Westwood One announces today’s launch of syndication of the NASH Icon Country music brand to radio stations nationwide, making the songs and lifestyle content related to the best Country music of the last three decades available to thousands of radio stations.
NASH Icon, featuring “the music that made country great,” is an expansion of the NASH Country music and lifestyle brand that provides exciting new ways for America's 90 million Country fans to enjoy their favorite songs and the lifestyle the music represents. NASH includes radio, TV (in partnership with Music Choice), digital on Rdio, a record label joint venture with Big Machine Label Group, a magazine, live events, and an upcoming retail brand. On December 15, 2014, the American Country Countdown Awards on FOX Television debuted the first-ever NASH Icon Award, bestowed to Country icon Reba McEntire.
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| Marty McFly |
Cumulus owns and operates 20 NASH Icon radio stations. The new Westwood One syndication will enable other station groups to adopt 24/7 NASH Icon branding and the programming elements their listeners want.
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| Scott Gaines |
“NASH ICON is quickly emerging as a cornerstone of our NASH Country music brand, and we’re excited to make this radio format available to stations nationwide given the growing demand from advertisers and listeners,” said John Dickey, Executive Vice President of Content & Programming at Cumulus.
“NASH Icon is a solid, mainstream addition to our line-up of 24-hour Country formats at Westwood One,” added Kirk Stirland, President of Programming at Westwood One. “It employs our top technology, it’s got a great track record right out of the box in Nashville, and it’s got hooks to a great brand.”
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| Lisa Mannings |
As an example of the NASH Icon's fast-growing popularity, Nashville country station 95.5 WSM-FM went live with the NASH Icon brand in August 2014. By October 2014, WSM-FM had grown to become the #1 Country station in Nashville. (Source: Nielsen Audio, October 2014 PPM, MSA; Mon-Sun 6A-12M; A25-54)
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| Darlas Rai |
In syndication, NASH Icon will be offered as a Westwood One Local product using the Company’s patented delivery system to add localized content to the national channel. Affiliates will be able to tap into the strong brand awareness of NASH--with national concerts and events, publishing and merchandising--as well as receive a service that prominently highlights signature content from their local markets.
Four well-known voices are representing the brand on-air weekdays:
- MARTY McFLY—Weekdays, 6 am - 10 am
- LISA MANNING —Weekdays, 10 am - 3 pm
- SCOTT GAINES—Weekdays, 3 pm – 8 pm
- DARLAS RAI —Weekdays, 8 pm – 1 am
For more information on the NASH Icon 24/7 format, contact Pat Crocker at (720) 873-5170 or at
pcrocker@westwoodone.com.
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