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| November 4, 2025 News@CountryAircheck.com |
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Swap Meet: Beasley Country KCYE/Las Vegas is swapping its 102.7 frequency with Hot AC sister KVGS at midnight Nov. 13. It's a return to previous frequencies for both stations, which had swapped in the opposite direction in 2022 (CAT 6/19/22).
KCYE's current 107.9 home is licensed to Meadview, AZ with 100,000 watts from Senator Mountain in Mohave County, AZ – more than 50 miles southeast of Las Vegas, as well as from a 2,500 watt on-channel booster from The Strat Tower (formerly Stratosphere) near downtown. The 102.7 frequency transmits with 99,000 watts from Black Mountain 16 miles south of downtown.
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CMT's Alan Leaving: CMT Hot 20 Countdown host Cody Alan will sign off at the end of the year after a 17-year run with the network. Alan continues to host SiriusXM's Highway Mornings.
Hot Air: No official word, but as the last remaining original music programming following last year's pause on production of CMT Crossroads and the CMT Music Awards, the end of H20C could be the end of CMT as a country music network. Parent company Paramount has been restructuring and laying off employees since its August acquisition by Skydance, but CMT has been in a years-long drawdown of staff and investment, punctuated most recently by the news that SVP Margaret Comeaux is also departing at year-end (CAT 10/30).
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Terry Crews: Former WDXB/Birmingham Spencer Graves Show team member Megan Terry has joined sister WQIK/Jacksonville in the same capacity on The Big Show, alongside PD Scot “Froggy” Langley and John Scott. She succeeds former morning show member Robbie Rose, who retired earlier this year. Prior to joining WDXB in 2023 (CAT 6/5/23), Terry was a host/board op at Steel City/Kansas City and a recruiter for the Army National Guard in that market. She added middays at WDXB/Birmingham last year (CAT 5/13/24).
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Islands In The Team: CTK Enterprises has added Head/Retail Merchandising Patrick Kells, Dolly Parton's Life Of Many Colors Museum GM Robert Kelley and Dir./Content Development & Archiving Adam Davis to its team. "As we look toward the future, CTK continues expanding its role as a leading player in all areas of music and entertainment," says Founder/CEO Danny Nozell. Reach Kells here, Kelley here and Davis here.
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Reve-News: Urban One has reported Q3 2025 net revenue of $92.7 million, a decrease of 16% from the prior year's $110.4m. The company's broadcast and digital operating income was $20m, a decrease of 43.6% from last year. Adjusted EBITDA was $14.2m, down from $25.4m. "Core radio, excluding political, finished down 8.1%, and our radio segment is currently pacing down 30.2% all-in and 6.4% ex-political for the fourth quarter," says CEO/Pres. Alfred C. Liggins, III. Full report here.
Spotify reported revenue of €4.3 billion (approximately $4.94b) for Q3 2025, up 12% year-to-year. Monthly active users grew to 713 million, up 11% year-to-year, while premium subscribers increased 12% to 281m. Operating income was €582m ($668.24m). See the complete earnings release here.
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Jingles You Up: The Lauren Daigle and Jordan Davis-hosted CMA Country Christmas will feature performances by Daigle, Davis, Riley Green, Lady A, Little Big Town, Parker McCollum, Megan Moroney, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks and BeBe Winans Dec. 2 on ABC, with streaming available the next day on Hulu and Disney+.
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Fan O' Montana: Here are select September Eastlan Ratings showing Country stations that are leading in the 18 markets measured monthly by the company, compared with July and August. Shares are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.
- KSJJ/Bend, OR Gross: 11.7 - 12.3 - 13.0
Largest share since December.
- KCTR/Billings, MT Townsquare: 11.4 - 13.4 - 14.4
Largest share since April 2023.
- WQBE/Charleston, WV Bristol: 15.4 - 15.5 - 15.7
- WXBQ/Johnson City, TN Bristol: 20.7 - 19.9 - 19.1
- KDBR/Kalispell, MT Bee: 13.2 - 12.0 - 13.9
- WALS/LaSalle, IL Shaw Local: 13.2 - 12.3 - 12.7
- WGTR/Myrtle Beach, SC iHeartMedia: N/A - 12.3 - 10.6
- KXLY/Spokane Queen B: 7.7 - 8.4 - 8.5
- KEZJ/Twin Falls, ID Townsquare: 14.4 - 14.9 - 14.1
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Festive All: Riley Green, Koe Wetzel and Shaboozey will headline Lone Star Smokeout outside AT&T Stadium in Arlington, TX, April 24-26; tickets here.
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Instinct & Intel: What’s a song you knew was a hit the moment you heard it? Bill Macky, Gregg Swedberg, Barry Mardit, Ashley Wilson and JoJo Turnbeaugh share stories, and Rob Dalton breaks down how Spintel is changing the way the industry analyzes data in Country Aircheck Weekly. |
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Contact Update: Leighton Media VP/Programming JD Greene will join Lotus Broadcasting on Monday (11/10) as OM for its Las Vegas cluster, which does not include any Country stations. Formerly iHeartMedia WPGB/Pittsburgh PD/afternoon personality, Greene joined Leighton as PD of KZPK/St. Cloud, MN in 2021 (CAT 11/23/21). No word on plans for the position at Leighton.
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Stories Of The Week: Search for news and people in the archives at countryaircheck.com.
- Todd Violette was named Connoisseur/Palm Springs, CA OM. (11/3)
- WSJD/Mt. Caramel, IL's Rodger Beard is retiring. (11/3)
- The CMA is launching the Center for Mental Health in Entertainment. (11/3)
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Getting Good At Missing You: Country singer/songwriter Rex Allen Jr. has retired after a more than five-decade career. The son of actor and fellow country artist Rex Allen, Rex Jr. charted 32 singles between 1973 and 1987, including six top 10 hits while signed to Warner. His television credits include hosting TNN's Nashville On The Road and performing regularly on The Statler Brothers Show. His final concert was Oct. 18 in Wickenburg, AZ. KNIX/Phoenix alum Jim West is working on a book about Allen Jr., due next year. |
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Bits & Pieces: Sam Williams has departed the MCA roster, sharing on social media, "I won’t pretend this transition isn’t difficult, but I'm hoping it's a tall open door to something amazing." Williams signed with the label (then UMG/Nashville) in 2021 (CAT 6/8/21).
SiriusXM has launched its annual slate of ad-free holiday channels, including "Country Christmas" (available on the app Nov. 4-Dec, 26 and on ch. 65 from Dec. 3-26) and "Holidays with Anne Murray and Friends" (on the app Nov. 4-Dec. 26).
BMG's JoJamie Hahr will moderate a book event with three authors – Broken Bow's Lee Adams, Girlilla Marketing's Jennie Smythe and industry vet Lisa Boullt – Nov. 21 at 5:30pm at Nashville's Books-A-Million (6718 Charlotte Pike).
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Wedding Belle: Leighton KZPK/St. Cloud, MN PD/afternoon host Kris Valentine and co-host Chelsea Lee wed Oct. 18 in Rifle, CO, with a second ceremony for family in Alexandria, MN the following week. Their show also airs on sister KYCK/Grand Forks, ND. The pair worked mornings at Hubbard KIKV/Alexandria, MN prior to joining KZPK in December 2023 (CAT 12/11/23) and January 2024 (CAT 1/26/24), respectively. Congratulate Valentine here and Lee here. |
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Chronicle: John Wesley Ryles, who made a career both as a sought-after studio harmony singer and a country artist in his own right, died Nov. 2 at the age of 74. As an artist, his top 10 hits were "Kay" in 1968 and "Once In A Lifetime Thing" in 1977. According to the Country Music Halll of Fame and Museum, his session credits include cuts by more than 25 of its members, including Brooks & Dunn’s “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” Alan Jackson’s “Drive,” George Jones’ “Choices" and Dolly Parton’s “An Eagle When She Flies." His vocals can also be heard on Tracy Byrd’s “Watermelon Crawl,” Martina McBride’s “Independence Day" and Travis Tritt’s “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive."
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| Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Nov. 3, according to Mediabase 24/7.
- JACKSON DEAN/Heavens To Betsy (Big Machine) 4086 points
- CHASE MATTHEW/Darlin' (Warner/WAR) 3980 points
- LAINEY WILSON/Somewhere Over Laredo (Broken Bow) 3004 points
- LUKE COMBS/Back In The Saddle (Columbia) 2999 points
- PARMALEE/Cowgirl (Stoney Creek) 2898 points
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| Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Nov. 2-3, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.
- JACKSON DEAN/Heavens To Betsy (Big Machine) +2483 points
- BLAKE SHELTON/Stay Country Or Die Tryin' (Wheelhouse) +770 points
- MORGAN WALLEN/20 Cigarettes (Big Loud) +745 points
- PARMALEE/Cowgirl (Stoney Creek) +607 points
- GEORGE BIRGE/It Won't Be Long (Records Nashville) +535 points
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| Tomorrow's Birthdays (11/5): Tucker Wetmore, Heather and Jennifer Kinley (The Kinleys), Don Kamerer, Chris Loss, Rich Meyer, Tim Roberts, Amber Atnip, Randy "Shotgun" Shannon, Darlene Williams, Becca Walls, the late Billy Sherrill, the late Gram Parsons, the late Roy Rogers.
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Don't Ink: Blue Chair/Warner/WEA’s Kenny Chesney (c) with Country Radio Hall of Famers Mike and Ginny Brophey at the Boston stop of his Heart Life Music book tour. |
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Another Pic In The Wall: EMI's Tucker Wetmore with Audacy's Katie Neal. |
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Somewhere Northeast Of Laredo: Broken Bow's Lainey Wilson in Houston. Pictured (l-r) are the label's Dawn Ferris and Lexi Willson, KKBQ's Lauren "Lo" Sessions-Barker, KILT's Chris Huff, Wilson, KILT's Bruce Logan and Nick Russo, Cumulus' Leslie Whittle, guest Mike McKay and the label's Shelley Hargis. |
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