting to me I never listen unless I’m subjected to it in another persons car.
October 31, 2011 @ 12:16 pm
I respectfully disagree. I think radio consolidation effects all of us by taking away the support structure for up and coming local talent. Sure, we’re all connected in to what is good, but I firmly believe that everyone has a right to good music, and the easiest vehicle to get music to people is radio, even though I also firmly believe radio is dead.
October 31, 2011 @ 7:16 pm
So what exactly happens if Clear Channel goes bankrupt? Do they sell off those stations? Do they just disappear? I looked it up and all Clear Channel owns in my area is a few urban music station and a pop rock station, would that change?
October 31, 2011 @ 8:01 pm
I don’t know if anybody knows what happens if Clear Channel goes bankrupt. If Clear Channel only owns a few stations in your area, count yourself lucky. In Dallas where I am from originally, all the major FM stations are owned by Clear Channel, the major country station, the major rock station, the alternative station, the classic rock station, and the “KISS” Top 40 station. “Kiss” top 40 is Clear Channel’s most recognizable calling card. There’s one in every major market.
November 2, 2011 @ 6:44 pm
So what would be the best possible outcome then?
October 31, 2011 @ 7:54 pm
i have sirius sattalite radio… i had to.. 15 years ago are country station went pop are metal station went to modern rock and now that station is just a classic rock station that plays the same classic rock songs over n over… i like outlaw country on sirius it’s worth the lil bit i pay each month
October 31, 2011 @ 8:13 pm
Satellite, internet radio, Pandora, etc., are all great alternatives to traditional radio, but they all involve initiative by the listener. Traditional radio is still the most accessible way to reach the masses, which means it’s still the most powerful, influential medium. This is a whole other topic itself, but I feel that people unwilling to participate in their local radio culture is part of the problem, and what makes small stations weak and rife for takeover. Radio was set up from the beginning as a community-based media, and is dying because it’s nationalistic focus. I don’t listen to any local radio either, but I think the death of radio is one of the core reasons popular music is so bad.
November 3, 2011 @ 11:03 pm
There still is great radio out there being made. I spin country records here in Seattle on KBCS and we also have three trad folk shows, a bluegrass show, an evening Americana show as well as Americana programming M-F in the afternoons. Our neighbor station KEXP has a country show, Americana show and a rockabilly show and just north of Seattle at KSER in Everett, WA there’s a handful of Americana shows as well. All the stations also stream their signals and have archived shows on their websites, so anyone can listen to them anywhere. They also do a fantastic job of playing regional bands, advocating for regional shows and venues as well as playing a ton of underground bands. Most community / college radio stations around the country have some sort of Americana programming whether it’s country or blues or bluegrass and I imagine most are streaming and archived these days, so even when their signals are weak they can be heard. I think it was said best above though that finding good music takes initiative on the part of the listener (which I suppose means we’re all preaching to the choir in here), and forgive my soapboxing, but I think we all have a responsibility to help get the word out.
November 7, 2011 @ 2:20 pm
Maybe if they stopped over-paying Ryan Seacrest they’d be able to keep our beloved local DJ’s on air; they relate to us and our region. Why do I care what is happening in California when I’m from South Texas?
My amazing DJ’s didn’t even get a chance to say good-bye. One morning I tuned in, as I faithfully do every morning, and it was some European male. The hell? I’m pretty sure Seacrest’s salary could cover the DJ’s who were let go. Get rid of him and bring back our DJ’s Clear Channel! Seacrest makes a killing working on E! and reaping money from other people’s lives w/ reality shows.
Until then, our community has launched a boycott, made a Facebook page for our local DJ’s and we have agreed to only listen to our iPods now or even start listening to Pandora only. We will continue to tune in to our local stations that are still running, but doubtful we’ll be able to do so for much longer.
Get your stuff together Clear Channel, stop being greedy and wake up.
November 7, 2011 @ 3:18 pm
What was the name of the radio station? Do you have a link to the Facebook page?
November 17, 2011 @ 3:24 am
I personally think the majority of all music broadcast in 5-7 years will be through online radio stations. I can’t stand to listen to normal radio anymore, which is the reason I started RootHog Radio.
I also think that traditional radio panders way too much to the 20-50 songs we like or is catchy vs playing a great mix of new, old, and favorites. But then again what do I know I am just a financial analyst that works in real estate.