Fox News to become ClearChannel's main source

[Marksist]

Link

News Corp.'s Fox News has reached an agreement to become the primary news provider to radio giant Clear Channel Communications Inc.

The pact stands to greatly boost the radio presence of Fox News, which rolled out its service last year, as it looks to compete with the much more entrenched CBS Radio, a unit of Viacom Inc., and Walt Disney Co.'s ABC Radio.

Under the terms of the five-year deal, which starts next year, as many as 172 of Clear Channel's news and talk stations could eventually carry Fox's radio service, which includes news updates of up to five minutes per hour and syndicated talk shows by some of its cable news personalities, including Alan Colmes.

The Clear Channel partnership will give Fox News's nascent radio unit close to 300 stations, including 37 in the top 40 markets. There are options in the deal that could increase the number of Clear Channel stations affiliated with Fox News over time. Fox News said that if all options are exercised, its service could have more than 500 affiliates by mid-2005.

The teaming of Fox News and Clear Channel is sure to raise eyebrows among some media-watchdog groups. With about 1,200 radio stations, Clear Channel of San Antonio has become a lightning rod for concerns about consolidation in that industry. Fox News, for its part, often is accused of having a conservative bias, although Mr. Colmes is among the news operation's liberal commentators.

"We don't have a political agenda; what we have is an agenda to get the greatest number of listeners for the longest period of time," said Clear Channel Radio Chief Executive John Hogan.

"The issue is choices and places to get news and information, and this doesn't do anything to hamper that at all," said Fox News Chairman and Chief Executive Roger Ailes. "In fact, it adds value."

Although the terms of the deal weren't disclosed, people familiar with the transaction say Clear Channel will pay Fox News several million dollars annually for the service. The all-cash deal marks a departure from Fox News's other radio deals, which also included advertising time for it to sell. Clear Channel has made a push to reduce the amount of advertising on its stations, which was its primary motivator for doing a cash-only deal.

"This will expand dramatically our coverage," Mr. Ailes said. He added that the boost in stations would allow Fox to expand its service's coverage and staffing.

ABC Radio will absorb the biggest blow from the Clear Channel-Fox News deal, according to Clear Channel's Mr. Hogan. While this deal doesn't necessarily mean that Clear Channel would drop ABC, he indicated that likely would be the case and that the bulk of the stations involved in this pact are affiliated with ABC's syndicated news service. Even after losing these Clear Channel stations, though, ABC Radio still will have more than 2,500 stations carrying its content, and it remains the dominant player in the news-radio business. ABC Radio declined to comment.

Besides its news programming, ABC Radio also syndicates the popular Paul Harvey and Sean Hannity radio shows to Clear Channel, and those shows won't be affected by the Fox News pact.

God damned librool media.

[egyptfrk]

Noooooooooo!!!!!!

As if Clearchannel's monopoly didn't expand far enough already...And to now use Fox for news....why?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Noooooooooo!!!!!!

As if Clearchannel's monopoly didn't expand far enough already...And to now use Fox for news....why?

...because it's fair and balanced?

[wautd]

Because both are evil?

[Admiral Valdemar]

...because it's fair and balanced?

About as fair and balanced as a brunette on a seesaw with a hippo.

[SyntaxVorlon]

Watch my lose total faith in newsmedia. May NPR have mercy on their souls.