Independent Radio

[Dave Farber <dave () farber net>]

> Date: Sun, 01 Jun 2003 16:54:16 -0700 (PDT)
> From: Lauren Weinstein <lauren () vortex com>
> Subject: Independent Radio
> To: dave () farber net
>
>
>
>
> Dave, a couple of days ago, the current FCC dereg battle brought
> onto CNN (in a soundbite where he wasn't even identified in any
> way -- I recognized him since I met him at his broadcast center a
> few years ago) one of the most fascinating characters in
> Los Angeles radio, Saul Levine.
>
> Saul is the last independent station owner here in the L.A. area.
> He has both an FM and AM outlet (the latter with transmitters on
> two different frequencies).  He is famous for frequently altering
> the formats of his stations.  Over the years they've done all jazz,
> all traffic, all classical, all Beatles, all showtunes, and so on.
>
> Currently his FM station is all classical (and excellent) -- he's a
> significant supporter of classical music in L.A. -- and his AM
> outlet is all American "standards" tunes (songs from mainly the
> 40s through early 60s, with very few commercials -- also very
> listenable).
>
> He obviously could reap *enormous* profits by selling out to the
> big boys.  He refuses.  He says he's a broadcaster and wants to
> stay that way -- and he doesn't care about the money.
> Apparently that's the truth, too.
>
> He's even running spots now that say (more or less exact words),
> "When you support our sponsors, you help support us, the last
> independent radio broadcaster in Los Angeles.  We are *not* owned by
> Clear Channel Communications or any other conglomerate!"
>
> I know from personal experience the absolutely devastating effect
> that the consolidation of recent years has had on the willingness
> and ability of station program managers to even consider programming
> that doesn't fit the conglomerate's corporate formulas, from either
> entertainment or political standpoints.
>
> I hope Saul can hold on.
>
> --Lauren--
> Lauren Weinstein
> lauren () pfir org or lauren () vortex com or lauren () privacyforum org
> Tel: +1 (818) 225-2800
> Co-Founder, PFIR - People For Internet Responsibility - http://www.pfir.org
> Co-Founder, Fact Squad - http://www.factsquad.org
> Co-Founder, URIICA - Union for Representative International Internet
>                      Cooperation and Analysis - http://www.uriica.org
> Moderator, PRIVACY Forum - http://www.vortex.com
> Member, ACM Committee on Computers and Public Policy


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