CMA BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR FINALISTS
National
-"Country Countdown USA" (Lon Helton) - Westwood One
-"Danny Wright All Night" (Danny Wright) - Jones Radio Networks
-"The Crook and Chase Countdown" (Lorianne Crook, Charlie Chase) - Jim Owens Entertainment
Major Market
-Chris Carr - KEEY, Minneapolis, Minn.
-"Cliff & Company" (Cliff Dumas, Morgan Thomas, Bill Tanner) - KSON, San Diego, Calif.
-Kelly Ford, Jonathan Wilde with Mudflap McGrew (Steve McGrew) - KYGO, Denver, Colo.
-"The K102 Wake Up Crew with Donna Valentine, John Hines and Muss" (Mike Mussman) - KEEY, Minneapolis, Minn.
-"The Laurie DeYoung Show" - WPOC, Baltimore, Md.
Jason Aldean and Little Big Town Make CMA Broadcast Awards Finalists Announcement
By Wendy Pearl
© 2006 CMA Close Up News Service / Country Music Association, Inc.
The nation's top Country radio stations and broadcast personalities were recognized when Broken Bow Records artist Jason Aldean and Equity Music group Little Big Town announced the 2006 CMA Broadcast Personality and Radio Station of the Year finalists on Aug. 30 during the CMA Awards Nominees News Conference at Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn. The announcements were carried live to Country radio stations by CMA's official radio partner Premiere Radio Networks. The winners will be acknowledged during "The 40th Annual CMA Awards." The Broadcast finalists were announced during a press conference following the live announcement of the final nominees for the 2006 CMA Awards on ABC's "Good Morning America" and a special edition of "CMT Insider."
"The radio stations and broadcast professionals do an outstanding job of broadening the scope of Country Music and exposing our artists to their listeners," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "These nominees have demonstrated creativity, passion and initiative. It is important for us to recognize their talent and outstanding contributions to the Country Music industry."
Five finalists are selected for Broadcast Personality of the Year and Station of the Year in four categories (Small Market, Medium Market, Large Market and Major Market). The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Arbitron. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement, and biographical information. Candidates for Station of the Year are judged on airchecks, ratings history, community involvement, and format leadership.
Three finalists are selected for National Broadcast Personality of the Year. To be eligible for National Broadcast Personality of the Year candidates must be syndicated, short-form and hub voice-tracking personalities heard in at least three markets with a minimum of 40 shows per year. The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.
An aggregate score of the first round of judging and the second round, which is done by a different panel of judges, determines the winners. The international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP tabulates scoring by the judges.
CMA members who are full-time, on-air personalities and CMA member radio stations in the U.S. and Canada were eligible to enter.
CMA Broadcast Award winners are not eligible to enter in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2005 were not eligible in 2006.
September 19, 2006
Jason Aldean announces the 2006 CMA Broadcast Awards finalists at a news conference for "The 40th Annual CMA Awards" at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville. Photo: John Russell / CMA
Little Big Town announces the 2006 CMA Broadcast Awards finalists at a news conference for "The 40th Annual CMA Awards" at the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville. Photo: John Russell / CMA
The winners will be notified by phone and on the air by a Country Music artist in early October.
REACTIONS FROM SOME OF THE CMA BROADCAST AWARDS FINALISTS:
"I'd like to say that the day the nominees were announced, it was just another day. And I'd like you to believe if I didn't make the cut, it was no big deal. But it's HUGE! What a terrific honor! Those in radio know how much work the entries represent and how special it is that our peers do the judging. I am truly excited and look forward to the CMA Awards show.
- Danny Wright / "Danny Wright All Night" / Jones Radio Networks
"It's the best feeling in the world to hear your name announced as a CMA nominee. To have one of those babies sitting on your shelf is a constant reminder that the top level of Country Music professionals appreciated the work you create (or steal) on a daily basis." - Marty McFly / WGSQ
"For CMA to honor our station with a nomination, it is the ultimate pat on the back from the people that make the music and move the industry. The Country Giant is more than a Radio Station and Listeners. We're a Family. This nomination reinforces that and strengthens our Family. Some kids watched 'The 6 Million Dollar Man' and wanted to be an astronaut. I watched 'Hee Haw' and dreamed of being on stage at the CMA's. Nobody wake me up."
- Gator Harrison / WGSQ
"The WIL team works extremely hard to present a product that entertains, informs, serves and makes a difference in the St. Louis community. We're honored to be recognized by CMA."
- Greg Mozingo / WIL-FM
"When the radio station called me at home that Wednesday morning and told me that TWO shows from KEEY are nominated for CMA Broadcast Personality, our morning show and me, it felt (and continues to feel) absolutely awesome! Especially to be mentioned with the great people from WPOC, KSON and KYGO. Words really can't describe the fact that the Country Music Association has recognized us as nominees for our industry's highest honor. Mick Anselmo (our General Manager), Gregg Swedberg (Program Director) and Travis Moon (Music Director) are very proud of us, as we are of them. In my opinion, the KEEY nominations are as much for them as they are for us. For me personally, in working for KEEY for more than 10 years now, I couldn't ask for a better relationship with the artists, folks within the industry and especially our listener Family. I'm really moved by the outpouring of support from everybody regarding the CMA nomination. The car ds, e-mails, surprises at different events and even gifts! These are the same great people that continue to throw a giant pile of record-breaking cash at our St. Jude Radiothon every year. The K102 audience never ceases to amaze me. They really take ownership of the radio station. The CMA Broadcast Personality Award is a major career fulfillment and I'm honored to be nominated for it." - Chris Carr / KEEY
Large Market
-"Afternoons with JD Cannon" - WFMS, Indianapolis, Ind.
- Eddie Stubbs - WSM-AM, Nashville, Tenn.
-"Karen Dalessandro, Scott Dolphin and Radar" (Tony Hess) - The Moo Crew - WMIL, Milwaukee, Wis.
-"Sam & Bob Morning Call In Show" (Sammy Alfred,Bob Cole) - KVET,
Austin, Texas
-"The B-105.1(CQ) Morning Show with Bill and Amanda" (Bill Whyte, Amanda Orlando) - WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
Medium Market
-"Ellis & Bradley" (Bill Ellis, Beth Bradley) - WSSL, Greenville, S.C.
- Kevin Richards Show - WGNA, Albany, N.Y.
-"Neal and Reese, The Moy'nin Boys" (Neal Dionne, Reese Rickards) - WBCT,
Grand Rapids, Mich.
"The Kat 103 Morning Show with Steve Lundy, Gina and Craig" (Gina Melton, Craig Underhill) - KXKT, Omaha, Neb.
-"WIVK at Night with Jack Ryan" - WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.
Small Market
-"Afternoons with Sherri" (Sherri Crowder) - WAKG, Roanoke, Va.
-"Barrett, Fox & Berry" (Bill Barrett, Tim Fox,Tracy Berry) - KKNU, Eugene, Ore.
- Buddy Baron - WBBN, Laurel, Miss.
-"McFly and the Ride Home with Marty McFly and Stewart James" - WGSQ,
Cookeville, Tenn.
-"Rick Stephenson & Lisa Franks In The Morning" - WFYR, Peoria, Ill.
STATION OF THE YEAR
Major Market
KKBQ - Houston, Texas
WIL - St. Louis, Mo.
WQYK - Tampa, Fla.
WUSN - Chicago, Ill.
WXTU - Philadelphia, Pa.
Large Market
KASE - Austin, Texas
KVET - Austin, Texas
WFMS - Indianapolis, Ind.
WMIL - Milwaukee, Wis.
WUBE - Cincinnati, Ohio
Medium Market
KUZZ - Bakersfield, Calif.
KXKT - Omaha, Neb.
WBBS - Syracuse, N.Y.
WIVK - Knoxville, Tenn.
WSSL - Greenville, S.C.
Small Market
KTTS - Branson, Mo.
WFYR - Peoria, Ill.
WGSQ - Cookeville, Tenn.
WXBM - Mobile, Ala.
WYCT - Pensacola, Fla.
