Matt C. of The 9513 Country Music blog has written a very interesting article on the effects of the consolidation of radio ownership. He makes some very strong points in favor of consolidation of America’s media outlets, in regards to the proposed merger of XM and Sirius.

From a musical perspective, I’d agree that approving the XM-Sirius merger, is not going to have much of a negative effect on the musical end of radio programming. Given that each company has several channels of programming within a specific genre of music that appeal to a wider range of listeners, compared to their terrestrial counterparts and their extremely limited and narrow play lists.

While I agree that the XM-Sirius merger could be a win win situation for the music listeners, based purely on continuing the same strategy of multiple channels within a genre. IE:a bluegrass channel, a traditional country channel. etc.

That said I think one of the major downfalls of terrestrial radio that has rippled into the downfall of “music sales” is completely a product of media consolidation.

Taking all the local media owners out of the market and receiving your play lists from the corporate office has limited the music industries ability to market anything, new, credible and daring to the masses. Thus, a mere handful of labels have only a handful of acts that can get airplay.

Then, the establishment thinking prevails and the handful of acts that do make it on the radio end up sounding more and more like each other, as the powers that be chase some sound or image that got airtime last week, instead of finding and promoting actual artists that have new ideas, different sounds and influences.

With the consolidation of radio station ownership the airwaves have extremely limited slots to work a new artist into the mainstream and instead of developing artists that have integrity and talent, Joe Public ends up with another “act” willing to bend any which way, to get “the deal” and who can blame them. If they don’t bite, there’s a hundred people waiting in the wings for their chance.

If you get a chance I highly recommend reading The 9513’s story.

Last year, several country music artists… lobbied against increasing consolidation of radio ownership, arguing that the emergence of radio conglomerates has limited the ability of traditional artists to receive radio airplay. They’re right, but condemning ownership consolidation on those grounds demonstrates lack of imagination and economic understanding. Within a single market, radio consolidation means more, not less, radio diversity.

Suppose that Clear Channel Communications buys every station in a market with 20 licensed radio stations. …There’s no reason for Clear Channel to launch 3 top-40 country stations because Clear Channel would be competing with itself… Conversely, suppose that Clear Channel only buys ten of the 20 stations in market X and rival Cumulus Media snaps up the other ten… Cumulus and Clear Channel are likely to launch stations of similar format and compete with each other. …local media competition more often leads to multiplication of content than diversity.

You’ll find four to six country music stations on each Sirius and XM, but what you won’t find is substantial duplication of content from one station to the next,… I expect the country music fan should be able to listen to top 40 country, traditional country, outlaw country, bluegrass, Americana and other subgenres with little to no presence in over-the-air radio markets. Matt C. - The 9513 Country Music Blog

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Tim Hensley - “Long Monday” (Rural Rhythm / Blue Chair Records)

Nashville Tenn., — His kind of country may be revved up and full-tilt, but that doesn’t mean Kenny Chesney doesn’t know and love his bluegrass. Taking time out from his own high energy brand of music, the man who has played to over 7 million people in the past 6 years immersed himself in acoustic and bluegrass to help produce band mate Tim Hensley’s first ever recording Long Monday.

Something obviously clicked. With its mélange of classic songs (“Working on a Building.” “Two Coats”), modern bluegrass (“Five Generations,” “Lonesome Dove”), an original (“What A Sight To Behold”) and great singer/songwriters (Rodney Crowell’s :Riding Out The Storm,” the John Prine penned title track), the long time Ricky Skaggs and Patty Loveless band alum turned in a record that gives people a sense of the best of organic music.

“It’s a little bit of everything we do,” says Hensley, known for leading bluegrass and acoustic jams so everyone can wind down after Chesney’s turbo-shows. “It’s got something that shows every kind of bluegrass ‘cause they’re all good.”

With special guests including Patty Loveless, Vince Gill and Sonya Isaacs, Long Monday is a quiet jewel of a record that’s already attracted the attention of Bluegrass Unlimited, The Nashville Scene and USA Today. It’s garnering airplay across the nation – and continues picking up spins and stations every week.

“When people see Tim onstage with me they don’t get the best of what he does. He’s a great tenor singer and rhythm guitarist, but when he gets back to his roots, it’s a whole other thing… And I think my fans, especially, who’ve been seeing him for so many years, are gonna love everything about what he does.” After all, anyone who’s ever been backstage at one of our shows after the concert, they know the real show is the bluegrass jamming in the parking lot. That’s Tim; that’s where he really, truly shines. To be able to help get that on a CD was a true honor… and to hear it debut at #9, well, that’s awesome.”Kenny Chesney

Hensley will, as he does each summer, hit the road with Chesney’s Poets & Pirates 2008 Tour. Though light years from Long Monday, one never knows when or how he may get to flex his bluegrass muscle out there; but for fans of the high lonesome harmonies that’ve set Chesney’s records apart on the radio, Long Monday is where all of that begins.

“There is so much about all of this that’s hard to believe. Whether it’s playing in a football stadium for all those people… or doing the Midnite Jamboree for my own record… it’s hard to believe all this is happening. I’ve always wanted to play, to be a picker – and Kenny’s let me do that in a whole lot of different ways. The idea that Long Monday is #9 on the bluegrass chart is crazy.” Tim Hensley

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Ricky Skaggs

Having spent the last 4 months broadcasting from the historic Ryman Auditorium in downtown Nashville, Tenn., the Grand Ole Opry marked the return to the Opry House with the first Tuesday night Opry of the season on March 4.

This weekend Bobby Osborne & the Rocky Top X-Press along with Ricky Skaggs, The Whites and more will serve up a big helping of Bluegrass music on the Grand Ole Opry.

Friday, March 7

• Marty Stuart — 8:00-8:30
• Tennessee Mafia Jug Band — 8:00-8:30
• Ricky Skaggs — 9:30-10:00
• The Whites — 9:30-10:00

Saturday, March 8

• Bobby Osborne & The Rocky Top X-Press — 7:00-7:30
• Ricky Skaggs — 7:30-8:00 & 10:00-10:30
• The Whites — 7:30-8:00 & 10:00-10:30
• Marty Stuart — 8:00-8:30 & 10:30-11:00
• Tennessee Mafia Jug Band — 8:00-8:30 & 10:30-11:00

The Grand Ole Opry is broadcast live on WSM 650 AM radio, online at www.WSMonline.com and on XM Satellite Radio (XM 11). All listed times are central time.

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