Clear Channel Station Refuses Anti-War Ad

KTVX, an ABC affiliate (and Clear Channel property) in Salt Lake City, UT, has refused to run an anti-war ad in the days before a scheduled speech by President Bush. Clear Channel CEO Lowry Mays is described as a longtime Bush family friend. An e-mail from the station reportedly said:

The viewpoints reflected in the spot are incompatible with our marketplace and will not be well received by our viewers.

In 2004, Clear Channel executives donated $42,200 to the Bush re-election campaign. Mays and his wife gave $65,000 to the Republican National Committee in the 2004 election cycle. In 2003, the NY Daily News reported that Clear Channel was "giving away expensive gifts to employees who agree to contribute to its right-leaning political action fund."

This begs the question: how can we expect corporate media to critically cover issues that run counter to executive political philosophy?

The rejected ad was sponsored by Gold Star Families for Peace, "families of soldiers who have died as a result of war." Because the ads do not involve a candidate, they are not subject to the equal time rule of broadcast television. There are other public interest requirements stations must meet to have their licenses renewed.

KTVX was owned by Chris-Craft Industries before it was acquired by NewsCorp (FOX). In 2001, the FCC approved a deal (pdf) whereby FOX would swap stations with Clear Channel as a conditioin of the acquisition. FOX is the primary news source for Clear Channel radio stations.

The President received about 70 percent of the vote in Utah in 2004.

Tags:
Iraq, Media, Politics
Watch the Ad (quicktime). See AP via Yahoo News, Salon on Clear Channel