Country Aircheck
 December 15, 2009

» Voecks To Leave House: Clear Channel's WSIX/Nashville morning host Gerry House today confirmed the departure of newsman Al Voecks, bringing to two the number of core 25-year House Foundation members leaving the award-winning team. "It's not my idea, and I fought it tooth and toenail," House told the Tennessean. "It's business. These are tough times economically. I hate this, but we have to step forward." We told you earlier this month (CAT 12/3) that sports guy Duncan Stewart was moving on and that PD Keith Kaufman is seeking a replacement, though the aim is to replace the two roles with one hire who will be focused on lifestyle reporting rather strict news and/or sports reporting. The House Foundation's last day on the air in its current incarnation is next Wednesday (12/23). Mike Bohan and producer Richard Falklen remain with the show.

» Dockins Stuffer: Several job openings including programming, on-air and sales positions are becoming available now that Dockins Broadcast Group has reassumed ownership of Southern Star Broadcasting's five-station group in southeastern Missouri. Four of the five stations are currently dark including former Country KPWB-FM/Piedmont, Classic Rock KTNX/Arcadia, News/Talk KYLS-AM/Fredericktown and News/Talk KPWB-AM. The fifth station, Country KYLS-FM/Ironton, is on the air, says President Fred Dockins, Sr., who tells Country Aircheck that Class C3 KPWB-FM will resume Country programming when it and the three others return to the airwaves in the "near future." Dockins sold and financed the stations to SSB in early 2008 for $1,832,500, but reports he took them back recently when SSB defaulted on its loan. To apply for any of the various positions, contact Dockins here. In closing Southern Star's radio ownership business, President/CEO Chip Miller reports he will announce "a new broadcast venture and partnership" in early 2010.


» Bed Time Change: Hall's WCTK/Providence MD/midday Jessica Tyler has moved to mornings to co-host wake-ups with Tim Leary. Concurrently, Tim Leary & The Morning Showgram Exec. Producer Loren Petisce has taken over middays.

» In Case You Missed It: This morning's Breaking News email reported that former KUPL/Portland, OR PD John Paul has been named Sr. Director/Country Programming for Dial Global. Based in Denver, he will also serve as PD for the company's Hot Country format.

» Here's Your Sign: Syndicated hosts Big D and Bubba have renewed their long-term contract with Premiere Radio Networks, which assumed distribution rights to the show in October 2005.

» Stale Mates: Kudos to WKTT & WZKT/Salisbury-Ocean City, MD for collecting more than 26,000 nonperishable food items during its 16th Annual Cat Country/WMDT-TV Feed A Friend Marathon.





» Lucky Old Son: BNA's Kenny Chesney is No. 3 on Pollstar's "Top North American Touring Acts of the Decade" with a $434.4 million gross overall, besting the Rolling Stones ($426.9 million), Bruce Springsteen ($416.4 million) and others. The top spot went to Dave Matthews Band ($529.1 million), followed by Celine Dion ($522.1). No other country artists are in the top 10. In other news, the RIAA has issued gold certification for Chesney's Greatest Hits II.

» Here's Your One Chance: Kamiak High School trigonometry teacher Chance McKinney of Mukilteo, WA is CMT's fourth annual Music City Madness winner for his ballad "Be Real." McKinney beat 64 finalists in the eight-week online competition, winning a private Valory Music Co. audition in Nashville and a chance to meet Reba. More here.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Dec. 14:

  1. LADY ANTEBELLUM/Need You Now (Capitol) 2381 points
  2. REBA/Consider Me Gone (Starstruck/Valory) 2195 points
  3. LUKE BRYAN/Do I (Capitol) 2177 points
  4. DIERKS BENTLEY/I Wanna Make You Close Your... (Capitol) 2048 points
  5. TIM MCGRAW/Southern Voice (Curb) 1878 points

All daily airplay data is from Mediabase 24/7.

» Country Aircheck Today Top 5 Downloads: Here are Play MPE's Top 5 for Dec. 14:

  1. LADY ANTEBELLUM/American Honey (Capitol)
  2. RASCAL FLATTS/Unstoppable (Lyric Street)
  3. TAYLOR SWIFT/Fearless (Single Edit) (Big Machine)
  4. TAYLOR SWIFT/Fearless (Album Version) (Big Machine)
  5. TRACE ADKINS/Ala-Freakin-Bama (Capitol)

» Tube Check Tomorrow (12/16): Darius Rucker, Good Morning America (ABC); Josh Turner, Origins (GAC).

Tube Check Tomorrow (12/15): Billy Currington, Zac Brown Band, Larry The Cable Guy's Hula Palooza Christmas Luau (re-air) (CMT).

» Tomorrow's Birthdays (12/16): Jeff Carson, Joe Carter.


Hoe Hoe Hoe: Universal South's Joe Nichols (l) rocks the KFRG/Riverside Holiday Hoedown with OM Lee Douglas.

Montgomery's Gentry: KKWF/Seattle MD Lola Montgomery welcomes Colt Ford to the station.

Line Dan's: 19/RCA's Danny Gokey poses with Sony Music/Nashville peeps following an industry showcase last night (12/14). Pictured (l-r) SMN VP/Marketing Tom Baldrica, EVP Butch Waugh, Gokey, RCA VP/Promotion Keith Gale, SMN Sr. Dir./A&R Lisa Ramsey-Perkins and SVP/Sales & Operations Paul Barnabee.














































 



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