CRS Updates, Deadlines, and Panels

>>Friday, Feb. 18, is the deadline to purchase $399 CRS registrations, to be held March 2-4, 2011. The current CRS registration price was cut back to its $399 Early Bird Rate after the New Faces of Country Music Show sold out in January. As a result, all registrations purchased after Jan. 24 through the opening of CRS 2011 on March 2 will not include a ticket to the New Faces show. The $499 On-Site Registration Rate begins Saturday, Feb. 19.
>>Feb. 18 is also the last day to submit an artist for the Artist/Attendee Welcome Reception. To be considered for the event, an artist must have a career Top 10 single or a Top 75 single within the last year on the Country Aircheck or Music Row chart. Artists must be self-registered at CRS 2011 or have at least three people registered from their label or management to qualify for Artist/Attendee reception consideration. To submit an artist, contact CRB’s Chasity Crouch at chasity@crb.org or (615) 327-4487.
>>Tickets to the Country Radio Hall of Fame Dinner, held March 1, at the Nashville Convention Center are now sold out. Additionally, the downtown Renaissance Hotel has reportedly reached full capacity, although there are numerous hotels still available within walking distance of CRS 2011.
>> The KCRS Live! lineup has been revised. Due to an unforeseen personal commitment, Bob DiPiero will be replaced by Rivers Rutherford as one of the songwriter showcase’s featured performers. Rutherford will perform along with Aaron Lewis, LoCash Cowboys and Jeffrey Steele at the Stroudavarious-sponsored event, held March 2, at 4 p.m. inside the downtown Nashville Convention Center during CRS 2011.
>>The three-day Country Radio Seminar 2011 will feature a variety of panels on topics including social media and digital innovations, PPM, music video, brand strategies, leadership skills, consumer research studies, concert promotions and revenue, ad sales, PD multi-tasking, the relationships and economics of the radio and record industries, on-air interviews and much more.
Here is a quick look at five highlighted CRS 2011 panels:
Wednesday, March 2:
The Digital Life: Doing Business In An Increasingly Digital World (11:30 a.m. – 12:20 p.m.) – Media and technology expert Shelly Palmer presents the latest info on what consumers are doing in terms of using tech-gadgets, websites and mobile devices, as well as an overview of media consumption trends.  Presenter: Shelly Palmer (Live Digital with Shelly Palmer).
Show Me The Money: The Economics of the Radio and Music Industry (3 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.) – Everything you want to know about the economics of the radio and music industry will be revealed in this in-depth look at the bottom line for both industries. Moderator: Erica Farber (The Farber Connection, LLC). Panelists: Ken Robold (UMG), Chuck Flood (Flood, Bumstead, McCready & McCarthy, Inc.), Tom English (Clear Channel Radio).
Thursday, March 3:
Strengthening Partnerships Through Social Media with Radio P1s (2:30 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.) – This panel provides specific knowledge about how social media can help stations build brand loyalty, ratings and a sense of community. Moderator: Dan Halyburton (McVay Media). Panelists: Sloane Cavitt (Show Dog-Universal), Pinky Gonzales (Carazel Inc.), Stephen Linn (CMT), Jennie Smythe (Girlilla Marketing), Roy Elkins (Broadjam).
Friday, March 4:
The Art of War: Strategies for Offense and Defense (10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.) – This panel offers both a historic look and mentoring approach on how to program in a heated format battle. Moderator: Dan Halyburton (McVay Media). Panelists: Kevin Christopher (Tyler Media/KJKE), William B. Fletcher (Fletcher, Rowley and Riddle, Inc.), Lee Abrams.
Concerts: Connecting the Dots Between Ratings, Revenue and Promotions (2:00 p.m. – 2:50 p.m.) – This panel demonstrates how concert promotion is a winning situation for all involved and covers many platforms. Panelists: Natalie Conner (WXTU), Tim Roberts (WYCD), Brian O’Connell (Live Nation).
Visit www.CRB.org for more information.