NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?

[Mike Gideon]

HD was NOT the majority of my capital budget last yer.

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Ernie Belanger" <armtx at mhcable.com>
To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 2:50 PM
Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?


> but mike,
>
> this was not a complaint from CC a few years ago.. They bought the 
> property, did upgrades and never moaned.
>
> NOW with millions being spend on HD suddenly there is a bitch about the 
> cost of technical upgrades.
>
> To say that the gripe is not related to HD when it was never a public 
> gripe before HD ties it directly to HD. Further if it is in your business 
> plan and it is your decision to invest even a penny into a station you buy 
> and you know that going in... don't buy... and after the fact don't bitch 
> or use that as a reason to ask for the ownership cap to be lifted.
>
> Hell after bitching about the cost of technical upgrades etc. One would 
> think they would not want to buy more stations only or pour more money 
> into technical upgrades so they have more reason to bitch.
>
> SO the HUGE question is....."If ownership of radio stations is such a huge 
> burden of Clear Channel and the costs are so high why don't they just go 
> back to billboard ownership and performance venue wonership and 
> management.???
>
> I've yet to hear about them bitching about all the billboard upgrades they 
> will have to make in major markets to create "Jumbotron" billboards with 
> content changing every 30 or 60 seconds, like Lamar has done in some 
> markets.   :-)
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: "Mike Gideon" <mikegideon at comcast.net>
> To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
> Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 3:36 PM
> Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?
>
>
>> Is THIS what you're referring to?
>>
>>    a.. And, just as important as our programming, free radio invested 
>> hundreds of millions of dollars to put state-of-the-art broadcast 
>> equipment into all markets - irrespective of size. In some cases, free 
>> radio replaced antiquated equipment that represented the best Mom & Pop 
>> radio stations could ever afford.
>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>> From: "Ernie Belanger" <armtx at mhcable.com>
>> To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 2:02 PM
>> Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?
>>
>>
>>> Sorry Mike But,
>>>
>>> The head of CC was quoted by RBR( I believe it was) from a speach in 
>>> front of the Freedom Foundation, I believe it was, yesterday.
>>>
>>> He cited the cutting back of commercials and the high cost of technical 
>>> upgrades cutting into profit as  being two of the motivators for asking 
>>> the commission or relax the ownership rules.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Mike Gideon" <mikegideon at comcast.net>
>>> To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 2:49 PM
>>> Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?
>>>
>>>
>>>> Nobody at CC is bitching about the cost of HD. We're turning them on 
>>>> every day. In fact, we have done more than anyone else.
>>>>
>>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>>> From: "Ernie Belanger" <armtx at mhcable.com>
>>>> To: "Broadcast Radio Mailing List" <broadcast at radiolists.net>
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 05, 2005 1:09 PM
>>>> Subject: Re: NOT....Re: [BC] Clear Channel Wants More?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> If clear channel wants to compete with XM and Sirrus let them send up 
>>>>> a bird and start their own Satellite network.
>>>>>
>>>>> They have far to much dominance, which has been referenced in this 
>>>>> thread.
>>>>>
>>>>> IF they are having a problem competing let them do what everyone else 
>>>>> does, adjust to the market. It was their idea to limit commercials, 
>>>>> they did, they lost revenue now they are belly aching about it. OH 
>>>>> WELL...
>>>>>
>>>>> They are bitching about having the cost of  the technical upgrade (ie 
>>>>> HD Radio) then don't install it. HD is not mandated technology. IF you 
>>>>> want to dance pay the piper. Don't bitch about the cost of paying the 
>>>>> piper ... if you can't afford it then don't dance.
>>>>>
>>>>> Actually I personally believe it would be much better for Radio if the 
>>>>> Commission lowered the cap vs raising it.  Fewer stations per owner 
>>>>> per market makes for more robust competition and ultimately better 
>>>>> Radio Product.
>>>>>
>>>>> And that folks is how you compete with satellite.
>>>>>
>>>>> Greater Variety of LOCAL content that serves the audience VS a virtual 
>>>>> satellite network, voice tracked from God Knows where, which happens 
>>>>> to be on  terrestrial stations in almost every market.
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> _______________________________________________
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>>>>> http://www.radiolists.net/
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>>
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>>
>>
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>
>
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