Clear Channel to Unveil New Data System

Clear Channel Communications Inc. is expected to unveil its long-awaited “Music Information Systems” initiative today at a gathering of the company’s top radio programmers at the Park Hyatt Hotel in Century City.

The nation’s largest radio broadcaster will disclose a new plan to sell airplay data gathered from its 1,200 stations to the record industry through in-house monitoring services. The company has been angling to get a share of the $100 million in record company funds that go to independent promoters each year.

Clear Channel declined to comment, but industry sources said the firm will name Dan Hubbert to run its new MIS division, which intends to sell information from Media Base, SFX Toolbox, Rate the Music, Critical Mass Media and other Clear Channel companies as well as from Radio & Records Online.

Clear Channel also is expected to introduce a service called PD Perceptuals, which would be made available to record labels for an undisclosed fee. Under this plan, Clear Channel would sell critiques of songs by program directors who are deciding whether to add the tunes to their stations’ playlists.

The radio giant also is expected to discuss its plan to cut ties with contest companies like Active Industry Research and industry tip sheets like Hits,and with all but a handful of the nation’s independent promoters, sources said. When the smoke clears, Clear Channel probably will do business only with firms owned by independent consultants Bill Scull, Jeff McClusky, Bill McGathy, Greg Lawley and Jerry Brenner. And those promoters will pay handsomely for the opportunity, sources said.

Thursday, Vivendi Universal’s Island/Def Jam label will present its rock act American HiFi at a party attended by Clear Channel’s radio program directors. Island/Def Jam was the only label willing to pay the $100,000 fee that Clear Channel charged for face time with programmers, sources said.