CMA Announces 2006 Broadcast Awards Finalists

CMA Announces 2006 Broadcast Awards Finalists

Jason Aldean and Little Big Town Make Announcement During Press Conference in Nashville

CMA's Radio Partner Premiere Radio Network Delivers Announcements Live to Country Radio

NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- The nation's top Country radio stations and broadcast personalities were recognized today when Broken Bow Records artist Jason Aldean and Equity Music group Little Big Town announced the 2006 CMA Broadcast Personality and Radio Station of the Year finalists during the CMA Awards Press Conference at Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn. The announcements were carried live to Country radio stations by CMA's official radio partner Premiere Radio Network.

The winners will be acknowledged during "The 40th Annual CMA Awards," broadcast live Monday, Nov. 6 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) on the ABC Television Network from the Gaylord Entertainment Center in Nashville, Tenn.

The Broadcast finalists were announced during a press conference following the live announcement of the final nominees for the 2006 CMA Awards on ABC's "Good Morning America" and a special edition of "CMT Insider."

"The radio stations and broadcast professionals do an outstanding job of broadening the scope of Country Music and exposing our artists to their listeners," said Tammy Genovese, CMA Chief Operating Officer. "These nominees have demonstrated creativity, passion and initiative. It is important for us to recognize their talent and outstanding contributions to the Country Music industry."

Five finalists are selected for Broadcast Personality of the Year and Station of the Year in four categories (Small Market, Medium Market, Large Market and Major Market). The categories are established by market size based on population as ranked by Arbitron. Entries for Broadcast Personality of the Year are judged on aircheck, ratings, community involvement, and biographical information. Candidates for Station of the Year are judged on airchecks, ratings history, community involvement, and format leadership.

Three finalists are selected for National Broadcast Personality of the Year. To be eligible for National Broadcast Personality of the Year candidates must be syndicated, short-form and hub voice-tracking personalities heard in at least three markets with a minimum of 40 shows per year.

The entries are judged by a panel of distinguished broadcast professionals, representing all market sizes and regions.

An aggregate score of the first round of judging and the second round, which is done by a different panel of judges, determines the winners. The international accounting firm of Deloitte & Touche LLP tabulates scoring by the judges.

CMA members who are full-time, on-air personalities and CMA member radio stations in the U.S. and Canada were eligible to enter.

CMA Broadcast Award winners are not eligible to enter in consecutive years; therefore, those who received trophies in 2005 were not eligible in 2006.

The winners will be notified by phone and on the air by a Country Music artist in early-October. The nominees are:

BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR
National Market
"Country Countdown USA" (Lon Helton) - Westwood One
"Danny Wright All Night" (Danny Wright) - Jones Radio Networks
"The Crook and Chase Countdown" (Lorianne Crook, Charlie Chase) - Jim
Owens Entertainment

Major Market
Chris Carr - KEEY, Minneapolis, Minn.
"Cliff & Company" (Cliff Dumas, Morgan Thomas, Bill Tanner) - KSON,
San Diego, Calif.
Kelly Ford, Jonathan Wilde with Mudflap McGrew (Steve McGrew) - KYGO,
Denver, Colo.
"The K102 Wake Up Crew with Donna Valentine, John Hines and Muss"
(Mike Mussman) - KEEY, Minneapolis, Minn.
"The Laurie DeYoung Show" - WPOC, Baltimore, Md.

Large Market
"Afternoons with JD Cannon" - WFMS, Indianapolis, Ind.
Eddie Stubbs - WSM-AM, Nashville, Tenn.
"Karen Dalessandro, Scott Dolphin and Radar" (Tony Hess) - The Moo Crew -
WMIL, Milwaukee, Wis.
"Sam & Bob Morning Call In Show" (Sammy Alfred, Bob Cole) - KVET,
Austin, Texas
"The B-105.1(CQ) Morning Show with Bill and Amanda" (Bill Whyte, Amanda
Orlando) - WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio

Medium Market
"Ellis & Bradley" (Bill Ellis, Beth Bradley) - WSSL, Greenville, S.C.
Kevin Richards Show - WGNA, Albany, N.Y.
"Neal and Reese, The Moy'nin Boys" (Neal Dionne, Reese Rickards) - WBCT,
Grand Rapids, Mich.
"The Kat 103 Morning Show with Steve Lundy, Gina and Craig" (Gina Melton,
Craig Underhill) - KXKT, Omaha, Neb.
"WIVK at Night with Jack Ryan" - WIVK, Knoxville, Tenn.

Small Market
"Afternoons with Sherri" (Sherri Crowder) - WAKG, Roanoke, Va.
"Barrett, Fox & Berry" (Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, Tracy Berry) - KKNU,
Eugene, Ore. Buddy Baron - WBBN, Laurel, Miss.
"McFly and the Ride Home with Marty McFly and Stewart James" - WGSQ,
Cookeville, Tenn.
"Rick Stephenson & Lisa Franks In The Morning" - WFYR, Peoria, Ill.

STATION OF THE YEAR
Major Market
KKBQ - Houston, Texas
WIL - St. Louis, Mo.
WQYK - Tampa, Fla.
WUSN - Chicago, Ill.
WXTU - Philadelphia, Pa.

Large Market
KASE - Austin, Texas
KVET - Austin, Texas
WFMS - Indianapolis, Ind.
WMIL - Milwaukee, Wis.
WUBE - Cincinnati, Ohio

Medium Market
KUZZ - Bakersfield, Calif.
KXKT - Omaha, Neb.
WBBS - Syracuse, N.Y.
WIVK - Knoxville, Tenn.
WSSL - Greenville, S.C.

Small Market
KTTS - Branson, Mo.
WFYR - Peoria, Ill.
WGSQ - Cookeville, Tenn.
WXBM - Mobile, Ala.
WYCT - Pensacola, Fla.

"The 40th Annual CMA Awards" is a production of the Country Music Association. Walter C. Miller is the Executive Producer; Robert Deaton is the Consulting Producer. Premiere Radio Networks is the official radio packager of the CMA Awards, including a stereo-radio simulcast of the gala event. American Airlines is the official airline of the 2006 CMA Awards. Chevy, an American Revolution, is the official ride of the 2006 CMA Awards. Additional promotional partners include aolmusic.com, Greased Lightning Cleaning Products(R), Hallmark Cards(R).

Source: Country Music Association

CONTACT: Wendy Pearl or Brandi Sanford, both of CMA, +1-615-244-2840

Web site: http://www.cmaawards.com/
http://www.cmaworld.com/

NOTE TO EDITORS: For information, visit http://www.CMApress.com for CMA Awards history, photos, press releases and logos. On-line media credentialing for the CMA Awards begins Aug. 30. This is a protected site for the media only with restrictions on use.

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