With this month’s ousting of one of L.A.’s best known local radio executives, the eight Clear Channel stations in Los Angeles find themselves looking to build revenue amid a corporate strategy to trim advertising.

The stations are one of the best performing local clusters for Clear Channel Communications Inc. but so far local advertisers have not responded well to a strategy to limit ad clutter by buying more 30-second spots.

“Clear Channel is doing well from an advertising standpoint because their 60s are sold out but their 30s aren’t,” said Zach Rosenberg, executive vice president and general manager of the Los Angeles office of Horizon Media Inc., a media buying firm. “A lot of agencies are reluctant to pay the premium on the 30s.”

Clear Channel executives maintained that Roy Laughlin’s departure which was the company’s decision is not related to any specific disagreements about the Los Angeles market.

“It reached a point where Roy and we all thought the most productive way for us to deploy his talents was in another capacity within the company,” said Charlie Rahilly, Clear Channel’s senior vice president in charge of the Southern California region.

Laughlin was ousted earlier this month as co-vice president in charge of Clear Channel’s local stations and general manager of the market’s fourth-ranked station, KIIS-FM (102.7). He was well known for the annual Wango Tango concert and other off-air promotions.

Both Laughlin and his bosses at Clear Channel declined to discuss the specific reasons for his departure. Although Laughlin noted, “I didn’t quit, that’s for sure.” He now has a consulting arrangement with the stations.

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The full version of this story

is available in the April 18 edition of the Los Angeles Business Journal.