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6 Reasons to Boycott Clear Channel stations and advertisers

Do you remember the days when local radio was really "local"? When there was actually a live DJ in the studio? Do you remember when there was more than two or three companies that owned radio stations in your market? Those days are long gone. With corporations like Clear Channel Communications leading the way in "how to kill local radio", the listening public is falling victim to manipulation and deception motivated by personal greed.

Clear Channel Communications boasts being the largest radio group owner in the United States. They are responsibile for such hate infested programming like Rush Limbaugh and Dr. Laura, two exceedingly right wing syndicated talk show hosts. The darker side of Clear Channel Communications is more than public deception and right wing propaganda, it's much more disturbing and offenseive. From mutilation, torture, harrassment, and hostile working environments, to actual deaths, Clear Channel has a lot of blood on it's hands.

Here are 6 examples of why you should boycott Clear Channel Communications and their advertisers:

1.) February 27th, 2001 - WXTB disc jockey Todd Clem, a.k.a. "Bubba the Love Sponge," and his producer Lee Hatley, have been charged with felony animal cruelty for the torture and killing of a boar in the radio station's parking lot.
http://www.peta.com/alert/00/288.html

2.) February 23, 2001 - Former KYLD DJ Joe Lopez recieved a jail sentence for a stunt pulled in the previous year. Lopez and an intern for the station dressed up as convicts and harrased a bay area neighborhood pretending to be escaped convicts as a station prank. The two were arrested for misdemeanor charges of inciting a false emergency. Neighbors of the area have filed suits against the station for this act of harrassment.
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2001/02/24/MNS4739.DTL
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/chronicle/archive/2000/12/31/MN112871.DTL

3.) June 13th, 2000 - WMRV-FM STAR 105.7 - Hoax turned deadly when a woman who was there with her family under the pretense that pop star Brittney Spears was making an appearance at the station collapsed during the excitement and later died. The promotion was a hoax, featuring a look-a-like model complete with limousine. http://www.101britney.com/britneyspears/jun00/

4.) June 2000 - KBPI Denver disc jockey Willie B incites hundreds of 4x4 fans to tear up Rocky Mountian wetland habitats with an illegal Mud Fest.
http://www.westweird.com/mudfest.html

5.) February 3rd, 2000 - KBPI in Denver is investigated for animal cruelty after a DJ (Willie B) droped a live chicken off a building on the air and cited listeners to bring animals to an interstate and see how many make it across the highway.
http://www.lineofduty.com/blotter/july00/jul-1-7/7100-40.htm

6.) December 3rd, 1999 - Three tower workers killed while working on WFMX antenna. Two of the victims were teenagers. The fall occured due to outdated equipment that wasn't considered safe by current industry standards. Clear Channel outsourced the antenna service most likely without proper consideration or research into the safety practices of the contractor.
http://www.salisburypost.com/december99/120499c.htm

Not only does Clear Channel engage in these types of marketing and promotions, it tricks it's listeners into thinking their local radio station is actually local. More and more stations are cutting programming staff. In many markets, sister clusters are taking on more work providing voice tracking for smaller sister stations. At these smaller clusters, there may be only 1 live person in the complex for 5-6 different stations. That means there is a staff ratio of 1:6 where prior to 1996, the ratio was 1:1 for staffing stations.

Managment at the cluster level has it's share of secrets and skeletons. Unfair hiring practices, lack of workplace safety, hostile working environments, allowing sexual harassment abusers to retain their jobs while terminating others. This is just some of the sick and twisted behavior that is consistent with Clear Channel Communications.

Your local radio stations owned by CCU (their company stock symbol) which bring in advertising money from your local businesses doesn't stay in your local economy. It all gets funneled out of state to Texas and Wall Street. Is this the type of radio companies you want in your local community? If not, go to their advertisers and explain to them that they are supporting a corporation that commits heinous acts against the environment, animals and humans. Tell the business that you can not support them, if they continue to support a corporation that condones and promotes these types of activities and behaviors.

You can help make a difference in your community today by boycotting Clear Channel Communications radio and television stations and their advertisers. These are just a few of the more infamous reasons CCU should be boycotted. Use your power as a consumer and CHOOSE NOT TO SUPPORT CLEAR CHANNEL COMMUNICATIONS or it's family companies like SFX Entertainment, Premier Radio Networks, Eller Media (Outdoor Advertising, billboards,etc.), Katz Media, and others.