Clear Channel Stations Through Voice example essay topic

554 words
Clear Channel Ever turn on the radio and hear the same five songs over and over again? You can thank clear channel for that. According to a study conducted last summer the top songs are played more than 85 times between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. and only add around 15 songs a week giving the most air time to the largest sum accepted in the promotional payment contract. In blunt terms it is the illegal practice of payola which allows goods and / or money to be exchanged for air time.

But Clear channel has managed to cut corners through indies who are hired by a record label to get stations to play certain songs. Included in their promotional payment contract the musical artist must agree to perform at a Clear Channel concert with in a certain time frame such as Jingle ball held in Philadelphia. This practice leaves little room for an independent artist to be heard on air because of their lack of a middle man; an indie, as well as, the money needed upfront to form a promotional payment contract that ranges around six figures. The abandonment of independent artists is an example of negative synergy. In regards to the contract, the record label's client not only agrees to perform but also to advertise clear channel stations through voice tracking. Wit the help of a computer assisted voice segments the listener is fooled into believe ing the program is locally produced when it is not because the same basic phrase is broadcast ed to seventy five other stations.

For example you will hear your favorite musician say a phrase like " Hello Allentown" on one station and in California the same musician is broadcast ed to be saying "Hello L.A". Voice tracking is not only evident through celebrities but also from radio personalities and their programs. For example Rush Limbaugh is not only broadcast ed in Pennsylvania but also Texas. This however violates the communication Act of 1934 where the FCC encourages a diversity of voices so as to promote a vibrant democracy. The multi broadcast ed programs such as Limbaugh and Dr. Laura leave their audience with a one sided republican view. Born from the same state Enron and Clear Channel both faced the Department of Justice investigation, lawsuits for inappropriate business practices, and they both currently have a bill in Congress to border their impact on their industry.

The only difference is that Clear Channel is getting away with their monopolistic corporation and scandals. Clear channel today owns 1225 radio stations in 300 cities. Leaving their biggest competitors, ABC and CBS, with one fifth as many stations to broadcast from. Known as the world's largest broadcaster musical artists want airtime from Clear Channel to lead to their success. Clear channel is aware of their popularity among artists and takes advantage of it. Before an artist can be given airtime they must sign a contract agreeing to perform at a clear channel promotion concert (Jingle Ball Concert.) Through negative synergy Clear Channel will diminish airtime for that artist.

This also shuts out artists who can not afford airtime on clear channel by going through the middle man..