Radio Reacts to a Tough Weekend Commitment to Blackout Tuesday
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June 1, 2020, Issue 707 Radio Reacts To A Tough Weekend Peaceful protests and civil unrest following last Monday’s (5/25) death of George Floyd in Minneapolis has Country radio programmers and personalities working to inform the public, ease tensions, offer support and help rebuild where needed. How stations have handled the current climate on-air differs as greatly as the cities in which they serve. iHeartMedia/Minneapolis OM & Country KEEY PD Gregg Swedberg has stood with his team in the center of the storm as Minneapolis became the epicenter last week. “When these things happen in your city, it’s very unsettling,” Swedberg tells Country Aircheck. “It’s tough to see places you drive past every day on fire. What we’re trying Broom For All Of Us: KFRG/Riverside, CA’s Kelli to do for the audience is provide a fairly Green, Dana Swearingen, Taylor Hill, Anthony apolitical sounding board to talk about these Donatelli, David Bugenske and Ginny Harman team with Gregg feelings. It’s part of our job to be part of this local volunteers for the San Bernardino Clean Up following Swedberg community and understand all the things area rioting. that are happening in it. Many of us don’t understand, so it’s difficult, but we are passing Commitment To Blackout Tuesday along every bit of information that comes to Scores of music industry businesses and organizations have us about curfews and closures while adding pledged support for #TheShowMustBePaused, otherwise news updates where we ordinarily wouldn’t known as Blackout Tuesday (6/2). Organizers aimed to hold the be doing news. Our Sports station has turned music industry accountable and provided resources for what is into a Talk station, and that’s all they are “not just a 24-hour initiative.” Statements posted to social media discussing. The Top 40 station has a larger by Nashville entities since Sunday reveal varying degrees of detail Chris Carr black audience and is doing a really good job about what that means (read them here), and several offer further reflecting what’s happening.” actionable suggestions below. KEEY morning personality Chris Carr has been unafraid to Warner Music Nashville has set the day aside to “disconnect tackle the issues and share with his listeners as they walk through from work, process this tragedy and focus on accountability and unfolding events together. “We are addressing everything, being change. We are committed to driving toward change, but need honest, genuine and real with our audience,” says Carr. “This everyone’s help to do so.” The company has shared the following affects our community and is an open forum with them, so we resources with employees: have been talking about everything from the beginning through • Text FLOYD to 55156 to sign the Justice for George Floyd petition. • Add your name to the Justice for George Floyd today: the horror of the issue itself, the (continued on page 5) petition at change.org. ©2020 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] June 1, 2020 Page 3 • Donate to the Official George Floyd Memorial Fund set up by his family and to organizations like Black Lives Matter. The Academy of Country Music has been sharing artist posts on its socials and its pledge to participate tomorrow, as well. “We are suspending all business on Tuesday and have canceled all board calls and meetings,” says CEO Damon Whiteside. “I’m encouraging Academy staff to use the time for deep thinking, having conversations with friends and family and reflecting on our ACM Diversity and Inclusion Mission Statement and goals. I’m also suggesting everyone watch the first episode of the Ken Burns Country Music documentary, which illustrates the diverse roots of our genre. We hope to make the most of the day as staff, to consider how we can contribute to creating positive change.” For Curb, reflection means questioning as honestly as possible. “How can we learn from Damon Whiteside history?” asks VP/Marketing John Clore. “How can we listen long enough to actually hear and understand what is being said? There are various helpful ways to respond right now; my hope is that we can put some new, caring mindsets and action items into practice, not just tomorrow, but from now on.” “Beyond the public post, an all-staff email went out today encouraging everyone to John Clore take the day off for personal reflection,” says Big Loud VP/Marketing Candice Watkins. The company included a list of books and documentaries to aid in “understanding the big picture and history.” (See the list below.) In lieu of their weekly Tuesday paid staff lunch, Big Loud also urged staff to seek out a black-owned restaurant to order their lunch for the day on the company dime. “I thought Candice that was really cool and tasteful,” Watkins Watkins says. “No pun.” Noting that reflection and the ideas it may bring could be a long process, Big Loud has also set up a virtual suggestion box for staff. “If anyone has recommendations or suggestions for the company to consider – steps beyond donations that could make a personal impact locally or nationally – they can submit those, anonymously if they like. We’ll look into all those ideas and are already brainstorming on some.” Finally, MTSU is hosting “Being African-American in the Nashville Music Industry” Tuesday at 2pm CT. Speakers are Capitol artist Mickey Guyton, Riveter Management’s Charlene Bryant, Entertainment One’s Gina Miller, Producer Shannon Sanders, the Nashville Symphony’s Kortney Toney and Watkins. The Zoom meeting is open to all; register here. –Chuck Aly Resource list courtesy of Big Loud: Books: • White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism • How to be an Antiracist • Just Mercy: A Story of Justice and Redemption • Why Are All The Black Kids Sitting Together In The Cafeteria • I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness • White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide Documentaries: • When They See Us • 13th ©2020 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] June 1, 2020 Page 5 • Alan Jackson, Colt Ford and Craig Campbell are among Chart Chat the artists playing socially-distanced events. (CAT 5/27) Congratulations to Luke Combs, Steve • WCTK/Providence, RI’s Courtney Hodges, Shane Allen and the Columbia Kelley succeeded Madelyn “Maddie” Grimaldi on Cat promotion team on landing at No. 1 with Country Mornings. (CAT 5/26) “Does To Me,” featuring Eric Church for a • Eligible CMA members can now submit their 2020 CMA second consecutive week. The song is the third Broadcast Awards applications through June 17. (CAT 5/26) single from Combs’ second studio album, What You See Is What You Get, and is his Luke Combs eighth consecutive career No. 1. Songwriters Radio Reacts To A Tough Weekend are Ray Fulcher, Tyler Reeve and Combs. (continued from page 1) As reported last night (5/31) via Breaking News, all Mediabase Add Boards have been closed for the week. Country video, George Floyd’s death and everything that has happened Aircheck’s This Week’s Adds and the Adds columns in Country since. We talk about the difference between the peaceful protestors Aircheck Weekly are suspended, as well. Reporting and Auto and the people who are inciting chaos. All that being said, we Adds will resume next week. A statement posted to the Mediabase have also maintained many of our regular website reads: “In solidarity with the community, for a time of features and are encouraging smiles, too.” reflection and meaningful action, Mediabase will close Add Carr has aired phone calls and spoken on- Boards for the week. Auto Adds will not process this week. Any air with everyone from protestors to those station that has already reported adds will need to report them who have lost homes and businesses due to again next week.” vandalism and fire. He says the community has already begun to rally around those who The Week’s Top Stories have experienced destruction. Full coverage at countryaircheck.com. Outside of Minneapolis, chaos swirls in cities HeatherFroglear • Country weathers a cume crater and Bill Heltemes reflects on his coast to coast. Entercom KFRG/Riverside, CA 40-plus year career in last week’s (5/25) Country Aircheck Weekly. APD/MD/midday personality Heather Froglear says their focus • Daniel York was appointed Pres./CEO for Cox Media continues to be providing positive entertainment coupled with Group (CMG), succeeding Kim Guthrie. (CAT 5/29) localized information. “We are preparing for additional protests • Steel City KFKF/Kansas City celebrated 57 years in the tonight in San Bernardino and Riverside, and are informing format. (CAT 5/28) our audience of curfew times and what businesses will be shut ©2020 Country Aircheck™ — All rights reserved. Sign up free at www.countryaircheck.com. Send news to [email protected] June 1, 2020 Page 7 WITH ... CHASE RICE A day in the self-isolated life of Dack his back yard. I also fish a lot, but nothing Janiels/Broken Bow’s Chase Rice: new there! Quarantine has completely Quarantine has hindered my changed my daily life since it has cancelled ability to create, but I had already finished touring. I’m spending more time at home recording The Album Part II, so I’m enjoying than I have in years. My new routine starts the down time before I fully dive into Part III. around 9am with a workout, then I read on Social media has been huge in my front porch.