Launch of Clear Channel Communities™ Enhances Company’s Ongoing Commitment to Making a Difference

Radio Stations Use Cross-Company Effort to Add to Their Already Robust Local Community Support

New York, NY – January 17, 2012 – CC Media Holdings, Inc. (OTCBB: CCMO), a leading global media, digital and entertainment company, today announced the launch of a community engagement brand that will build upon the company’s already robust and diverse community efforts.  Clear Channel has always embraced the important role that it plays in communities across the nation.  With a strong presence in radio, and a consistent company-wide dedication to serving the needs of the communities in which they live and work, Clear Channel Communities™ will now add an additional layer of resources and focus to fuel even greater community impact. 

Clear Channel Communities is designed to increase the impact of Clear Channel’s already extensive ongoing local philanthropic efforts.  The program will be headed by local market managers with support from a national executive team, including Clear Channel Media and Entertainment CEO John Hogan and a new community engagement department led by Jessica King, the company's Director of Community Engagement, that will provide counsel and share best company-wide practices for effective cause marketing programs.  Local Advisory Boards [LABS], which consist of local community, government and educational leaders and are in place in Clear Channel's local markets, will continue to actively guide Clear Channel’s support to the most relevant local issues facing individual communities.

“Our Local Advisory Boards have always been a guiding light in helping to effectively serve our communities and to truly understand the issues that need to be addressed,” said Joe Puglise, President and Market Manager, Clear Channel Media and Entertainment, New York.  “The addition of Clear Channel Communities is testament to Clear Channel’s ongoing commitment to making a difference in each of the markets we serve, and I welcome the counsel and additional resources it will provide in supporting the needs of the New York area.”

The mission of Clear Channel Communities is to galvanize local radio and outdoor resources to educate and inspire residents to make a difference within their own communities.  Clear Channel Communities will also aim to roll up the company’s local efforts into national campaigns on occasions where scale can help create additional impact.

“Clear Channel has always had a heightened level of commitment to local communities with an approach unmatched by any other company," said John Hogan, CEO Clear Channel Media and Entertainment.  "Clear Channel Communities and our new community engagement organization will now add another level of support that will balance our local access and strong community ties with the ability to band together millions of people across the country.  We believe addressing the issues – big or small – that affect people’s daily lives is an important foundation for effecting greater change.”

The new effort also includes the launch of a national website, http://communities.clearchannel.com, to provide a place for listeners and users to learn about the collective impact of Clear Channel and to direct them locally to get involved.

Four core areas of focus

Throughout the year, Clear Channel Communities will work with stations across the country to spotlight thousands of local and national non-profit organizations that are working to address critical issues and causes, primarily in four core areas: family and social impact; health and wellness; education and literacy; and music and arts.

Local markets will support many large and small groups by: providing media inventory in the form of radio and digital PSAs or billboard inventory; championing the missions of various non-profit groups; supporting local events like walk-a-thons, fundraising events, and supply drives; taking action in communities facing disasters; advocating for various national and local issues; engaging local officials and decision makers through LABs; and taking on countless initiatives throughout the year that affect cities across the country.

A new way for non-profits to work with Clear Channel

The introduction of Clear Channel Communities will also affect the way non-profit organizations can work with the media company.  Non-profits have historically built strong alliances with their local Clear Channel radio stations and Clear Channel Outdoor representatives, enabling them to further their missions at the local level.  These strong relationships will now be amplified with added support from Clear Channel Communities.

Organizations will now also be able to participate in a streamlined application process that will provide an opportunity to compete for multi-market support.  Each quarter, Clear Channel will award one leading non-profit  a three-month national campaign across 150 markets that will consist of an average of 300,000+ radio spots; include unique online user experiences; local engagement; and the opportunity to utilize the company’s outdoor properties to further drive the message.  These national, three-month campaigns have the capability to reach the vast population of the U.S.

Maximizing service to our communities

“Clear Channel is no ordinary company and Clear Channel Communities is no ordinary community engagement effort,” said Bob Pittman, CEO of Clear Channel.  “We are utilizing our scale to maximize the impact of this important part of our company's mission to serve our communities.  The new Clear Channel Communities reflects the magnitude of our existing philanthropic efforts and capitalizes on our unique ability to reach people wherever they might be, to educate them about critically important issues and inspire them to take action in their communities.”

Clear Channel leads media industry in community service

Clear Channel has long led the media and entertainment industry in the quantity and scope of its community-service programs at the local, regional and national levels.  Clear Channel is the largest single contributor among all media companies of donated advertising inventory dedicated to the Ad Council, the largest producer of national public service advertising campaigns in the U.S.

“Clear Channel’s ongoing commitment to the Ad Council, and to the many critical social issues addressed by our campaigns, has been extraordinary,” said Peggy Conlon, president and CEO of the Ad Council.  “Clear Channel Communities is a wonderful extension of their commitment to communities throughout the country and we’re looking forward to working together to continue to move the needle on issues ranging from Autism Awareness to Hunger Prevention.”