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.'"
About Clear Channel Communications, Inc. Clear Channel Communications, Inc., (NYSE: CCU) headquartered in San Antonio, Texas, is a global leader in the out-of home advertising industry with radio and television stations, outdoor displays, and entertainment venues in 63 countries around the world. Including announced transactions, Clear Channel operates approximately 1,213 radio and 19 television stations in the United States and has equity interests in over 240 radio stations internationally. Clear Channel also operates approximately 770,000 outdoor advertising displays, including billboards, street furniture and transit panels across the world. Clear Channel Entertainment is one of the world's largest diversified promoters, producers and presenters of live entertainment events and is a leading fully integrated sports marketing and management company.
Certain statements in this release constitute "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Such forward-looking statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results performance or achievements of the Company to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Visit our website at www.clearchannel.com
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