WTVC Management released the following statement today about the end of its agreement with Clear Channel Radio:

WTVC Television NewsChannel9 announced today the end to its agreement to provide radio news and weathercasts for the Clear Channel, Chattanooga radio stations effective Friday, October 3, 2008.

"A number of factors went into this decision. With the wide availability and immediacy of the internet - particularly during the day in the workplace -- it is obvious to us that utilizing more of our news reporting resources to continue to grow NewsChannel9.com as a go-to, constantly updated, news source is of increasing importance. People will continue to turn to television for breaking news, major news events and severe weather. They are rapidly relying more and more on NewsChannel9.com for instantaneous updates on those same things in addition to the news of the day," said Mike Costa, WTVC Vice President and General Manager.

Costa continued, "Clear Channel Radio's new management team indicated to us they wanted to explore a different direction and we agreed. Dedicating more resources to our web reporting is an immediate benefit of the change as NewsChannel9.com continues to grow as the on-demand source for local news and information. We also remain open to providing news and weather reporting services to other local radio groups. We are actively discussing ideas with potential partners. It has to be the right fit."

Freedom Communications, headquartered in Irvine, Calif., is a national privately owned information and entertainment company of print publications, broadcast television stations and interactive businesses. In addition to the television group, the company's portfolio includes 33 daily and 77 weekly newspapers, including The Orange County Register, magazines and other specialty publications, plus news, information and entertainment websites to complement its print and broadcast properties. Freedom's newspaper publications have a combined circulation of more than one million subscribers. The broadcast stations - five CBS, two ABC network affiliates and one CW affiliate - reach more than 3 million households across the country.