What is Clear Channel’s corporate strategy as it pertains to public service advertising?
While Clear Channel as a company is a very strong proponent of public service advertising, one of
the little known and inconveniently obscured facts is that our corporate office gives the local market
complete discretion on how, when, and where to serve its community. The feeling in San Antonio is
that the true needs and priority of each local market are best determined by those living in those
markets themselves. We pay our real estate taxes here, our kids ride the bus, etc. If we are truly
doing our jobs and walking the walk, then we are fulfilling our public service obligation and privilege
in the way most appropriate to our local community.
How does the Ad Council help augment Clear Channel’s community efforts?
I believe one of the biggest benefits of working with the Ad Council is their sense of organization
and willingness to help prioritize what is a complex myriad of all very well-intentioned and
meaningful messages. When you try to be all things to all people, you’ll normally not be very
effective in any one of them. The Ad Council’s partnership can be very useful in working with the
local market leadership to help determine together where specific focus may best be applied and
what resources to apply towards it.
What issues do you think deserve national focus?
I can think of several health-related issues off of the top of my head, though going in another
direction I think you’d be hard-pressed to not find millions of people on the national level swimming
in a personal debt and liquidity crisis with no real idea of how to help themselves out of it.
Is Clear Channel Phoenix involved in any unique public service projects?
We use the combined resources of our eight brands to encourage participation in local fundraising.
For instance, we are media partners with the Pat Tillman Foundation. Pat was the ex-Arizona
State football star and NFL player who left behind a blossoming career to serve his country in
Afghanistan. Pat lost his life in a friendly fire incident while on duty. Very tragic.
After his death, Pat’s family established the Pat Tillman Foundation to recognize and develop
leadership skills in young men and women. We provide this organization year-round access to the
stations via promotions, public service and public affairs programming, and guest appearances on
the talk and music stations.
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The Advertising Council, the USDA Forest Service, and the National
Association of State Foresters have a long history of working to
promote the message of Smokey Bear, the national symbol of the
Wildfire Prevention Campaign. Today, his famous words of wisdom,
“Only You Can Prevent Wildfires,” are the center of one of the most
successful PSA campaigns in our nation’s history. Thanks to the
support of the media community, his message has reached millions,
and helped to prevent countless acts of carelessness from leading
to a devastating wildfire.
We hope you will continue your excellent tradition of support with the
latest from the Wildfire Prevention campaign, featuring Smokey Bear
with an entirely new look, voiced by actor Sam Elliot, encouraging
audiences to “Get Your Smokey On.” Your part in promoting the
new PSAs and Smokey’s website, www.SmokeyBear.com, will help
us reach an even broader audience and ensure the prevention of the
needless destruction of forests, homes, lands and wildlife.
It’s always wildfire season somewhere in the U.S. and every region of
the U.S. has wildfires. We look forward to your continued support in
passing along Smokey’s enduring message of personal responsibility
for preventing unwanted, human-caused wildfires.
Sincerely,
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