Clear Channel Calls Settlement ‘Tough, But Fair’

Of the $1.75 million it will pay the U.S. Treasury to settle all indecency complaints and fines against the company, Clear Channel executive vice president and chief legal officer Andy Levin said, “It was a tough negotiation, but a fair resolution. We didn’t agree that all the complaints were legally indecent, but some clearly crossed the line and for those we have taken full responsibility.”
The company began zero-tolerance policy for indecency in February and said training for all its programming employees is underway. Under the policy, if the FCC begins investigating an indecency complaint against a station, the involved personnel are pulled off the air while Clear Channel conducts an internal investigation. In cases in which a fine is levied, the company says it will fire those involved.
Clear Channel Radio President/CEO John Hogan says the FCC settlement allows the company “to close the chapter on indecency and move forward with our business. This has been a complicated and controversial issue but it has also proven that we can provide compelling, entertaining and informative programming without being indecent.”
Levin reiterated the company’s call for the government to establish indecency standards that would be applied across all media platforms, including cable and satellite.