ClearChannel kills the only hard rock station in Dallas

Written by tinfoil on Wednesday, 26 May 2004 03:17

Ever since I moved to Dallas 3 years ago, shortly before the 9/11 tragedies, my radio dial was firmly set to two stations, 97.1 the Eagle, and 102.1 the Edge. I was in my teenage "crisis identity" years. First I would like punk music, then hard rock, then death metal. I didn't know what I wanted. As the winter of 2001 slowly progressed, my tastes changed from punk to metal. The Eagle became my station. I would have nothing else as far as out local radio stations went. However, the Edge stayed on my alarm clock out of mere habit.

On Wednesday May 5, 2004, 97.1 played "Here Comes the Sun" by the Beatles. At first I thought the Eagle was playing a joke. Then I saw the website.

It had gone from a hard rocking station to "Sunny" 97.1, one of the Eagle's cookie cutter oldies stations. At first I was incredulous. Then angry. Then sad. This station I had listened to for the past 3 years, the DJs who I had associated with my local music scene, were no more.

They had shot the Eagle.

There's no doubt that the decision to scrap the Eagle was based solely on money. I am outraged that Clear Channel thinks it can do whatever is wants to its listeners. People listened to the Eagle, but Clear Channel will not listen to them.

So now, as I sit here typing this with RTDS in the background, I have changed from the Edge to the Bone, a non-Clear Channel station that plays classic rock, even though that's not my specific taste. I will now refuse to listen to a Clear Channel station.

I have a petition set up to try and get the Eagle back, but I doubt Clear Channel will listen or quite frankly cares. I'm hoping they do. If not, then I'm hoping another broadcaster, such as Infinity will notice the market and a need to satisfy the loyal Eagle listeners of Dallas and bring it back.

My heart goes out the the employees who lost their jobs. My heart goes out to the loyal listeners and fans who lost their Eagle. The day the corporate money machine shot it dead was a sad, sad day for Dallas.

Please help in any way you can by either contacting Infinity broadcasting or any other broadcasting company you think would be interested. Please help by signing the petition to try and bring the Eagle back.

As for me, I'll be listening to CDs and RTDS. I thought Clear Channel would have cared. It seems I was wrong. Now I have lost all faith and respect in Clear Channel. I have lost faith in any big coprorations. Privately owned stations, internet or terrestrial, are the only way for people to be truly satisfied. RTDS has shown this to me. What happened to the Eagle has shown this to me. And for satisfying my need for good hard rock, I thank RTDS and the people who make it possible.

Source: RTDS.org, Radio that doesn't suck

This article not subject to Creative Commons license. Story used with permission.

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