Final nominees for the nation's top Country radio stations and broadcast personalities were announced yesterday in Nashville. The National Broadcast Personality of the Year category is filled with familiar faces. Two-time CMA National Broadcast Personality of the Year nominee and 2009 winner, Kix Brooks (pictured) of "American Country Countdown," is back in the running with competition from Big D & Bubba and Lia Knight . Big D & Bubba were also nominated for the award in 2002 and 2007. "The Lia Show" has been nominated five times, and Knight took home the trophy in 2005 and 2007.
The winners will be notified in mid-October and will be acknowledged at "The 45th Annual CMA Awards," which are being held Wednesday, Nov. 9 (8:00-11:00 PM/ET) and broadcast live by the ABC Television Network from the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood are the hosts.
Five finalists are selected for CMA Broadcast Personality and CMA Radio Station of the Year in four categories: small, medium, large, 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, candidates must be syndicated, short-form, hub voice-tracking, and satellite personalities heard in at least three markets with a minimum of 40 shows per year.
CMA BROADCAST PERSONALITY OF THE YEAR:
National
"American Country Countdown with Kix Brooks" (Kix Brooks) ? Citadel Media
"Big D & Bubba Show" (Derek Haskins and Sean Powell) ? Premiere Radio Networks
"The Lia Show" (Lia Knight) ? Dial Global
Major Market
"Ben & Matt Show" (Ben Campbell and Matt McAllister) ? KNIX, Phoenix, Ariz.
"Edwards & Lee" (Chuck Edwards and Linda Lee) ? WYCD, Detroit, Mich.
"Kelly Ford & Rider" (Kelly Ford and Mark Newman) ? KYGO, Denver-Boulder, Colo.
"Laurie DeYoung Morning Show" (Laurie DeYoung) ? WPOC, Baltimore, Md.
"Paul Schadt Morning Show" (Paul Schadt, Meg Butterly, and Geof Knight) ? WKKT, Charlotte/Gastonia, N.C.; Rock Hill, SC
Large Market
"Chris Carr & Company" (Chris Carr, Jeffrey "Maverick" Bolen, and Jason Statt) ? WUBE, Cincinnati, Ohio
"Coffee, Country & Cody" (Bill Cody) ? WSM-AM, Nashville, Tenn.
"Jeff Roper in the Morning" (Jeff Roper and Angie Ward) ? WTQR, Greensboro/Winston-Salem/High Pont, NC
"Jess, Brian, and Amanda" (Jess Tyler, Brian Phillips, and Amanda Leonardo) ? WCTK, Providence/Warwick/Pawtucket, RI
"Q Morning Crew" (Mike Wheless, Marty Young, and Janie Carothers) ? WQDR, Raleigh/Durham, NC
Medium Market
"Kevin Richards Show" (Kevin Richards) ? WGNA, Albany/Schenectady/Troy, N.Y.
"Mornings with Brian and Kellie" (Brian Pierce and Kellie Michaels) ? KFDI, Wichita, Kan.
"The 97 Country Breakfast Club" (Tom O'Brien, Roger Todd, Melissa Moran) ? WPCV, Lakeland/Winter Haven, Fla.
"The Kat 103 Morning Show" (Steve Lundy and Gina Melton) ? KXKT, Omaha, Neb./Council Bluffs, Iowa
"Ellis and Bradley Morning Show" (Bill Ellis and Beth Bradley) ? WSSL, Greenville/Spartanburg, SC
Small Market
"Barrett, Fox & Berry" (Bill Barrett, Tim Fox, and Tracy Berry) ? KKNU, Eugene/Springfield, Ore.
"Bearman and Ken in the Morning" (Benny "Bearman" Martin, Ken Hicks, Daniel Wyatt) ? WUSY, Chattanooga, Tenn.
"Scotty and Carissa in the Morning" (Scotty Cox and Carissa Loethen) ? KCLR, Columbia, Mo.
"The Eddie Foxx Show" (Eddie Foxx and Sharon Green) ? WKSF, Asheville, NC
"The Good Morning Guys" (Brian Gary, Todd Harding, and Susan Moore) - KUAD, Ft. Collins/Greeley, Colo.
CMA RADIO STATION OF THE YEAR
Major Market
KMLE ? Phoenix, Ariz.
KNIX ? Phoenix, Ariz.
WKKT ? Charlotte/Gastonia, N.C./Rock Hill, SC
WMZQ ? Washington, DC
WYCD ? Detroit, Mich.
Large Market
KASE ? Austin, Texas
KVET ? Austin, Texas
WFMS ? Indianapolis, Ind.
WQDR ? Raleigh/Durham, NC
WUBE ? Cincinnati, Ohio
Medium Market
KATM ? Modesto, Calif.
KFDI ? Wichita, Kan.
KUZZ ? Bakersfield, Calif.
WBBS ? Syracuse, NY
WYRK ? Buffalo/Niagara Falls, NY
Small Market
KCLR ?Columbia, Mo.
KUAD ? Ft. Collins/Greeley, Colo.
WKSF ? Asheville, NC
WKXC ? Augusta, Ga.
WUSY ? Chattanooga, Tenn.
