Los Angeles Earthquake Shakes Country - Country … 01 - August... · Los Angeles Earthquake Shakes Country ... case of responding to the marketplace and finding the best ... (Nettwerk
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ItseemsespeciallyironicthatEmmiswouldpulltheplug on KZLA/Los Angeles on the eve of the first of three soldoutshowsbyFaith HillandTim McGraw atLA’sStaples Center. The flip to Movin’ 93.9 after almost 26 yearsofCountryregistered10.0onthisformat’sRichterscalelastThursday. Emmis’exitfromthenation’ssecondlargestmarketwasablowtoCountryradioandthecountrymusicbusinessalreadysufferingfromthelackofCountryoutletsinNewYorkandSanFrancisco.Thenextfewstorieschronicletheeventsastheyunfolded,thereasonwhyEmmismadethechangeandtheimpactKZLA’sabsencewillhaveonNashville. Exiting were APD/MD Tonya Compos (whohassincetakenajobwithLoftonCreek),morningpersonalityPeter Tilden ([email protected]),middayerShawn Parr([email protected]) and PM driver Whitney Allen([email protected]).Therehasn’tbeenaneveningtalentforthelastyearandAfter Midnite with Blair Garner filled the overnight hours. In fact, Garner’s was the last voice to be heard on KZLA. He was filling in for thevacationingTildenandhadstartedamusicsweep
beforehandingoverthereinstoParr--whoneverhadachancetosayaword.Theplugwaspulledshortlyafter10am,withKeith Urban’s“TonightIWannaCry”thelastCountrysongheardonKZLA. PDR.J. Curtis ([email protected])saidhehad no inkling a change was imminent. Market Manager Val Maki andEmmisVP/ProgrammingJimmy Steele walked in his office about 9am to tell him of the impending flip. Yesterday was Curtis’ last day at KZLA. Almost 17 of his 28 years in radio were at KZLA.
Inside The Decision To Flip KZLA WhydidEmmisdropCountry?“Becausewefoundabetterbusinessopportunity--considerablybetter,”saysEmmisPresident/RadioRick Cummings.“Wedon’ttakeexclusivepositionslightlyandI’mproudofhowwellourteammadeCountryworkinLosAngeleslongafteritwasgivenupinNewYorkandSanFrancisco.Butitischallengingtodothisformatinmarketswithhighethnicity. “WegrewCountryradioinLosAngeleseveryyear[sincewe’veownedit]--nice,steady,incrementalrevenue
August 30 - DJ & Radio Hall nominations due. www.crb.org
September 1 - CRB Artist Humanitarian nominations due. www.crb.org
September 25 - NSAI World’s Largest #1 Party www.nashvillesongwriters.com
October 22 - 37th Annual NSAI/Nashville Songwriters Foundation Awards.
October 23 - 44th Annual ASCAP Country Awards. www.ascap.com
November 4 - 54th Annual BMI Country Awards. www.bmi.com
November 6 - 40th Annual CMA Awards. www.cmaawards.com
Date CheCKgrowth.Butthegrowthstalledwelloverayearago.Eventhen,wehunginthere.Butwhenthisopportunitypresenteditself,fromabusinessstandpoint,wesimplycouldn’tignoreit.” According to BIA, KZLA’s revenue was about $17 million only a few years ago. Its 2005 revenues were around $28 Million. Was $28 million simply not enough foranLAstick?Wastheremoreupside?Isn’tita“clean”$28 million? Are the marketing, promotion and talent expensesashighinanexclusiveformatsituation? “The $28 million was the peak a year ago,” Cummings explains. “We were on course for the lower 20s this year. Themarketgrowthstalledandthathurtourgoaltogetto $30 million. If that was a realistic goal, we’d still be Country,I’mguessing.Therenotonlywasnotmoreupside,itwasacaseofdiminishingresults.Andactually,wehadtospendaconsiderableamounttogetperformance--bothintalentandmarketing. “InabigmarketlikeLA,youhaveatoptierofstationsandasecondarytierofwhatweconsidertobe‘viable’stations.KZLAwasatthebottomofthesecondtier. And we were fine with that. But in the past year, we were falling out of that ranking. The last five books 25-54 Adults were something like 21st, 24th, 23rd, 21st and 20th. And that was with heavy investment in marketing the lastcouplebooks. “When you’re 20th in a flat or shrinking revenue market,yousimplydon’tgetboughtbykeyadvertisers.Itwasneveraquestionofresults--KZLAgotthem.Wedoatonofdirectretailbusinessandproduceresults.Butwhenyou’rethatfardownontheranker,thedirectbusinesscan’tcompensateforwhatyoulosewithagencies.” SomepunditshavesuggestedthatEmmis’strengthinUrbanandRhythmicmadeaformatotherthanCountrymoresynergisticforthecompany.“Thatwasneverpartof
ourthinking,”assertsCummings.“WeactuallylikedtheideaofhavingaRapstationandaCountrystationtogetheron the same floor in Burbank. There was terrific interaction amongstaffsandartists;itwasawonderfuldynamic. “Wehavenevercaredwhatourformatsareandwethink‘synergy’ishighlyover-ratedintermsofclusterperformance.We’verarelyseenitproduce.It’smoreacase of responding to the marketplace and finding the best answerforeachoneofourproperties.”
August 21, 2006 Country Aircheck™ Music Edition Page �
Tuesday (8/22) - Carrie Underwood, Rascal Flatts, Vince Gill, JohnCorbett,Grand Ole Opry Live encore. (GAC) Wednesday (8/23)-TraceAdkins,Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson (CBS); Brian McComas, GAC Nights (GAC)Thursday (8/24)-LeAnnRimes,Lonestar,Steve Holy,CMT Top Twenty Countdown (CMT); Little Big Town, GAC Nights (GAC)Saturday (8/26) - Lorrie Morgan, Lonestar, Mark Chestnut, RandyOwen,Grand Ole Opry Live (GAC); Joe Nichols,CMT Insider (CMT) Monday (8/28) -Sugarland,BonJovi,CMT Crossroads (CMT)
CMT Video Adds: Bob Seger, “Wait For Me” (Capitol); LeAnnRimes,“SomePeople”(Curb);Lonestar, “Mountains” (BNA)
CMT Pure Country Add: Old Crow Medicine Show, “Down Home Girl” (Nettwerk America)
GAC Video Adds:LeAnnRimes,“SomePeople”(Curb); Povertyneck Hillbillies, “Mr Right Now” (Rust).
tUBe CheCK
Measuring The Sales Impact Capitol/NashvilleVP/SalesBill KennedysaysthelossofKZLAwillhurt.“It’sabigloss--it’slikelosingatop10salesmarket,”hesays.“LAmightnotindexveryhighintermsofCountrysales,butitwashugeintermsofvolume.It’sliketakingawayanAtlantaorDallas.” UMG/Nashville Sr.VP/Sales & Marketing Ben Kline says that LA represents about 2.7% of all Country
Country’s Future In An Ethnic Market CummingsrecentlytoldtheLA Times that LA is, “40% Hispanic, 11% Asian and 8% black -- and Country fans are about 98% Caucasian.” Emmis’ move was, in a sense, preemptiveasLAbecomesevenmoreethnic. HetoldCountry Aircheck,“IthinkthefactthatKZLAlastedsolonginamarketplacelikeLAisatributeto how good this radio station really was. But when 75% ofthemarketplaceisprettymuch‘outofbounds’totheformat,that’sachallengingpositiontobein. “WhenweboughtKZLA,wedeterminedthattheverybestthisstationcouldeverdoinLosAngeles,ifeverythingwassuperbfromthemusictothemarketingtothe talent, was 12th place adults. As the market grew more and more ethnic, that became 15th place. In the last couple of years, a good job was 17th. But we also knew that there would be a tipping point -- that if the market flattened out inrevenuegrowth,iftheresourcestokeepratingshigherwerenotasplentiful,ifthestationspentverymanybookswhere the ranker was 20th or below, we’d have trouble growing.Thatsettledinonusinthelastcoupleofyears. “Itisimportantforourpeopletoknowitwasnottheprogramminganditwas notthemarketing.Itwasthecircumstancestheyfoundthemselvesin.Wecontinued to be happy fighting the fight with these adversecircumstances,untilwefoundananswerthatwasconsiderablybetter.Then,wefeltwehadtoact.ButIbelieveEmmisgaveCountryagreatruninLAandhavenoregrets.I’mveryproudofourpeopleatKZLA.” As for the $64,000 question, does Cummings foresee another operator picking up Country? “Maybe. There are operatorsinSouthernCaliforniawhowouldbedelightedtohavetherevenuepicturethatKZLAproduced.It’sasmallerhole,butitcanbeviablefortherightoperator.Infact,itcanbeverygood.”
August 21, 2006 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page �
One More Country Stick For Entercom EntercomenteredintoanagreementwithCBSyesterday to acquire radio stations in four markets for $262 millionincash.ItpicksupfourstationsinAustin,fourin Cincinnati, three in Memphis and four in Rochester.
unitssold.Hesaysthatwhilethepotentiallossesare“impossibletogauge,”butheexpectstheywillbe“prettysubstantial.”Hesays,“Intermsofrawunitsales,LAisthebiggestcountrymarketinAmerica.” Klinecontinues,“Abouttheonlythingwehavetogooniswhat’shappenedsinceNewYorklostitsCountrystation about five years ago. Since then, that market has dropped from over 3% of all Country units sold nationally to about 2.58%. Using that example, we could expect to loseahalf-percentofnationalCountrysales,whichtotaledover 82 million units last year.” KennedysayshislabelmightreallyfeelthepainwhenthenewKeithUrbanCDhitsstoresthisNovember,“LAishisNo.1salesmarket,”saidKennedy.“Hislastalbum,Days Go By, has sold 90,000 units there. By comparison, it sold 77,000 units in Dallas.” More than record sales are negatively impacted by KZLA’sdemise.Let’susetheupcomingTobyKeithmovieBroken Bridges as an example. If the film’s Sept. 8 opening were mentioned by each jock just twice a shift, itwouldamounttohundredsofthousandsofdollarsinpublicityandawareness. ThesamethingappliestothefreepublicitythatallCountrystationswillbegivingtoSaraEvan’supcomingappearancesonDancing With The Stars.Andthatdoesn’tevenscratchthesurfacewhenitcomestocountrytourshoping to route in market No. 2. “Thepotentiallosseswillbesoftenedbythepresenceof KFRG/Riverside-San Bernardino and to a lesser extent KHAY/Ventura-Oxnard,CA,”saidKennedy.“Butthereare 14 million people in LA and Orange counties, and right nowalotofthemcannothearaCountryradiostation.” CommentingonthedangeroustrendofmajormarketslosingtheirsoleCountryoutlet,Klinesaid,“Whilewecan’tquantifythelosses,everyoneshouldbeverynervous
August 21, 2006 Country Aircheck™ Music Edition Page �
Pat Green Cannonball(BNA) Green’s third major label album is his
first for Sony BMG. The Texas sensation hasanenormousfanbase,andislookingtobroadenitwiththisrelease.Tracksinclude“DixieLullaby,”aduetwithSaraEvanson“FindersKeepers”and
thesingle“FeelsJustLikeItShould.”
VariousArtistsBelieve: Songs of Faith...(Arista). ThefulltitleisBelieve -- Songs of Faith From Today’s Top Country & Christian Artists,andthat’sexactlywhatthealbumdelivers.InadditiontoBrooks& Dunn on the title track, the collection includesCarrieUnderwood’s“JesusTakeTheWheel,”KennyChesney’s
EntercomwillalsopurchaseWILD/BostonfromRadioOne for $30 million cash. Entercom, which owns Country outletsWDAF/KansasCity,KWJJ/Portland,WBEE/RochesterandKKWF/Seattle,willaddCountryWUBE/Cincinnati.ItwillultimatelyhavetodivesttwostationsinRochester.
Check Up WelcometothepremiereeditionofCountry Aircheck.ChuckAlyandIpledgetobringyouthesamelevelofnews,analysisandmusicinformationyouhavecometoexpectfromus. Verysoonwe’llberollingoutadailynewsemailandourCountryAircheck.comwebsite.Eachweekwe’llalsodeliverCountry Aircheck -- Music Edition, the first issue ofwhichyouarenowreading. Now,ifyou’llindulgeme,I’dliketospeakformyselfforafewparagraphs. IresignedastheR&R Country Editor after 23 years in thatpostbecauseIfeltCountryneededastrongadvocateforbothnewsandcharts.OnesimilartowhatR&Rhadlongstoodfor. Country Aircheckisastand-alonecompanysolely owned by me, Lon Helton. I am not a Mediabase employee.IamnotaClearChannelemployee.However,as part of my agreement to carry Mediabase music airplay information, I will oversee Mediabase’s Country chart justasIdidatR&Rduringtheeightyearsitcarriedchartspowered by Mediabase information. I will select reporters and set chart methodology in conjunction with Mediabase PresidentRich Meyer. ReporterswillbechosenwiththesamecriteriaIusedformanyyears:ratingsandcurrentpercentage.Thecriteriacurrently in use by Mediabase was carried over from R&Randtherehavebeennochangesinmethodologyor
reporters(exceptfortheremovalofKZLA/LosAngeles). Reportersneedtoberatingswinners.Forasecondreportertobeaddedinamarket,itmusthavehalfofthereporter’s 25-54 shares to be considered. No markets over market100willhavetworeporters. Currently, there is a 25% current music requirement. Enforcementofthatpolicyhasbeenlaxforavarietyofreasons.Thatpolicywillbeexaminedinthenextfewweekswithinputfrombothradioandlabels,andwhatevernewpolicycomesfromthosediscussionswillbeenforced. Aradiostation’sownershipwillnevercomeintoplaywhenitcomestoselectingreporters.
August 21, 2006 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page 6
OneotherthingIneedtoaddress:I’verecentlyheard claims that I have not dropped stations below 25% currentbecausetheycarryCountry Countdown USA,thesyndicatedradioshowIdoforWestwoodOne.Let’slookatthenumbers: On Monday Aug. 14, 17 stations were below 25% (many were between 24-25%). Of those, four carry the show.Anotherstationdroppedtheshowayearagoandyet another that is below 25% competes with a CCUSA affiliate and has remained a reporter. Both could have beendroppedforbeinginviolationofthepolicywithnoquestionsasked;bothremainedreporters--primarilybecausetheyareinmajormarketsanddoverywellintheratings.Ihopethataddressesanyquestionsofimpropriety. AsIlaunchanewfacetofmycareer,Iwanttothankthosewhohavesentalongtheirbestwishes.Theyhavebeenoverwhelmingandhumbling.Wewilldoourbesttocontinuetoearnyourtrust.Pleaseletusknowwhatyouthinkatlon@countryaircheck.com [email protected].
Air Waves CumulusWPKR/Appleton-Oshkosh,WImiddayhostMike RyanhasbeenpromotedtoPD,replacingScott Wagner.Tory HunterisuppedtoAPDandmovesfromeveningstoWagner’soldafternoonairslot. Scotty O’BrienhasjoinedWKHX/Atlantafornights, filling the slot previously held by Wylie Rosewhorecentlymovedtoafternoons.O’BriencomestoAtlantafromNashvillewhereheworkedatCHR/PopWQZQandCountryWSIX. Jay McRae has joined KGFY/Stillwater, OK as PD, replacingGil Stuart. McRae’s previous stops include KMXW/Wichita, KS. KKWF/SeattlePromotionDirector/morningproducer
Joe HammillhasmovedtoEntercomsisterAlternativeKNDDasPromotionsDirector.
Record Check FormerKZLA/LosAngelesAPDTonya Camposhasbeen hired as Manager/West Coast Regional Promotion forLoftonCreek.CamposwillremainbasedinL.A.andcanbereachedattonyacampos@loftoncreekrecords.combeginning Sept. 6. Dorothy CampbellhasbeenhiredasLegalCounselforCapitol/Nashville.CampbellpreviouslyconsultedforMTV Networks after serving as VP/Business & Legal Affairs for CMT. She reports to EMI CMG Exec. VP/General Counsel Richard GreenandCapitol/NashvilleCOOTom Becci.
Business News Kevin KritchhasbeenhiredasVP/StudioOperationsat GAC, and Suzanne GordonhasjoinedasDirector/Programming. Both hires are effective today (8/21). Kritch comes to the network from Shop At Home, as does Gordon who has also served as director of Grand Ole Opry Live. Artist management firm Levin/Nelson Entertainment has opened Nashville offices at 1012 16th Avenue South, Nashville, 37212. Phone: 615-747-5829. Clients include Trent Tomlinson, Katrina Elamand James Otto. Moraine Music Group has signed Canadian singer/songwriterJohnny Reidtoanexclusivepublishingagreement. Reid is nominated for 5 Canadian Country Music Awards. KaneEntertainmentExecutiveAssistantKelly Sansonhas been promoted to Associate Manager handling day-to-dayforNeal McCoy.
August 21, 2006 Country Aircheck™ Music Edition Page �
Speaking Charitably Neal McCoy and Darryl Worley areswappingoutbenefit performances next month. McCoy will perform at Worley’s 5th Annual Tennessee River Run on Sept. 15 & 16 at Pickwick Landing State Park in Hardin County, TN,alongwithDiamondRio,RebeccaLynnHowardandJohnCorbett.WorleyreturnsthefavorthenextweekendatMcCoy’s 12th Annual East Texas Angel Network benefit inLongview,TX.TheDrewDavisBandwillalsoperform.
Huntington’s Poole Passes SincerestcondolencestothefamilyandfriendsofWTCR/Huntington, WV MD/PM driver Dave Poole,50, who died Saturday Aug. 19 following a cerebral hemorrhage suffered while on the air Monday Aug. 14. Poole, a 29-year station vet, is survived by wife Charlotte andthreegrownstepchildren.Poolewasstrickenbyabrain hemorrage in 1996 but miraculously recovered and returnedtothestation,and,forashorttime,amarketcompetitor.HisremarkablestorywaschronicledinabooktitledOne In A Million writtenbyhiswife.Funeralservices are Tuesday, Aug. 22 at 11am ET at the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in Huntington. In lieu of flowers, thefamilyhasaskeddonationsbemadetotheFifthAvenue Baptist Church Medical Mission.
Artist News Following Friday night’s sold out Soul2Soul II tour stopinLosAngeles,Tim McGrawandFaith Hillplayeda “Bread & Water” show at the Whisky on Sunset. The twotradedperformancesonsongsincluding“SweetHomeAlabama,”“Think”and“BridgeOverTroubledWater”forastandingroomonlycrowdconsiderablysmallerthan the 16,000 in attendance at the Staples Center. Reba McEntirejoinedthefestivitiesandsang“WhenWillI
Be Loved” with Hill. Proceeds from the show benefit the NeighborsKeeperFoundation’sKatrinareliefefforts.Earlierintheevening,thetwohonoredtheirone-millionthticketholder,Christine Nevins,withaDodgeChargerloaded with Hershey chocolate and an XM Satellite Radio. Aaron TippinandBrian McComaswillperformafree concert presented by GAC in Knoxville on Aug. 27. Theshowmarkstheconclusionofthenetwork’ssummerbus tour, which covered 40 states and 25,000 miles. Danielle Peckiscitedasafashion“WorstoftheWeek”inthecurrentissueofthetabloidStar,onlythepictureinquestionisn’ther.“Iguessitisnotabadthingtobeinamagazinemillionsofpeopleread,”Pecksays,“but I’d have thought the first time I made the tabloids the picture would have actually been me. My family and friendshavecertainlyhadalotoffunwiththis.” Billy Gilmanhasanumberofmediaappearancesontap as he builds toward the Sept. 5 release of his self-titled album on Image Entertainment. Stops include GAC’s Country Music Across America,Country Weekly,CMT Insider andWKRN-TV/Nashville. Willie NelsonhascalledforsupportoftheAmericanHorseSlaughterPreventionAct,whichgoesbeforeCongress on Sept. 5. Nelson says 100,000 horses are slaughteredannuallyinforeign-ownedslaughterhousesonAmericansoil,forconsumptionoverseas.Detailsatwww.saplonline.org/horses.htm. AdvancescreeningsofToby Keith’sBroken Bridgesfeature film have been held for U.S. troops deployed in the Middle East. Service members stationed at Camp Liberty,Iraq;CampArifjan,Kuwait;BagramAirBase,AfghanistanandAlUdeid,QatargotasneakpeakAug.11-13. The U.S. premiere will be Sept. 7.
August 21, 2006 Country Aircheck Music Edition Page �
LEADINg THIS PACK OF MARKET TOPPERS ARE KgNC, WQCB, KTCR, KQDY, KHAK, KKCB, WAXX, KKIX, KIXQ, KRWQ, WPAP, WNNUS, KORD, WAAC AND WDEZ. Eachweek’sCountryAircheckwillhighlightthelatestquarterlyratingsforCountryoutlets.A“+”indicatesaClassicCountryout-let,a“^”designatesCountrystationsinthesamemarketownedbyasingleoperatorandan“*”indicatesatie.“LastARB”referstothe most recent ratings period, as some markets are not measured in Winter 2006.
Station/City 12+Share12+Share12+Rank12+Rank Last Arb Sp ‘06 Last Arb. Sp ‘06
Aircheck Add Leaders KEITH URBAN/Once In a Lifetime (Capitol) 87TIM MCgRAW/My Little girl (Curb) 32TOBY KEITH/Crash Here Tonight (Show Dog) 30CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Before He Cheats (Arista) 26RASCAL FLATTS/My Wish (Lyric Street) 25KENNY CHESNEY/You Save Me (BNA) 19SUgARLAND/Want To (Mercury) 12HEARTLAND/I Loved Her First (Lofton Creek) 9PHIL VASSAR/The Woman In My Life (Arista) 8CRAIg MORgAN/Little Bit of Life (BBR) 7SARA EVANS/You’ll Always Be My Baby (RCA) 7
Leading Point gainersKEITH URBAN/Once In A Lifetime (Capitol) +4346KENNY CHESNEY/You Save Me (BNA) +1803HEARTLAND/I Loved Her First (Lofton Creek) +1522CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Before He Cheats (Arista) +1164STEVE HOLY/Brand New girlfriend (Curb) +928gEORgE STRAIT/give It Away (MCA) +922TOBY KEITH/Crash Here Tonight (Show Dog) +850DIERKS BENTLEY/Every Mile A Memory (Capitol) +844RASCAL FLATTS/My Wish (Lyric Street) +735TIM McgRAW/My Little girl (Curb) +644
Leading Play gainersKEITH URBAN/Once In A Lifetime (Capitol) +1321KENNY CHESNEY/You Save Me (BNA) +629HEARTLAND/I Loved Her First (Lofton Creek) +518gEORgE STRAIT/give It Away (MCA) +384DIERKS BENTLEY/Every Mile A Memory (Capitol) +381CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Before He Cheats (Arista) +377TOBY KEITH/Crash Here Tonight (Show Dog) +328STEVE HOLY/Brand New girlfriend (Curb) +323RASCAL FLATTS/My Wish (Lyric Street) +264WRECKERS/Leave The Pieces (Warner Bros.) +240
Aircheck Top Recurrents
TOBY KEITH/A Little Too Late (Show Dog) 9666
BRAD PAISLEY/The World (Arista) 9181
KENNY CHESNEY/Summertime (BNA) 8399
CARRIE UNDERWOOD/Don’t Forget... (Arista) 6942
KEITH ANDERSON/Every Time I Hear... (Arista) 5601
PHIL VASSAR/Last Day of My Life (Arista) 5238
RASCAL FLATTS/What Hurts The Most (Lyric Street) 4248