pleshe, michaels join country thunder
TRANSCRIPT
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Nashville; KNIX/Phoenix; KSOP/Salt Lake City; and, KMPS/Seattle. Let us know of any stations we’ve missed that fit into this exalted category.
Pleshe, Michaels Join Country Thunder Country Thunder has added a pair of new regional promoters. Former KSKS/Fresno PD Steve Pleshe is aboard for Northwest-Midwest promotion. He succeeds the exiting Ray Randall. Taking over the Southeast from recently promoted VP/Promotion Jim Dorman is former Epic/Nashville SE regional Chris Michaels. He returns to the biz after a five-year hiatus as owner-operator of an Atlanta sign shop. Reach them at stevep or chrism @countrythunderrecords.com.
“Silver Country Stereo” Celebrates 35 Years Happy 35th birthday to KSCS/Dallas. On January 1, 1973, “good music” WBAP-FM flipped to KSCS as “Silver Country Stereo” to complement
WBAP-AM’s Country Gold format. According to noted radio historian and
KSCS APD/MD Chris Huff, “KSCS has set numerous high bars in Dallas/
Fort Worth -- including the largest share ever garnered on an FM signal in the market (an 11.2 in Fall ‘91) and the longest streak at the top of the 12+ ratings (14 books in a row, starting with
Winter 1990).” This little bit of news also got Chris and
us wondering how many other stations can boast having the same calls and
Country format for 35 years. Current Country outlets (and we’re counting those AMs that turned into FMs along the way) that come to mind (and we’re not 100% sure of all of these) are WGNA/Albany, NY; WESC/Greenville, SC; WIVK/Knoxville; WSIX/
Welcome Back
The first Country Aircheck Weekly edition of 2008 features weights for the reporting panel on page 6. The first report day is next Monday, Jan. 7. Adds from Mediabase-monitored stations will be taken at airplayaddboard.com beginning Thursday morning, Jan. 3 until Monday, Jan. 7 at 3pm ET.
January 2, 2008 Issue 70
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KILT, KKBQ Gain In December PPM With December 2007 marking the second month of Arbitron publishing PPM shares of listeners 6+, KILT/Houston improved 4.0-4.4, good enough to rise from ninth to seventh. The CBS Radio outlet’s 904,600 cume was its highest since last June, and more than 20,000 above its nine-month average. Cox’s KKBQ also did well, climbing 3.7-4.1 and from No. 11 to 10. Posting its third consecutive monthly cume increase, KKBQ broke the 1-million barrier for the first time since last May, and beat its nine-month weekly average by 45,000. Cox’s Classic Country clustermate KTHT dipped from 3.2-2.7 and from a tie for No. 15 to a tie for 17. The station’s 601,500 reach was about 24,000 below its nine-month average. In Philadelphia, WXTU dipped 5.4-4.5. Although the Beasley outlet’s cume fell month-to-month more than 100,000 to 713,400 (well below its nine-month average of 811,000), the station’s rank slipped only two notches, from fourth in November to a tie for sixth.
Phoenix Uprising KTYD/Santa Barbara, CA morning personality Matt McAllister is set to join Ben Campbell (CAT 12/19) – formerly of Ben & Brian at KMLE/Phoenix and WMZQ/Washington – when KNIX/Phoenix debuts its new morning show in the coming days. McAllister was with the Rincon Rock outlet for the last nine years. They replace Tim & Willy, who were unable to come to terms on a new deal with KNIX. The two are guest-hosting afternoons on News/Talk KTAR/Phoenix today and tomorrow (Jan. 2-3.) Meanwhile, at crosstown Country KMLE, morning personality Dave Pratt has signed a new deal that will keep him at the CBS Radio outlet through the end of 2011. Pratt has been in Sun City radio for 25 years, the last four and a half with KMLE.
Radio NewsProgramming: Entercom Rhythmic AC WSNA/Memphis morning host Greg Valentine has been hired as APD/evenings at Beasley WKIS/Miami. Valentine, who starts Jan. 10, replaces Jeffrey T Mason, who left for WMZQ/Washington in August. Wilks AC KCKC/Kansas City PD Luke Jensen has been hired as PD for Journal’s Country-Classic Country combo KVOO & KXBL/Tulsa, effective Monday (1/7). Jensen replaces Ric Hampton, who left the company in September.
Sales: Radio Dubuque, IA’s Ron McCarthy has been hired as Sales Manager for Journal/Springfield’s Country KTTS and News-Talk KSGF.
Personalities: Clear Channel WBUL/Lexington, KY morning personality Liberty Hill is moving to CC’s
Date check
Jan. 23-27 - Country In The Rockies
Jan. 24 - 26th Annual Colgate Country Showdown National Final - Ryman Auditorium www.countryshowdown.com
Feb. 8 - 50th Annual Grammy Awards - www.grammy.com
March 5-7 - CRS-39 - www.crb.org
April 1-5 - Tin Pan South Songwriters Festival
April 22 - Leadership Music Digital Summit 2007 - Belmont University’s Curb Event Center - www.leadershipmusic.org
May 18 - The 43rd Annual ACM Awards - MGM Grand Las Vegas, NV - www. acmcountry.com
June 5-8 - CMA Music Festival - www.cmaworld.com
Full calendar info at www.countryaircheck.com
January 2, 2008 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page 3
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BirthDays
Thursday (1/3) - Nikki Nelson
Friday (1/4) - Patty Loveless, Deana Carter, Kathy Forester
Saturday (1/5) - Mark Nesler, Dave Dame ([email protected]), the late Sam Phillips, Shane Jemelka ([email protected]), Karen Herbst ([email protected])
Sunday (1/6) - Earl Scruggs, Jett Williams, Tim Wall ([email protected])
Monday (1/7) - John Rich
local law enforcement agencies as having a sparse holiday. Englewood Middle School students raised almost $10,000 for the campaign; video here. Also, an Iraq-based soldier listening to KYGO’s web stream heard about a local child who needed a bed, told his wife and the bed was delivered to Christmas Crusade headquarters two days later. The event has served more than 186,000 children since 1983.
CRB Humanitarian & Promotion Awards CRB is accepting applications for the 2008 Radio Humanitarian and Promotion s, which will be bestowed during CRS-39. The former recognizes public service in large, medium and small market categories between Nov. 1, 2006 and Dec. 31, 2007. Entries including a written two-page brief with photos should be sent to [email protected] by Jan. 18. The Promotion Award honors creative and effective promotions in the same market categories and time period, with PDF entries including a one-page summary and relevant media going to [email protected] by Jan. 11. Entries for both awards should include name, calls/city, market size and contact info. Contact CRB’s Ed Salamon for details.
WTNT/Tallahassee, FL to co-host the TNT Morning Show with Cash & Liberty, effective Jan. 21. Her last day at WBUL is Jan. 18, and she is replacing Amie “Carrie” Meneghetti, who left the station in November. Back in Lexington, WBUL PD Mark Grantin is seeking her replacement as a personality/producer. Airchecks and resumes to him at 2601 Nicholasville Road, Lexington, 40503, or [email protected].
Stationality: Lincoln Financial KYGO/Denver re-launched its website on Christmas Eve. Check it out at www.kygo.com.
Industry News Equity Music Group Manager/Publicity Jensen Sussman has been hired as Assoc. Dir./Media for Sony BMG. Sussman will handle publicity duties for Columbia’s roster, which includes Gretchen Wilson, Montgomery Gentry and Miranda Lambert. Columbia’s roster was previously handled by Craig Campbell, who left the
company in November. Prior to Equity, Sussman worked for Insight Management and Tractenberg & Co. Reach her at 615-858-1314 or [email protected]. Congrats to publicist Martha Moore, who is celebrating 20 years in business with her So Much Moore Media company. She can be reached at [email protected].
Denver Country Fans Lend Hand KYGO/Denver’s 2007 Christmas Crusade for Children helped 5,400 underprivileged children this past Christmas, with listeners sponsoring kids identified by 35
Jensen Sussman
Martha Moore
January 2, 2008 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page 4
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Toby Shoots Movie Toby Keith will be shooting the “Beer For My Horses” film in New Mexico and Las Vegas from Feb. 10-March 13. It’s the story of two best friends – Keith and co-writer Rodney Carrington – who work together as small-town deputies and venture to Mexico to rescue a kidnapped girl. Keith will produce the film along with Donald Zuckerman, while Keith’s manager T.K. Kimbrell is the executive producer. Among those set to join Toby on-screen are Willie Nelson, Ted Nugent and Mel Tillis.
Not So Holy Night Steve Holy was allegedly assaulted in his Dallas home by two off-duty police officers last week, and the officers have since been placed on administrative leave pending an investigation. Holy and a friend met three officers at a local bar, and invited them back to the singer’s house to play foosball in the garage after closing time. A 911 call was placed at 5:30am after one off the officers allegedly became belligerent and held Holy at gunpoint. Read the full story here.
Artist News Blake Shelton’s Team Shelton choir placed third in the competition behind choirs coached by Nick Lachey and Patti Labelle. Shelton’s efforts led to a $50,000 donation to his designated charity, Project Rebuild and Army MWR. Kenny Chesney will be joined by Keith Urban for an expected nine stadium shows in 2008, kicking off July 26 in Foxboro, MA. RCA will release How Great Thou Art: Gospel Favorites Live From The Grand Ole Opry Feb. 5. The 12-cut collection features Trace Adkins, Charlie Daniels, Sara Evans, Vince Gill, Loretta Lynn and others performing gospel songs on the Opry stage.
Toby Keith’s mother and her children have been awarded $2.8 million in the wrongful death of Keith’s father H.K. Covel. A jury found Elias and Pedro Rodriguez and Rodriguez Transports of Tulsa negligent in the fatal March 2001 car accident. Covel’s Ford truck was bumped by another vehicle, sending it across the median, where it was struck by a charter bus owned by Rodriquez Transports. That vehicle was found to be urgently in need of brake work and driven by an unlicensed driver. “We were only there to find the truth, and the jury saw it so plainly that they awarded us a unanimous decision,” Toby Keith said. Plaintiffs were H.K.’s wife, Carolyn Covel, his daughter, Tonni Covel and sons Toby Keith Covel and Tracey Covel. It is the largest single jury verdict ever rendered in McClain County, OK. Ringtones for Rascal Flatts are available for the first time. Fans wanting “Take Me There” or “Bless The Broken Road” can text the word “Rascal” to 55655 to download.
Chronicle Our sincerest condolences to WOKQ/Portsmouth-Dover, NH APD/MD/PM driver Dan Lunnie on the Dec.
Thursday (1/3) - Trace Adkins, Celebrity Apprentice (NBC); Joe Nichols, Tonight Show (NBC); Keith Urban, Ellen DeGeneres Show (Syndicated) (repeat).
Friday (1/4) - Shooter Jennings, Late Show (CBS).
Saturday (1/5) - Carrie Underwood, Travis Tritt, Ronnie Milsap, Emerson Drive, Opry Live (GAC).
Sunday (1/6) - Garth Brooks, Ultimate Garth, Ultimate Hits (GAC).
Monday (1/7) - Johnny Cash In San Quentin (CMT).
tuBe check
January 2, 2008 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page 6
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30 passing of wife Laurie, 52. She and Dan would have celebrated their 25th anniversary this June. Visitation is Friday, January 4, 2008 from 1:00 PM to 2:00 PM with a funeral service being held at 2:00 PM at the Carll-Heald & Black Funeral Home, 580 Main Street, Springvale, ME. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that memorial contributions be sent to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, 5005 LBJ Fwy, Ste. 250, Dallas, TX 75244 or the American Heart Association, 343 Gorham Road, South Portland, ME 04106. Local florists include Springvale Flowers, 207-324-7900 and Chadbourne’s Florist, 207-324-2502. Condolences to family and friends of former WWQM/Madison, WI morning personality Edward “J.D. Barber” Tisdale, who died following a heart attack. He was 65. Condolences are also extended to family and friends of former Beaumont, TX mayor Ken Ritter, nephew of Tex Ritter and veteran of the music industry and radio. Ritter was a disc jockey for KFDM/Beaumont, as well as a producer and promoter working with Hank Williams, Jack Clement and Tracy Byrd, among others. He was 79.
Milestones Heartiest congrats to XM EVP/Programming Eric Logan and wife Erin on the Dec. 21 birth of their second daughter, Hudsyn Love. Videos, pix and more at www.jjtoppenberg.blogspot.com.
The Week’s Top Stories Full coverage of the week’s news is available in the archives at www.countryaircheck.com. • Former Cumulus VP/Country Charlie Cook has been hired as VP/Country for McVay Media. Cook will consult terrestrial radio and assist in consulting syndicated
programs, artists and managers with company President Mike McVay. Reach him at 818-378-5979 or [email protected].• Premiere Radio Networks’ Sr. Producer Donna Hughes was hired as Executive Producer for ABC Radio Networks’ GAC Nights: Live From Nashville. The show launches Jan. 14. (CAT 12/19)• Clear Channel WSIX/Nashville night jock Slam Duncan will join Cledus T. Judd’s T Party morning show at CC’s WUBL/Atlanta. Duncan will continue to voice track nights for WSIX, but is relocating to the ATL. (CAT 12/18)• Sony BMG/Nashville Sales Exec. Gasper Milazzo left the company. Sony BMG is looking to fill the position, details here. (CAT 12/18)
aDD Dates
JANUARY 7 JOSH TURNER/Another Try (MCA) TRISHA YEARWOOD/This Is Me You’re Talking To (Big Machine)
JANUARY 14 TRACE ADKINS/You’re Gonna Miss This (Capitol) CARTER’S CHORD/Young Love (Show Dog) JYPSI/I Don’t Love You Like That (Arista) MIRANDA LAMBERT/Gunpowder And Lead (Columbia) ROCKIE LYNNE/I Can’t Believe It’s Me (Robbins) JOE NICHOLS/It Ain’t No Crime (Universal South)
JANUARY 22 THE ROYS/Grandpa’s Barn (Pedestal/Nine North)
- Lon Helton, [email protected] Aly, [email protected] Erin Duvall, [email protected]
(615) 320-1450
January 2, 2008 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page 7
KAJA/San Antonio 4.0 KASE/Austin 3.0 KATC/Colorado Springs 1.2 KATM/Modesto 2.1 KBEQ/Kansas City 2.8 KBWF/San Francisco 3.9 KCCY/Colorado Springs 1.7 KCYE/Las Vegas 2.1 KDRK/Spokane 1.1 KEEY/Minneapolis 6.8 KFDI/Wichita 2.2 KFKF/Kansas City 3.0 KFRG/Riverside 3.8 KHEY/El Paso 1.6 KHKI/Des Moines 1.3 KIIM/Tucson 2.9 KILT/Houston 5.3 KIXZ/Spokane 1.4 KIZN/Boise 1.4 KJJY/Des Moines 1.3 KJUG/Visalia-Tulare 1.1 KKBQ/Houston 4.9 KKGO/Los Angeles 6.7 KKNG/Oklahoma City 2.3 KKWF/Seattle 3.5 KMDL/Lafayette, LA 1.7 KMLE/Phoenix 3.7 KMPS/Seattle 5.7 KNCI/Sacramento 2.6 KNIX/Phoenix 4.8 KNTY/Sacramento 1.8 KPLX/Dallas 5.9 KRST/Albuquerque 1.1 KRTY/San Jose 2.3 KSCS/Dallas 5.3 KSD/St. Louis 3.4 KSKS/Fresno 1.7 KSON/San Diego 4.1 KSOP/Salt Lake City 1.4 KSSN/Little Rock 2.3
KTEX/McAllen 3.6 KTOM/Monterey-Salinas 1.0 KTST/Oklahoma City 2.4 KUBL/Salt Lake City 2.3 KUPL/Portland 4.3 KUSS/San Diego 2.6 KUZZ/Bakersfield 1.8 KWJJ/Portland, OR 3.3 KWLI/Denver 1.4 KWNR/Las Vegas 3.1 KXKT/Omaha 1.7 KYGO/Denver 4.1 KZSN/Wichita 1.2 WAMZ/Louisville 3.4 WBBS/Syracuse 3.4 WBCT/Grand Rapids 2.4 WBEE/Rochester 3.7 WBUL/Lexington 2.3 WCOL/Columbus, OH 4.2 WCOS/Columbia, SC 1.4 WCTK/Providence 4.0 WCTO/Allentown 3.4 WCTQ/Sarasota 1.2 WDAF/Kansas City 2.1 WDSY/Pittsburgh 4.8 WDTW/Detroit 3.7 WESC/Greenville, SC 2.1 WEZL/Charleston, SC 1.6 WFMS/Indianapolis 5.0 WGGY/Wilkes-Barre 2.3 WGH/Norfolk 4.1 WGKX/Memphis 3.3 WGNA/Albany, NY 2.9 WGNE/Jacksonville 1.4 WGTY/York, PA 2.3 WIL/St. Louis 4.8 WIRK/West Palm Beach 1.7 WITL/Lansing 2.1 WIVK/Knoxville 4.7 WKDF/Nashville 1.9
WKHX/Atlanta 6.5 WKIS/Miami 4.3 WKKO/Toledo 3.0 WKKT/Charlotte 2.5 WKLB/Boston 5.8 WKSJ/Mobile 2.0 WMAD/Madison, WI 1.2 WMIL/Milwaukee 5.3 WOGI/Pittsburgh 4.7 WOGK/Gainesville 2.2 WPAW/Greensboro 2.2 WPCV/Lakeland 2.4 WPKX/Springfield, MA 1.7 WQDR/Raleigh 3.1 WQHK/Ft. Wayne 1.6 WQMX/Akron 1.8 WQYK/Tampa 5.4 WRBT/Harrisburg 2.0 WRNS/Greenville, NC 2.1 WSIX/Nashville 2.7 WSLC/Roanoke 2.1 WSM/Nashville 2.0 WSOC/Charlotte 3.0 WSSL/Greenville, SC 2.4 WTQR/Greensboro 2.5 WUBE/Cincinnati 4.3 WUBL/Atlanta 3.5 WUSN/Chicago 10.0 WUSY/Chattanooga 2.6 WWGR/Ft. Myers 1.9 WWNU/Columbia, SC 0.7 WWQM/Madison, WI 1.1 WWYZ/Hartford 3.4 WXBQ/Johnson City 3.1 WXTU/Philadelphia 6.2 WYAY/Atlanta 3.9 WYCD/Detroit 5.9 WYNK/Baton Rouge 1.8 WYPY/Baton Rouge 0.8 WYRK/Buffalo 3.7
Here are the weights for Country Aircheck/Mediabase Country Reporters, based upon each market’s most recent Arbitron ratings. The weights are calculated by this formula: Market rank is multiplied by 10 and then added to the station’s AQH Persons. A station’s weight is determined by dividing that adjusted AQH by the leading Country station’s AQH. For this ratings period, that station is WUSN/Chicago with an adjusted AQH of 35,030. Station Weight = AQH Persons + (market rank X 10) divided by 35,030 (WUSN AQH).
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Calls/Market Weight
Aircheck WeightsJanuary 2, 2008 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page 8