Why Bother Buying Radio and TV Ads By: Mark W Adams

When you can buy the nation's largest commercial network.

via Truthdig:

Mitt Romney to Buy Clear Channel Communications

What would it cost to buy the support of just about every nationally-syndicated neocon talk show host in America? About $19.5 Billion, which is what Mitt Romney's private equity firm, Bain Capital, and Thomas H. Lee Partners have agreed to pay in a leveraged buyout agreement with Clear Channel Communications, the largest radio station owner in the country.

Clear Channel owns over 1,100 full-power AM, FM, and shortwave radio stations, twelve radio channels on XM Satellite Radio, and more than 30 television stations in the United States. Premiere Radio Networks, which is the largest syndication company in the United States, is a wholly owned subsidiary of Clear Channel and is home to Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and many others. Sean Hannity recently signed a large multi-market contract with Clear Channel, as well.

Wouldn't it be cool to be able to tell Rush, Sean and Glenn where they can stick their collective microphones?

That's power!

Those of us in liberal blogtopia won't notice the subtle changes right away, but the Giuliani and McCain fans might start rethinking this media consolidation stuff pretty soon.

::sigh::

It's going to take the rest of my lifetime to straighten this country out.