| Type | Radio network |
|---|---|
| Country | United States |
| Availability | National, through regional affiliates |
| Owner | Triton Media Group |
| Launch date | 2006 |
| Former names | X Radio Networks |
| Official website | dial-global.com |
Dial Global (NASDAQ: DIAL) is a radio syndication company. It is a majority owned by Oaktree Capital Management.
Dial Global was founded as X Radio Networks as a division of Excelsior Radio Networks. It merged with Dial Communications and Global Media in 2006, from which it derived the Dial Global name. Dial Global initially specialized in syndicated weekend music programs of various types; however, it acquired the former Transtar Radio Networks from Westwood One in 2007.
Triton Media Group purchased Excelsior in early 2008, and would soon after buy two of its three main competitors: Waitt Radio Networks and Jones Radio Networks. Triton will use the Dial Global name for all of the network programming. It would later announce its acquisition of the rest of Westwood One in 2011.
As a result of its numerous purchases and recent merger with Westwood One, Dial Global now controls the operations of remains of numerous prominent radio networks of the past, including the NBC, Mutual, Transtar, RKO, Waitt, Jones, and Drake-Chenault, as well as the distribution rights to the CBS Radio Network, whose stations remain under ownership and operation of the original CBS Corporation (although Townsquare has purchased stations from CBS as the latter exits the smaller markets).
Contents |
Dial Global owns the assets of Transtar Radio Networks, Jones Radio Networks (formerly Drake-Chenault) and Waitt Radio Networks; these were three major providers of satellite music programming in the United States.
To remove duplication, in 2008, the Jones networks were consolidated and merged into their Westwood One counterparts to create a new division titled "Dial Global Total," while Waitt remained separately operated as "Dial Global Local."
Based in both Valencia, California and Denver, Colorado, the Total programming service is the result of the merger between the former Jones Radio Networks and Westwood One 24/7 Radio Networks, formerly Transtar. Programming is fed live via satellite 24 hours a day. Networks in the Total programming service include...
| Network Ident | Format | Additional Notes | |
| Adult Contemporary | Adult Contemporary | Relocated from Jones Radio Networks. Also known as "AC" | |
| Adult Standards | Adult standards | Known on air as "America's Best Music." | |
| Classic Country | Classic Country | Relocated from Jones Radio Networks. Formerly known as "Classic Hit Country" | |
| Classic Hits | Classic Hits | Relocated from Jones Radio Networks. | |
| Classic Rock | Classic Rock | Formerly Jones's "Rock Classics" and Dial Global's "Adult Rock and Roll" | |
| Drive FX | Trance/House | ||
| Hot Country Today | Current Country Hits | Formerly "Hot Country" and Jones' CD Country | |
| Hot AC | Hot Adult Contemporary | Relocated from Jones Radio Networks, replacing "Bright AC" on December 29, 2008. | |
| Hits Now! | Contemporary Hit Radio | ||
| Jack FM | Variety Hits | ||
| Kool Gold | Oldies | Formerly known as "The Oldies Channel" and "Kool Gold Timeless Classics", replacing Jones' "Good Time Oldies". | |
| Mainstream Country | Country | Also known as "Your Kind of Country." Replaced Jones "U.S. Country". | |
| S.A.M.: Simply About Music | Variety Hits | ||
| True Country | Classic Country | Relocated from Jones Radio Networks. Formerly "True 24-Hour Country". |
Some of the dayparts on some of the networks offer syndicated programming also offered by Dial Global syndication. These programs include Jeff Young in the Morning on Hot Country, Greg Kihn on Classic Rock, and Nudge at Night on Hits Now.
Formerly Waitt Radio Networks, the Local programming service is based out of Omaha, Nebraska (with plans to move to Denver, Colorado in 2011) and offers network affiliates the ability to have maximum flexibility with their programming. As opposed to the Total service, Local enables affiliate stations the ability to schedule commercials, features, news, and other programming elements without time restraints while still offering music programming and DJs that conventional 24/7 services offer.
Based in Seattle, Washington, Dial Global Custom, formerly the custom music service offered by Jones Radio Networks, offers affiliates the daily music logs, preloaded music on their affiliate’s automation systems as well as access to Dial Global’s copy writing and consulting services. This enables subscribers to this service to run their stations entirely in house with their own automation software and local DJs without having to rely on satellite-fed programming.
The Custom service offers daily music logs and hard drive music loading in 24 different formats, which include the following:
| Genre | Custom Branding | Format or Format Description |
| POP | Mainstream CHR | Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR/pop) |
| Rhythmic CHR | CHR/rhythmic | |
| Adult CHR | Modern AC | |
| AC | Hot AC | Hot adult contemporary |
| Mainstream AC | Adult contemporary | |
| AC Variety Gold | Variety hits | |
| Bright AC | Hot adult contemporary that leans mainstream AC | |
| Soft AC | gold-based mainstream adult contemporary | |
| AC 45+ | adult contemporary music from the 60s, 70s, & 80s | |
| COUNTRY | Classic Country | Classic country |
| Pure Country | Mainstream Country mixed with classic country | |
| Mainstream Country | Mainstream Country | |
| Hot Country | Contemporary Country | |
| ROCK | Heritage Rock | Album-oriented rock |
| Active Rock | Active rock | |
| Mainstream Rock | Mainstream rock | |
| Alternative Rock | Alternative rock | |
| Classic Rock | Classic rock | |
| Adult Rock/AAA | Adult album alternative | |
| Heart of Rock | ||
| CLASSIC | Soft Gold | 50s & 60s Oldies |
| Oldies | Oldies | |
| Classic Hits | Classic hits | |
| Adult Standards | Adult standards |
= Currently Active.
= Due to the purchase of Dial Global, Waitt, and Jones Radio Networks by Triton Media Group; consolidation is pending.
= Active on a seasonal basis.
= To be discontinued.
| Network Ident | Format | Fate of Network |
| Jones Standards | Adult Standards | Discontinued on September 30, 2008. Integrated into "America's Best Music". |
| Jones Variety Hits | Variety/Adult Hits | Discontinued on September 30, 2008. Integrated into "S.A.M.: Simply About Music". |
| Bob FM | Variety/Adult Hits | Discontinued in favor of Jack FM. |
| The Bar | Country Rock Hybrid | Discontinued on 2009 due to low affiliate interest. |
| Smooth Jazz | Smooth Jazz | Discontinued on September 30, 2008. |
| U.S. Country | American Country | Discontinued on December 29, 2008. Integrated into "Mainstream Country." |
| Bright AC | Hot Adult Contemporary | Discontinued on December 29, 2008. Integrated into "Hot AC." |
| CD Country | New Country | Discontinued on December 29, 2008. Integrated into "Hot Country." |
| Sports USA Radio Network | Sports | Spun off as its own company. Some operations now shared with Westwood One. |
| KPIG | Americana/Deep Cut/Classic rock/Alt-Country | The simulcast of the Freedom, California-based superstation was discontinued in 2010. |
| Modern Rock | Modern Rock | To be discontinued 1/3/11. The service was relaunched as Rock 2.0 |
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||