January 22, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Fresno Storm: Here are select Nielsen Audio Continuous Diary Measurement (CDM) ratings for December 2025 (three-month rolling average, 9/18-12/10) compared with October and November. Ranks (in parentheses) are among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Cumulus stations are not listed; see story below.

Albuquerque, NM (Market 72)	KBQI iHeartMedia 4.0 (6) - 3.7 (8t) - 3.8 (6) KBQI-HD2 iHeartMedia Cl. Ctry. 2.7 (14) - 2.2 (15) - 2.0 (13) KRST Cumulus 4.8 (3t) - 4.0 (6) - N/A
Allentown, PA (75)	WCTO Cumulus 6.6 (3) - 6.7 (3) - N/A
El Paso, TX (77)	KHEY iHeartMedia 5.0 (8) - 5.2 (7) - 5.4 (6)
Fresno, CA (67)	KHGE iHeartMedia 2.7 (9t) - 2.1 (13t) - 3.3 (6) Largest share since March 2024. KSKS Cumulus 4.1 (6) - 5.3 (4t) - N/A
Knoxville, TN (71)	WCYQ SummitMedia 2.8 (9t) - 2.4 (10t) - 2.5 (7) WDKW Midwest Classic Country 1.8 (14) - 1.7 (14) - 2.3 (8t) Largest share since Jan. 2025. WIVK Cumulus 11.8 (1) - 11.2 (1) - N/A
Wilkes-Barre, PA (81)	WGGY Audacy 5.6 (4) - 5.4 (4) - 5.4 (3)

Got WILQ?: Here are select Nielsen Audio Fall 2025 (9/18-12/10) two-book per year diary ratings for subscribing stations compared with their last books (Fall 2024 and Spring 2025). Ranks (in parentheses) are also among subscribers. Unless otherwise noted, all figures are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Johnson City, TN (111)	WXBQ Bristol 17.0 (1) - 13.9 (1) - 14.7 (1) WPWT-AM Kenneth Clyde Hill Cl. Country 3.7 (7) - 3.3 (8) - 4.9 (5) WKOS Cumulus 0.2 (16t) - 1.3 (10t) - N/A
Las Cruces, NM (201)	KGRT Adams 6.7 (2) - 5.0 (5) - 4.9 (4) KXPZ Bravo Mic 4.9 (5t) - 3.1 (6t) - N/A Did not subscribe this survey.
Williamsport, PA (236)	WILQ Backyard 12.3 (1t) - 15.5 (1) - 15.8 (1) WBYL iHeartMedia 3.8 (5t) - 4.1 (5t) - 3.2 (6)

Ratings Update: Nielsen ratings for Cumulus stations are not available in the ratings company's most recent data releases. The two companies remain in litigation over Nielsen's "tying policy." See previous story and a link to the full lawsuit here.

Todd Squad: Former Equifax Pres.-U.S. Information Solutions Todd Horvath will join BMI in the newly-created role of Pres./COO Jan. 26. He will split his time between New York and Nashville, and report to CEO Mike O'Neill. Horvath will be tasked with overseeing BMI's "ongoing efforts to modernize its platforms, identifying new sources of revenue and improving the affiliate experience." Prior to joining Equifax in 2023, Horvath was Pres./Banking Solutions for Fiserv and Pres./Multinational Clients at ADP.

Gig Alert: Audacy KSON/San Diego is seeking an afternoon personality/Imaging Dir. to succeed Kimo Jensen, who is retiring in mid-June (CAT 1/14). Find the job posting here. The station is also seeking a part-time weekend/swing personality to succeed Mark Flemon, who is also retiring after more than three decades. See that listing here.

The Ballot Of Curtis Loew: First-round voting for the 2026 CRS/Country Aircheck Awards is open here. Radio, streaming, record industry and allied industry professionals with valid industry email addresses are eligible to select up to five finalists from as many as 15 nominees in each category. (Seriously, votes from non-industry addresses get tossed.) Last year's CRS/CA Award winners are not eligible to win. Vote through Tuesday (1/27) here.

Foot In The Troubadour: The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum has named 117 Entertainment's Zach Farnum (Chair), CAA's Elizabeth Lombardi (Vice Chair), CMA's Brenden Oliver (Vice Chair) and WME's Max Vanberg (Vice Chair) as the 2026 leadership team for its young professional Troubadour Advisory Council. Details on Troubadour membership here.

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

DTS AutoStage’s in-car data sparks a measurement conversation in Country Aircheck Weekly.
KSON/San Diego's Jessica Chenoweth added MD responsibilities.
WKKT/Charlotte's Graham Bunn moved to middays, leaving "Sarah Lee" Owensby solo in mornings. (1/20)
Chronicle: Bob Bishop, Billy Parker.

ICYMI: Hudson Westbrook performed "Painted You Pretty" on NBC's Today (1/21).

Warren Zeiders released part one of his two-part documentary series Return to the 717, a behind-the-scenes look into his hometown performance at Hershey, PA's Giant Center.

Chronicle: Veteran Nashville publicist Cathy Gurley passed Tuesday (1/20) at 76 years old after months-long gastrointestinal issues. The Pittsburgh native's first job after college was as a features writer at the Wheeling News-Register, followed by WWVA-AM/Wheeling, WV, where she co-founded the Jamboree In The Hills festival. Gurley moved to Nashville in 1982 to become the Dir./Public Information at the CMA, and opened Gurley & Co. in 1985, representing Tanya Tucker, Lynn Anderson, Kathy Mattea, Marty Stuart and Patty Loveless, among others. Nonprofit work included T.J. Martell's Country in the Rockies, the Nashville Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Friends of Warner Park and McNeilly Center for Children. In 2012, Gurley became the CEO of You Have the Power, an organization created by former Tennessee First Lady Andrea Conte that focuses on those touched by violent crime. She was inducted into the SOURCE Hall of Fame in 2018. Services will be held in the spring at Christ the King Church on Belmont Boulevard in Nashville. Memorial donations can be made to She Should Run and the Children's Memory Garden at Centennial Park.

Country Aircheck Today Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for Jan. 21, according to Mediabase 24/7.

HARDY/Favorite Country Song (Big Loud) 4487 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Choosin' Texas (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) 3761 points
JASON ALDEAN/How Far Does A Goodbye Go (Macon Music/Broken Bow) 3599 points
SHABOOZEY & JELLY ROLL/Amen (Empire/Magnolia/Stoney Creek) 3351 points
GEORGE BIRGE/It Won't Be Long (Records Nashville) 3323 points

Country Aircheck Top Point Gainers: Here are the top point gainers for Jan. 18-21, compared with the same days last week, according to Mediabase 24/7.

SHABOOZEY & JELLY ROLL/Amen (Empire/Magnolia/Stoney Creek) +2403 points
MORGAN WALLEN/20 Cigarettes (Big Loud) +2022 points
LUKE COMBS/Sleepless In A Hotel Room (Columbia) +1490 points
HARDY/Favorite Country Song (Big Loud) +1395 points
THOMAS RHETT f/JORDAN DAVIS/Ain't A Bad Life (MCA/Valory) +1215 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (1/23): Nancy Brooks, Annie Ortmeier, the late Harley Allen, the late Johnny Russell.

iHeartC øuntry: Big Loud's Stephen Wilson Jr. (c) with the label's Shari Roth, iHeart's "Wayne D” Danielson and Tay Hamilton and the label's Lauren "LT" Thomas (l-r).

Life In The Fast Lane: Red Street's Chris Lane (in hat) with WIL's Marty Brooks, the label's Sally Allgeier and KSD's Dusty Panhorst (l-r) at the St. Louis stop of Rascal Flatts' Life Is A Highway Tour.

Re-Signage: Songwriter Rose Falcon (l) commemorates extending her deal with Curb | Word Music Publishing with the company's Sarah Schumacher.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Ashley Anne signs a management deal with One Spark Entertainment. Pictured (back, l-r) are attorneys Rachel Guttmann and Victoria Powell, Perk PR's Trevor Perkins and WME's Braeden Rountree, Adam Fisher and Janelle Flint; (front, l-r) One Spark's Craig Dunn, Anne and One Spark's Nicole Lewis.