RE: [dvd-discuss] ClearChannel Plays It Safe

[Michael.A.Rolenz(at)aero.org]

That comes back to the "free market" axiom of capitalism. If there is a 
market for something and enough people use that market, then that will 
shift the market in that direction. The problem with monopoly, trust, 
cartel, etc is that there is either no free market or a severely 
restricted one and that violates the free market axiom. One radio station 
manager making that decision is one thing, thousands of managers doing it 
collectively but independently is another and thousands doing it by 
central dictum is something entirely different.

OTOH, at Dr. Goebbels discovered a long long time ago in a place not so 
far far away, control of the information market is a requirement for 
shaping opinion, for stifling dissent and ultimately persecution of those 
who do not agree.




"Ballowe, Charles" <CBallowe@usg.com>
Sent by: owner-dvd-discuss@eon.law.harvard.edu
09/18/01 08:57 AM
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        Subject:        RE: [dvd-discuss] ClearChannel Plays It Safe


It may be an overreaction, but it's hard to see such
a change and not wonder why they're doing it. Many of the songs
on that list advocate peace or are anti-war -- I'm not sure
why they might ban those.

There are other songs that are much worse, given recent events,
that I didn't see on that list.

My opinion is that, as long as their advertisers let them do it,
they can do whatever they want -- listeners can find another 
station if it bothers them. I am, however, curious as to
what their criteria were for that list.

-Charles Ballowe 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Richard Hartman [mailto:hartman@onetouch.com]
> 
> Radio stations have always made their own playlists.  Is
> this really any different from a station manager that hates
> Bob Dylan and never plays any of his songs?  What are you
> going to do, pass "equal time" legislation so that every
> song must be played once before you can ever repeat one?
> 
> I think this falls under the category of "overreacting".
>