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Wednesday, Feb. 25, 2004

The policy comes the day after the company announced the firing of a DJ whose sexually explicit morning show antics prompted a proposed $755,000 fine from the Federal Communications Commission last month.

"Clear Channel is serious about helping address the rising tide of indecency on the airwaves," Mark Mays, president and chief operating officer, said in a statement. "As broadcast licensees, we are fully responsible for what our stations air, and we intend to make sure all our DJs and programmers understand what is and what is not appropriate on Clear Channel radio shows."

Mays said the company would institute a zero-tolerance policy for indecent content, which will include company-wide training and automatic suspensions for anyone the FCC alleges has violated indecency rules on the air.

"If the FCC accuses us of wrongdoing by issuing a proposed fine, we will take immediate action," Mays said. "We will suspend the DJ in question, and perform a swift investigation. If we or the government ultimately determine the offending broadcast is indecent, the DJ will be terminated without delay."

On Tuesday, Clear Channel announced that it agreed to fire a popular Tampa, Fla., radio talk show host known as Bubba the Love Sponge after deciding his raunchy show didn't fit its standards.

In addition, the company announced that all of its contracts with on-air performers are being modified to ensure that DJs share financial responsibility if they utter indecent material on the air.

"From now on, every contract that Clear Channel enters into with on-air talent will include this provision," said John Hogan, chief executive officer of Clear Channel Radio. "While that won't relieve Clear Channel from our responsibility as a broadcast licensee, we believe it will have a significant deterrent effect on indecent content."

© 2004 Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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