Cumulus has announced the national expansion of “America’s Morning Show,” hosted by Blair Garner live from Nashville.
“America’s Morning Show” is the newest addition to NASH, joining other long-form content including “Kickin’ It with Kix” hosted by Kix Brooks and “NASH Nights Live” with Shawn Parr. Beginning Monday, Feb. 10, “America’s Morning Show” will expand to a total of 20 Cumulus-owned Country format stations.
Cumulus launched the NASH entertainment brand based on the Country music lifestyle in January 2013 with the flagship NASH FM 94.7 in New York City. In addition to Country radio stations, the NASH brand will include a NASH magazine, concerts/events, online content and television programming.
“The expansion of ‘America’s Morning Show’ is just the latest preview of what’s ahead for NASH. We’re moving full-speed ahead with growing the multi-media content offering that will drive the NASH brand,” said John Dickey, Executive Vice President and co-Chief Operating Officer of Cumulus.
“I’m so incredibly grateful to get to lead this charge. New York Country music fans have been so gracious in allowing ‘America’s Morning Show’ to become part of their daily routine. We’re excited to welcome new listeners into the NASH family, and to honor the music that brought us all together in the first place,” said Garner.
“America’s Morning Show” airs weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. and originates live from Nashville before a studio audience. In addition to Garner, the program is co-hosted by Country music personalities Terri Clark and Chuck Wicks, and features news updates by Robin Meade and Erika Grace Powell. The show features a mix of Country hits, in-studio interviews with Country music’s biggest stars and news about the Country lifestyle.
The following stations and markets will begin airing “America’s Morning Show” beginning Monday at 6 a.m. locally:

• WKDF/Nashville, TN: NASH FM 103.3
• WDRQ/Detroit, MI: NASH FM 93.1
• WRKN/New Orleans, LA: NASH FM 92.3
• KRMD/Shreveport, LA: NASH FM 101.1
• WIWF/Charleston, SC: NASH FM 96.9
•  WNNF/Cincinnati, OH: NASH FM 94.1
• WKOR/Columbus-Starkville, MS: NASH FM 94.9
• WXTA/Erie, PA: NASH FM 97.9
• WFBE/Flint, MI: NASH FM 95.1
• WYZB/Fort Walton, FL: NASH FM 105.5
• WTNR/Grand Rapids, MI: NASH FM 94.5
• WZCY/Harrisburg, PA: NASH FM 106.7
• WXBM/Pensacola, FL: NASH FM 102.7
• WPSK/Blacksburg, VA: NASH FM 107.1
• WLXX/Lexington, KY: NASH FM 92.9
• KQFC/Boise, ID: NASH FM 97.9
• WHKR/Melbourne, FL: NASH FM 102.7
• WKOS/Tri-Cities, TN: NASH FM 104.9
• WLFF/Myrtle Beach, SC: NASH FM 106.5

Clear Channel and Horizon Media, a privately-owned media services agency, have created a $100 million, multi-year cross-platform partnership providing Horizon and its clients with exclusive access to select integrated, first-to-market opportunities across Clear Channel’s business and platforms.
The alliance will enable the companies to leverage Clear Channel’s assets­ including out of home, broadcast, mobile, digital and events­ to benefit Horizon’s clients, proving the effectiveness and ROI of broadcast and out of home through deep integrated marketing partnerships.
The alliance provides Horizon Media with exclusive rights to several programs, including select Artist Integration Programs, World Premieres, customized shows at Clear Channel’s iHeartRadio Theaters in New York and Los Angeles, and more. In addition, the agency will have access to the full array of creative talent at Clear Channel Media and Entertainment for special content creation opportunities.
The partnership will also allow for the co-creation of new psychographic targeting systems utilizing Horizon’s proprietary tools and insights fused with unique music and consumer research built on Clear Channel Media’s industry-leading national reach. The valuable research insights developed throughout the partnership will fuel further media mix model development.
“We’re excited about this ground-breaking partnership and the positive impact it will have for our clients’ business,” said Bill Koenigsberg, President, CEO and Founder of Horizon Media. “I’ve been impressed with the transformation of Clear Channel into a multi-platform company that can provide national reach while activating locally and providing measurable ROI.”
“Clear Channel and Horizon are committed to the same goal — providing our advertising partners with superior ROI on their marketing expenditures,” said Bob Pittman, Clear Channel’s Chairman and CEO. “We are excited to create new ways to use our unique assets and the powerful, engaged and interactive relationships we have with consumers 24/7 — and we’re looking forward to taking the innovation to a new level for Horizon partners through this groundbreaking new relationship and creative alliance.”

In a new Nielsen report, titled State Of The Media: Audio Today 2014 How America Listens February 2014, the study shows that 242 million people listen to radio each week across the U.S. That is nearly 92 percent of everyone age 12 and older.
The study ranked America’s top formats in 2013 by share of total listening, and Country radio came out on top. 14.8 percent of listeners tune in to Country radio. Country is followed with News/Talk (11.3 percent), Top 40 (8.0 percent), AC (7.3 percent), and Classic Hits (5.5 percent). A full listing of America’s top formats in 2013 is provided below.
Among the findings are generational and racial statistics. The study found that 74 percent of Generation X listeners work full-time. Meanwhile, Boomers (P 50-64) are the most engaged in radio listening; this demographic listens to the radio more than 14 hours per week. The study also found that more than 94 percent of Hispanics use radio each week, while nearly 92 percent of African Americans use radio every week.
America’s Top Formats In 2013 — Ranked By Share Of Total Listening (%)

1. Country — 14.8
2. News/Talk — 11.3
3. Top 40 — 8.0
4. AC — 7.3
5. Classic Hits — 5.5
6. Classic Rock — 5.2
7. Hot AC — 4.8
8. Urban AC — 4.0
9. Top 40/R — 3.3
10. Sports — 3.1
11. Urban Contemporary — 3.1
12. Contemporary Christian — 3.1
13. Mexican Regional — 2.8
14. Adults Hits/+80S Hits — 2.1
15. Active Rock — 1.9
16. Alternative — 1.9
17. All News — 1.5
18. Classical — 1.4
19. Oldies — 1.4
20. Spanish Contemporary — 1.4

Big Loud Mountain Records has added Bart Allmand to the BLM team as Vice President of Radio Promotion. Allmand will report directly to the company’s four partners – Craig Wiseman, Joey Moi, Kevin “Chief” Zaruk and Seth England. Allmand can be reached at bart@bigloudmountain.com or at 615-476-2726.
“Since the day we started Big Loud Mountain, we have dreamed of hiring a radio promotion veteran,” shares England. “We are beyond excited that Bart Allmand has decided to rejoin the radio promotion community and make Big Loud Mountain his home. Bart has a very successful resume in radio and we look forward to watching him guide our team.”
Allmand began his career at 16th Avenue Records working in promotion, covering secondary markets for acts such as Charlie Pride and Canyon (Lonestar). Soon he was hired by RCA as Mid-West Promotion Manager where he worked the label’s roster including Clint Black, Alabama, Martina McBride, Restless Heart, Don Williams, Robert Ellis Orrall and K.T. Oslin. In 1994, Allmand formed 3rd Coast Entertainment, a promotion and marketing group. After three years, he was offered a great opportunity to start up Monument Records as National Director of Promotion where he was instrumental in breaking one of country music’s top acts, the Dixie Chicks, in addition to working with Yankee Grey and Jeffrey Steele. While out with Jeffrey Steele, he formed a friendship that later turned into a new career opportunity, pursuing his lifelong dream of being a songwriter. After earning several cuts on major releases and a No. 1 hit, Allmand is ready to return to radio. A native of Holdredge, Nebraska, Allmand made the move to Nashville in 1987.
Big Loud Mountain is an independent music company that provides in-house publishing, management and production. The company successfully launched the career of Florida Georgia Line, who started as an independent duo and skyrocketed to stardom since releasing four consecutive, multi-week No. 1 smashes in the US and Canada with Gold-certified hits “Stay” and “Round Here,” Platinum-certified “Get Your Shine On” and breakout debut “Cruise,” which has sold over 6.8 million downloads in the US alone and is the best-selling digital Country single of all time according to SoundScan.

Country Radio Seminar has announced its lineup for the “Team UMG at the Ryman” luncheon, scheduled for Wednesday, Feb. 19 during CRS 2014.
Gary Allan, Dierks Bentley, Luke Bryan, Eric Church, Easton Corbin, Billy Currington, Vince Gill, Lady Antebellum, Little Big Town, Scotty McCreery, Kip Moore, Kacey Musgraves, David Nail, Jon Pardi, Eric Paslay, Darius Rucker and Josh Turner are among the performers this year.

“Team UMG always puts together an amazing lineup,” says CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne. “The show is definitely one of the seminar’s entertainment highlights and it is always popular among the attendees.”
The luncheon will commence at noon inside the Ryman Auditorium. This will be the fifth consecutive year the event is held at the historic venue.
Seminar registrants will receive a box lunch prior to the event.