Latest Attacks On Clear Channel May Affect Utah

CLEAR CHANNEL - Clear Channel is under fire in litigation as well as the LA Times for it's "pet" companies, such as Mercury Broadcasting. Current FCC ownership caps limit the number stations Clear Channel and others can own to eight. However, it seems that eight just isn't enough for Clear Channel in some places. The LA Times recently stated that Clear Channel had "misled regulators by taking control of radio stations above the ownership limit in various markets by warehousing them in front companies. Clear Channel, the nations biggest broadcaster claims ownership of 'approximately' 1225 stations and it 'fully complies with federal law'. . .The San Antonio based chain said it has entered various deals to control sales or programming at about 75 statons beyond the ones it already owns." (or in our lucky case, both) They continue that most of Clear Channel's involvement with such marketing "flows through San Antonio lawyer Van H. Archer III. . .In addition, Clear Channel put $2 million in the mid-1990s to guarentee a loan to a firm called Mercury Broadcasting. . .in which Archer has ties to." So now, good old Mercury is being dragged into this. Comment: It'll be fun to see what happens, won't it?