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October 17, 2025 News@CountryAircheck.com

September The Time: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for September 2025 (three-month rolling average, 6/26-9/17) compared with July and August. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Birmingham, AL (Market 61)	WZZK SummitMedia 5.1 (4) - 5.8 (4) - 5.1 (4) WDXB iHeartMedia 4.2 (5) - 4.2 (6t) - 4.5 (6)
Buffalo, NY (59)	WYRK Townsquare 9.5 (2) - 9.0 (2) - 8.8 (2) WLKK Audacy 1.7 (14) - 1.6 (13) - 1.6 (14)
Fort Myers, FL (52)	WWGR Renda 3.4 (9) - 3.4 (8) - 3.9 (6) WHEL Sun 3.1 (12) - 2.4 (15) - 2.5 (15) WCKT iHeartMedia 2.0 (17) - 2.0 (16) - 1.7 (17)
Greenville, SC (54)	WESC iHeartMedia Classic Country 5.6 (5) - 5.8 (4) - 5.8 (3) WSSL iHeartMedia 6.5 (2) - 6.3 (3) - 5.6 (4)
Richmond, VA (51)	WKHK SummitMedia 8.2 (3) - 7.6 (3) - 7.0 (3)
Rochester, NY (60)	WBEE Audacy 7.9 (2) - 8.3 (1) - 8.5 (2) WDVI iHeartMedia 2.7 (8) - 2.5 (8) - 2.0 (10t)
Tucson, AZ (62)	KIIM Cumulus 6.7 (2) - 6.7 (1) - 6.9 (1) KHUD iHeartMedia 2.7 (14t) - 2.9 (14) - 3.2 (12)

A Ploy Named Sue: Cumulus is suing Nielsen over a policy alledgedly intended to "illegally maintain its market power" in national and local ratings markets. Filed Thursday (10/16) in the U.S. Southern District Court of New York and posted in full here by Reuters, the suit alleges Nielsen's Sept. 2024 institution of a "Tying Policy" has been used to "coerce Cumulus into purchasing local radio ratings data it neither wants nor needs in order to preserve access to indispensable national ratings data." Cumulus is seeking a permanent injunction from continued violations of applicable law, treble damages and legal fees. Nielsen has yet to respond.

Gig Alert: With Midwest WNCY/Appleton-Green Bay Brand Mgr./personality Dan Stone stepping down Oct. 23 (CAT 9/25), the station is seeking a late morning/early afternoon personality with on-air, in-person and social media skills. Apply here.

Signage: Flatland Cavalry have signed with Lost Highway Records. Their first release with the relaunched label, "Gone," is available here.

American Idol finalist Slater Nalley has signed with Warner Music Nashville/Warner Records in partnership with 19 Entertainment. Listen to debut single “Foolish Pride" here.

Spin Cycle: Spin Doctors Music Group Pres./CEO Al Brock will retire at the end of the year, following a 56-year career in radio and record promotion. Prior to opening Spin Doctors 15 years ago, Brock's radio career included time in Nashville, St. Louis, Indianapolis, Providence, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Virginia Beach, Orlando, Harrisburg, Tampa and Denver. Reach him here.

Festive All: Zach Top, Jessie Murph and Treaty Oak Revival will headline the Tailgate N' Tallboys festival, happening June 18-20, 2026 at McLean County Fairgrounds in Bloomington, IL. Also set to perform are Gavin Adcock, BigXthaPlug, Wyatt Flores, Dylan Gossett, Cameron Whitcomb, Chase Matthew, Braxton Keith, Waylon Wyatt, Drew Baldridge, Kaitlin Butts, Zach John King, Cole Goodwin, Tyler Nance, Graham Barham, The Creekers, Shaylen and Jack Warf Band. Tickets (10/24) here.

Stories Of The Week: Search for news and people in the archives at countryaircheck.com.

Country Aircheck’s CMA Voter’s Guide is available here.
Programmers share moments of instant radio magic in Country Aircheck Weekly. (10/13)
iHeartMedia/Minneapolis' Gregg Swedberg is transitioning to an advisory role, and Rich Davis is succeeding him. (10/15)
WYCD/Detroit shuffled its lineup. (10/14)
Nashville Harbor added Bridget Herrmann, Christina Hunt and Dexter Bensman. (10/14)
Townsquare's Taste Of Country Mornings is ending. (10/13)
Chronicle: James Holley.

Bits & Pieces: Kenny Chesney will promote his Heart Life Music book with a live SiriusXM Town Hall Oct. 21 at 5pm (ET). His conversation with the satcaster's Ashley Till will simulcast on the Y2Kountry and No Shoes Radio channels, and will re-air at 9pm that evening and throughout the week. The book drops Nov. 4.

The Grand Ole Opry will celebrate the 100th anniversary of its Nov. 28, 1925 inaugural broadcast with two shows on Nov. 28. Set to appear are Opry members Trace Adkins, Bill Anderson, Mandy Barnett, T. Graham Brown, The Gatlin Brothers, Vince Gill, The Isaacs, Kathy Mattea, Charlie McCoy, Scotty McCreery, Riders In The Sky, Ricky Skaggs, Don Schlitz, Connie Smith, Marty Stuart, Pam Tillis, Mark Wills and Suzy Bogguss. Tickets here.

ICYMI: George Strait will perform at Clemson, SC's Memorial Stadium May 2 with support from Cody Johnson and Wyatt Flores. Tickets go on sale via Ticketmaster Oct. 31.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Oct. 16, according to Mediabase 24/7.

MORGAN WALLEN/I Got Better (Big Loud) 4653 points
CHASE MATTHEW/Darlin' (Warner/WAR) 3642 points
LUKE COMBS/Back In The Saddle (Columbia) 3600 points
JELLY ROLL/Heart Of Stone (BMG/Republic/Stoney Creek) 3314 points
JORDAN DAVIS/Bar None (MCA) 3011 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Oct. 12-16, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

MORGAN WALLEN/I Got Better (Big Loud) +2963 points
CHASE MATTHEW/Darlin' (Warner/WAR) +1167 points
LUKE COMBS/Back In The Saddle (Columbia) +1004 points
BLAKE SHELTON/Stay Country Or Die Tryin' (Wheelhouse) +972 points
THOMAS RHETT f/JORDAN DAVIS/Ain't A Bad Life (MCA/Valory) +845 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (10/18): Riley Green, Josh Gracin, Tayla Lynn, Maggie Abrams, Darlene Evans, Verne Schmidt, Gwen Foster.

Sunday's Birthdays (10/19): Kelby Ray (The Cadillac Three), Jeannie C. Riley, Cyndi Thomson, Charlie Chase, Mike Brophey, Chelsea Taylor.

Monday's Birthdays (10/20): Jimi Westbrook (Little Big Town), Wanda Jackson, Heather Bohn, Katie Dean, Andrew Thoen, Scott Stem, the late Maude Gilman-Chapman, the late Grandpa Jones.

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Tube Check Sunday (10/19): Keith Urban and Gretchen Wilson, The Road (CBS and Paramount+).

Bluebird Dayton: MCA's Jordan Davis (top) and Vincent Mason with WHKO/Dayton's Nancy Wilson and the label's Donna Jo Passuntino.

Country Is Cole Again: Broke/Lyric Ridge's Julia Cole (second from right) with Lyric Ridge’s Chele Fassig and Music Choice’s Jim Murphy and wife Angela Murphy (l-r) in Nashville.

I Was Jack (You Were D): Good Company's Jake Owen talks about his "new era" of music and sobriety with Big D & Bubba's Derek “Big D” Haskins, Jessica “Carsen” Humphreville and Sean “Bubba” Powell (l-r).

Wave On WAVW: Grindstone Recordings' Craig Campbell (c) with WAVW/Ft. Pierce's Heath West (l) and Mark McCauley.