Clear Channel DJs Inciting Attacks against Bicyclists

Clear Channel is again up to no good:


Bicyclists Accuse DJs of Inciting Attacks
Sat Nov 1, 1:08 PM ET

By CONNIE MABIN, Associated Press Writer

CLEVELAND - Bicyclists are demanding that the nation's largest radio
group be punished because disc jockeys at three stations made on-air
comments they say encouraged drivers to throw bottles at bike riders
or hit them with open car doors.

They say the morning show hosts at Clear Channel Communications
stations in Cleveland, Houston and Raleigh, N.C., also suggested
motorists blast horns at cyclists, and speed past them and slam on
their brakes in front of them.

"DJs encouraging the masses to hurt people in any form is insipid, and
should not go unpunished," said Edwin D. Reeves, 30, a cyclist and
ceramic engineer in St. Louis.

Clear Channel, based in San Antonio, owns roughly 1,200 radio stations
in the United States.

The company won't release transcripts or tapes of the broadcasts, but
the three stations apologized on the air and Clear Channel donated
$10,000 and air time to promote bicycle safety.

"We deeply regret that comments made by on-air personalities were
misinterpreted. Clear Channel does not condone violence in any form
and we are committed to working with the cycling community to improve
cycling safety," chief executive John Hogan said in a statement.

Clear Channel, which said it was coincidental that similar comments
came from three stations, said it told the stations to refer questions
to corporate headquarters. It wouldn't say if the disc jockeys were
disciplined.

The comments started June 30 on WMJI in Cleveland when one of the
morning show personalities complained that a group of bicyclists had
held him up in traffic near his home.

"The other guys started chiming in," said listener Don Barnett,
service manager at Century Cycles in Medina. "Then it escalated.
People started calling in."

Similar remarks came weeks later on WDCG-FM in Raleigh and KLOL-FM in
Houston.

Lois Cowan, 42, who owns the Century Cycles shops in the Cleveland
area, filed a complaint with the Federal Communications Commission
(news - web sites) asking it to fine the company or take away the
licenses of the three stations.

"They shouldn't be advocating things that kill people," Cowan said.

She says she's received more than 5,000 e-mails from cyclists about
the issue.

Dorothy Nance of Raleigh said she and her husband sold their Clear
Channel stock after she heard the bicycle comments on WDCG on Sept.
22.

Nance said the announcers were "egging listeners on, by encouraging
harm to cyclists." Suggestions included throwing soft drink bottles,
she said.

Thomas F. Valone, owner of seven outdoor clothing and equipment stores
in North Carolina, pulled "a few thousand dollars" worth of
advertising from the Raleigh station because of the comments.

FCC lawyers refuse to comment on specific complaints.

"We got a complaint about that and we are acting on that," FCC
Chairman Michael K. Powell told the cyclists

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"L Smithson" wrote in message
om...
Clear Channel is again up to no good:


Clear Channel Corporation itself is not up to no good.

There were a few DJ's at CC owned stations who made some bonehead comments
that did the damage, their statements and opinions were not those of the CC
Corporation.

Clear Channel has apologized, sanctioned the people involved and donated $$
to bicycle safety areas in response to the employees blunders.

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What other intersection of interests is involved here but those of CCC?
Divers states, stations and people but the intersection is CCCorporation.

My local news station is a CCC and the host, that I am listening to as I
write, has skirted actively anti-cyclist statements. He says 'might makes
right' and 'you may be right but you will be dead right'! How should I
interpret this and what action is appropriate? What can be done in a
community of 'social' cycling activists - activists as long as they're not
discommoded by activism or motorists?

I disagree. Break Clear Channel Communications.


"Gary Mishler" wrote in message
news:Xicpb.85991$HS4.713296@attbi_s01...

"L Smithson" wrote in message
om...
Clear Channel is again up to no good:


Clear Channel Corporation itself is not up to no good.

There were a few DJ's at CC owned stations who made some bonehead comments
that did the damage, their statements and opinions were not those of the
CC
Corporation.

Clear Channel has apologized, sanctioned the people involved and donated
$$
to bicycle safety areas in response to the employees blunders.



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To say CC is "not up to no good" because they gave some money and
apologized is ludicrous. It would be understandable if after the
first time it happened CC took care of it, but the fact that it has
happened in 3 seperate towns now means this is now a CC problem and
not the little individual stations problem. What the are paying and
doing amounts to nothing but extra advertising for them and their
stations. If CC was serious about stopping the hostility, they would
stop it. They would impose a system where the DJ's are responsible
for their actions and the DJ's would know ahead of time the results of
their actions (fines, being fired, etc.).

Now if only the FCC would actually stand up for themselves instead of
rolling over everytime and looking the other way...

DT

"Gary Mishler" wrote in message news:Xicpb.85991$HS4.713296@attbi_s01...
"L Smithson" wrote in message
om...
Clear Channel is again up to no good:


Clear Channel Corporation itself is not up to no good.

There were a few DJ's at CC owned stations who made some bonehead comments
that did the damage, their statements and opinions were not those of the CC
Corporation.

Clear Channel has apologized, sanctioned the people involved and donated $$
to bicycle safety areas in response to the employees blunders.

--
rec.bicycles.off-road is moderated by volunteers. To find help solving
posting problems, or contact the moderators, please see http://rbor.org/
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"Doug Huffman" writes:

I disagree. Break Clear Channel Communications.

Who's going to do that? Certainly not the FCC under the Bush
Administration. And please, don't top post- it makes it really hard
to reply to your statements with any reasonably logical flow.

"Gary Mishler" wrote in message
news:Xicpb.85991$HS4.713296@attbi_s01...

"L Smithson" wrote in message
om...

Clear Channel is again up to no good:

Clear Channel Corporation itself is not up to no good.

There were a few DJ's at CC owned stations who made some bonehead
comments that did the damage, their statements and opinions were
not those of the CC Corporation.

Clear Channel has apologized, sanctioned the people involved and
donated $$ to bicycle safety areas in response to the employees
blunders.

Well, they've apologized, anyway. The employees in question have in
some cases remained on the air, and in one case simply repeated and
even escalated their comments in the following days. Clear Channel
clearly doesn't give a rat's ass- their only concern is market share
and revenues.

Welcome to the brave new world.

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(L Smithson) wrote in message . com...
Clear Channel is again up to no good:


Bicyclists Accuse DJs of Inciting Attacks
Sat Nov 1, 1:08 PM ET
...

Over the last several days the conduct of motorists has been more
antagonistic than normal in the northern NJ area (Bergen County,
Passaic County, Morris County, Rockland County (NY)). The article
explains a probable reason (other than the recent increased sunspot
activity). At least two motorists honked their horns for a prolonged
period of time while passing in addition to more rude comments than
normal.

I hope the "good old days" will return, when motorists would say "Go
Lance".

Lewis Metzger
Fair Lawn, NJ

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Tim McNamara wrote:

Who's going to do that? Certainly not the FCC under the Bush
Administration.

When has the FCC ever done anything, regardless of any administration?
They meet, appoint a commission, and years later issue a meaningless
report that doesn't say anything, much less find any wrong-doing.

I find the oft-inserted political comments of any persuasion on a
bike-related board puerile, sophmoric, and tiresome, much more so than
top posting.

Alexander Gilchrist

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