Corporate and marketing communications specialist Howard Schacter has been appointed vice president of public relations for SFX Entertainment. Since last fall, Schacter had been the vice president of SFX's high profile Sports Group. Schacter's July 10 appointment is already effective. Reporting directly to SFX marketing president Paula Balzer, Schacter will be responsible for "global, corporate and internal communications for the company and its operating groups, the Family Entertainment Group, Interactive Group, Music Group, Sports Group and Theatrical Group.

As reported earlier, following an aggressive acquisitions campaign in sports and entertainment, SFX Entertainment has sought to establish an early lead in marketing “live experiential” events. SFX develops and manages touring Broadway shows, and sells Broadway subscription series and individual productions in 55 markets. An integrated franchise that promotes and produces a broad variety of live entertainment events locally, regionally and nationally, SFX has 122 venues overall, and owns or operates venues in 31 of the top 50 domestic markets. Later this year, SFX will be purchased by Clear Channel Communications. A radio broadcast and outdoor advertising company, Clear Channel has two outstanding deals—its $14 billion deal to purchase radio broadcaster AMFM and the subsequent $4.4 stock swap deal for SFX. Once those deals are done, Clear Channel will operate a total of 874 radio and 19 television stations in the United States and will have equity interests in over 240 radio stations around the world. Today, Clear Channel operates more than 700,000 outdoor advertising displays,including billboards, street furniture and transit panels.

-- By Murdoch McBride