NYC Radio: Report..Cumulus To Start NashFM Brand Blitz

Lew Dickey, co-CEO and chairman of the $1.2 billion Cumulus Media is expected to put into play this week a plan to take his NashFM country music station radio brand and stretch it across TV, print, streaming audio, concerts and even household products, The NYPost has learned.

After planning the Nash-brand blow-out for about a year, Cumulus will take the first step this week when it is expected to announce it is buying a 50 percent interest in American Media’s 17-year old magazine, Country Weekly.

The Nashville-based title, with a circulation of 505,000 a week, will
eventually be re-branded Nash magazine.

For the 52-year old Dickey, whose Atlanta-based company saw its shares grow 104 percent over the past 12 months, 2014 is targeted as a year of change as it takes on radio’s No. 1, Clear Channel, which has 800 radio stations.

Here’s Dickey’s five-point plan after buying Dial Global, and its NFL, NCAA and Nascar rights, last summer for $260 million:

•  Form a dedicated Nash channel on digital radio service Radio, in which Cumulus recently purchased a major stake;
•  Launch a Nash Bash concert series;
•  Team with a cable channel to form the Nash Network;
•  Establish a home-goods line including furniture, paint and clothing;
•  Explore a partnership with Guggenheim Media’s Dick Clark Productions to create a new country awards show for radio.

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