‘Idol’ Parent Core Media Group Names New SVP For Country & Christian Music Sectors

By On 10/17/2012 · 8 Comments · In American Idol, Colton Dixon, Lauren Alaina, Scotty McCreery, Skylar Laine

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The Hollywood Reporter reports that Core Media Group, parent company of American Idol, has named a new Senior VP to oversee 19′s business in the Country & Christian markets. Find out more and discuss, after the jump.

Check out the latest on 19′s latest move via The Hollywood Reporter:

American Idol corporate parent Core Media Group, formerly cKx, Inc., has announced a newly created senior vice president position at 19 Entertainment that’s based in Nashville.

Jim Weatherson, a former executive vice president of Universal Distribution and general manager of Walt Disney Records, takes the title of svp, reporting to Jason Morey, evp and worldwide head of music at 19 Entertainment.

Weatherson, who most recently served as a senior member on Taylor Swift’s management team, will oversee 19’s Country and Christian music business. Among the Christian and Country artists currently on the 19 roster are season 10′s Scotty McCreery and Lauren Alaina and season 11′s Colton Dixon and Skylar Laine.

19 didn’t have an office in Nashville until 2006, a year after Carrie Underwood won season 4 of American Idol. At the time 19 entered into a partnership with Chris Oglesby, founded and head of Oglesby Writer Management. Though 19 has maintained ties with Oglesby (especially when it comes to song placement and songwriter collaborations), that partnership is no longer a formalized business relationship. Carrie’s manager Ann Edelblute (who also managed Kelly Clarkson and Scotty McCreery after they won AI) has deepened her Nashville ties since she started working with Carrie (Ann sits on the CMA Board) but, she’s with Simon Fuller’s XIX Entertainment not 19.

It sure looks like 19 is looking to position itself to do better targeted marketing in Nashville. What do you think this could mean for already signed contestants and future contestants who get picked up by 19?

 
  • Larc

    I’m suspicious of 19′s motives.  What they do, they do for money.  I think they are banking on these genres becoming stronger with AI contestants.  They can dip into the tills in Nashville with shorter arms if they are actually there.

  • fantoo1

    Very interesting. If I am interpreting this right, it could be a good thing for the Nashville based idols.

  • smn73

    Smart move.  Think about past idols.  Aside from Clarkson and Daughtry, who else has done much in the pop/AC market?  And FORGET r&B/soul.  Country fans buy music.  Carrie, Scotty, Bucky Covington, Kelli Pickler all have found success and stability in country as has Mandisa, Doolittle and Colton Dixon in Contemporary Christian.  They need to have an outlet where most of their artist are doing well…and for both of those genres…that’s Nashville.

  • MellyPer1692

    If Idol is going to start focusing primarily on country and Christian, I’m out. Has Kelly Pickler gotten a new contract? Last I heard she had “parted ways” with her label. I like her a lot, she seems real.

  • ptebwwong

    Kellie was signed. Here’s the post on MJ’s about her new label & her getting signed:

    http://www.mjsbigblog.com/kellie-pickler-signs-with-black-river-entertainment-video.htm

  • http://twitter.com/eilonwya10 Eilonwy

    Eh, I don’t see this as a signal that Idol intends to be “primarily” about country and Christian. It’s common sense to have the contact network in place to market Idols in those genres effectively, especially as neither country nor CCM functions identically to the “pop” market. (And I figure Christian snuck in because Christian labels also cluster in Nashville, not because it’s suddenly a huge priority for future Idols.)

    Honestly, my response is less “bizarre innovation!” than “long overdue!”

  • Chris

    Country Idols have done quite well so it makes sense to focus there efforts. At some point it will saturate but so far, there has been enough room in the pool for everyone that made Top 10.
    Carrie is still queen but that’s to be expected.

  • http://twitter.com/LexieONeill Lexie O’Neill

    I hope it bodes well that he headed Taylor Swift’s team…love her or hate her, her team has certainly done a magnificent job!