Press Releases
AIRCHECK LAUNCHES NEWS/TALK/SPORTS DIVISION
Peterson, Trissel Join Fast-Growing Radio Trade Publication
Veteran broadcaster, industry journalist and reporter Al Peterson and prominent industry sales executive Brooke Trissel have partnered with Lon Helton’s Country Aircheck to launch a news, talk and sports division. Targeting media executives, programmers and personalities, News/Talk/Sports Aircheck bows May 4 with the publication of its first of many electronic and print offerings.
NTS/Aircheck will be guided by the 35-years of experience brought by President/Editor Al Peterson, most recently News/Talk/Sports Editor for more than a decade at Radio & Records. Brooke Trissel, also a former R&R executive, joins NTS/Aircheck as VP/Sales & Marketing. The new entity falls under the Aircheck umbrella established with the August 2006 launch of Country Aircheck by former 23-year R&R Country Editor Lon Helton.
“I'm truly excited to be teaming up with Aircheck and my longtime friend and colleague Lon Helton," Peterson says of the new venture. "Changes in our industry have made it the perfect time for an independent publication that specifically targets the informational needs of those in the news, talk and sports media business.
“Whether you work in terrestrial radio, satellite radio, Internet radio, or even talk television, our new daily and weekly e-publications will cut straight to the chase, delivering targeted news and features of specific interest to those who make spoken-word media the most powerful force in all of broadcasting.”
“Al Peterson has an impeccable reputation as a broadcaster and trade reporter and Brooke Trissel is one of the most dynamic sales executives in the business,” says Aircheck Publisher/CEO Lon Helton. “I can’t think of a more logical way to extend the Aircheck brand. They share our vision of super-serving our busy broadcast industry colleagues with relevant, timely and concise news, features and analysis tailored to the concerns of their format.”
Peterson and Trissel start May 1.
About Al Peterson: During his 10 years as NTS Editor for Radio & Records, Peterson directed news and feature coverage of the format, oversaw R&R’s entire news operation and was the driving force behind the annual Talk Radio Seminar. Prior to R&R, he was VP/OM for then-Par Broadcasting owned KOGO, KCBQ, KKLQ & KIOZ/San Diego. Other stops include Affiliate Consultant for Unistar and Westwood One, a decade’s tenure as head of his own Peterson Media Services consulting firm, and programming stints with stations in Northern New Jersey, Rochester, NY and Tampa, FL. He can be reached at 858-486-7559 or al@ntsaircheck.com.
About Brooke Trissel: An Account Executive with R&R since 2002, Trissel has been in radio virtually her entire life. Almost literally cutting her teeth at the Oklahoma-based Omni Media Group her family owns and operates, Trissel went on to affiliate sales with ABC Radio Networks in Dallas and subsequently a posting as Regional Sales Manager for SiteShell Corp. in Shelton, CT before joining R&R. She has also worked as Station Manager for KOMI-TV/Woodward, OK. She can be reached at 512-589-8568 or brooke@ntsaircheck.com.
About Aircheck: Lon Helton launched Country Aircheck in August 2006, and quickly gained traction with the widely-respected news, analysis and Mediabase-powered charts he oversaw during a 23-year run as R&R Country Editor. Joining Helton in the company are fellow former R&R staffers Chuck Aly as VP/Editorial & Operations and Mary Forest Campbell as VP/Sales & Marketing. Country Aircheck offers daily news, a weekly chart publication and began publishing print editions in December 2006. Having grown from two employees to seven in under eight months, Aircheck has rapidly established itself as a force in the radio trade industry. www.countryaircheck.com
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2006
Premiere Issue of Lon Helton’s Country Aircheck Bows
New Trade Publication Offers Free Three Month Subscription to Nashville
(Nashville, Tennessee) Country Aircheck, the new Nashville-based radio and recording industry trade publication launched by Lon Helton, has published its first issue. The debut bows with a page one look at last week’s format-shaking demise of Country KZLA/Los Angeles.
Emmis President / Radio Rick Cummings explains the decision that left the nation’s No. 2 market without a Country station, while Nashville label executives discuss the expected impact on country album sales. The premiere edition is also packed with news and other important information, and features industry-leading country singles charts powered by Mediabase.
Established by prominent Nashville-based trade journalist and award-winning radio host Lon Helton on August 16, Country Aircheck is offereng free three-month subscriptions to radio and music industry professionals at www.countryaircheck.com.
Subscribers will recieve the weekly Music Edition PDF, as well as daily email and breaking news blasts plus full website access as these services are introduced.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 22, 2006
Premiere Issue of Lon Helton’s Country Aircheck Bows
Helton to Oversee Mediabase Country Charts
(Nashville, Tennessee) Prominent Nashville-based trade journalist and award-winning radio host Lon Helton is launching a new publication that will focus on the country radio and recorded music industries.
Helton’s company will bring the same widely respected news, analysis, and chart information to its readers and clients that he was known for during a 23-year career as Country Editor for Radio & Records. The company has also reached an agreement for Helton to oversee Mediabase conutry charts in conjunction with Mediabase President Rich Meyer.
“The country radio and label communities have been well-served by having two distinct voices for news and charts, which made this a perfect time for me to step out with my own company,” says Helton, who will be President/CEO of the new venture. “ I have worked closely with Mediabase and Ricch Meyer for the past eight years to develop an industry-leading country singles chart, and I look forward to continuing that relationship well into the future.”
“Lon Helton wirtes the definitive word in country music and Mediabase is the preferred ariplay data service in Nashville,“ says Mediabase President Rich Meyer. “Together, Lon and Mediabase have worked hand-in-hand over the past several years to develop charts and panels of America’s finest country radio stations. This new arrangement allows us to continue that successful tradition, while developing exciting new ways to showcase country music.”
Joining the new company as VP / Editorial & Operations is respected Nashville trade writer Chuck Aly. Previously R & R Associate Country Editor for the past three years, Aly’s background includes six years at Music Row Publications where he rose to GM, and three years in publicity with FORCE / Shock Inc.
Helton, in addition to his long tenure as R & R / Nashville Bureau Chief, is the CMA Award-winning host of Westwood One’s CMT’s Country Countdown USA. Prior to joining R & R, his radio career included air talent and programming stops in Denver, Chicago, and Los Angeles. Helton has previously served as president and chairman of the Country Music Association board of directors. He was recently inducted into the Country DJ Hall of Fame.