Nash FM: Under the Hood “We Conducted Extensive Market Research and Considered Multiple Options,” Cumulus EVP/Co-COO John Dickey Tells Country Aircheck
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January 22, 2013, Issue 329 Nash FM: Under The Hood “We conducted extensive market research and considered multiple options,” Cumulus EVP/Co-COO John Dickey tells Country Aircheck. “Opportunity for Country is different today given the explosive growth of the format and its wider appeal.” And that opportunity was a big part of the rationale behind flipping recently acquired WRXP/New York to Country, using the Nash FM 94.7 brand (Breaking News 1/21). Calls will John Dickey eventually be changed to WNSH. Launched yesterday (1/21), Nash FM is jockless and commercial-free with solid music and imaging for now (read further for analysis). “Talent will be announced Class Bottleneck: WMIL/Milwaukee hosts its Class of 2013 in a little bit,” Dickey says, adding that “exciting promotions crew Saturday (1/19). Pictured (l-r) are the station’s Kerry and marketing are planned starting in February.” Some Wolfe, Mercury’s Damon Moberly, Valory’s Shari Roth, Nashville labels have already been approached by Cumulus Mercury’s Charlie Dean, Thomas Rhett, Stoney Creek’s Jen Joe, Kasey Musgraves, BBR’s Dawn Ferris, Valory’s George about February performances in the market. Briner, Greg Bates, Dustin Lynch, Stoney Creek’s Heather As for expectations? “Listeners will ultimately define the Propper and Randy Houser. success of the station,” says Dickey, who declined to be specific about ratings or revenue goals. Asked whether he believes Nash-FM: Big And Growing? support from Country labels or artists will be ramped up now With Nash branding and content to be featured on all that the format is back in the nation’s No. 1 radio market after 83 Cumulus Country stations and a national platform a 17-year absence, Dickey says those expectations are no set to include a magazine, website and television different than they were before Nash FM’s birth. “Nashville is programming, how big could the brand become? a great partner and we assume that will continue.” Cumulus boasts 55 Country This morning, Cumulus revealed details of the outlets in the top 200 markets: “Nash” brand, announcing plans to launch it across the four stations in markets 1-25; company’s 83 Country stations (Breaking News 1/22). six in 26-50; 12 in 51-100; Cumulus also pointed to an upcoming monthly magazine 21 in 101-150; and 12 in (Nash Magazine), website, social media, concerts and 151-200. The cume generated by those 83 outlets was more television programming. (continued on page 11) ©2013 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] January 22, 2013 Page 3 than 7.5 million in 2011. And that, of course, doesn’t PAGE THREE PIC include WNSH, which will surely top one million listeners. (And, is two million really out of the question?) That’s a heckuva megaphone for the brand. Cumulus also has the potential to grow the audience even larger should it choose to flip any of its other properties to support that national Nash platform. Cumulus owns stations in a number of markets where there is no Country outlet in the cluster. That includes five cities in the Top 25 markets; four in 26-50; six in 51-100; three in 101-150; and four in 151-200. With the number of media assets Cumulus is devoting to Country, it certainly isn’t a stretch to think they may add some new Country stations to the Nash-FM brand. Caught Rhett Handed: KSCS/Dallas staffers play hooky for a round of golf with then-MCA artist Rhett NYCountry: Executive Thoughts Akins in this mid-90’s photo. Pictured (l-r) are KSCS • “Having a full-signal Country station in the heart of PD Dean James, Akins, Station GM Victor Sansone New York City, the media capital of the world, is huge,” and the label’s Mike Severson. Got golf shots? Send says Sony/Nashville Chairman/CEO ‘em to [email protected]. Gary Overton. “Our music can now be heard 24/7 by the millions of radio Borchetta. “Most of the other formats have imploded listeners in New York. This in turn will and there are only two that are ubiquitous – Top 40 and help increase record sales in one of Country. Everything else splintered. So our best sales cities. It will also help we have lots of strength and momentum media awareness and coverage of our to bring to the marketplace. Plus, we Gary Overton artists. Radio stations in New York are not have a younger-skewed target than we cheap, so I think this shows that Cumulus did 15 years ago. The timing is excellent, is definitely committed to the Country format.” but we have to show patience, as well. • “I love it,” says UMG/Nashville Chairman Mike Stations in Boston and Philly really stayed Dungan, who recounts a story of a New with it and it’s paying huge dividends. “ Scott Borchetta York-area Keith Urban show from a few (Ed. Note: Greater Media’s WKLB/ years back. Unlike other sold-out shows Boston increased its market rank among persons 25-54 from on the tour, the Big Apple audience No. 5 to No. 2 year-to-year between Dec. ‘11 to Dec. 12. was older and a bit more sedate. “We Beasley’s WXTU/Philadelphia also grew during that time, just hadn’t done as well gaining new, improving its persons 25-54 rank from No. 9 to No. 5.) younger fans in that market since WYNY left years earlier.” NY Radio: Make It There... • “We’re looking at a dramatically Mike Dungan Nash FM’s 94.7 FM frequency first signed-on as WAAT different landscape from what it was in in 1947. An ownership change 10 years later saw the call 1996,” says Big Machine Label Group President/CEO Scott letters become WNTA, with programming centered on Easy ©2013 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] January 22, 2013 Page 5 Listening, Jazz and Classical. The signal changed hands two OFF THE RECORD: C hri S J A NS O N more times during the 1960s, the last being Family Radio, which operated it as a religious station under the call letters Bigger Picture’s Chris Janson puts an industry spin on the artist interview: WFME until its sale to Cumulus last October for $40 million. I grew up listening to KJFF/Farmington, Presently, the station is a 23.5kW Class B located in Newark MO. That station stayed on the radio in my at 679 feet above average terrain offering local-grade Mom’s truck all the time. coverage for most of the NYC PPM metro. First time I heard myself on the New York’s first relationship with Country radio was WJRZ- radio was on J98. I used to make home recordings of myself doing cover tunes. I FM (1965-71). The storied WHN-AM (1973-87), WKHK-FM Chris Janson (1980-84) and WYNY-FM (1987-96) followed. The final had some really close friends at the station effort came from Big City Radio (1996-2002) via trimulcast that would play them on-air. When I used to hear them, never would I have thought, in a million years, that on three smaller FM suburban stations. Within two years my original songs would ever be on the radio! of its launch, that arrangement I’ll never forget my time I spent hanging around Haggard, became a quad-cast; one of Hank and Skynyrd … pretty priceless! those stations even acquired the I enjoy all of my regional radio reps. They’re great and old WYNY call letters. have my best interest at heart, even when it comes to picking places to eat! ‘I have to say … I’m pretty easy though.’ I can’t walk out of a truck stop without buying a bottle of Chart Chat Mountain Dew. Congrats to Randy Houser, The last purchase I made from Skymall … never really bought Carson James, Chris Loss anything from there. And never really thought about it because I’m and the whole Stoney Creek super tight with money. I have a hard time coming off of it. promotion team on scoring There¹s no place like home, but if I had to be stuck this week’s No. 1 single with somewhere it’d be Adel, GA. There’s nothing to do but hunt, go to the hunting store and drive my truck around. Houser’s “How Country Feels.” Cake Boss: SC’s Jen The song is the first chart-topper Joe, Randy Houser and When there¹s downtime I use my favorite Apps: Primo’s of his career, and the first single WMIL’s Kerry Wolfe. Wind Checker, eBay and Craigslist Mobile. from his new album, which The best advice I’ve ever received came from Keith Stegall and my wife, Kelly. They both told me, “Just go be you.” And shares the title. that’s exactly what I do! Strait: Riding In, Then Off Beyond the bittersweet George Strait kicked off The Cowboy Rides Away atmosphere, some VIP Tour in Lubbock, TX Friday (1/18) to a 15,000-strong and fans experienced “The emotional crowd. Local KLLL PD Jeff Scott and KQBR PD King’s Tavern,” a pre- Alyssa Rodriguez help us get the story “Strait.” show reception featuring “Here For A Good Time” was the first of the night’s 29 Strait memorabilia. Strait Strait staples, all with heavy doses of nostalgia. “He talked also introduced U.S.