October 11, 2010 Issue 213 September PPM Analysis: Shares Rise, But Cumes Fall Ten new currency markets – Austin, Charlotte, Columbus, OH, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Norfolk, Orlando, Providence and Raleigh – joined the PPM ratings service this month, and now 43 metros are meter-measured. Collectively, these markets represent two-thirds of ad revenues measured in all rated markets. There are 54,000 PPM panelists being tabulated on a daily basis, and nearly 71,000 participate each month. Buy Buy Birdies: The International Entertainment Buyer’s Association’s After two straight months where more Country 40th annual conference keynote speaker Charlie Daniels and execs revel stations declined in PPM than improved, September was in the success of the record-breaking event. More than 600 attendees considerably better: Of the 83 stations (including those participated, with Fran Romeo named Entertainment Buyer of the Year, Live Nation named Promoter, BLA’s Kevin Neal tagged as Talent Agent, now in currency) with generally a 1.0 or better, gainers led Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena named Venue, CMA Music Festival honored decliners 43-37, with three unchanged. as Event, Jim Morey taking the Industry Achievement Award and Variety However, on the cume side: Among the 172 stations in Attractions’ Todd Boltin joining Romeo as Chairman’s Awards recipients. Pictured (l-r) are Barry Jeffrey, David Corlew, Steve Hauser, Daniels, Gayle PPM metros, a majority (56.4%) lost audience, as decliners Holcomb and Paul Moore. led gainers by a 97-75 margin. Only five of the top 20- cuming stations added listeners. Collectively, these stations Jeffries On Cumulus Roles generated a cume of 39,288,300, down about 500,000 from Personnel changes in the top echelon of August and 2.8% below July’s peak of 40.4 million. Cumulus’ programming ranks prompted Among the September highlights: KASE/Austin and an email to Sr. VP/Programming Jan KEEY/Minneapolis were No. 1 for the third month Jeffries to sort out what all this might in a row, joined this time by WSOC/Charlotte and mean for the company’s Country outlets. To recap, Cumulus WFMS/Indianapolis. Montgomery, AL Market Manager and Country Format Dir. Bill (continued on page 4) Jones exited the company on 10/4. And we told you on multiple ©2010 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] October 11, 2010 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 2 platforms beginning late last night (10/10) that KILT/Houston Y UNES USIC HA T HAPED Y IFE APD/MD Greg Frey would be joining the Cumulus Corporate M T : M T S M L Programming ranks as of Oct. 25. Jeffries tells Country Savannah Music Group CEO Ed Salamon Aircheck that Frey will oversee the majority of Cumulus’ discusses his five most important albums, singles or concerts: Country stations in medium markets, while Jeffries continues 1. Garth Brooks, Unistar Suite (CRS), to oversee KPLX (The Wolf)/Dallas, WFMS/Indianapolis and Nashville, 1989: The first time radio saw WSM-FM (The Wolf)/Nashville. In effect, Frey will join Jim Garth perform. For four nights he did solo acoustic versions of James Taylor and Don Mahanay (News/Talk), Emily Boldon (various formats) and McLean songs, as well as songs that would Maurice Devoe (Urban) as “Corporate Programmers,” according become Country radio staples. If I said I knew to Jeffries. Rounding out the group are VP/Rock Val Garris and then all that he’d become, I’d be lying. Sr. Dir./Label Relations John Kilgo. Ed Salamon 2. The Isley Brothers, Jolly Green Giant, Pittsburgh, 1964. I never missed an Isley Brothers show in my hometown. This time they had a flashy guitar player who played behind his head. I stood right next to the stage New PPM Panelist Participation Limits and will never forget seeing those solos close up. A couple years In an effort to smooth spikes in participant later that band member moved to England and changed his name turnover, Arbitron is changing the length of from Jimmy to Jimi. time PPM panelists stay in the sample. In the 3. Skyliners/Since I Don’t Have You (1959): When we Pittsburghers saw this local group on Dick Clark’s Saturday Night old rule, the initially selected basic sample Beechnut Show, we realized that people like us could be successful. expired between 18-36 months, with the The Skyliners were much older than me then, but now we are alternate sample and ongoing basic sample about the same age and friends. I was honored when they asked me to write the liner notes for their 40th anniversary CD. expiring at 24 months. Under the new rule, the initially selected 4. Glen Campbell/Rhinestone Cowboy: This came out the same sample expires between 18-30 months, while the ongoing sample month I joined WHN/New York as PD and it went straight to No. expires between 18-24 months. The change will be implemented 1 at the station. Written by Brooklynite and current Nashville for Miami, Minneapolis, Phoenix, Seattle and San Diego starting resident Larry Weiss, that song will always represent to me the spirit of WHN and its New York area listeners, who made it the in November, and all other markets starting in March 2011. most-listened-to Country station of all time. 5. Joe Diffie/Ships That Don’t Come In: It’s on everyone’s list of the greatest country songs of all time. I now get to work with the Radio News writer, Dave Gibson, at Savannah Music Group, and I know his • Arbitron’s popular Radio Today 2010 annual study is now available guitar has a few more tunes like this ready to come out. free at www.arbitron.com. The report is a comprehensive profile of • A highly regarded song or album you’ve never heard: Susan Boyle’s I Dreamed A Dream album. I think I get it from the single. radio listening across America including numerous format studies. • An “important” piece of music you just don’t get: I have We’re pleased to report that Country is the nation’s No. 1 format. never developed an appreciation for classical music. I know it is • WXXK/Lebanon, NH OM/PD/PM driver Justin Tyler moves important, but it just doesn’t move me. • An album you played or listened to incessantly: Local Pittsburgh to mornings tomorrow (10/12), where he’ll team with Amy disc jockey Porky Chedwick’s collection of oldies. I listened so much I Kenney. She had been doing mornings since February with Dru wore it out and bought another. I started collecting records because Johnson, who left the station today (10/11). Tyler is looking I wanted to have everything Porky played. for a new afternoon personality; • One obscure or non-country song everyone should listen to right now: Nolan Neal’s “Crazy Girl.” Find it on MySpace. I Airchecks and resumes to him at jtyler@ guarantee you will be cursing me for giving you an earworm, but uppervaleyradio.com. in a good way. • According to the Gainesville Sun, the ©2010 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] October 11, 2010 Country Aircheck Weekly Page 3 University of Florida is flipping Rock WRUF-FM/Gainesville to Country as “Country 103.7 The Gator.” The flip is expected TUBE CHECK this week. Read more here. Tuesday 10/12 - Trace Adkins, Late Late Show With Craig Ferguson • Independent artist Travis Rush co-hosted a one-hour show on (CBS); The Band Perry, Introducing (GAC). hometown station KUPL-FM/Portland, OR recently. Check it Wednesday 10/13 - Jamey Johnson, GAC Special: The Guitar Song. out here. • Envision Radio Networks’ AmeriCountry prep service has Thursday 10/14 - Gary Allan, Live From The House Of Blues (re-air) (GAC). added KAMS-FM/Springfield, MO as an affiliate. Friday 10/15 - Darius Rucker, The Band Perry, Top 20 Country • Envision’sThe Country Oldies Show has added WSIG-FM/ Countdown (GAC). Harrisonburg, VA as an affiliate. • CountryMusicIsLove.com is offering stations a free weekly Saturday 10/16 - Various Artists, CMA Music Festival: Country’s Night To Rock! (re-air) (GAC). news segment. Contact the company here. • The Arbitron Client Conference/Jacobs Media Summit will Sunday 10/17 - Toby Keith, Conversations From The Road (re-air) (GAC). be held Dec. 7-9 at the Hyatt Regency Baltimore. This year’s theme is Positioning, Digital/Mobile and Ratings Strategies Concert And Art Auction Event Oct. 23. Additional artists will For Today And The Future. Registration is $124 for Arbitron or be announced closer to the event date. More than 70 pieces Jacobs Media clients, $349.99 for non-clients. Details at www. of art created from flood-damaged instruments will be up for arbitron.com/movingup. bids during the charity auction, which will benefit uninsured musicians through MusiCares and the Nashville Musicians Chart Chat Association. Details here. Congrats to Josh Turner, Van Haze, Royce Gloriana have posed for the sp[OIL]ed photographic Risser and the MCA and UMG teams on movement to raise awareness and funds for Louisiana’s oil spill scoring this week’s No. 1 single with Turner’s relief efforts. Details here. “All Over Me.” DigitalRodeo.com will produce a 26-episode series following Australian duo O’Shea’s rise to prominence. The show will Artist News Josh Turner begin airing on Australia’s Country Music Channel Oct. 23. Black River Music Group’s Due West have signed with Catapult Management and GrassRoots Promotion for management. Chronicle EMI Nashville has launched Troy Olsen’s official website, Heartfelt condolences are extended to Sony/Nashville’s Skip which also hosts his “T-Birds” fan club.