Submitted by John Stauber on
"Clear Channel Communications ... finds itself fending off a new set of
accusations: that the company is using its considerable
market power to drum up support for the war in Iraq, while
muzzling musicians who oppose it. ... The critics ... cite an unusual series of pro-military rallies drummed up
by Glenn Beck, whose talk show is syndicated by Premiere
Radio Networks, a Clear Channel subsidiary. ... Thirteen of those rallies were
co-sponsored and promoted by local Clear Channel stations,
including one held March 15 in Atlanta that was sponsored
by Clear Channel's WGST and attended by an estimated 25,000
people. Further plans for rallies include events in Tampa;
Lubbock, Tex.; and Dothan, Ala. Clear Channel, which hired Brainerd Communicators, a
financial communications and crisis-management firm, last
week to help deal with the controversy, did not make Mr.
Beck available for an interview."
Printer-friendly version