Programming Americana: Learning How To Make A Niche Format Work For You! –Wednesday September 17, 2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
Programming a radio station these days is tough enough with competition from satellite, internet radio, podcasts, and music streaming sites…How do you program a non-mainstream format? This insightful panel of Americana PD’s will give you tips on how they deal day to day with the challenges of programming a niche format. Whether you currently program an Americana station or have been thinking about adding Americana music to your current format, this panel will share some of the secrets that make them successful in their markets and could work for yours!
Moderator: Chuck Taylor Program Director KHYI, Dallas, TX
Panelists include:
Martin Anderson , Program Director WNCW, Spindale/Asheville, NC
Jeremy Tepper Program Director, Sirius-XM Outlaw Country, New York, NY
John McGue Program Director, WNKU Cincinnati, OH
Getting Down To The Business of Radio -Thursday, September 18, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Whether its non-com or commercial radio, at the end of the day the light bill has to be paid and payroll still has to be met. How do we balance the need to generate revenue while programming Americana music, a non-mainstream format? How do successful Americana stations pay the bills? How do they train sales and underwriting staff to sell something outside the norm? How do they utilize nontraditional revenue resources? Do non-comms approach on air fundraising differently from their news & information counterparts? What tricks of the trade to commercial stations use to keep revenue flowing without sounding like the top 40 competitor down the street?
Moderator: Brad Paul, Chief Mover & Shaker, Brad Paul Media
Panelists include:
Tony Lawson Program Director WDVX, Knoxville
John McGue Program Director WNKU, Cincinnati
Chris Teskey Program Director WAMU Washington DC
Chuck Taylor Program Director KHYI, Dallas, TX
Air Check Critique -Session 1: Thursday, September 18, 9:30 – 10:30 AM – Session 2: Friday, September 19, 9:30 – 10:30 AM
This is an opportunity for radio show hosts to improve their game.
These will be one on one sessions with professional programmers with years of radio experience. You will have an opportunity to play your air check and get constructive feedback on what you’re doing right and what could use improvement. Whether you are currently on terrestrial radio, hosting a podcast, or working in internet radio here’s your chance to get an honest evaluation of your work.
Panelists include:
Jason Samuel Program Director WGCS, South Bend, IN
Jessie Scott Music Director Sun Radio, Austin/Dripping Springs, TX
Call Day –Thursday September 18, 2:00 to 3:00PM
A radio programmer receives hundreds of cds each week, and has limited time to listen. How do you get your music heard, and subsequently, PLAYED on his or her station? This annual favorite, The Call Day Etiquette panel will show you the ins and outs, dos and don’ts of Radio Call Days. Featuring the Best of the Best of Americana radio promoters and programmers, you will hear actual calls and learn the secrets of success to get YOUR record on the TOP of the listening pile.
Moderator: Jenni Finlay (Artist Manager (James McMurtry, Jon Dee Graham), Radio Promoter, Jenni Finlay Promotions
Jason Samuel – GM WGCS
Al Moss – Radio Promoter, Al Moss Promotion
John McGue – PD, WNKU
Joe Swank – Radio Promoter, Bloodshot Records,
Bill Wence – Radio Promotor, Bill Wence Promotions
The Music Meeting –Thursday, September 18, 4:00 to 5:00 PM
We’re looking for the best new music to showcase for radio, satellite, internet programmers and music bloggers. This session simulates the meetings that takes place every day as gate-keepers make tough decisions about what songs to play and what to leave behind. We’ll pick a dozen great songs which everyone in the room will score and discuss. It’s always informative, exciting, good natured and fun.
Moderated by Songlines’ Sean Coakley and Leslie Rouffe
When Great Songs Become Hits By Accident –Friday September 19, 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM
Over the past few years the Americana radio format has seen some of its artists cross over to AAA and in some cases onto top 40 radio creating “homeruns” by bands like The Avett Brothers, The Lumineers, and Mumford And Sons. Other Americana based acts like Lake Street Dive and John Fulbright are setting up to cross that bridge as well. What are the factors that prompt AAA and pop radio to make room for Americana music? How can the Americana music community make it happen more often? Do these left-field hits offer hints at how Americana radio can reach a wider audience? And how do you maintain the integrity of the format when some listeners regard Phillip Phillips and Mumford & Sons as similar acts? How do we turn our happy accidents into a plan?
Moderator: Sean Ross, Edison Research
Panelists include:
Danny Howard Station Manager, WDEF Chattanooga, TN
Scott Robinson CEO / Co-Founder Dualtone Music Group, Nashville, TN
Dave Rossi Program Director, WRLT Nashville, TN
Jessie Scott Music Director Sun Radio, Austin/Dripping Springs, TX
So Much Music, So Little Time! -Friday September 19, 2:00 to 3:00 PM
A panel of Radio Program Directors’s will discuss how they sift through the myriad of new releases each week to determine what goes on the air and what does not. Despite rumors of the demise of the record business, there are more new releases each week than ever before. During this panel programmers will share their tips with other programmers on how they get through those stacks of CD’s. How do they balance the workload between programming the music and their other job responsibilities? What outside indicators do they use to determine their music choices; chart position, press buzz, Internet activity, record sales, record reps hyperbole, internal staff feedback, all or none of the above?
Moderator: Gary Krantz, Krantz Media Group, New York, NY
Panelists include:
Linda Fahey – Program Director Folk
Alley.com Kent, OH
Bill Bowker – Program Director KRSH, Santa Rosa, CA
Jay Moberg – Program Director WUMB, Boston, MA
Amanda Eichstaedt – Station Manager/Executive Director KWMR, Point Reyes, CA
The Americana Music Fan
Friday September 19, 4:00-5:00 PM
Who is the Americana Music Fan? How do they discover new music? Do they go to live shows? Have they ever bought your merchandise? Are they listening to radio or paying for online services? Who are their favorite artists? Are they even in town this week? Jason Samuel surveyed 1,500 people as part of the most comprehensive study ever conducted on Americana music fans. He will answer these questions and share demographic and psychographic data of the Americana music fan base.
Presented by:
Jason Samuel GM/PD WGCS-FM (South Bend, Indiana) and Assistant Professor of Communications, Goshen College
This list is just on portion of the 50+ educational panels providing the tools to succeed in the new music business landscape covering marketing, business affairs, the digital landscape, Continuing Legal Education (CLE), intimate artist interviews to enhance the battery re-charging 175+ act music festival.
Take advantage of this incredible value and be part of the Community the New York Times says is the “coolest music scene today”
