November 2, 2026 News@CountryAircheck.com

Stem To Stern: Longtime Jacobs Media consultant Mike Stern has joined Zimmer Communications as Dir./Programming. He had been with Jacobs for more than 13 years, with previous stints as VP/Programming at Emmis/Chicago, PD at Saga/Milwaukee and stops at Radio & Records and Billboard. Zimmer Corporate Operations Dir. Trevor Morgan says, "His creativity, organization, and keen ear for compelling content have already made a tremendous impact on the stations he’s worked with through Jacobs Media.”

Berry Departs: Records Nashville Sr. Dir./National Promotion David “Bubba” Berry has departed the label, where he's worked since 2022 (CAT 9/13/22). The move was effective Nov. 1. His previous career stops include a 10-year stint at RCA and Arista, with prior roles at Show Dog-Universal and BNA. No word on plans for the position. Reach Berry at 214-695-9777 or here.

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Braun New: As reported via Breaking News, Raffaella Braun has been named President of Triple Tigers, and Co-President Annie Ortmeier has exited. Braun stepped into the Co-President role alongside Ortmeier, who joined the label in 2023 (CAT 9/13/23), earlier this year (CAT 7/7). Reach Braun here and Ortmeier here.

Working For The Weekend: WGGY/Wilkes Barre, PA morning team Ken “Doc” Medek and Sean “Chewy” Medek have added Saturday afternoons at newly-launched Country sister WTDY/Philadelphia (CAT 10/19).

Sep-Ten-ber: Here are September Eastlan Ratings for Country stations in the 10 largest markets it measures, compared with July and August. Eastlan uses online and phone-based recall surveys. Shares are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

Chicago (Market 3)	WUSN Audacy 4.2 (8) - 4.3 (7) - 4.5 (6) WXLC Connoisseur 0.3 (34t) - 0.5 (30t) - 0.6 (29t)
Dallas (4)	KPLX Cumulus 6.1 (2) - 6.1 (2) - 6.3 (2) KSCS Cumulus 5.5 (3) - 5.5 (3) - 5.5 (3)
Houston (6)	KKBQ Radio One 5.5 (6) - 5.6 (6) - 6.0 (5) KILT Audacy 3.6 (13) - 3.7 (12) - 3.5 (12)
Atlanta (7)	WKHX Cumulus 4.6 (7) - 4.6 (7) - 4.5 (8) WUBL iHeartMedia 3.6 (12) - 3.6 (12t) - 3.6 (12)
Seattle (11)	KKWF Audacy 6.1 (3) - 5.9 (4) - 6.3 (3) KPNW Hubbard 2.1 (19t) - 2.0 (22) - 2.9 (15) KPLZ Lotus Classic Country 2.8 (16t) - 2.7 (17) - 2.5 (18)
Cincinnati (33)	WUBE Hubbard 9.2 (3) - 9.7 (1) - 10.2 (1) WYGY Hubbard 2.4 (16) - 2.5 (14t) - 2.7 (12t) WNNF Cumulus 1.1 (21) - 1.3 (20) - 1.2 (20t) WHKO/Dayton Cox 1.2 (20) - 1.2 (21) - 1.2 (20t)
Raleigh (35)	WQDR Curtis 7.1 (3) - 7.1 (3) - 6.8 (3t) WNCB iHeartMedia 2.4 (14) - 2.4 (14) - 2.4 (14)
Greensboro (46)	WTQR iHeartMedia 5.0 (9) - 4.8 (9) - 4.8 (8t) WPAW Audacy 4.1 (10) - 3.9 (10) - 3.7 (10) WQDR/Raleigh Curtis 1.6 (17) - 1.5 (17) - 1.5 (17)
Oklahoma City (49)	KTST iHeartMedia 6.8 (4) - 6.5 (4t) - 6.6 (5) KJKE Tyler 4.4 (9t) - 4.4 (9t) - 4.5 (9t) KXXY iHeartMedia Classic Country 3.3 (12) - 3.2 (12) - 3.3 (12) KWFF Chisolm Trail Classic Country 1.1 (22t) - 1.3 (19t) - 1.4 (17t)
Memphis (55)	WGKX Cumulus 5.1 (8) - 5.0 (8) - 4.7 (8) WLFP Audacy 4.6 (10) - 4.8 (9) - 4.6 (9) WEBL North Mississippi Media 1.3 (18) - 1.0 (20t) - 1.1 (18t)

Ready, Bilings and Able: Here are select September Eastlan Ratings showing Country stations that are leading in the 27 markets measured monthly by the company, compared with July and August. Shares are Persons 12+, Monday-Sunday, 6am-midnight.

KSJJ/Bend, OR Gross: 14.0 - 13.8 - 12.6
KCTR/Billings, MT Townsquare: 11.6 - 11.5 - 12.3
Largest share since Nov. 2025.
WOKO/Burlington, VT Hall: 12.9 - 13.1 - 13.0
WQBE/Charleston, WV Bristol: 14.0 - 14.0 - 14.3
Largest share since last October.
WXBQ/Johnson City, TN Bristol: 17.9 - 17.0 - 16.8
KDBR/Kalispell, MT Bee: 15.3 - 15.0 - 15.5
WALS/LaSalle, IN Shaw Local: 14.2 - 14.6 - 13.5
KXLY/Spokane Queen B: 8.7 - 8.8 - 8.9
WBBS/Syracuse iHeartMedia: 8.8 - 9.2 - 9.4
Largest share since May 2025.
KEZJ/Twin Falls, ID Townsquare: 15.3 - 17.0 - 16.7
WACO/Waco, TX iHeartMedia: 16.8 - 16.4 - 15.7

Festive All: Morgan Wallen, Kings of Leon and Ella Langley will headline Wallen's Sand In My Boots festival May 21-23 in Gulf Shores, AL; full lineup and tickets here.

Getting Technical: The application deadline has been extended until Nov. 13 for Mentoring and Inspiring Women in Radio and the NAB Leadership Foundation's 2026 Launch Mentorship Program, which supports women pursuing careers in broadcast engineering, audio production and technical operations. Apply here

Contact Update: Former Cumulus WSM-FM/Nashville midday host Lisa Manning is now in weekday afternoons on Kensington Digital Media’s crosstown Classic Hits WHPY (Hippie Radio 94.5), where she has been working part time for a year. Manning joined WSM-FM in 2011 and did afternoons, mornings and middays before departing in a round of restructuring last year (CAT 6/3/25). Prior to WSM-FM, she spent 18 years in Nashville radio at Classic Rock WGFX, WKDF and WSM-AM. Reach her here.

Bits & Pieces: Barbara Mandrell will be among the 49th class of Kennedy Center Honors lifetime achievement honorees, to be celebrated Dec. 7 at Capitol One Arena in Washington, DC. Her fellow honorees are singer/songwriter Paul Anka, composer David Foster, actor Andy Garcia and playwright, screenwriter, director and author David Mamet.

Engage Meant: WFMS/Indianapolis APD/MD/morning host Matt Malone got engaged to girlfriend Amanda Oct. 30 at Oliver Winery in Bloomington, IN, including her son Jensen in the proposal. Malone tells Country Aircheck, "I've waited a long time for my person, and luckily I found her!" Congratulate the couple here.

Country Aircheck Top 5: Here are the Top 5 songs for the week ending Oct. 31, according to Mediabase.

MORGAN WALLEN/Been By Now (Big Loud)
LUKE BRYAN/Country And She Knows It (MCA)
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers)
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 Nov. 1, compared with the same day last week, according to Mediabase.

JASON ALDEAN/Anytime Soon (Macon Music/Broken Bow) +599 points
ZACH JOHN KING/Get To Drinkin' (SMN) +541 points
KOE WETZEL f/ELLA LANGLEY/Jaded (Col. NY/Records Nashville) +403 points
DAN + SHAY/Say So (Warner/WRN) +380 points
ELLA LANGLEY/Loving Life Again (Sawgod/Col. NY/Triple Tigers) +377 points

Tomorrow's Birthdays (11/3): Ron Brooks, Jesse Garcia, Margie Hunt, Steve Walker.

Web Check: Amazon Music Presents: Parker McCollum Honoring Veterans Day Live from Texas will livestream Nov. 10 from Austin in front of a crowd of active military members and veterans, their families and Under Armour UA Freedom guests on Amazon Music, Prime Video and Twitch.

Whole Kid And Caboodle: Broken Bow's John Morgan celebrates No. 1 "Kid Myself." Pictured (l-r) are the label's Jennifer Shaffer, Lexi Willson and Atlus, WUBE/Cincinnati's Grover Collins, Morgan and the label's Dawn Ferris, JoJamie Hahr and Scotty O'Brien.

Danver And Shay: Warner Records Nashville's Dan + Shay play Denver's Ball Arena. Pictured (back, l-r) KYGO's Big Mic and Brian Michel, the label's Paige Elliott, the duo's Shay Mooney, iHeart/Rockies' JoJo Turnbeaugh and the label's Kayla Burnett; (front, l-r) the duo's Dan Smyers, KYGO's Shawn Patrick and KUBL/Salt Lake City's John E Kage.

Good Times & Finish Lines: Leo33's Zach Top with his label team at the final stop of his Cold Beer & Country Music Tour at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena. Pictured (l-r) are Natalie Osborne, Shane Tarleton, Tracy Gibson, Dusty Cantrell, Chris Fabiani, Top, Meg Goggins, Daniel Lee, Katie Dean and Ana Shabeer; (inset) Top with Country Countdown USA/Country Aircheck's Lon Helton.

Signage: Singer/songwriter Tenille Arts (r) signs with Muse Creative Management's Casadie Pederson.