October 26, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Share Traffic Control: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for September 2026 (three-month rolling average, 6/25-9/16) compared with July and August. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Colorado Springs, CO (Market 91)	KCCY iHeartMedia 3.1 (6) - 2.7 (8) - 2.7 (7t) KATC Cumulus Does not subscribe.
Des Moines, IA (70)	KHKI Cumulus KJJY Cumulus Classic Country Do not subscribe.
Mobile, AL (100)	WKSJ iHeartMedia 5.6 (1t) - 5.2 (2) - 5.0 (3)
Spokane, WA (90)	KICR Blue Sky 2.4 (8) - 1.5 (9t) - 1.4 (9t) KISC-HD2 iHeartMedia 0.4 (15) - 0.4 (14) - 0.5 (12t) KDRK Stephens and KXLY QueenB Do not subscribe.
Wichita, KS (104)	KFDI SummitMedia 4.3 (7) - 5.4 (2) - 5.6 (2t) KZSN iHeartMedia 5.5 (3) - 4.4 (5t) - 4.6 (8) KVWF Murfin 1.9 (15) - 2.2 (14t) - 2.9 (14) Largest share since February.

Buffalo Roam: Radio One Buffalo LLC Talk station WUSW/Buffalo, NY has flipped to "US Country," with former crosstown WYRK PD Ken Johnson serving as "special advisor." The station – musically focused on the '80s, '90s and early 2000s – simulcasts on translators W236EB and W227BW (95.1/93.3). The airstaff is Aaron James in mornings, Greg Ireland from 9am-noon, owner Buddy Schula from 10-3pm and Wendy Lynn in afternoons. Market vet Liz Mantel will join for mornings in December. In addition to programming WYRK from 1982-1997, Johnson's background includes time at WXTU/Philadelphia and XM Satellite Radio. Listen to US Country here. Townsquare's heritage WYRK had an 8.1 share and was No. 2 in the market 12+ in the September CDM Nielsen Audio ratings. Reach Schula here.

Mason Far: Radio One KKBQ/Houston's Mason Pradt has been promoted to midday host. Pradt joined the station in 2014 as a Promotions Asst., and has since worked part-time on air, nights and as a producer. Middays have been open since Gerardo Sproet departed in April (CAT 4/17). PD Travis Moon says, "Mason is a Houstonian through and through, and you can hear it every time he’s on the air."

Daisy Chain: Nicole Passero has joined 7 Mountains WFGE/State College, PA as APD/afternoon host and Dir./Social Media, using the on-air name "Daisy Green." Former PD/afternoon host Bryan Baylee departed in August (CAT 8/12). Passero previously was Mgr./Social Media at Bolt Marketing, and Station Mgr./air personality and producer for Montclair State University's WMSC. "Nicole brings a great combination of confidence, creativity and personality," says 7 Mountains Chief Programming Officer JC Burton.

Layoffs Hit Cape Cod: Following Salt Air Broadcasting’s recent purchase of Cape Cod, MA-based CCB Media, several CCB staffers will be departing Nov. 30. They include OM/Dir. of Programming Jon Reilly, who oversees Country WKPE and AC sisters WOCN & WQRC, and does mornings at WKPE. Also leaving are WKPE afternoon host/WQRC morning host Kristina Carlyle, and WKPE midday host/WOCN morning host John Willis. Additional departures will include GM Brian Barth, Dir./Digital James Bone, and social media and digital team member Pete Schmeck. Reach Reilly here, Carlyle here and Willis here.

Gig Alert: Audacy's KILT/Houston has a producer opening for The Morning Bull with Matt & Lois, which launched last month (CAT 9/2). "The perfect candidate with have video editing skills and excel at increasing our social media visibility," says VPP Bruce Logan. Read more about the show here; apply here.

I Will Always Watch You: CMA Presents I Will Always Love You: A Celebration of Dolly Parton (10/21) reached 4.74 million total viewers on ABC and Disney+, according to Nielsen Live+Same Day numbers provided by the network. The special ranked No. 1 in total viewers in its 9-11pm time slot for ABC's best Wednesday performance at that time this year. View performances here, and read radio pros' take on the show in tonight's Country Aircheck Weekly.

Diamond Jubilee: The Grand Ole Opry will mark the 60th anniversary of the CMA Awards with a Nov. 8 show celebrating CMA winners from the time the show was staged in the Grand Ole Opry House (1974-2004). Twelve-time CMA Awards host Vince Gill will host and perform. Additional performers include Ricky Skaggs, Deana Carter, Lorrie Morgan and Jamey Johnson, and a John Anderson tribute is planned. The late Country Music Hall of Famer was part of the construction crew that built the Opry House. Tickets here.

Tour Support: The Blake Whiten Tour 2027 opens Feb. 20 in Tallahassee, FL, with seven shows announced through May. Sunny Black will open. Tickets (10/30) here.

McCoy Moore will launch his nine show Tyin' One On Tour Jan. 28 in Gainesville, FL, with stops including Chicago, Milwaukee and Charlotte, NC. Tickets here.

Wynonna Judd has added dates to her 2027 The Hard Truth Tour. Tickets and venues here.

The Randy Rogers Band has added a New Year's Eve show in Broken Arrow, OK and seven other dates to its 2027 Songbook Tour, including shows in Nashville, Chicago and San Antonio. Tickets and dates here.

The Wilder Blue has extended its Cinco Tour with new 2027 club and theater dates. Tickets (10/30) and full routing here.

Motownphilly Back Again: Boyz II Men – Nathan Morris, Wanyá Morris and Shawn Stockman – have signed with Warner Records Nashville and will record a country project for release next year. "When I learned that growing up listening to artists like Randy Travis was seminal in their desire to collaborate with Nashville’s award-winning singers and songwriters, I knew we had to be a part of it," says Warner Nashville Chair/Pres. Cris Lacy.

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Festive All: Jordan Davis has been added as a headliner for Country Thunder Arizona, taking place April 8-11 at AZ Talio Ranch in in Florence, AZ, joining the previously announced Florida Georgia Line and Megan Moroney. Also on the bill are Stella Lefty, Carly Pearce, Ernest and Josh Ross. Tickets here.

Call Of Fame: Nominations for the Country Radio Hall of Fame close Friday (10/30); apply here. Eligible candidates must have worked in the radio industry for a minimum of 20 years, with at least 15 of those spent in the Country format. The class of 2027 will be announced during CRS, taking place March 17-19 at the Omni Nashville Hotel.

Contact Update: Former DBC Radio/Savannah, GA Market Pres. Aaron Wilborn has joined SummitMedia as Omaha Market Pres. He joined DBC (where his oversight included Country WUBB) in 2018 after time at Apex/Charleston, SC and iHeartMedia/Jacksonville, and resigned earlier this month (CAT 10/21). SummitMedia's four-station Omaha cluster does not include Country stations. Reach Wilborn here.

Bits & Pieces: Miranda Lambert will perform live at AT&T Stadium during the nationally televised Dallas Cowboys Thanksgiving Day game against the Philadelphia Eagles for the 30th consecutive Salvation Army Red Kettle Kickoff halftime show. The game will air Nov. 26 on FOX beginning at 3:30pm CT.

Gavin Adcock has launched Western lifestyle brand Thrivin' Here Co.; first products are a pearl snap shirt, trucker hat and bandana. Find them here.

Brad Paisley has been added to the O2's 20th birthday celebration lineup, performing at the London venue June 26 next year.

Service Update: A celebration of life for "Kim Leslie" Brosche will be held Dec. 3. with visitation at 1pm and service at 2pm at Sumner Funeral and Cremation Lakeside in Hendersonville, TN (104 Saunders Ferry Rd.). Brosche died Oct. 9 following a battle with Lewy body dementia (Chronicle 10/12).

Country Aircheck Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending Oct. 24, according to Mediabase.

MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud)
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers)
LUKE BRYAN/Country And She Knows It (MCA)
ZACH JOHN KING/Get To Drinkin' (SMN)
DAN + SHAY/Say So (Warner/WRN)

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Oct. 25, compared with the same day last week, according to Mediabase.

LUKE BRYAN/Country And She Knows It (MCA) +830 points
CODY JOHNSON/Horseback (Cojo/Warner/WRN) +263 points
KENNY CHESNEY/Remember Me That Way (Hey Now) +186 points
MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud) +175 points
SHABOOZEY/Cowgirl (Empire/Magnolia) +174 points

Tuesday's Birthdays (10/27): Lee Greenwood, Wayne Carlyle, Scott Donato, Teresa George, Mary Hilliard Harrington, Frank Bell, Ann Inman, Amy Scott, John Moesch.

Power Trio: The WHKO/Dayton, OH team raises $171,500 for the Canine Co-Pilot Program during the station's 29th annual Cares For Kids Radiothon on behalf of Dayton Children's Hospital and Children's Miracle Network. Pictured (l-r) are Children’s Miracle Network’s Jim Littrell, WHKO’s Nancy Wilson and Kristen Burchfield, Radiothon sponsor Jack Gwin, Dayton Children’s Jena Pado, WHKO’s Aaron “Woody” Woods and Dayton Children’s Lexi Kopilchack; (front, l-r) Red, Luna and Millie.

No Need For Lion: Columbia's Kameron Marlowe (l) with WYCD/Detroit's Tim Roberts at Sunday's (10/25) Lions-Packers game, where Marlowe performed at halftime.

All About That Bass: WKXC/Augusta, GA's Chris O'Kelley (left) backstage with Chris Janson Saturday (10/24).

Signage: Atlantic Outpost's Stella Lefty signs with Make Wake Artists. Pictured (l-r) are Make Wake's Sophia Sansone, Lefty and MW's Chris Kappy.