weekly June 20, 2023, Issue 863
Inside Sevens Radio Network
“There’s a reason why there’s ‘seven’ in the title,” Garth Brooks said at Thursday’s (6/15) press conference launching his partnership with TuneIn. “There will be other stations.” During the event in downtown Nashville, Brooks and his team offered the clearest picture yet of how the network’s flagship, “The Big 615,” will operate, its goals and what’s still to come. Led by PD Bob Richards, The Big 615 team includes host Storme Warren, MD Monta Vaden and industry relations consultant Maurice Miner. Richards says the task was “putting structure” to Garth’s vision. “He’s very clear about new songs from the greats and superstars and new artists we can help build a following ... it’s not as transactional as it is at terrestrial radio.” European Rotation: While familiar, the station’s nuts-and-bolts aren’t as tight as terrestrial stations (see sample hour p5). “It’s definitely a structure with rotations people would recognize, but the category structure is a little different in having so much more latitude,” Richards says. “If we like a song, we play it. We’re not bound by a certain number of titles in a category or a male/female split. There’s no waiting in line. We’ll monitor rotations and make sure songs are getting enough exposure. We’ll be building listener data quickly, but right now, if we like a song, we can put it in.” As for the musical era and mix, “Garth did say we’re leaning traditional, and we are,” Richards explains. “But it doesn’t mean that’s the only sound you’re going to hear on the station. Sonically, it will have the variety people are used to and, hopefully, a lot more.” Warren hosts his weekday show 7am to 1pm CT, with a repeat airing at midnight. He also hosts a Top 20 countdown Saturdays at 10am CT, repeating at 2pm CT Sunday. “There will be an overnight run so we see daylight hours in Europe, Australia and New Zealand,” Richards says. “We’ve had that in beta, so Storme has been doing a countdown for about 20 people at TuneIn for the past few weeks.” Filling out the rest of the staff is one of Richards’ next priorities. Repeat airings will add fresh breaks for international audiences. “We also have some ‘reporters,’” Richards says. “People in the U.K., Australia and Singapore who will be on his show regularly.” (continued on page 5)
St. Lunatics: River House/Columbia‘s Luke Combs draws a crowd at Busch Stadium in St. Louis Saturday (6/17). Pictured (l-r) are WIL‘s Tommy Mattern, Country Aircheck‘s Chuck Aly, the label‘s Lauren Longbine, Combs, KSD‘s Dusty Panhorst and WIL‘s Marty Brooks.
Career Arc Gets Top Billings
When Karen Gallagher was named Market Manager for Townsquare’s Billings, MT five-station cluster in April (CAT 4/24), a 30-year career that has primarily revolved around Country KCTR was brought full-circle. “It’s been a long trip,” admits Gallagher, who says she was 12 when she knew she wanted to get into broadcasting. “After high school, I went to broadcasting school and then got my first job at KLTZ/Glasgow, MT. The guy I was dating was transferred to Billings, so I moved with him. I saw a new station was signing on, so I applied.” Gallagher was hired for KCTR’s 7pm to midnight shift in 1988 and moved up the ranks. “I moved to middays, then added APD duties. I did that for almost 14 years.” Gallagher faced her first major setback in 2001. “Clear Channel bought us and there were a bunch of Karen Gallagher cuts,” she says. “I was pregnant with our second child,
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