Hello, And Welcome To 2018!

I bring you terrific news to start the New Year: the music industry took a two-week breather over the holidays, and – apparently – decided to continue making music. No official statement about that as of yet from whomever the Prime Minister Of Twang is, but since everybody showed up for work again this week with renewed passion, delirious Instagram feeds, and utopian resolutions, I sorta figured it was game-on.

But, you'd better have YOUR game on, because the year is already starting with fire and fury. If we somehow survive this week's Bomb Cyclone and next week's St. Jude Seminar, let's try and get our collective arms around the fact that Country Radio Seminar (CRS) starts exactly one month from tomorrow (1/5).

Truth.

Monday, February 5th, #CRS2018 kicks off at Nashville's Omni Hotel. I've learned over the years that it's good to be prepared for CRS, because, as the famous English statesman Winston Churchill once said, "He who fails to plan, is planning to fail."

You don't want to fail CRS, right?

Lucky for you, I've poured over the agenda and interviewed hundreds of CRS staffers, agenda committee members, and chairpersons, in an attempt to help you better prepare for a week of learning, study, and overall professional enrichment – sandwiched between long evenings filled with debauchery. In the first of a two-part CRS Preview, CRS Agenda Chair Greg Frey – who moonlights as Cumulus Media VP/Programming Operations – and CRS Executive Director Bill Mayne were kind enough to supply today's highlights.

Less Is More

This week, we’ll focus on Tuesday, February 6th, the first full day of CRS. What you'll notice when scanning the agenda for 2018 is a leaner, more streamlined curriculum. There are little to no concurrent sessions this year, as Frey explains. "In the past, we've had three days of seminars, and a few years ago, we cut that down to two days. We'd been trying to fit three days of content into those two days, resulting in too many competing panels that drew people away from each room. This year, we decided to identify the best, most cutting-edge panels, speakers, and workshops for attendees. [CRS Agenda Co-Vice Chairs] Jay Cruze and Judy Lakin and I worked with the committee to accomplish this. People will be able to attend more sessions and get more out of each panel they see."

Mentoring Breakfasts – Programming, Sales, Labels

7:30a (CT)

That said, there are three concurrent morning sessions on Tuesday, falling under the Mentoring Breakfast umbrella. In spite of an early (7:30a) start, the mentoring sessions have always been well attended, and staffed by some of our industry's biggest, most prestigious names from all aspects of radio and music. This year, the committee is presenting specialized sessions for programming, label industry, and sales categories.

"A couple of years ago, we introduced the Women's Mentoring breakfast, which turned out to be tremendously popular," said Frey. "We thought we'd test the waters with two more that are more specific – sales and the label-side if the industry. We hope to get similar strong feedback on these, too." Commenting on the A-List of mentors who participate, Frey added, "It has really been fulfilling to see radio and other parts of the business come and offer their time to mentor others. We've all had our mentors, and these people are looking to provide the same kind of career guidance."

Miles Adcox – Intentional Living: How To Get Your Life Back

8:30a (CT)

"This is a part of our health and wellness initiative that we started a number of years ago," explains Bill Mayne. "My first year as CRS Executive Director was when so many in the industry were being laid off with the economy in the tank in 2009. As an industry service organization, we have an obligation at CRS to take care our folks. We started doing various programs at CRS, starting with ‘The Art of Transition’ session in 2010. We also brought in the Cleveland Heart Lab for free inflammation testing, and we received letters from people saying CRS saved their life with that screening. We also did COPD screenings, and last year, free hearing evaluations."

This year, the focus is on intentional thinking; getting your life off auto pilot. "We all run so hard and fast as multi-taskers," explains Mayne. "A lot of us just don’t take very good care of ourselves. Most people in our business wake up and immediately check their cell phone, fall out of bed half asleep, and are instantly in panic/crisis mode. It's not a good or effective way to live and be your best."

Adcox has a diverse background as owner and operator of wellness facilities outside of Nashville called On Site, with one property called Milestones, which is a rehabilitation program. Mayne told me Adcox helps clients deal with all kinds of issues, from childhood trauma, to sexual abuse, and all sorts of challenges people have. "These are fixable issues, and they don't have to be addressed with drugs," adds Mayne. Attendees may have seen Adcox’s appearances on "Dr. Phil," "Ellen," and "The Doctors," helping people to live a more centered, balanced life. "Miles is very good at putting things into perspective – giving you an outlook and peace of mind, to help you regain control of your life," says Mayne.

This will hopefully set the table for CRS week, as it's the first session of the week. "He and I had a conversation about that," Mayne says. "It's the morning after the first night at CRS, where everybody reunites with friends and stays out way too late. But, there are people at CRS who want to attend, who know life can get too hectic."

Edison Research Presentation

9:30a (CT)

Another session Frey is excited about is the Edison study, which will focus on the explosion of Smart Speakers. "As a radio guy, I'm so excited about these products, because it is putting radio back into the kitchen, which is a space we haven't occupied in years. This study will help programmers figure out how they can educate their listeners to use radio again and bring it back into the home. There's eye-opening data about who is using these devices, and many are heavy radio users."

Facebook: Like It, Love It, Share It!

2:30p (CT)

In the past, CRS has featured social media panels that talked about various platforms in a broad, general sense. But, Frey says, "We've all seen study after study showing Facebook as the predominant social media platform for our listeners. We felt a need to focus and give it the attention it deserves. It will likely take on the form a workshop, too, so people will have a chance to interact and learn how your posts can be seen; what it means for people to share it; how to create content, and allow for more likes and shares. It's specific to Facebook, of course, and I think it will give Country programmers a real leg up on this platform when they get back to the station."

Radio Today With Cumulus Media CEO Mary Berner

3:30p (CT)

Since this Q&A session, moderated by Emmis/New York VP/Market Manager Charlie Morgan, was originally booked, there has been significant activity in the company, with its November Chapter 11 filing. But, Berner has been a great, positive face for the company since joining as CEO in 2015. I asked Frey what he expects her message to be at CRS. "The main message, just as it has been to those of us in the company, is optimism," said Frey. "She's bullish on the industry, and Cumulus in particular. She'll touch on her experience in the radio world so far, as she is new to this industry; she's a great speaker, and I look forward to hearing what she has to say, too. She'll probably share her experience falling in love with Country radio, in particular."

CRS Tuesday concludes as it began: with a mentoring session, this one focusing on air talent. It's billed as a "Happy Hour," which – for on-air peeps – usually means the precious sixty minutes after your show before you sit in the PD’s office for that spirited morning show meeting. Presumably, this session will have actual spirits.

While the agenda is leaner, it's no less impactful, and I know the agenda team has been working very hard to make these sessions worth your while. You can find out more about #CRS2018 by logging on to the great-looking, newly redesigned CRS website, clicking the event info tab, and finding agenda on the drop-down menu.

Next week: a look at CRS for Wednesday, February 7th.