This from R&R:
The music on pockets of Clear Channel stations in multiple formats is now being programmed from a central source, according to research conducted by R&R chart managers using monitored airplay data provided by Nielsen BDS.
According to sources, CHR/top 40 Premium Choice music logs are programmed by KIIS-FM/Los Angeles PD John Ivey and Clear Channel/Pittsburgh OM Alex Tear, AC logs are generated by WLTW/New York PD Chris Conley and hot AC logs by WLIT/Chicago PD Tony Coles.



A total of 17 stations are affected, all of which have been dropped from R&R's chart panels due to chart policy regarding stations that carry syndicated or identical programming throughout most of the day.

"R&R has longstanding policies regarding the inclusion of syndicated networks on our spin-based chart panels, as well as the amount of non-local programming that reporting stations air," director of charts Silvio Pietroluongo says. "We continue to monitor the extent of identical music programming on our reporting Clear Channel stations and will make adjustments to the respective panels as necessary."

Stations involved include:



CHR/Top 40

WKKF/Albany, N.Y.

WDKF/Dayton

WLKT/Lexington, Ky.

WZKF/Louisville

WKGS/Rochester, N.Y.



AC

KKMY/Beaumont, Texas

WGSY/Columbus, Ga.

KTSM/El Paso

KSOF/Fresno

KGBX/Springfield, Mo.

WYYY/Syracuse



Hot AC

KALZ/Fresno

WSNE/Providence

KGBY/Sacramento



Alternative

WHRL/Albany, N.Y.

KHBZ/Oklahoma City



Rock

KIOC/Beaumont, Texas

we knew it was coming.

CLEAR CHANNEL and MUPPET LABS presents:

PREMIUM CHOICE

in association with

MEDIOCRE RADIO



THE CENTRAL PROGRAMMING FORMAT WHEEL.

Produced by

BAIN/LEE

Starring

No one local

Also starring

nothing compelling

with

limited local content

and

generic talk sets




Whee.

McRadio. Not just a joke anymore.

Meanwhile, in other breaking developments:

Abraham Lincoln was assassinated.

No, this is different, Motozak2.

Before we only THOUGHT there was shared programming on CC stations.

Now it's CONFIRMED.

They killed the guy on the penny?

This just in:

Generalisimo Francisco Franco is still dead.

Film at 11.

The big story here is it looks like R&R is going to drop all stations that have identical programming. That's big. If CC goes through with its premium choice and most of the stations use identical logs, we could see many, many stations dropped by R&R.

They killed the guy on the penny?


NOPE!
Wayne is still alive!!!

If they are going to program centrally do you think R&R really matters to them?

Only $$$$$$$ matters.

If they think this will bring in enough of them, then this is the path they'll stay on.

$ (oops, forgot one)

Tom Petty sang about it quite well.

Radio doesn't matter to CC, so why would they care about R&R?

I think this is the best place to put this.

When CC music stations that have lost staff begin to use the Premium talent in some time periods, it will impace the record promoters in a very negative way.

When local stations aren't picking the music for all their time periods, it will be difficult for record promoters to get spins for new artists, because the music programmed for the Premium talent will be done in one place and in a conservative manner to make sure they're playing the hits.

This will eliminate a lot of stations where new music was being played enough to make the R & R chart. It is making the record promoters crazy already.

Now, imagine what will happen if the performance tax is passed and more money will be spent by stations while they eliminate more local shifts.

The record guys better think this through very carefully. They could win the battle and lose the war.

Interesting point...never though about it in those terms...'til now!

Now, imagine what will happen if the performance tax is passed and more money will be spent by stations while they eliminate more local shifts.

Or, imagine where a performance tax is passed, so the radio industry response is playing less music, more talk bits about things that have nothing to do with music (think all-talk morning shows; even more "lifestyle" radio where listening to a CHR station means hearing celebrity interviews, listening to rock stations means hearing 20-somethings talk about centerfolds, and all with one or two songs an hour), and what music is played is through some sort of 'exclusive deal' where the radio station pays less than it would for other artists/songs.

Here's another angle to consider. If the performance fees become law, it is likely that more than a few stations will stop playing music completely. If you're watching the trades, you're seeing more FM talk outlets being created. It is happening now in the Northwest.

That means ASCAP, BMI and SESAC fees will drop.
since those stations pay little or no fees for any short bits of music that may show up in their programming. Bumper music has been exempted.

Those artists who are also writers,own their own publishing companies and depend on those fees will get hit with a double whammy.

As it is these days in Nashville and other places, most artists make deals with the writers and publishers to share a percentage of their fees if a song they record becomes a hit.

As Newflyer suggests, Radio stations could create organizations to negotiate directly with copyright owners. I think that is highly likely if the performance fees are passed. We're talking about really big bucks here at a time when Radio can't afford them.

As everyone knows, 50% of the fees would go to the foreign owned record companies. No one in the business is happy about the idea of sending all that money out our our country.

Thanks for these great posts!

I stand in complete amazement at just how utterly clueless the recording industry middle men really are.

Another angle:

Radio says, "well, we do like to play music" and decides to deal with artists who release music under alternative licenses. There is a growing body of it, along with a growing body of commercial artists buying out and releasing on their own.

Wonder how much it would cost one of them to setup a easy cheezy clearing house for the promotion of alternative licensed work? It's a fresh set of tunes. Do some work evaluating them, sorting them by genre, potential demographic they appeal to, etc... and serve them up for anybody wanting to air some music. Many of the licenses simply require credits, and getting credit in return for air time would be a slam dunk for all parties involved.

That same service could work just like the "hear it, click it, buy it" iTunes connection many radio stations offer now, leaving the middle men completely outta the picture.

With the Internet today, direct to listening audience sales, sans the middle men, could end up big business! Have the middle man be artist owned, and largely automated so it costs everybody almost nothing.

Where getting physical media to people is concerned, I wonder if stations couldn't assemble media kits, or have that done in stores, or something. Maybe it's just cheaper for the artist self-publishing to do it.

My point is, with a little work, we don't need these guys. I want artists to be paid and paid well. That ain't happening for the majority of them with these clowns running the show. Maybe it's just time to start fixing that.

Anybody broadcasting right now could weave those into formats where they fit, laying the foundation for future "fee free" promotional radio.

Who is owning who?

http://www.thenation.com/special/2006_entertainment.pdf

What it comes down to is that the way most people hear new music is from Radio. It is THE most successful and effective source for the exposure and wide area disribution of music.

Radio stations have never made a dime playing music. Radio stations make money by renting out the audience they have to the advertiser who uses Radio as a conduit to sell products and services. Radio stations have used music as one of the elements to build audiences. They also use talk and news.


If there is a quarrel about artists being paid, it is between the artist and the record company in the form of one-sided contracts.

I agree.

I also think that is changing rather rapidly.

The up and comers (anyone under 18 right now) do not have the same expectations set that we do. Radio has a window to set them, but it won't endure.

IMHO, the next 5 years really matters. Once the expectations are set, and those people age, it's revenue potential gone that is really hard to get back. Radio being a focal point for new music, news, entertainment is an expectation that is set in many ways. Movies, stories, etc...

Once it becomes passe' radio loses that boost as those content creators want to be relevant, not dated. For an example, look at the cell phone and it's placement now in pop culture.

Don't see the old home phone and hear it's ring much now a days do we?

That is what will happen to radio very soon.

From this week's Radio & Records.....

17 Clear Channel stations in 4 formats have opted to have their music chosen at a central location as a part of the new "Premium Choice" use of talent from one market across several.

That makes 17 fewer opportunities for the record companies to get new artists considered, as those music choices are not being made anymore. And there will be more.

As I wrote above, the record guys might win the battle and lose the war.

Regarding the ownership chart posted above, I find it interesting that Clear Channel, even in its heyday, was somewhat small potatoes compared to these mammoth conglomerates. I wonder how much more stuff Clear Channel would have needed to buy to make it onto this chart.