Clear Channel and the Cultural and Socio-Political Ramifications of Media Consolidation
I.INTRODUCTION
In 1996, Congress passed the Telecommunications Act thereby lifting restrictions on media ownership that had been in place for over sixty years (Moyers 2003; Bagdikian 2000: xviii). It was now possible for a single media company to own not just two radio stations in any given local market, but eight. On the national level, there was no longer any limit on the number of stations a company could own – the Act abandoned the previous nation-wide ownership cap of forty stations (20 FM and 20 AM). This “anti-regulatory sentiment in government” has continued and in 2004 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a new rule that would allow corporations to own “45 percent of the media in a single market, up from [the] 35 percent” established by the 1996 Act (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 30; AFL-CIO 2004). Companies can now also own both a newspaper and a television station in the same city (AFL-CIO 2004). This deregulation has led to a frenzied wave of mergers – most notably the Viacom/CBS merger in 1999, the largest in history (Croteau & Hoynes 2001: 21). Ownership of the media has rapidly consolidated into fewer and fewer hands as companies have moved to gobble up newspapers, television stations, and radio stations across the country.
Perhaps no other company has benefited more from this deregulation than the company which is the focus of this essay – Clear Channel Communications, Inc (CC). The Telecommunications Act and the actions of the FCC paved the way for the rise of this radio industry behemoth. In 1995, the company owned 43 radio stations nationwide. By 2002, it owned 1,239, making it the largest radio company in th...
... middle of paper ...
...in
Dubious Times. Urbana, IL: University of Illinois Press.
McChesney, Robert W. and John Nichols. 2002. Our Media, Not Theirs: The Democratic
Struggle Against Corporate Media. New York: Seven Stories Press.
Moyers, Bill. 2003. “Transcript: Bill Moyers Interviews Larry Klayman.” NOW: With Bill
Moyers, July 11. Retrieved November 4, 2004 (http://www.pbs.org/now/printable/transcript_clearc_print.html).
Open Secrets. 2004. “TV/Radio Stations: Top Contributors to Federal Candidates and Parties.”
Retrieved October 7, 2004 (http://www.opensecrets.org/industries/contrib.asp?Ind=C2100).
Spivak, Laurie. 2004. “Culture War May find WMD.” Retrieved October 2, 2004
(http://www.alternet.org/story/18090).
Turner, Ted. 2003. “Monopoly of Democracy?” The Washington Post, May 30. Retrieved
October 28, 2004
(http://washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A56132-2003May29?language=printer).
Michael Parenti (2002) declares media in the United States is no longer “free, independent, neutral and objective.” (p. 60). Throughout his statement, Parenti expresses that media is controlled by large corporations, leaving smaller conglomerates unable to compete. The Telecommunications Act, passed in 1996, restricted “a single company to own television stations serving more than one-third of the U.S. public,” but is now overruled by greater corporations. (p. 61). In his opinion, Parenti reveals that media owners do not allow the publishing of stories that are not beneficial and advantageous. Parenti supports his argument very thoroughly by stating how the plutocracy takes control over media in multiple ways: television, magazines, news/radio broadcasting, and other sources.
Of particular importance is the deregulation of the telecommunications industry as mentioned in the act (“Implementation of the Telecommunications Act,” NTLA). This reflects a new thinking that service providers should not be limited by artificial and now antique regulatory categories but should be permitted to compete with each other in a robust marketplace that contains many diverse participants. Moreover the Act is evidence of governmental commitment to make sure that all citizens have access to advanced communication services at affordable prices through its “universal service” provisions even as competitive markets for the telecommunications industry expand. Prior to passage of this new Act, U.S. federal and state laws and a judicially established consent decree allowed some competition for certain services, most notably among long distance carriers. Universal service for basic telephony was a national objective, but one developed and shaped through federal and state regulations and case law (“Telecommunications Act of 1996,” Technology Law). The goal of universal service was referred to only in general terms in the Communications Act of 1934, the nation's basic telecommunications statute. The Telecommunications Act of 1996 among other things: (i) opens up competition by local telephone companies, long distance providers, and cable companies ...
Over the centuries, the media has played a significant role in the shaping of societies across the globe. This is especially true of developed nations where media access is readily available to the average citizen. The media has contributed to the creation of ideologies and ideals within a society. The media has such an effect on social life, that a simple as a news story has the power to shake a nation. Because of this, governments around the world have made it their duty to be active in the regulation and control of media access in their countries. The media however, has quickly become dominated by major mega companies who own numerous television, radio and movie companies both nationally and internationally. The aim of these companies is to generate revenue and in order to do this they create and air shows that cater to popular demand. In doing so, they sometimes compromise on the quality of their content. This is where public broadcasters come into perspective.
To begin with, The Gundlach hawk was discovered and is only located on the island of Cuba. Before heavy human intervention, the Gundlach hawk was located commonly throughout Cuba however in present day, the Gundlach hawk can only be found in five isolated locations. Two of the larger populations current live in the eastern half of Cuba while the three smaller populations are distributed along the western half. Also the Gundlach hawk also is no very restricted to any particular habitat which allows them to live in forests, swamps or wooded coasts. However since it is a very secretive creature, it makes it v...
The 1996 Telecommunications Act was the first major overhaul of telecom policy since the Communications Act of 1934; it covered everything from radio, television to cable TV (Garofalo, 440). The act removed the restrictions on the number of radio stations any one company could own, which accelerated the trend of a small number of companies owning the vast majority of stations. Clear Channel was a primary beneficiary. In 1995, Clear Channel owned 43 stations. By the early 2000s, it owned over 1,200 stations, which took in 20 percent of the industry revenues in 2001. In addition, Clear Channel owned over 700,000 billboards; it controlled 65 percent of the U.S. concert business; and it posted total revenues exceeding $8 billion (Garafalo, 440).
McChesney, Robert W. Rich Media, Poor Democracy: Communications Politics in Dubious Times and Telecommunications, Mass Media and Democracy: The Battle for Control of U.S. Broadcasting 1928-1935
Before examining media practices, let’s establish what the major news networks are and who owns them. As most Americans know, ownership of media outlets is largely centralized around 6 main networks or mergers. Since 2000 the “Big Six” conglomerates (as they are often referred to) account for ninety percent of all media ownership including television, radio, newspapers, internet, books, magazines, videos, wire services and photo agencies. (Adams) In 2001, America Online (AOL) and Time Warner merged to become the world’s largest media organization. AOL Time Warner accounts for twelve television companies including Warner Brothers, 29 cable operations companies across the globe including CNN and Time Warner Cable, 24 book brands, 35 magazines including Time and Fortune, 52 record labels, the Turner Entertainment Corporation which owns four professional sports teams, and provides AOL internet services to 27 million subscribers in fourteen countries. In addition, the conglomerate owns multiple theme parks and Warner Brothers stores in thirty countries across the globe. AOL Time Warner is chaired by Steve Case, with Gerald Levin as CEO and boasts 79,000 employees worldwide. AOL Time Warner’s multi-faceted conglomerate brings in $31.8 billion in revenues annually. (New Internationalist)
World War I has begun and merely months into the war, pitiful deaths, horrifying injuries, and heartbreaking miseries have occurred. To closely apprehend how impactful fighting in the war is, Erich Maria Remarque, the author of All Quiet on the Western Front, focuses on the transformation of Paul Bäumer, a sensitive, young adult who voluntarily enlists in the German army. Paul engages in war unaware of the ordeal that he will face; and immediately witnesses men blowing into pieces, soldiers holding their own arteries for survival, and gory ugliness of trenches. This rigorous journey is what provides him a new understanding of the world, teaches him how to detach from feelings, and forever alters his thinking. Through the symbolism of books and earth, Remarque communicates how the brutal violence and intense fear that soldiers first-hand
The dosage of the drug should be used according to the carton instructions. A 10 gram over dose in adults, 140 mg for kids, can cause permanent liver damage. Also if you had just taken some other drugs , The acetaminophen may become more toxic since the drugs are catabolized in the liver. To protect yourself from injury, you should take 1 gram of vitamin C and Cysteine -a bodily antioxidant.
The Great War was one of the bloodiest wars in history. It resulted in over sixteen million deaths, along with twenty million injured. Its end required the surviving young soldiers who matured during the war, or the “Lost Generation” to start their lives from the ruins the war had left them in. They had no home to return to as they had hardly started their own lives when they enlisted in the army, hence they were left alone, unable to relate to any of the people who hadn’t fought in the war. All Quiet on the Western Front, by Erich Maria Remarque, is about this generation of young men, their experiences in the war, and how they are affected by these experiences. Through the main character, Paul Baumer, Remarque describes the struggles that
Frederick Douglass was arguably the most impacting abolitionist in the time surrounding the civil war. This individual began as a mere slave who sought to learn and enhance himself towards a better future. He went through many brutal phases in which he would be beaten, along with many other slaves. This caused him to one day escape and become one of the most important abolitionist who helped to stop slavery. He was a true inspiration to all people, whether you were black or white. As the first black person to be a government official, Frederick Douglass’s background history truly enhanced how he became one of the primary leaders of the abolitionist movement.
On December 14, 2000, the Federal Trade Commission approved the planned merger of AOL and Time Warner after both companies pledged to “protect consumer choice” both now and in the future. The AOL Time Warner merger was approved by the Federal Communications Commission on January 11, 2001, and is the biggest merger in corporate history, then estimated at a total market value of $350 billion. The merger created a ‘powerhouse’ of new and traditional media. AOL Time Warner has led the union of the media, entertainment, communications and Internet industries. Throughout the years the face of media and entertainment industries has changed drastically as a result of increased technology. The popularity of newspapers gave way to other forms of media and entertainment such as magazines, television, cable, music, and most recently the Internet.
·Acetaminophen (Paracetamol) is an alternative to aspirin. It is also an anti-inflammatory, anti-pyretic, and anti-platelet. Acetaminophen is much less likely to cause intestinal side affects than aspirin, however overdose of this drug can cause serious liver poisoning. The molecular formula for acetaminophen is C8H9NO2. Some examples of Acetaminophen are Tylenol, Midol, and Panadol.
Many with traditional values argue that the objectification of female artists in music media is sexist and demeaning. Breines, a postdoctoral fellow at Brandeis University, believes. This media imagery shapes how society views women and young girls see themselves. As a result, this leaves women are more prone to low self confidence and eating disorders. This self-objectification shown by oversexualized artists perpetuates the ideal that a woman’s character is solely based on her appearance. Nowadays, teenagers are becoming more and more influenced by social media and have an easier access to images that are not necessarily appropriate. The female artists are promoting stories of female servitude rather than of female equality.
If there is a single most important event that happened in television that caused major ramifications, it would be the Janet Jackson’s “wardrobe malfunction” during the halftime show at Super Bowl 38. In this incident Janet Jackson exposed her right breast. Worst of all the Super Bowl was broadcast on CBS, a non-cable free channel, where censorship is pushed to the extreme. An estimated 140 million people were watching the halftime show when the incident occurred (Davidson 2004). In response the FCC fined CBS $550,000, which is the largest fine ever handed out by the FCC to a T.V. broadcasting station (Davidson 2004). The 227 CBS independent affiliates were left un-fined (Davidson 2004). This one event probably had the most severe consequences ever, and caused an onslaught of censorship to follow, and spread into every aspect of American’s lives.