The Corporatizing of Radio Stations Disproportionately Affected Black Radio
When radio stations went from being Black-owned, serving local communities, to being a part of corporations that serve stock holders instead of listeners, the impulse to serve local communities was quickly discarded. Just six years after the Telecommunications Act went into effect, two companies, Clear Channel and Viacom, owned two-thirds of the country’s radio stations — with Clear Channel quickly going from 40 stations to 1,240 stations, 30 times more than Congressional regulation previously allowed. In many cities, virtually overnight Black radio stations ceased to exist, with the familiar Black spot on the dial changing format to sports or even country music. In the years immediately after deregulation, more than 10,000 radio employees lost their jobs, according to a report by Common Cause.
