Clear Channel Radio Update

Steven Goodridg · Nov 7, 2003

Clear Channel Radio Update

Yesterday I participated in another conference call with League of American Bicyclists Executive
Director Elissa Margolin and Communications Director Patrick McCormick, as well as other cyclist
advocates involved in the Clear Channel issue. The League representatives met in person with John
Hogan, CEO of Clear Channel Radio, to discuss the issue and how to move forward constructively.
Let it suffice to say that CC is very embarrassed by the actions of its DJs and by all of the
negative publicity the company has received. They appear very serious about wanting to prevent
this from ever happening again, and about making things right by promoting safe cycling through
their media channels.

Below are a few news items providing more information.

-Steve Goodridge VP, North Carolina Bicycle Club

---------------------------------------
Bike League News: LEAGUE AND CLEAR CHANNEL RESOLVE CYCLISTS' CONCERNS

In a letter to Elissa Margolin, the League's Executive Director, John Hogan, President and CEO of
Clear Channel Radio, said, "the comments made by Clear Channel Radio stations in Cleveland, Houston,
and Raleigh were inappropriate and intolerable ... As CEO of Clear Channel Radio, I do not support
or condone the anti-cyclists messages and have taken steps to insure they do not occur again." The
letter was written following a November 5 meeting between Margolin and Hogan at Clear Channel's
headquarters in San Antonio, TX. Hogan and Margolin discussed ways in which the company could work
with the bicycling community to promote safe bicycling and sharing the road and agreed to meet in
early 2004 to review progress and chart next steps. Margolin said, "The League is pleased with the
response from Clear Channel Radio. The comments broadcast on stations in Cleveland, Houston, and
Raleigh were indeed egregious, but the company's redress has been aggressive and the measures taken
to prevent any reoccurrence are heartening. CEO John Hogan has clearly demonstrated that any
programming that endangers cyclists will not be tolerated and we applaud his leadership on this
issue. We are particularly pleased that Clear Channel will work with the bicycling community to help
make America's roads safer for everyone." Martha Roskowski, America Bikes Campaign Manager, and Sue
Knaup, Thunderhead Alliance Executive Director, both expressed their support for Clear Channel's
statement. Knaup said, "I look forward to building this important partnership with one of America's
leading media companies to help promote safe bicycling in America's communities and to encourage
motorists and cyclists to share the road."

The letter can be found online as a scanned image at
http://www.bikeleague.org/educenter/clear_channel.pdf

--------------------------------------------
Clear Channel moves to woo bicyclists Associated Press

SAN ANTONIO - Clear Channel Communications has joined forces with the League of American Bicyclists
to promote cycling.

That's after some on-air personalities at Clear Channel radiostations had suggested mayhem against
bicyclists.

In recent months, broadcasts in Houston, Cleveland and Raleigh, N.C., included suggestions to throw
bottles at riders, hit them with open car doors and blast horns. Listeners called in to agree, vent
and share stories.

In announcing the alliance on Thursday, officials for the nation's largest radio group said they
will tolerate no more anti-bicyclist rhetoric by its disc jockeys.

"We look forward to a very productive partnership with this important organization, focused on
promoting safe conditions for bicyclists," John Hogan, president of the company's 1,200-station
radio division, said in an e-mail.

Representatives with American Bicyclists, which represents more than 300,000 riders, met with
officials at Clear Channel's San Antonio headquarters Wednesday to air concerns about "shock jocks"
encouraging motorists to harass cyclists.

Clear Channel said the comments were not meant to be serious. The company has issued an apology and
has disciplined some employees, including firing a Houston producer.

Also, all three stations have since started running public service announcements to educate drivers
about bicycle safety.

Clear Channel stations have promoted or helped sponsor bicycling events for years - more than 100
since 2002.

The company even had a team of riders in this year's Bike to the Beach ride from San Antonio to
Corpus Christi to raise money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

The cycling group and company officials intend to meet again early next year to discuss
further steps.

Brendon M. Troy · Nov 7, 2003

"Steven Goodridge" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Clear Channel Radio Update
<snip>

I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so could someone clue me in . . .
was it pure coincidence that DJs in three pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly
anti-cyclis messages at around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the tune of
"anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC brass? I'm guessing that that is an
extreme depiction of the situation, but could someone set me straight?

Brendon

David Kerber · Nov 7, 2003

In article <[email protected]>, [email protected] says...
> "Steven Goodridge" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
> > Clear Channel Radio Update
> <snip>
>
> I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so could someone clue me in . . .
> was it pure coincidence that DJs in three pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly
> anti-cyclis messages at around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the tune
> of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC brass? I'm guessing that that
> is an extreme depiction of the situation, but could someone set me straight?

I think it's more likely that one DJ contacted his friends at other stations directly and said
something to the effect of "my listeners loved my anti-bike jokes". I doubt even an organization as
clueless as Clear Channel would send a corporate suggestion like that. I could be wrong, though!

--
Dave Kerber Fight spam: remove the ns_ from the return address before replying!

REAL programmers write self-modifying code.

Karen M. · Nov 7, 2003

Brendon wrote:
> > Clear Channel Radio Update
> <snip>
>
> I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so could someone clue me in . . .
> was it pure coincidence that DJs in three pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly
> anti-cyclis messages at around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the tune
> of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC brass? I'm guessing that that
> is an extreme depiction of the situation, but could someone set me straight?

Maybe all the guilty parties hang out on alt.dj.pranks.and.idiots.

--Karen M.

Steven Goodridg · Nov 7, 2003

"Brendon M. Troy" <[email protected]> wrote
> I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so could someone clue me in . . .
> was it pure coincidence that DJs in three pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly
> anti-cyclis messages at around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the tune
> of "anti-bike jokes play well, think about making them" from the CC brass?

I have seen no evidence that there was any management direction at Clear Channel Radio for DJs to
make anti-cyclist comments. From what I have heard directly from the local Clear Channel Raleigh
manager and indirectly from John Hogan through other cyclists, I think it is unlikely that any
encouragement from management was behind the content aimed at bicyclists in particular.

I personally think that these were independent acts of hostility. Perhaps there was direct
communication between DJs, but I doubt it. I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear
Channel Radio tolerates, attracts, or even promotes anti-social behavior in general by its radio
talent. If true, that's a problem that the FCC may want to address, but one that I think is
tangential to bicycling in particular. Bicyclists were probably just the convenient target-du-jour.
Road bicycling seems to be increasing in popularity recently, which may have gained cyclists more
attention than in previous years when mountain biking was the big fad.

Steve Goodridge

Jym Dyer · Nov 7, 2003

=v= I know of earlier similar anti-bicyclist incidents at Clear Channel stations in Portland,
Oregon, and the San Francisco Bay Area.

=v= In the latter case, which I know best, the DJs said that motorcyclists should be doored, and
bicyclists should wear signs that say "***" and be run over. Clear Channel was very quick to
apologize (and very lucky that the area's politically involved gay community didn't get after them
for this).

=v= They played some lackluster PSAs about bike safety and then "fired" the DJs, which meant they
were transferred to another Clear Channel station, where they pulled another stupid stunt and were
"fired" again, which again meant a transfer to another station.

=v= So, two lessons from this: (1) it's a bigger problem than just these three stations, and more
longstanding, and (2) their concessions don't seem to be all they're made out to be. Let's keep an
eye on them. <_Jym_>

(But what do you expect from an outfit that stages "populist" pro-oil-war rallies and overreports
their attendance?)

P.S.: Have you restocked your supply of FearChannel bumper stickers yet?

http://www.talkfastrideslow.org/stuff/stuff.html

Eric Vey · Nov 7, 2003

--I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear Channel Radio tolerates, attracts, or even
promotes anti-social behavior in general by its radio talent.--

I think that is "arguable" and I will argue that they do indeed hire "tolerate, attract, or even
promote anti-social behavior in general" radio talent. I have spent some time recently listening to
them and that seems to be exactly what they do.

So when some their purposefully hired, anti-social DJ's step on some toes, they are shocked and
surprised? . . . I don't think so.

If the bicycle "leadership" in the form of associations, wants to be BS'd into believing that the
station managers or higher ups (called "management" here) have no control over these guys, so be it,
and I am sure that I could not convince them otherwise, but I see more nodding and winking (on the
radio station side) than most people would tolerate.

The big shots in the radio station biz could have these guys drummed out of the corp, (they do it
all the time when they can't cough up enough advertising bucks) but I have yet to hear of that
happening.

Has anyone else?

"Steven Goodridge" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> "Brendon M. Troy" <[email protected]> wrote
> > I'm obviously not well-educated on the background of this issue, so could someone clue me in . .
> > . was it pure coincidence that DJs in
three
> > pretty far-flung CC markets broadcast similarly anti-cyclis messages
at
> > around the same time? Or was there some sort of memo sent out to the tune of "anti-bike jokes
> > play well, think about making them" from
the CC
> > brass?
>
> I have seen no evidence that there was any management direction at Clear Channel Radio for DJs to
> make anti-cyclist comments. From what I have heard directly from the local Clear Channel Raleigh
> manager and indirectly from John Hogan through other cyclists, I think it is unlikely that any
> encouragement from management was behind the content aimed at bicyclists in particular.
>
> I personally think that these were independent acts of hostility. Perhaps there was direct
> communication between DJs, but I doubt it. I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear
> Channel Radio tolerates, attracts, or even promotes anti-social behavior in general by its radio
> talent. If true, that's a problem that the FCC may want to address, but one that I think is
> tangential to bicycling in particular. Bicyclists were probably just the convenient
> target-du-jour. Road bicycling seems to be increasing in popularity recently, which may have
> gained cyclists more attention than in previous years when mountain biking was the big fad.
>
> Steve Goodridge

Doug Huffman · Nov 8, 2003

Here in Charleston, SC, we can date the birth of 'talk radio' to Hurricane Hugo. Before HH there was
no such thing. A particular country music DJ moved to the 'news/talk' format to help with the
practical matters of restoring the area. He wore the banner 'conservative' so I listened.

Eventually, nearly a decade later, he abandoned his conservative label and started using his
personality and selling it rather than any political bent. This was done in the guise of 'balance'
and 'tolerance', really just 'lack of principle'. This was driven home to me when he used the
argument 'might makes right' against bicyclists. At the same time (perhaps on the same show) he
argued that ships should give way to his fifteen-foot fishing boat. When I argued - on the air and
reasonably - he ended the argument with 'cyclists may have the right but they may be dead right'.

Perhaps six weeks ago and well after the CCC controversy matured, our local CCC conglomerate of
stations hired him away from the little local station with great fanfare - their only local jock. I
despise him for his lack of principle and them - CCC - for their blatant commercialism.

Break CCC.

A bit of research will show that CCC does not have any interest in its listeners but only in their
sponsors and their bottom line.

"Eric Vey" <[email protected]> wrote in message news:[email protected]...
> --I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear Channel Radio tolerates, attracts, or
> even promotes anti-social behavior in general by its radio talent.--

Jym Dyer · Nov 8, 2003

>> I think it is quite arguable that the culture of Clear Channel Radio tolerates, attracts, or even
>> promotes anti-social behavior in general by its radio talent.
> I have spent some time recently listening to them and that seems to be exactly what they do.

=v= Yep, the whole shock jock thing and the general degradation of civil discourse (e.g. Rush
Limbaugh and his ilk) have both contributed to this.

=v= Another contribution is the whole drive-time radio concept. The format is to mindlessly
pander to a captive audience, a bunch of people stuck in traffic in cars. This genre attaches
itself to ill-considered causes that at first blush seem to be to their audience's benefit, but
ultimately isn't.

=v= Thinks like supporting more freeways and parking lots, opposing HOV lanes, ranting about higher
gas prices (remember the Great American Gas-Out?), fighting air quality improvements, and railing
against bicyclists. <_Jym_

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Clear Channel Radio Update

Steven Goodridg

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Brendon M. Troy

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David Kerber

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Karen M.

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Steven Goodridg

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Eric Vey

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Doug Huffman

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