Clear Channel Communications is a media conglomerate company based in the United States. Clear Channel, founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, wields considerable influence in radio broadcasting, concert promotion and hosting, and fixed advertising in the United States through its subsidiaries. Clear Channel is the largest owner of full-power AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations and twelve radio channels on XM Satellite Radio, and is also the largest media company that focuses only on radio. The group previously was in the television business until it sold all of its TV stations to Newport Television in 2008. The present head of the company is Mark Mays, and its headquarters is located in San Antonio, Texas.
The term "clear channel" comes from AM broadcasting, referring to a channel (frequency) on which only one station transmits. In U.S. and Canadian broadcasting history, "clear channel" (or class I-A) stations had exclusive rights to their frequencies throughout most of the continent at night, when AM stations travel very far due to skywave. WOAI in San Antonio, Clear Channel's flagship station, was such a station.
History
Clear Channel Communications purchased its first FM station in San Antonio in 1972. The company purchased the second "clear channel" AM station WOAI in 1975. In 1976, the company purchased its first stations outside of San Antonio. KXXO AM and KMOD FM in Tulsa were acquired under the name "San Antonio Broadcasting" (same as KEEZ). Stations were also added in Port Arthur, TX (KPAC-AM-FM from Port Arthur College) and El Paso, TX (KELP AM (now KQBU AM) from John Walton, Jr.). In 1992, the U.S. Congress relaxed radio ownership rules slightly, allowing the company to acquire more than 2 stations per market. By 1995, Clear Channel owned 43 radio stations and 16 television stations. In 1996, the Telecommunications Act of 1996 became law. This act deregulated media ownership, allowing a company to own more stations than previously. Clear Channel went on a buying spree, purchasing more than 70 other media companies, plus individual stations.
In a few cases, following purchase of a competitor, Clear Channel was forced to divest some of its stations, as it were above the legal thresholds in some cities. In 2005, the courts ruled that Clear Channel must also divest itself of some "border blaster" radio stations in international border cities. One such instance was that of the nation's first alternative rock radio station, 91X in Tijuana, Baja California/San Diego.
In 1997 Clear Channel moved out of pure broadcasting when it purchased billboard firm Eller Media [1] which was led by Karl Eller.
In 1998 it made its first move outside of the United States when it acquired the leading UK outdoor advertising company More Group plc which was led by Roger Parry; Clear Channel went on to buy many other outdoor advertising, radio broadcasting, and live events companies around the world, which were then re-branded Clear Channel International. These included a 51% stake in Clear Media Ltd. in China [2].
In 1999, the company acquired Jacor Communications, a radio corporation based in Cincinnati, Ohio.
In 2005 Clear Channel Communications split into three separate companies. Clear Channel Communications was a radio broadcaster; Clear Channel Outdoor was out-of-home advertising; and Live Nation was live events. The Mays family remained in effective control of all three, and held key executive roles in each (with Mark Mays as CEO of both radio and outdoor and Randall Mays as Chairman of Live Nation).
On November 16, 2006, Clear Channel announced plans to go private, being bought out by two private-equity firms, Thomas H. Lee Partners and Bain Capital Partners for $18.7 billion, which is just under a 10 percent premium above its closing price of $35.36 a share on November 16 (the deal values Clear Channel at $37.60 per share).[2][3] The new ownership of Clear Channel has also announced that all of its TV stations were for sale, as well as 448 radio stations that were outside of the top 100 markets.[4] All of the TV stations and 161 of the radio stations were sold to a Providence Equity Partners, a private-equity firm, on April 23, 2007, pending FCC approval.[5]
On July 24, 2008, Clear Channel held a special shareholder meeting, during which the majority of shareholders accepted a revised $36-per-share offer from Bain Capital and Thomas H. Lee Partners.[6] The company announced on July 30 that it would offer shareholders either $36 in cash or one share of CC Media Class A common stock for each share of Clear Channel common stock held.[7]
Businesses
Clear Channel has purchased interest in, or outright acquired, companies in a number of media or advertising related industries. This is not an exhaustive list.
Radio
With 900 stations, Clear Channel is the largest radio station group owner in the United States, both by number of stations and by revenue. According to BIA Financial Network, Clear Channel Radio recorded more than $3.5 billion in revenues in 2005, more than $1 billion more than the number-two group owner, CBS Radio.[8]
Clear Channel has purchased stations from or acquired the following radio companies:
- The Ackerley Group
- AMFM
- Apex
- Capstar (also operating under Gulfstar, Southern Star, and Atlantic Star)
- Chancellor
- Clark Broadcasting
- Dame Media
- Eastern Radio Assets
- Jacor
- Quad City
- Roberts
- Paxson Communications
- Taylor Broadcasting
- Trumper Communications
- SFX Radio
- Mondosphere Broadcasting
Outdoor advertising
- Bought Eller Media, Universal Outdoor, and More Group Plc, giving Clear Channel outdoor advertising space in 25 countries.
- Owns part of an Italian street furniture company, Jolly Pubblicita S.p.A.
- Owns BBH Exhibits, Yellow Checker Star Cab Displays, Dauphin, Taxi Tops, Donrey Media, and Ackerley Media. Also owns an outdoor advertising company in Switzerland and Poland and a major outdoor advertising firm in Chile.
- Has a partnership with APN Outdoor in Australia, which has resulted in a 49% share in Adshel, a street furniture advertising company. APN Outdoor is the majority shareholder (owning 51% of Adshel).
Television
The first television station Clear Channel purchased was WPMI in Mobile, Alabama in 1988. It owned more than 40 additional stations, a few of which are independent (non-network affiliates). In 2007, the company entered into an agreement to sell all its television stations to Providence Equity Partners for $1.2 billion, a deal which eventually closed in March, 2008. All former Clear Channel television stations are now owned by Newport Television.
Live events
On December 21, 2005, Clear Channel completed the spin-off of Live Nation, formerly known as Clear Channel Entertainment. Live Nation is an independent company (NYSE: LYV) and is no longer owned by Clear Channel. Live Nation UK was also included in the spin off.
Note that post-spinoff, there is overlap the board between Clear Channel and Live Nation, specifically: L. Lowry Mays, Mark P. Mays (Former Vice Chairman of Live Nation), and Randall T. Mays (Former Chairman of Live Nation).[9]
News and information
- Operates Clear Channel News Network and local news networks in Kentucky, Virginia, Ohio, Oklahoma, Alabama, Tennessee, Georgia and Florida
- Premiere Radio Networks
- FOX Sports Radio Network
- Acquired Agri Broadcast Network (ABN), a farm programming provider in Ohio
- Publishes "Inside Radio" magazine - www.insideradio.com
- Clear Channel Traffic reports on road and traffic conditions across the United States, and in Mexico City, Mexico; these are used by many GPS navigation systems.[10]
- Fan Radio Network a sports radio network that serves Minnesota, South Dakota, and North Dakota. Flagship station is KFAN in Minneapolis, MN
Worldwide
- Owns part of radio groups in New Zealand, Mexico, Norway, and Australia
- Owns outdoor advertising companies in Singapore, South Africa, Sweden, Switzerland, Romania, Poland, Chile, Brazil, Finland, Mauritius and Italy
- Owns L & C Outdoor Comunicacao Visual Ltda., of Brazil
- Owns the only airport advertising contract in South America
- United Kingdom
- Operates urban bike rental services in several European cities :
Vertical Real Estate
In 2003, Clear Channel created the Vertical Real Estate division and hired Scott Quitadamo to promote its tower portfolio. Clear Channel owns and operates approximately 1,500 broadcast transmission towers across the US. many of which are available for co-location by third parties such as cellular and PCS companies, wireless internet, fixed wireless, and other broadcasters.
Corporate governance
Current members of the board of directors of Clear Channel Communications are: Alan Feld, Perry Lewis, Lowry Mays, B.J.(Red) McCombs, Phyllis Riggins, Theodore Strauss, J.C. Watts, and John H. Williams.
Tom Hicks and Vernon Jordan were formerly members of Clear Channel's board of directors. Jordan was a close friend and advisor to President Bill Clinton and was accused of lying to investigators during the investigations into perjury and obstruction of justice charges against Clinton. Hicks, Clear Channel's former vice-chairman, is a past donor to George W. Bush's political campaigns and a close associate of the Bush family. Hicks is the founder of Hicks, Muse, Tate & Furst, the private-equity firm which funded many of Clear Channel's antecedent companies, including most significantly CapStar and Chancellor Media.
Top executives
- Lowry Mays
- company founder, chairman;
- Mark Mays
- son of Lowry Mays, chief executive officer, president and chief operating officer;
- Randall Mays
- son of Lowry Mays, executive vice president and chief financial officer;
- John Hogan
- chief executive officer of Clear Channel radio
Sources: [11], [12]
Programming on Clear Channel radio stations
Clear Channel operates a the country's largest syndication service, Premiere Radio Networks. In addition, Clear Channel syndicates a number of its homegrown talk and music shows without the aid of Premiere. While Premiere actively sells its shows to stations, the non-Premiere syndicated shows are often used as a cost-cutting measure and do not have a large sales staff. Those shows also do not carry network-wide advertising (unless distributed by a third party), and allow the affiliates to keep all local spots, which increases their appeal. These networks carry many program hosts of various political ideologies and distribute a variety of programs to both Clear Channel-owned and non-Clear Channel-owned stations.
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Not all programming heard on Clear Channel's radio stations are produced in house; however, most of Clear Channel's stations share many similarities to each other in branding and programming.
Format Lab and HD2 Formats
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The Format Lab is a think tank run by Clear Channel that produces over eighty channels of programming, varying from mainstream formats to the highly experimental. These channels are heard on most of Clear Channel's HD Radio subchannels on its stations across the country in a commercial-free format.
Only a few Clear Channel stations (such as KGB-FM and KLOU) produce locally originated HD2 channels, usually tape loops of programming heard on their regular channel.
Urban stations
Stations that carry programming catering to black Americans are a big part of many Clear Channel clusters, particularly Philadelphia, Chicago, and Detroit. In many clusters Clear Channel has two or more such stations. About half the Urban stations focus on Rap and Hip Hop along with younger R & B sounds. The other half blend some younger R & B along with some Soul from the 70's 80's, and 90's along with some current product. Some of the Hip Hop based Urban stations report as Rhythmic Top 40 stations rather than Urban stations because these stations also have some appeal to white and Hispanic listeners. In a cluster with multiple urban stations owned by Clear Channel, one is focused on Rap while the other is focused on Soul. Examples include Philadelphia, with WUSL's focus on hip hop while WDAS-FM focuses on Soul, and Chicago, where WGCI-FM focuses on rap while WVAZ is focused on Soul.
News talk stations
News talk stations owned by Clear Channel usually have a standard slate of hosts. The morning show is usually local, with other timeslots filled by local and syndicated hosts. Programs that appear on many Clear Channel talk stations include Glenn Beck Program, The Rush Limbaugh Show, Dr. Laura, and Coast to Coast AM, all of which are affiliated with Premiere Radio Networks in some fashion. The Sean Hannity Show, The Savage Nation, The Mark Levin Show and Dave Ramsey are non-Premiere shows that air on many (if not most) Clear Channel stations. Limbaugh is almost universally carried on Clear Channel stations in markets where the company has a news talk station, with the exception of markets such as Washington, DC and San Francisco, CA, where ABC Radio (which previously was Limbaugh's home network) has a news talk station in the market.
While most of Clear Channel's news/talk stations carry some combination of Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage and Noory (of Coast to Coast AM), this is not always the case. Many stations (particularly in the larger markets) like KFI, KFYI, KOA and WLW broadcast a lineup with significant local programming.
Clear Channel owns no all-news radio stations. Almost all of Clear Channel's primary talk stations are affiliated with Fox News Radio for national news
Liberal talk radio is heard on a few of Clear Channel's stations, primarily secondary to its main news talk stations, and usually feature at least one local host with a combination of Air America Radio and Jones Radio Networks programming.
Sports talk stations
Most sports talk stations owned by Clear Channel are affiliated with Fox Sports Radio and carry The Jim Rome Show; several have recently picked up The Dan Patrick Show. They are usually branded either Fox Sports or The Sports Animal.
Adult Standards
Most of Clear Channel's adult standards stations are turnkey operations, running a direct feed of the Music of Your Life network. Most of these stations have no local jocks or Web sites.
Adult Contemporary
Clear Channel's soft adult contemporary stations are usually branded as either "Lite FM" or "Sunny." Evenings are usually filled with Delilah, unless that show is already aired by another station, in which case the John Tesh Radio Show is often substituted.
Hot adult contemporary stations are usually branded as "Mix." Some Hot AC stations lean modern rock while others lean toward adult rock. Rhythmic adult contemporary stations are often branded as "The Party."
Contemporary hit radio
Clear Channel's CHR stations are usually branded as KISS FM or Z, or Q like in Z100 WHTZ Newark in New York & Z 100 KKRZ in Portland, OR and Q like in Q102 Philadelphia 102.1 WIOQ. Some have other branding, however, if the name to the format is owned by another company. Many run in-house syndicated morning shows, especially in smaller markets.
Country music
Country music stations owned by Clear Channel usually carry Blair Garner in overnights (and occasionally evenings), and many (although not all) carry Big D and Bubba in morning drive. There is no unified branding of Clear Channel's country stations.
Oldies and Classic Hits
Clear Channel's Oldies station consists largely of FM stations with some AM stations. Nearly all of the FM stations play oldies spanning from 1964 to 1975, with a 500 song active playlist split nearly half 1960's and half 1970's. The playlist also includes approximately a dozen pre 1964 tracks and around 50 songs from the late 70's and early 80's. These stations generally have a few local live announcers; much of the time these stations are voicetracked either locally or from another market. Most run syndicated programming on weekends, such as Dick Bartley or Mike Harvey on Saturday nights, Steve Goddard's programs (Goddard's Gold and/or The 70s), and recently, Casey Kasem's American Top 40: The 70s. A handful of Clear Channel's outlets have picked up syndicated weeknight fare, such as Mike Harvey, Marty Thompson or Tom Kent.
The AM oldies stations' playlists skew somewhat older and span from 1955 to about 1975. About 60 percent of the time they play 1964 to 1969 oldies, 20 percent pre 1964 oldies, and 20 percent music from the 1970s. Some of these also run Dick Bartley or Mike Harvey on Saturday nights. Some of the AM stations also run adult standards several hours on the weekend as well as limited specialized programming focusing on the pre 1964 era. Most of the AM stations are in smaller markets.
Rock
These stations tend to play a blend of new rock and harder classic rock. Some carry Nights with Alice Cooper in the evenings. These stations tend to be live during the day and voicetracked at night. Some stations run Rock Line with Bob Coburn and/or Little Steven's Underground Garage as well.
Clear Channel classic rock stations are usually branded as "The Fox." Often, they will carry Bob and Tom in morning drive.
Spanish
In a few markets Clear Channel has an FM station carrying Hispanic programming full-time. In some markets the format is a Contemporary Tropical format while in others the format carried is more of a Mexican format. In a few markets a Clear Channel FM station carries a rap based Spanish format known as Hurban, which blends Spanish dance music with R & B hits as well as some Hip Hop. The division is run by Spanish radio executive Alfredo Alonso, who joined Clear Channel in September 2004 as Senior Vice President Hispanic Radio.[13]
Religious
In a few markets, Clear Channel has a religious station on the AM band. Some of these sell blocks of time to outside organizations and have no local shows at all except where local churches buy time. These are formatted similarly to Salem Media stations.
The other type of religious format Clear Channel uses on AM in a few markets is a Gospel music based format. On these stations Gospel Music appealing to black Americans airs most of the time along with some block programming sold to religious groups. These stations are often programmed as urban stations that happen to be religious.
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