February 25, 2010



» Back Tracking: The CMA's 2010 Consumer Fan Tracking Study, one of CRS Thursday's most anticipated panels, had a lot of good news for Country radio, which appears to be the big beneficiary of the difficult economy. Fan listening to Country stations was up from 6.4 to 9.9 hours per month, with the fanbase's monthly tune-in rising from 79% to 93%. Satellite listening to Country fell from 9% to 8%, with web streaming holding steady at 7%. However, nearly 40% of core "Countryphiles" complain of too much repetition, and nearly half said they'd listen to Country radio more if PDs would do something about it. The economy has shrunk the group of core country consumers of albums, downloads and concert tickets from 7.6% of adults 18+ to 4.6%, but overall Country radio remains the No. 1 source and influence for artists, songs and the music industry. There's a wealth of information available via www.cmaworld.com for CMA members.


» Interview With A Campfire: New Music Nashville host Bob Guerra moderated this morning's (2/25) Think You Know How To Interview? panel with Craig Morgan, KUPL/Portland's Rick "Bubba" Taylor, McCoy & Assoc.'s Sharla McCoy, KYGO/Denver's Garret Doll and After MidNite's Blair Garner. Taylor offered his secret to great interviews, asking the label rep or manager something that had just happened on the road, while Garner, Doll and Morgan advocated doing as much homework as possible. McCoy reminded interviewers to be respectful of handlers' requests and shared stories of when she had to "pull the plug." Garner also quoted "one of the best interviewers there has ever been," Merv Griffin, whose advice for interviewing was "listen." 




» Debate Club: "When we were planning this panel, our friend, the late Dene Hallam, asked us to do one thing," said The Great Playlist Debate moderator Wade Jessen (Billboard) as he opened the panel. "He said, 'Please don't make this a 'beat up on radio' panel.'" Consultant Keith Hill, Republic Nashville's Jimmy Harnen, KFAV & KWRE/Warrenton, MO's Mike Thomas, WKMK/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ's Captain Jack and WGH-FM/Norfolk's John Shomby were true to that wish in discussing the singles charts and perceived playlist repetition. Hill urged programmers to "speed up the train" by moving songs up the charts faster. "The train slowed down, our ratings slowed down," he pointed out. He also proposed changing the charts to monitor from 5am-7pm, Monday-Friday, with 14 spins to chart, which was met by applause. In regards to dayparts, Harnen asked the room, "Why do you expect my song to perform in the very category your commercials can't?" Shomby followed up with, "Make your stations sound fresh. It doesn't matter how often you play a song, as long as you get excited about it." 

    



» Platform Driving: In the "360 Experience" session on integrating multiple media for radio, UMG's Michael Deputato pointed out how his roster's artists video-blog on their sites, iLike, iTunes and others, and offered, "We'd love to do [that] for your stations, too." CMT's Cody Alan told how he took a spicy bit with  Taylor Swift and sent the audio to E!, People and others. "They all picked up the audio; you just have to be prepared." WLHK/Indianapolis' Bob Richards recommended the book What Americans Really Want…Really, which opened his eyes about how consumers actually behave, especially with social media. Clear Channel/Atlanta's Dave Demer added that his stations use texting as entries for contesting instead of taking caller No. 9, saying, "You can see how many people are really trying to win; that's  something you can't do with the phone."
 


» Luck Be Lady A: Capitol's Lady Antebellum played for CRS attendees at Nashville's Hard Rock Cafe last night (2/24).   "Are you as proud as we are to be a part of the hottest band, not in Nashville, not in the country, but in the world?" SVP/Promotion Steve Hodges asked before presenting the group with plaques commemorating Need You Now's ship-week platinum certification and double platinum single certification for the title track. The trio was also joined onstage by last-minute guest Luke Bryan, whose Wilkes Barre tour stop was snowed-out. Bryan performed "Do I," which he co-wrote with Lady A's Charles Kelley and Dave Haywood. At one point Kelley asked if the crowd was "Lookin' For A Good Time," to which Hillary Scott replied, "at the Bridge Bar, right?" 

 



» Pleased To Meter: Here is the second group of January Arbitron PPM ratings, ranked by metro size. Reflecting the change from the Holiday period, all figures are persons 6+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight, with rankings in parentheses.

  • Boston: Greater Media's WKLB edged forward 4.4-4.5 (8-10). Its listenership slipped by 1,600 listeners to 528,300 (12-12).
  • Detroit: Congrats to CBS Radio's WYCD, which accelerated 4.7-5.7 and from eighth to No. 1, adding 59,100 cume to total 869,300 (7-6).
  • Miami: Beasley's WKIS posted its best monthly since October, up 3.5-3.7 (11-12), although cume fell 15,400 to 436,700 (16-16).
  • Seattle: It's a dead heat here, as CBS Radio's KMPS held steady at a 4.1 (7-8t). Its cume grew 13,700 to 598,500 (9-8). Entercom's KKWF tied KMPS, rising 3.6-4.1 (10-8t), with listenership up 6,300 to 539,100 (13-10). Clear Channel's KNBQ moved 1.8-1.7 (23-23t), and its reach fell 26,100 to 327,400 (18-20)
  • Phoenix: CC's KNIX grew 3.7-4.2 (11t-10), with cume up 29,300 to 608,400 (11-10). CBS Radio's KMLE gained equally, rising 2.7-3.2 (16t-14t), with its reach rising 22,100 to 577,600 (12-12).
  • Minneapolis: CC's KEEY jumped 6.2-7.2 (5t-3). Its cume eased 1,200 to 689,400 (6-6).
  • San Diego: Lincoln Financial's KSON was steady at a 4.0 (10-9), with reach up 14,700 to 433,900 (9-9). CC's KUSS stepped 2.0-2.2 (18t-19), with cume growing 34,100 to 295,200 (16-16).
  • Tampa: CBS Radio's WQYK-FM declined 6.1-5.3 (3-6), as its audience dropped 53,900 to 464,700 (7-9). CC's WFUS improved 3.7-4.1 (12-11), though its cume decreased 22,000 to 428,900 (10-11).
  • Denver: Lincoln Financial's KYGO advanced 4.6-5.1 (5-4), with its reach rising 6,200 to 494,400 (8-7). Wilks' KWOF picked up 1.4-1.6 (25-24t), shedding 9,400 listeners to 219,400 (20-21).
  • St. Louis: Bonneville's WIL edged ahead 5.2-5.3 (9-8), adding 29,500 cume to total 506,700 (7-6). CC's KSD increased 2.8-3.1(16-15), with listenership up 28,000 to 464,900 (13-10).
  • Baltimore: CC's WPOC soared 5.6-7.1 (4-3), powered by a huge 87,400 cume bump to 548,600 (5-4).
  • Pittsburgh: CBS Radio's WDSY settled back 6.4-6.2 (5-5), but augmented its cume by 55,200 to 490,500 (8-8). Keymarket's three-station cluster performed as follows: WOGG rose 1.5-1.9 (19-16) with cume up 5,500 to 133,800 (18-17); WOGI gained 1.4-1.6 (20-18), with its reach down 4,600 to 169,200 (14-15); and WOGH was even at a 0.8 (22t-23t), as its audience dipped 18,400 to 71,500 (20-27).
     


» Basking Robbins:   CBS Radio/Chicago SVP/Market Manager Rod Zimmerman has assumed the duties of Country WUSN and AC WCFS VP/GM Dave Robbins, who has been named SVP/Market Manager for the company's three-station Orlando cluster. Don Howe, who had been overseeing both Orlando and Tampa, will now focus exclusively on the latter market, which includes Country WQYK. Robbins has been with the company in Chicago for the last seven years, but has owned a home near Walt Disney World for several years.


» In Case You Missed It:  As we told you in this afternoon's Breaking News, Brooks & Dunn announced the final stop on their Last Rodeo tour. Their last concert ever as a duo will be Aug. 10 at Nashville's Bridgestone Arena. The show will benefit the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum's All For The Hall initiative.    




» Calling All Karls: Former WBUL/Lexington, KY morning co-host Karl Shannon will join WCYO/Richmond, KY as PD/AM driver Monday (3/1). Shannon exited WBUL in April during Clear Channel layoffs (CAT 4/29). Also joining the station is 36-year radio vet Al Snyder for PM drive.


» Goodbye Is All We Have: Rounder's Alison Krauss and DS Management's Denise Stiff have dissolved their longtime business association. "We have had a wonderful 23 years together and are proud of what we've accomplished," Krauss and Stiff said in a joint statement. "This is a difficult decision, but we have decided to end our professional relationship. We have the utmost respect and love for one another."


» Live And Local: Cox's WWKA/Orlando morning teamers Doc and Grace helped dispel sensational national media reports about the killer whale trainer who died at the city's Sea World park yesterday (2/24) by interviewing Jack Hanna this morning (2/25). Listen here.


» Swing Music: 19/Arista's Carrie Underwood and Capitol's Luke Bryan are the first artists announced to play the 20th Anniversary Nashville Celebrity Solftball Challenge June 7, leading up to the 2010 CMA Music Festival June 10-13. The Grand Ole Opry Live team will face-off against the After MidNite With Blair Garner club to benefit City Of Hope. Tickets and details here.


» Press The Flesh: Online voting for the 45th Academy of Country Music Awards' three newcomer categories — Solo, Vocal Duo and Group — begins tomorrow (2/26) at 9am ET and closes March 12 at 5pm ET at VoteACM.com. One winner in each category will compete in the online vote for Top New Artist, which runs April 1 through the April 18 awards show telecast on CBS-TV.


» Country Aircheck Today Top 5:  Here are the Top 5 songs for Feb. 24:    

 

  1. JOSH TURNER/Why Don't We Just Dance (MCA) 2311 points
  2. BRAD PAISLEY/American Saturday Night (Arista) 2026 points 
  3. BILLY CURRINGTON/That's How Country Boys Roll (Mercury) 1990 points
  4. BLAKE SHELTON f/TRACE ADKINS/Hillbilly Bone (Warner Bros.) 1994 points
  5. DARIUS RUCKER/History In The Making (Capitol) 1857 points

All daily airplay data is from Mediabase 24/7.



» Country Aircheck Today Top 5 Downloads: Here are Play MPE's Top 5 for Feb. 24:

  1. LITTLE BIG TOWN/Little White Church (Capitol)
  2. TOBY KEITH/Every Dog Has Its Day (Show Dog-Universal)
  3. GLORIANA/The World Is Ours Tonight (Emblem/Warner Bros./BPP)
  4. MCCLYMONTS/Save Yourself (Executive/C05)
  5. JAMES OTTO/Groovy Little Summer Song (Warner Bros.)


» Tomorrow's Birthdays (2/26): the late Johnny Cash; Mark Langston; Duke Cooper; Chuck Thompson.


» Tube Check Tomorrow (2/26): George Jones, CMT Cribs.




» Million Air: During Wednesday's (2/24) ACM Music City Jam, Big Machine's Taylor Swift is presented a plaque by Universal Distribution SVP/Marketing Cliff O'Sullivan (l) and Big Machine Pres./CEO Scott Borchetta commemorating sales of 10 million albums and recognizing her status as the best-selling digital tracks artist of all time.

 



» Soldier On: Operation Troop Aid founder Mark Woods (r) recognizes Darius Rucker's contribution to the organization by presenting the singer a flag from soldiers who received OTA care packages during yesterday's (2/24) Storytellers With Darius Rucker.

 



» You Make Me Smile: Top Dog/Atlantic/BPP's Uncle Kracker visits with CRS attendees at last night's (2/24) Bigger Picture showcase, at which he played his single "Smile." Pictured (l-r) are KXKT/Omaha PD Erik Johnson, KBEQ/Kansas City PD Mike Kennedy, BPP's Chuck Swaney, Kracker and WKMK/Monmouth-Ocean, NJ PD Captain Jack.

 



» Pit Crew:  Root 49/Nine North's Bridgette Tatum hangs with a diverse CRS crowd. Pictured (l-r) are Nine North Pres. Larry Pareigis, WAMZ/Louisville PD Coyote Calhoun, NASCAR driver Ryan Newman, Tatum, WMIL/Milwaukee OM Kerry Wolfe and Nine North VP/Promotion Tom Moran.     


» Sister, Sister: Republic Nashville's The Band Perry and Big Machine's Steel Magnolia hang in CMT's Top 20 Countdown studio during the label group's CRS After Hours event Tuesday (2/23). Jewel and newcomers Eden's Edge (both not pictured) also showcased. Pictured (l-r) are Republic Nashville's Jimmy Harnen, TBP's Neil, Kimberly and Reid Perry, CMT's Jay Frank, Big Machine's Scott Borchetta, SM's Joshua Scott Jones and Meghan Linsey, CMT's Brian Philips, Melissa Peterman and CMT's John Hamlin.




 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


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