Clear Channel Reverses Itself; Dumps Fox Sports, Keeps The Mic

Madison's Air America Radio affiliate will remain, Clear Channel radio announced Thursday.  The rally, the petition, the funeral procession, and the hard work of several organizers paid off.

"We are overwhelmed by the recent outpouring of support for our progressive talk format from the public, some of our community leaders and some dedicated local advertisers," said Jeff Tyler, Clear Channel's market manager in Madison. "We deeply appreciate the local business leaders who are pledging their advertising support -- they are playing an enormous role in helping to keep progressive talk on the air in our community."

Tyler planned to announce the decision on the airwaves on Friday morning. He said Clear Channel had to end an agreement with Fox Sports Radio to make the deal possible...

Valerie Walasek, a 28-year-old listener who organized the protests, said she had shifted her focus to other options, such as trying to buy a new station. She was shocked by the company's last-minute change of heart.

"It's evidence that as people stand up and demand what they want and demand they are going to take back the airwaves, somebody will listen," she said. "Maybe Clear Channel just came to their senses because it never made sense for them to get rid of it. They were making money."

Last week, Paul called it:

What was miscalculated was the degree and intensity of public opposition. If Tyler is effective he is going to convince the home office that the battle is not worth it, and they should take the sports issue elsewhere.

The Mic lives!

- Barry Orton

Comments

[Brian]

This is great news!

However, Clear Channel does owe an apology to all high school volleball fans who were counting on hearing play by play of all local matches.

On another note we need to work towards a system of socialization (schools, media, parenting, church, etc.) that better orients young people to civic, social and political interests and puts sports in its proper perspective, so that we don't have all these sportsmaniacs immersing themselves in corporate sports coverage 24/7 forgetting about everything else including self preservation. That is not healthy.