CLEAR CHANNEL SAYS NATIONAL “BANNED PLAYLIST” DOES NOT EXIST
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
San Antonio, TX, September 18, 2001...Clear Channel Communications, Inc. (NYSE:
CCU) today issued the following statement as a result of numerous stories, emails
and calls concerning an alleged “list of banned songs” on its U.S. radio stations
following last week’s tragedy in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania:
“Clear Channel Radio has not banned any songs from any of its radio stations.
Clear Channel believes that radio is a local medium. It is up to every radio station
program director and general manager to understand their market, listen to their listeners
and guide their station’s music selections according to local sensitivities. Each program
director and general manager must take the pulse of his or her market to determine if
play lists should be altered, and if so, for how long.
‘In the wake of this terrible tragedy, the nation’s business community is responding with a
degree of hypersensitivity,” explained Mark P. Mays, President and Chief Operating
Officer of Clear Channel. “Even some movie companies have altered some of their
release schedules in light of the mood in America today. Clear Channel strongly
believes in the First Amendment and freedom of speech. We value and support the artist
community. And we support our radio station programming staff and management team
in their responsibility to respond to their local markets.’”
