Clearing the air about radio and the community

The Federal Communications Commission was in Seattle last week to hear our take on localism and the media-ownership debate. The FCC has held hearings all across the nation designed to get citizen input. These hearings are so important to the process because they allow local citizens' voices to be heard.

Unfortunately, some hearings have attracted out-of-town activists with a preordained viewpoint, and high emotions over ownership and local stewardship have pushed reason right out of the room.

In my industry, and in my view, it's just common sense that radio stations serve their local listeners or they go out of business, plain and simple. In fact, in a digital age with countless global information and entertainment sources, radio's role as a local news, information and entertainment provider is even more important now than it has been in the past. The fact that radio is local is nowhere more true than right here in Seattle.

Seattle has 77 radio stations in the metropolitan area — that means every Seattle resident has numerous stations from which to choose, and greater access to diverse programming. The competition between stations is fierce, and only stations that meet consumer demand can survive.

Part of meeting that demand is introducing emerging and independent artists to the listener. Seattle is a nationally known and recognized center for independent music — think of groups like Nirvana and Pearl Jam, and you can't help but think of Seattle. Audiences got to know these bands through Seattle radio, and we continue that tradition even now.

One of the stations I work with, KUBE-FM, airs a show each Sunday evening called "Sunday Night Sound Session," which features new songs from local musicians. If the listeners like it and start requesting the music, the airplay can spill over into daytime and other peak listening times during the week, potentially creating a hit.

We also host a local music showcase at Seattle Center, where up to 10 local artists perform live. The event is promoted for more than four weeks, giving the artists invaluable publicity. That's good for Seattle citizens and local artists.

Music is just part of what radio does — radio also reaches out to help our citizens when they are in need. Clear Channel Radio Seattle is the exclusive partner for Washington state's Thrive by Five, a unique public-private partnership that educates parents on the importance of early education and early parental involvement in their child's education. This partnership has propelled Washington from being one of the worst states in the country to being a world leader when it comes to early learning.

In addition, KUBE-FM routinely donates money, awards scholarships and organizes clothing and holiday drives that have helped Seattle organizations like the Seattle Music Partnership, La Escuelita Bilingual School, the Seattle Metropolitan Urban League, the Central Area Youth Association, the Northwest Literacy Foundation and the Odessa Brown Children's Clinic.

Regardless of where our corporate headquarters are located, our Seattle radio stations are every bit as much a part of Seattle as the Space Needle and the Pike Place Market, ultimately enriching the Emerald City and the local community in which all of us live.