I was just forwarded a press release that outlines one of the best media pranks I’ve ever seen :

8/26/03

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

NEGATIVLAND PRANKS CLEAR CHANNEL,FORCES RADIO FORMAT CHANGE

An online media prank has changed the programming of a major market Clear Channel FM radio station.

Seattle’s KJR-FM, a Clear Channel radio affiliate, quickly and quietly altered its playlist, following an amusing online tirade accusing the station and its Program Director of “false advertising.”

Negativland, known for their media-critiquing music collage and culture jamming hoaxes and pranks, outed KJR-FM on charges that it played at least 114 different songs from the early to mid-1980’s, despite marketing themselves as being a “Just the Greatest Hits of the ’60’s and ’70’s” radio station. Negativland members noticed that it was virtually impossible to listen for even a short period of time without hearing hits from such quintessential 80’s artists as Huey Lewis and the News, Air Supply, Men at Work, Cyndi Lauper, and many others. KJR recently pushed the envelope further by adding “Kokomo,” a 1988 hit by The Beach Boys.

In a moment of maniacal inspiration, Negativland decided to point out this ridiculous deception by sabotaging the public’s perception of the station. The group created an online rebuffing of Clear Channel, KJR-FM, and KJR Program Director Bob Case, in a tabloid-style internet magazine parody, complete with damning evidence and scathing audio commentary. Disguised as the abrasive, misguided and over-the-top outlaw media journalist “Jack Diekobiscz”, Negativland cited Clear Channel’s contempt for its listeners and willingness to lie and re-write music history for profit. Negativland claims their stunt was an obtuse and funny way to draw attention to Clear Channel’s much-criticized involvement in the general dumbing-down and homogenization of radio as the company, with the blessings of the FCC, continues to gobble up station after station across the USA.
. . .
Negativland’s dubious association with KJR and Clear Channel is nothing new. One year ago, Negativland was invited to contribute audio material to a massive microradio invasion of the Seattle airwaves as part of “Reclaim The Media,” an event sponsored by the Seattle Indy Media Center that was scheduled to take place at the 2002 National Association of Broadcasters Convention being held at the Washington State Convention and Trade Center in Downtown Seattle. Rather than composing a predictable narrative criticism of Clear Channel, Negativland decided to strike out with a more engaging approach that would hit local radio listeners where they lived. The strange absurdity of a Clear Channel station that refused to stay true to its own heavily marketed identity seemed an obvious way to showcase the company’s attitude toward its listeners.

Utilizing KJR’s own canned liners and jingles, Negativland produced a convincing 24-minute recording that simulated a telescoped version of KJR’s format. Host “Jack Diekobiscz” ranted against Clear Channel and named KJR’s program director, Bob Case as responsible for the misrepresentation, as he played one 1980’s hit from KJR’s playlist after another. For the duration of the NAB convention, six pirate microradio stations across the FM dial streamed anti-Clear Channel programming, including repeated performances of the Negativland/Diekobiscz show, sometimes playing in a 24-minute loop for seven hours at a time. Despite some bad publicity and a flurry of e-mails, Clear Channel and Bob Case refused to remove the songs from their playlist until hit with the events of last week.

I’ve noticed this quite a bit myself. I remember a few years ago the oldies station I listened to started sneaking 80’s songs into their format. The last time I tuned in, almost a third of the songs they played were from the 80’s, but they hadn’t changed the format. Where I was just annoyed by the whole thing, the guys in Negativland seem really pissed (You can listen to the full 24 minute loop that they played during the broadcasters convention by clicking here.) The press release also pointed out that there are better reasons (ie. media monopolization & payola) to hate Clear Channel, than obnoxious playlists, but this is pretty damn funny.