Country Aircheck
 December 7, 2009

» CC Resets Sales Tier: In a restructuring within Clear Channel Radio, Premiere Radio Networks Pres. Charlie Rahilly has been promoted to President of CCR's newly created National Advertiser Platforms Group. Rahilly will oversee all national advertising sales channels including Katz Media Group, Premiere Radio Network Ad Sales, CCR Digital National Sales, CCR Creative Services Group and CCR Advertiser Development. CCR Pres.John Hogan says, "Putting all of Clear Channel Radio's national advertiser platforms under singular, dedicated and focused supervision will accelerate the development of programs and platforms that will use our brands, personalities and systems to our customers' advantage." Rep firm Katz continues to be run by Stu Olds, who now reports to Rahilly, rather than to Hogan.

Concurrently, Premiere EVP/Affiliate Marketing Julie Talbott has been elevated to Pres./Content & Affiliate Relations, reporting to Hogan. Premiere EVP/Sales Carol Terakawa retains her current post and continues to report to Rahilly.



Meanwhile, CC's Outdoor business unit is said to be in talks to raise up to $2.5 billion in a high-yield issuance to pay debt owed to parent Clear Channel Communications, reports the Wall Street Journal and CNBC. The new bonds could yield 8-9%, which would help CCC keep its total debt levels within loan covenant thresholds. CC has seen its notes maturing in six years rising from 53 cents a month ago to 70 cents recently.



» Logan's Run: Harpo, Inc. EVP Erik Logan and The Oprah Winfrey Show Executive Producer Sheri Salata have been named Presidents of Harpo Productions, Inc. They will report to Harpo, Inc. Chairman Oprah Winfrey, as the company's President Tim Bennett is retiring at the end of May. In their new posts, Logan and Salata will lead Harpo Productions' efforts in developing programming beyond The Oprah Winfrey Show for syndication, primetime, cable, radio, digital and emerging platforms. Prior to joining Harpo, Logan served as EVP/Programming for XM from 2004 to 2008, was Pres./Programming at Citadel and VP/Programming at CBS Radio/Infinity, where he ascended from programming positions at WUSN/Chicago and WQYK/Tampa.

» In Case You Missed It: Golden Music/Nashville Dir./Northeast Promotion & Marketing Lisa Strickland was promoted to EVP of the department, as we told you in today's Breaking News. In addition, she's seeking an aggressive and enthusiastic promotion person for an unspecified regional position. Send resumes here.

» Director's Chair: Connoisseur Media/Erie, PA GSM Michael Malpiedi has been promoted to Dir./Sales for the six-station cluster, which includes Country WTWF. Malpiedi is a five-year company veteran, and a 19-year sales management executive. He previously was VP/Sales with Rambaldo Communications and NextMedia.

» Light Thing To Do: Entercom's KKWF/Seattle AM drive Fitz In The Morning show organized a candlelight vigil Friday (12/4) to honor fallen officers Ronald Owen, Tina Griswold, Greg Richards and Mark Renninger. Attendees paid tribute by standing in the shape of a heart just blocks from where the four were gunned down Nov. 29. Watch footage from KING-TV here.

» It's Beginning To Sound A Lot Like Christmas: Envision Radio Networks' The Country Oldies Show is offering its annual Classic Country Christmas Special for broadcast beginning Dec. 21. For more info contact Matt Wardlaw at 216-831-3761 or here. Concurrently, Valory is offering both the one-hour Jimmy Wayne-hosted An American Christmas and the two-hour Consider The Decade Gone New Year's countdown anchored by Reba. More info here.

» Raiser's Edge: Former WMZQ/Washington, DC morning host Brian Egan has joined the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training for the Walt Disney World Half Marathon Jan. 10. His fundraising goal is $5,000; donations can be made here.

» For A Good Cause: Capitol's Keith Urban has issued a 2010 calendar benefiting St. Jude Children's Research Hospital. Since 2003, Urban has called on fan club members to assist St. Jude fundraising efforts for the annual project. "Again, you guys have knocked it out of the park sending in tremendous photos and cool things to make this calendar happen," Urban says in a video message. Purchase here. Urban is also a Tennessean of the Year nominee with Gov. Phil Bredesen, the Meharry Medical College researchers, restaurateur Randy Rayburn and the ACLU's Hedy Weinberg. Urban is recognized for his Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum benefit concert We're All For The Hall. The recipient will be announced Dec. 27.

» We're Gonna Need A Bigger Wall: The RIAA has issued the following digital single certifications: Taylor Swift's "Love Story" (4x-platinum); "Teardrops On My Guitar," "Our Song," "You Belong With Me" and "Should've Said No" (2x-platinum); "Tim McGraw" and "Picture To Burn" (platinum); "You're Not Sorry," "I'm Only Me When I'm With You" and "Fearless" (gold). The mobile mastertone for "Love Story" was also certified platinum.



» Deadline Approaching: Friday (12/11) is the deadline for submissions in the 45th Annual ACM Awards radio categories. As a reminder, only ACM members are eligible for each category. Apply for membership here and submit packages here. That is also the deadline for the first round of nominations in the CRB/Country Aircheck Awards. Vote here.

» Crib Note: Congrats to Aaron Watson and wife Kim on the birth of their third child Jolee Kate Watson Nov. 23. She joins big brothers Jake and Jack at home in Abilene, TX.

» Life Note: Congrats to Big Machine/Valory's John Zarling, who successfully proposed to his girlfriend, TKO's Megan Smith, Saturday (12/5). Reach them here.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending Dec. 5. Look for the full chart in tonight's Country Aircheck Weekly.

  1. LADY ANTEBELLUM/Need You Now (Capitol)
  2. LUKE BRYAN/Do I (Capitol)
  3. REBA/Consider Me Gone (Starstruck/Valory)
  4. CRAIG MORGAN/Bonfire (BNA)
  5. DIERKS BENTLEY/I Wanna Make You Close Your... (Capitol)

All daily airplay data is from Mediabase 24/7.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5 Downloads: Here are Play MPE's Top 5 for Dec. 4:

  1. ALAN JACKSON/It's Just That Way (Arista)
  2. CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Temporary Home (19/Arista)
  3. CRAIG MORGAN/Bonfire (Christmas Version) (BNA)
  4. ZAC BROWN BAND/Highway 20 Ride (Atlantic/Home Grown/Bigger Picture)
  5. DANNY GOKEY/My Best Days Are Ahead Of Me (19/RCA)

» Tube Check Tonight (12/7): Rosanne Cash, Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson (CBS); Carrie Underwood, Dolly Parton, Brad Paisley, Carrie Underwood: An All-Star Holiday Special (FOX).

Tube Check Tomorrow (12/8): Julianne Hough, Live! With Regis And Kelly (syndicated).

» Tomorrow's Birthdays (12/8): Marty Raybon, Rhonda Hart, Ashley Clark, Heather Conley, Mark McKay, the late Irving Waugh.


Bar Belle: 19/Arista's Carrie Underwood played a special show at Chicago's Joe's Bar last week, sponsored by WUSN. Pictured (l-r) are 'USN Project Mgr. Amanda Ofiara, Arista's Lesly Tyson and R. J. Curtis, 'USN APD/MD Marci Braun and PD Bill Gamble, Underwood, Santa Claus and 'USN Mgr./Business Development Jackie Campbell.

Rodeo Crown: Capitol's Eric Church hangs with KRTY/San Jose GM Nate Deaton (l) and GSM Tina Ferguson, as well as label rep Mike Krinik, before a show at the Rodeo Club.

Ox A Mile In His Shoes: KYOX/Comanche, TX MD Jerri Lynn Robinson welcomes Jeremy Crady to "The Ox."














































 



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