In a lengthy interview published in Saturday's Dagens Industri, Per Öqvist asked the following question of Tomas Johansson, who heads EMA Telstar (worldwide booking agents for Roxette):

  Roxette has had three #1's and a #2 on the American Billboard list. How can you get them to hit in the USA one more time?

  "I'm going to talk with my owners that have 1,200 radio stations across the USA and ask them to play the new record," Johansson replied. "It's absolutely good enough to hit in the USA, it only depends on the right launch."

  Tomas Johansson, who was called the "rock watchman" in the story's headline, is talking about Clear Channel Communications. Clear Channel, headquarted in Texas, acquired New York-based SFX Entertainment last year, the world’s largest promoter and producer of live entertainment events, including concerts, theatre and sporting events. SFX, in turn, had recently purchased EMA Telstar in Sweden.

  SFX owns 120 live entertainment venues in 31 of the top 50 worldwide markets, including 16 owned and operated amphitheaters in the top 10 markets.

  The opportunities for synergies among all these Clear Channel divisions are just beginning to be exploited, and Johansson intends to use this leverage on behalf of Roxette. He described himself in the article as being stubborn, goal-oriented and quick.

  Reaching over 110 million listeners in the U.S. every week, Clear Channel has stations taking to the airwaves in all 50 states including 47 of top 50 markets.

Photo ©2001 Dagens Industri. Used with permission.

• Dagens Industri article (In Swedish)
• EMA Telstar (In Swedish)
• Clear Channel Communications