Clear Channel and the Cultural and Socio-Political...

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 â€Å"anti-regulatory sentiment in government† has continued and in 2004 the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) approved a new rule that†¦show more content†¦2004: 3; Chen 2003). While the phenomenon of rampant media consolidation made possible by the government’s deregulatory practices has been greeted with general enthusiasm by the corporate world, it has left others in society gravely concerned. Media critics and cultural studies observers have voiced concerns over the negative consequences they believe accompany the phenomenon. They see the erosion of the idea that radio is to serve the public interest; they see a stifling of diversity and less choice for the consumer; and they see a threat to American democracy in the form of a possibly insurmountable corporate media hegemony. And for many, Clear Channel is â€Å"the ‘poster child’ for what’s wrong with media deregulation† (Cornell Univ. 2004: 66). Unfortunately however, a February 2004 poll by the Pew Research Center found that â€Å"72 percent of the public has heard nothing about the media ownership [and consolidation] debate† (Connell 2004). Understanding how corporate mergers and consolidation affect the way in which the media function (especially in the realms of production and distribution) and how the media in turn directly impacts our society, our culture, our economy, and our politics – in short, our entire lives – is a necessaryShow MoreRelatedMarketing Management130471 Words   |  522 Pages21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 Unit Title Marketing management – an introduction Marketing environment Marketing with other functional areas of management Market segmentation Market targeting and positioning Product management Brand management Pricing Channel design and management Retailing and Wholesaling Integrated Marketing Communication Advertising management Sales promotion Personal selling Public r elations Understanding individual consumer behaviour Understanding industrial consumer behaviour CustomerRead MoreOne Significant Change That Has Occurred in the World Between 1900 and 2005. Explain the Impact This Change Has Made on Our Lives and Why It Is an Important Change.163893 Words   |  656 PagesDavid M. Scobey, Empire City: The Making and Meaning of the New York City Landscape Gerda Lerner, Fireweed: A Political Autobiography Allida M. Black, ed., Modern American Queer History Eric Sandweiss, St. Louis: The Evolution of an American Urban Landscape Sam Wineburg, Historical Thinking and Other Unnatural Acts: Charting the Future of Teaching the Past Sharon Hartman Strom, Political Woman: Florence Luscomb and the Legacy of Radical Reform Michael Adas, ed., Agricultural and Pastoral SocietiesRead MoreOrganisational Theory230255 Words   |  922 Pagesorganization studies. Mihaela L. Kelemen, Professor of Management Studies, Keele University, UK An unusually rich and deep philosophical book on organization theory with several new thinkers and ideas. Pedagogically a well-structured book with many clear learning objectives, cases, examples and good summaries for every chapter. Professor Martin Lindell, Hanken Business School, Swedish School of Economics and Business Administration, Finland This book makes it easier to understand the current stand