Why Clear Channel is Irrelevant for Indies
After endless concerns in the indie community about radio consolidation and Clear Channel,
I'm here to tell you that it should be of no concern to you. Regular rotation on large
stations (Clear Channel or otherwise) in major or medium markets is not available now...
nor has it ever been... (for over 30 years) to small indie releases and artists any more
than McDonalds is available to you to market your indie toys. Remember McDonalds' 10-year
marketing agreement with Disney? Before it happened, do you think you had any chance at
all of getting your indie toy into McDonalds? That situation is the equivalent of you
trying to get your indie release into regular rotation on medium and major stations.
Consolidation or no consolidation, trying to get a product with entry-level marketing onto
the largest media outlets in the world is a terribly-misplanned idea. (This applies, of
course, to new acts/labels releasing their first or second record on their own.)
So why all the hoopla? Because news outlets know that you'll read it. And when you read
it, they get paid. News outlets (like the LA Times and salon.com) need to print things
that you are worried about, so you will log on and/or purchase copies, or else they will
close down. Since the worse fear of all musicians is not having their music heard, if the
publications tell you how the biggest radio stations are not going to play you, they know
you will pay attention and read.
But just because you are just now learning how difficult the large stations are, does not
mean that it used to be any easier. Fact is, if you were trying to release your own record
(even on AM radio) in the 60's and 70's, you would have been going directly up against
Capitol, RCA, ABC, Atlantic, CBS, and the other major labels at the time. So even then
(with no Clear Channel), you would have had to start off with the smaller stations, just
like you have to today. And also back then (20 years before the McDonalds-Disney
agreement,) you would never have been able to get McDonalds to carry/market your indie
toy; but you can bet that the toy industry publications back then did their best to paint
a depressing picture for the small toy manufacturers, despite the fact that the best way
for an indie toy makers to market it's toys (both then and now) is to work with the mom
and pop toy stores
throughout the country.
What does this mean for your airplay? The same thing we've been trying to get across for
years: Start with small market commercial stations (or college stations in any market,)
and use the results to book more and bigger gigs, all the while selling your CDs and merch
for full price at those gigs. You'll never have to deal with getting distribution (or
getting paid from distribution), much less have to worry that you won't be getting any
regular rotation on a Clear Channel station. If you absolutely won't rest until you get
some Clear Channel spins, however, then consider commercial specialty/mix shows... These
shows are available on Clear Channel stations from New York on down, and with good music
and a good push, you can get a spin or two for a few weeks.
© Bryan Farrish Dec. 9, 2002
Email: bryan@radio-media.com
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Bryan Farrish Radio Promotion is an independent radio airplay
promotion company. Our staff promoter of the month is Larry
Santiago (formerly of Premiere)... he can be reached at
818-905-8038 x15. Further info can be found at
www.radio-media.com
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