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In This Issue (11/9) 

"We're ahead of the curve, tickets are selling great, we'll have our host earlier and that will allow us more time to develop new initiatives."

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Radio Vision

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Kicks It in the Sticks: WKXC/Augusta, GA's Chris O'Kelley (c) with Universal Music Canada/MCA/Core Records' Josh Ross, Black River's George Birge, Wheelhouse's Brantley Gilbert and Warner's Chase Matthew (l-r) at the station's Kicks Country 99 Guitar Pull.

Chris-Janson111126.jpg Fun And Dusted: Warner/Harpeth 60's Chris Janson (l) and David Lee Murphy (r) with Music Choice's Jim Murphy at the Grand Ole Opry, where Janson and Murphy debuted new single "Fun."
locash112026.jpg LoCat: Galaxy's LoCash in Pensacola. Pictured (l-r) the duo's 
Chris Lucas, The Cat, WYCT's Brent Lane, the duo's Preston Brust and the label's John Lessard and Mara Sidweber.
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EnterStellar: Atlantic Outpost's Stella Lefty (c) with the label's Sami Yaz, KSCS/Dallas' Al Farb and Mike Preston, and the label's Stephanie Hagerty (l-r).

Joe-Noto111026.jpg Signage: Singer-songwriter Joe Noto signs with Off Road Records. Pictured (l-r) are Off Road's Madison McCay and David Fanning, Noto, and the label's Jamie Graves and Becca Bradshaw.
Blake-Tyler111026.jpg Signage: Singer/songwriter Blake Tyler signs with ONErpm Nashville. Pictured (front, l-r) are Bow to Stern's Matt McClure, Tyler and ONErpm's Ryan Cunningham; (back, l-r) ONErpm's Lindsey Terry, attorney Scott Safford and Bow to Stern's Alex Kidd and Renee McClure.
Dan-+-Shay11926.jpg Shay Cheese: Dan + Shay's Dan Smyers (l) and Shay Mooney (r) with KUZZ/Bakersfield's Ness Heraldez and Brent Michaels in Anaheim, CA.
KXKT11926.jpg On-Air Force: KXKT/Omaha's Hoss Michaels, Steve Lundy and Gina Melton (l-r) help collect more than 10,465 cards for the VA hospital and Offutt Air Force Base.
Dustin-Lynch11926.jpg Slate Expectations: Broken Bow's Dustin Lynch shares new album Clean Slate with the SiriusXM team. Pictured (back, l-r) are SXM's Emma Gribbon, Jordan Hatton and Cody Alan, Lynch, Homestead/Red Light's Brad Belanger and SXM's Alyssa LaMarsh and Allie Turchi, (front, l-r) the label's Scotty O’Brien and SXM's Lauryn Snapp.
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Lone Haul: West To The Rest/Triple Tigers' Ian Munsick at Billy Bob's Texas (top) and a KLLL-presented show in Lubbock, TX. Pictured (top, l-r) are TT's Chris Palmer, KASE/Austin & KAJA/San Antonio's Jason McCollim, Munsick and TT's Julianna Vaughn; (bottom, l-r) KLLL's Mudflap and Katie Jo, Munsick and KLLL's Jeff Scott.

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Troop, There It Is: KKBQ/Houston's 10,000 For The Troops campaign collects 11,234 items for deployed service members. Pictured (l-r) are the station's Andy "Riggs" Riggle, Katelyn Maida and Erica Rico and reps from Boots for Troops.

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Lone Stars: The Texas Radio Hall of Fame Class of 2026 (CAT 8/14), including Doug Abernethy, Dave E. Crockett, Diane Day, JoJo Cerda and James Paczkowski, Kevin Kline, Eric Raines, Clyde “Kooter” Roberson, Chrissie Roberts, J.D. Rose and Barry Wolverton, are inducted Saturday (11/7) in Kilgore, TX.

Top Stories

Cumulus Cuts Impact Country
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Cumulus WKHX/Atlanta PD Mike Moore has exited amid companywide cuts. He joined WKHX in 2019 (CAT 10/7/19) after more than 16 years with then-Entercom/Portland, where he rose to VPP and KWJJ PD. Prior programming posts include WSIX/Nashville, WWYZ/Hartford and WWKA/Orlando. Moore was inducted into the Country Radio Hall of Fame in 2024. Reach him here.

Other Country talent displaced in the layoffs include KATM/Modesto afternoon host Tony Randall and KSKS/Fresno morning co-host Joe Castelan. Randall joined KATM last year (CAT 11/20/25). Prior to that, while working with his then partner Kris Rochester, Randall did mornings at WIVK/Knoxville for nearly five years, with earlier stops at KSON/San Diego, KUSS/San Diego and national syndication via USRN. Castelan joined KSKS in 2023 as morning co-host with Kris Daniels (CAT 7/21/23), who is now solo in mornings. Before that, Castelan was Dir./Promotions and morning host at KATM, giving him a 10-year total run with Cumulus. Reach Randall here and Castelan here.

Nov 12, 2026 Share
Brooks Buys 100.1-FM/Nashville
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Garth Brooks’ Sevens Network has bought the 100.1-FM frequency in Nashville, currently home to AAA WRLT from Tuned in Broadcasting, Inc/Lightning 100, pending approval from the FCC. The station will highlight local and breaking news and spin "the entire family of country music." "Our job is not to compete with the local channels in Nashville, but to promote what they have going on,” says Brooks. “We are not a reporter, we are a service to Music City and its businesses.” Upon approval, Lightning 100 will move to Cromwell Media’s 106.3-FM and 102.5-FM HD3 frequencies. Until that time, Lightning 100 will continue on 100.1 FM.

Nov 10, 2026 Share
BMG Layoffs Impact Nashville
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BMG Layoffs: Realignment from the BMG/Concord merger has impacted several in Nashville, including BMG Publishing VP/Creative Chris Oglesby, Dir./Creative Services Patricia Wittmer, Mgr./A&R Catalog Faith Beller and Mgr./Creative Layne Faltinsky. Oglesby has 23 years with the company in two stints, Wittmer has 24 years of tenure, Beller eight and Faltinsky joined in 2024. The layoffs follow last month's changes to the BMG/BBR Music Group promotion team structure (Breaking News 9/17). Reach Oglesby here, Wittmer here, Beller here and Faltinsky here.

Oct 30, 2026 Share
Lesley Named SummitMedia/Knoxville Brand Manager
Matt-“Brodie”-Lesley26.jpg Smoky Mountain Reign: Former Top 40 WNOK/Columbia, SC & WWXM/Myrtle Beach PD Matt "Brodie" Lesley has been named Brand Mgr. for the four-station SummitMedia/Knoxville cluster including WCYQ, where he will do middays. Former WCYQ Brand Mgr./midday host Matt Cooper departed last week (CAT 10/27). In addition to his former PD roles with iHeartMedia, where he worked from 2019 until earlier this year, Lesley served as the company's Music Curator for Top 40 stations in Cincinnati, Fresno and Austin. He is a veteran of more than 20 years in radio, with previous stints at KCHZ/Kansas City, WSEA & WSYN/Myrtle Beach and KQLK/Lake Charles, LA. “I’ve gone country!” he says. “I’m excited to start this new chapter with SummitMedia and WCYQ and help bring great Country radio to East Tennessee." Reach him here.
Oct 29, 2026 Share
September CDM Ratings
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High Way 101:  Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for September 2026 (three-month rolling average, 6/25-9/16) compared with July and August. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Chattanooga, TN
(Market 93)
WUSY Audacy
7.9 (1) - 8.8 (1) - 10.3 (1)
Largest share since February.
WUUQ Bahakel Classic Country
4.1 (5) - 3.1 (7) - 3.6 (6)
WOGT Cumulus 
Does not subscribe.
Huntsville, AL
(99)          
WDRM iHeartMedia
10.2 (1) - 9.7 (1) - 9.8 (1)
Jackson, MS
(125)
WMSI iHeartMedia
4.2 (4) - 5.5 (4) - 5.4 (4)
WUSJ New South
3.2 (7) - 2.6 (7t) - 2.6 (8)
WHJT New South Classic Country
1.7 (9) - 1.9 (9) - 2.1 (9t)
Madison, WI
(88)   
WMAD iHeartMedia
5.0 (5) - 4.4 (5) - 3.8 (5)
WWQM Mid-West Family
2.9 (9t) - 2.1 (12) - 2.3 (10)
WJVL
Big Radio
N/A - N/A - 1.4 (12)
Oct 27, 2026 Share
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2026 CMA Voter's Guide
A quick reference guide to the 2026 CMA Nominees



  

 

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The Fall 2026 Print Special featuring: 

Country Aircheck Turns 20!

Power 31: Then & Now

The Interview & More



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Inside This Issue: 

MC-Yay At Ryman Lunch
Disruption Junction
You Look Like You Love Me
The Day Ahead

 

 

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