alert3

Update on KC Media Watch Alert #3 (from 6/12/03):

Dear KC Media Watch Subscribers:

Thanks so much for your participation in the recent alert about KKFI and its underwriting by Clear Channel. This alert attracted our highest response yet!

Below is a copy of a response several people have received from KKFI. It's not to late to act on the alert. You might try calling or writing (by regular mail) to Roberto Barrientos directly to see if you receive a different, non-web master response. Please let KC Media Watch know if you receive a different reply. Thanks!

Thanks for writing --

Clear Channel has a contract to operate Verizon Amphitheatre (formerly Sandstone.) We have a program on Saturday nights featuring the music of Grateful Dead. The band Phish, whose music is played during the Grateful Dead show (Phish is a jam band, akin to Grateful Dead) is playing Verizon Amphitheatre, so Clear Channel Entertainment bought underwriting announcements to air on the Grateful Dead show, thinking it would be a good way to reach Phish fans. They purchased 20 announcements, airing only during the Grateful Dead show.

So those are the specifics of the underwriting. From the standpoint of whether or not KKFI should accept underwriting from Clear Channel, we understand issues people have about them and the corporatization of radio generally. Unfortunately, KKFI (along with most of the non-profit sector these days) is in difficult financial straits. Our point of view is that the way to counter corporate radio is to take their money and use it help keep community radio alive in Kansas City, at least until we can afford to turn underwriting away.

Clear Channel now controls not only Sandstone/Verizon, but many of the major live music venues in Kansas City as well, including Starlight, The Uptown and The Beaumont Club. If KKFI refused to promote any of those venues, we would be effectively blacklisting the dozens of local bands that play at those venues.

We hope having all of the facts will help our supporters understand this issue better... we have not partnered with Clear Channel, and we certainly have not sold out to Clear Channel. We simply helped promote the Phish concert as part of our mission to play music and present public affair programming that you won't find on other stations in Kansas City.

With your continued support, we can continue to do so.

Thanks for your concern.

Rags
Webmaster
90.1 FM KKFI