Beasley/Tampa cluster Brand Manager and WQYK PD Rick Thomas is stepping down June 1 to spend more time with family. Thomas joined Beasley in 2023, and also programmed Classic Hits WRQB. "From leading nationally as a format leader at Summit Media and guiding successful multi-format brands in Tampa, New York, and Los Angeles, Rick brought an incredible depth of experience and strategic vision to Beasley," says Beasley Chief Content Officer Justin Chase. Adds Thomas, "I’m proud of all we’ve accomplished together and deeply appreciative of the relationships built along the way. At this point in my life, I’m looking forward to focusing on family and what comes next." Until his departure, reach him here.

Industry veteran Shane Allen has joined Riser House as EVP/Promotion & Artist Brand Strategy. The company has also promoted nine-year company veteran Megan Stottlemyer from Label Manager to VP/Label Operations, VP/Streaming & Strategic Partnerships Alex Heimerman to Head/Marketing & Label Strategy and Dir./Business Affairs Jason VanAuken to VP of that department.

Most recently with Eric Church's SiriusXM channel, Outsiders Radio (CAT 11/28/22), Allen previously spent six years at Columbia, where he was SVP/Promotion, joining from the VP/Promotion role at Capitol/Nashville. Allen joined Capitol in 2007, left for a short stint with Red Light Management at the begining of 2009, then returned to Capitol in August of that year. When the label merged with UMG/Nashville in 2012, he held that title for all four of UMGN's imprints. Reach him here.

Stottlemyer joined Riser House full-time from an intern position in Jan. 2017, was named Product Mgr./Marketing Head that July and promoted to Label Manager in 2022 (CAT 11/18/22). Reach her here. Heimerman joined Riser House last year from The Trenches (CAT 6/3/25), with previous stops at MCA and Red Light; reach him here. VanAuken has been with the company since its launch in 2017; reach him here.

The Mouse That Built Me: The CMA and Disney have extended their broadcast relationship through 2032 for The CMA Awards, and the CMA Fest and CMA Country Christmas annual specials. The six-year extension on the companies' existing 20-year relationship adds a live Disney+ stream to this year's 60th Annual CMA Awards (11/18), alongside the ABC telecast. The CMAs were previously available to stream on Hulu the day after the broadcast. "As I prepare to retire at the end of the year, ensuring CMA is strongly positioned for the future has remained one of my highest priorities, and I’m incredibly proud of what we've built together," says CMA CEO Sarah Trahern.

Rocket City Rise: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for March 2026 (three-month rolling average, 1/8-4/1/26) compared with January and February. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.