The Chris Moeller Archives

A media wrap-up starring Chris' employer and the figurative noose around CNN's neck

I was going to write today about why I hate weather forecasters on television, but Tom Snyder beat me to it. Check out the retired news anchor and talk show host's flashy website at www.colortini.com. Retirement has freed Tom of the shackles of objectivity. He's over there just spouting away on the issues of the day, as the JPEG images fly through the air.

Speaking of the shackles of objectivity and spouting, I've been called upon by one of you to comment on the just-announced news partnership between my employer, Clear Channel Radio, and Fox News. By next year, 500 of the 1200 Clear Channel stations will be affiliates of Fox News, which should account for almost all of the news formats in the company.
CEO John Hogan says the local CC news directors will get "a higher quality, national news product," but that would appear to be a rather dubious claim for WHO and many other stations, considering the current partnership is principally with network powerhouse ABC. FOX still has a fledgling radio news presence, while ABC's radio division dominates. When I worked in the newsroom in the late '90s, ABC didn't just represent in the annual Edward R. Murrow Awards, they swept them-- excellence for newscasts, spot reporting, feature reporting, investigative features, etc. They still set the pace in the industry.

What Hogan really means is that this is good politics. We saw how much Clear Channel was concerned with political grandstanding when they very publicly dropped Howard Stern from their airwaves earlier this year. A move to join forces with the right-wing FOX News organization solidifies political support in both GOP-controlled houses of Congress, the White House, and perhaps even the courts- which will be taking up some very important First Amendment and indecency issues in the coming months.
It goes without saying that FOX News' reputation for right-wing bias will negatively-impact WHO's already damaged reputation with Iowa progressives and political moderates, but our market manager calls that "branding" the product. Besides, WHO programmers have already largely succeeded in alienating half of the state's population. (It's surely more than half in the heavily-targeted immediate four county area.) The unbalanced show schedule has run off all but the true believers.

It's another example of short-term business thinking that's common in the corporate structure. I've even heard it said explicitly in meetings: WHO does not focus on attracting new listeners. That's something that can't be done without spending money. Instead, we attempt to coax the listeners we still have to listen longer. The pool gradually shrinks.
I admit I don't know much about business, but when you're faced with new, significant competition, as broadcast radio is- from several new technologies, shouldn't you be doing everything you can to broaden your appeal? And the initial public perception of this partnership is terrible. It's good for FOX, bad for Clear Channel. That's why the stock dropped 8 cents the day the move was announced.
Alas, I'm sure they know better than me if it will be good for business. Just keep their business priorities on your mind when you turn on the radio looking for objective news.
P.S. - If you have a car with a shiny new, factory-installed satellite radio, disregard.


There was more bizarre television from Larry King last night. Due to what was surely some sort of corporate synergy, the rock band Motley Crue was announcing the beginning of its reunion tour on King's show. The band members appeared via satellite from their first gig in LA, and Larry attempted to interview all four with two sets of headphones and one or two microphones. At one point, Larry asked Mick Mars if the other bandmembers resented the growing celebrity of drummer Tommy Lee. At the point he asked it, Lee was holding the mic and had to relay the question to Mars. Lee simply said, "That's a stupid question, Larry." Larry then asked Vince Neil if the band had ever opened for Carol Channing. I made that part up.


A Very Moeller Christmas arrives on the 12th so I must now wrap presents.

posted by CM @ 8:29 PM