It's Time To Enter The ACM Radio Awards

The Academy of Country Music's Radio Station of the Year award will now include winners in Major, Medium and Small Market divisions and the On-Air Personality of the Year trophy will now be awarded to winners in National, Major, Medium and Small market categories as well. In the past, there was only one winner for each award.

To enter a station or on-air personality for consideration or for more information click here.

The 41st annual Academy of Country Music Awards will be held on May 23 in Las Vegas.

Morning Show Boot Camp Awards II

The Morning Show Bootcamp is now accepting entries for its Second Annual Awards. The awards are scheduled to take place on August 12 at Chicago's Swissotel. For rules, registration and details, go to www.morningshowbootcamp.com.

What Women Want (In Seattle AC, At Least)

Look around you on the dial. AC is changing, and it's important that you know what impact that may have on your audience. Do you know who The Fray, Anna Nalick, Lifehouse and O.A.R. are? Do you know which hits of the 80's your 24-44's love?

Here is what one of Seattle's best adult contemporary programmers is thinking right now, thanks to the Seattle P-I's radio columnist Bill Virgin.

More Garth Including Trisha Duet

countrynation.com is reporting a new duet from Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks. The title of the song is "Love Will Always Win." It is set to go to radio next week. The site is also reporting that Yearwoods' Jasper County will be re-released with the song included. The release date for that album is February 7, 2006. Brooks will release the song on a new album from him that will include the single and 5 additional new tracks. There is no release date available at this time for that new album, but rumors are saying "very soon."

I also have it on good authority that there may be a Garth Brooks tour '07!

The Radio Funny Book

Bob Doll wrote the book on radio. Reach him at 830-379-7549.

The Growing Web of Ideas

Funny. Some folks do such great email marketing that I actually look forward to their missives. Like TAZ (click that link to see his latest). Here's a highlight:

It’s becoming apparent that Radio is finally starting to realize the earning power of their websites. I'm blown away by your imagination and creativity.

Somebody who doesn't get the web told me "We want to keep our web ideas to ourselves." Dear friend, that's tough to do; put it on the World Wide Web - AND - keep it a secret? The web is very much about "Can you top this." That’s a good thing - not bad.

The point is to tell more people, not fewer. That's how we start an Idea Virus. Every new twist on a new idea brings more ideas.

Email Jim Taszarek.

Seahawks Playoff Fever (Newspapers Need Cume Too)

Ya have to hand it to Entercom's KIRO Radio and the Seattle Times. I guess you could call this promotion, "Read, Listen and Win." This cardboard sign was inserted into every Seattle Sunday paper.

Giving Away "Your Two Cents' Worth"

Longtime promotion vet Ken Van Durand, whose email address says it all for what he is doing these days, can't stop thinking about his specialty and fortunately A&O is a recipient of his ideas:

See this story for the setup

"Not an original idea---but still seems valid. I think the new two cent stamp comes in a sheet of 20. So, for forty cents a radio station can give away enough stamps to take care of most of the 37 cent stamps people have. Giving away "your two cents worth" does not cost much...but what listeners actually win is time...and no one likes spending time in line...especially in line waiting for a government worker to go into action. You can give away to first five callers every break and never go broke! So, give away stamps...the gift of time. Have the morning show or an intern stand in line to get the stamps (and of course do that live on air too)...everyone wins."
--KVD

Bad Music? Prejudice? Or, Both? (Give Me A Break)

Wouldn't you know that this angle would come from New Yorkers at The Village Voice?

"Here's the thing: pop music, as it exists in 2005, is basically black music, and it has been for some time. Country music is enormously popular. But country music is hugely, overwhelmingly white enough that it becomes an obvious target for the people who don't buy it, almost a punchline in itself. No matter how many millions of albums Nashville's country industry sells every year, it still has a massive jones to sell to the people who don't buy it, who treat it like a joke. And so they do stuff like holding the CMAs in New York and bringing in Elton John. But Nashville executives know that country won't stop being such a huge target until it stops being so goddam white. And there's the problem."

If this is the PR fallout from taking the CMA Awards to Gotham, I can't wait to get back to Music City next year. (The best part of the story are the comments folks are adding in response to it, so read all the way down to the end.)

Tix In '06

WMIL, Milwaukee, OM Kerry Wolfe turns the phrase first to my knowledge. It caught my ear!

Want To Be "KIng" Of Your Local Media?

Study at the feet of the master: Did Stern Get Married? We'll Know On Monday.

I learned a new phrase from Pete Curtis, News Director, at Country 95.5, Lethbridge today. They test every story with "ICE." Is it interesting, compelling, entertaining?

Now, Edmonton's "Big Earl" Shows His Hand Too

Crack the Code debuted in 2004 on Johannesburg, South Africa’s 94.7 Highveld Stereo and aired nationally in Australia’s major markets the same year. The game is built on patent-pending Tone Activated Game Technology that enables listeners to control the game, live-to-air, with the keypad on their phone.

Here's the hype:

“Crack the Code immediately puts us in mind of Who Wants to Be A Millionaire in terms of its stellar production, stand-out branding, and exciting on-air execution,” says Shawn Smith, President of Vancouver's Momentum Marketing. “We’re delighted to bring the game to programmers here.”

“We are thrilled to be the first station in North America to air Crack the Code,” says Rob Mise, Operations Manager of The New Big Earl 96.3. “This promotion is a TSL Machine and it comes complete with a web game, promos, beds, liners – everything we need to make it our own. We’re rushing it to more of our stations!”

Canada's BBM "S-1-2006" Begins Monday And They're Ready In London...

Click here to read the rules and regulations of this contest

Julian Breen's Champaigne Toast

Thanks to Inside Radio's Tom Taylor (609 883-3321) for taking time to print this today:

Julian Breen, the consultant, researcher and former Greater Media programmer who died last Fall (October 31 Inside Radio), will be remembered with a “celebration of a life well-lived, and a champagne toast” on Saturday, January 21, 3pm at St. Matthews Episcopal Church in Pennington, NJ.

If you can't make it to Pennington on that date, here's another nice toast to Julian, a true gentle man.

Is Country At The Station Saturation Point Yet?

Kevin Carter's R&R Street Talk nails it this morning:

Could this be the end of The End?
While Citadel Alternative KKND (106.7 The End)/New Orleans has been off the air since Katrina hit last August, ST Daily stumbled upon some alleged sales department info floating around the market that suggests that when the station turns the power back on, it may reappear as “Rockin’ Country 106.7,”dishing out a steaming hot plate of, well, rock and country hits. PD Sig and MD Vydraare reportedly still in mornings as The Morning Train Reck and Mike Shannon in afternoons. But are those who forget history doomed to repeat it? The same thing was done on the same frequency in the mid-’90s ... with limited success: WGTR (106.7 The Gator) blasted the bayou with rockin’ country — which lasted a whole year before flipping to Smooth Jazz. Cue our pukey announcer: “Staaaay tuuuuuuned!”

In spite of Big Earl, Willie, Hank, and lots of new Cats, Dogs, Wolves et al, country remains the one format where fragmentation has not been a successful attack strategy. Taking on a strong incumbant requires lots of marketing dollars (and some smarts in deploying them!), a great on air crew (especially a morning show which "gets" evolving contemporary country values) and a great strategy based on perceived weaknesses of the leader.

Carving off a piece of the country target pie may get you some trade publication headlines for a few months, but unless you know how to turn small shares, or upper demos into dollars, I'd advise caution, or at least a realization that two or three year turnarounds don't often happen in the country format.

It has always been thus: a form of music gets hot, just like country is now, and then too many hopeful lemmings change to it, causing cume to increase but average TSL to dip. The longtime leaders have been through this cycle more than once.

It takes lots of staying power and stamina to win the country race. That's a theorem which remains as true today as it was during the last format boom in the early 1990's.

Some friendly advice: if you're looking at taking that road, get a roadmap.

In The News Biz "Speed Kills Reputations"

When it comes to drugs, they used to say, speed kills. When it comes to journalism, they still say, speed kills reputations. In Philly, we went to sleep counting two victories - Penn State over Florida State, and the Sago miners over death. We awoke to the mind-rocking shock that 11 miners had died, and one survived, the opposite of what was broadcast a few hours earlier - and printed in early editions of American newspapers, including this one. A journalism cliche they also used to say warns, "If your mother says she loves you - check it out."
-- (read more - Stu Bykofsky-Philly Daily News)

Murphy Martin's Most Meaningful Mindsets

The Six most important words are: "I admit I made a mistake!"
The five most important words are: "You did a good job!"
The four most important words are: "What is your opinion?"
The three most important words are: "If you please!"
The two most important words are: "Thank you!"
The one most important word is: "WE!"
THE LEAST IMPORTANT WORD IS: "I"!

May we be resolute in our resolutions for 2006 and may our conversations contain many positive we actions instead of wee works! Working together at home, at city hall, or in Washington will provide a more enjoyable year. May it so be!
-- Murphy Martin

Check Your Signal In Hot Zips From Your Office Chair

Thanks to Morris Radio Group Director of Engineering Jay White for this tip. I could spend the whole day today clicking on this page!

I Still Favor Faxing To Workplaces

As long as you have a notice on any fax you send to listeners that says at the bottom of each page: "This fax from radio station XXXX is in response to a request from a loyal listener, but if you'd like to be removed from our mailing list simply fax this back to (phone number) with the word "stop" (or something similar) written on it."

AND, you simply must purge that number from the list before refaxing anything else to it. I know it's a lot of work. But, if your competition stops faxing to workplaces just because it's a little too much work, don't you want to be the one who goes that extra mile to stay in touch with your listeners? But, of course, I don't give legal advice, so be sure your attorney agrees with my position too.

Neal McCoy & Wrangler® Get “Tough” on Breast Cancer

Are you tough enough to wear pink? That is the question Neal McCoy & the Wrangler® brand, the western wear icon, asks consumers as it launched the Tough Enough to Wear Pink (TETWP) initiative. Proceeds from a special-edition pink shirt benefit breast cancer research.

As the leader in western lifestyle apparel since 1947 and the originator of the Cowboy Cut® jean, the Wrangler® brand is using its strength and association with the rugged cowboy lifestyle to honor breast cancer survivors and the brave women and men who continue to battle the disease.

“Breast cancer touches everyone,” said Phil McAdams, president, Wrangler® Specialty Apparel. “Tough Enough to Wear Pink is our way of recognizing the courageous women and men who face the disease and the family and friends who face it with them. We hope to use the strength of the Wrangler® brand to help lead the western industry to raise money in the fight against breast cancer and support such a universal cause.”

A redesigned Wrangler® rope emblem in the shape of the renowned breast cancer ribbon signifies the parallels between the cowboys who won the West and the brave women and men who are determined to win the battle against breast cancer. The initiative culminated in December at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the 10-day western extravaganza in Las Vegas. Rodeo contestants wore the special-edition TETWP shirt during the Friday, Dec. 9 rodeo performance. Additionally, the Wrangler® brand along with TETWP partner brands – the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), Justin Boots, Coors, Dodge, Jack Daniels, Las Vegas Events, Montana Silversmiths and Resistol Hats – made monetary donations for each winning performance from that night’s rodeo to breast cancer research.

“The concept of tough cowboys wearing pink might sound funny, but that contrast is what makes Tough Enough to Wear Pink so special,” said Karl Stressman, director of sponsorships, Wrangler Specialty Apparel. “Pink will symbolize courage, strength and determination when the western industry comes together in the fight against breast cancer.” The Wrangler TETWP shirt is sold in western specialty retailers nationwide where Wrangler Western Wear is found.

The TETWP program extends through Wrangler’s 2006 rodeo sponsorship program benefiting local breast cancer research organizations chosen by local PRCA rodeo committees.Wrangler® Western Wear is available at over 2,500 western specialty, mid-tier and workwear stores nationwide that provide quality men’s and women’s apparel and accessories.

For more information on Neal McCoy contact: Jim Havey, 615-251-8802
For more information on Wrangler contact: Sarah Allen, 919-832-6300
For more information on Wrangler/Country Music Initiatives contact: Kirt Webster, 615-777-6995 x24