Nothing To See Here ... Move Along ... Move Along

Hollywood, Washington D.C. and yes, Music City are all pretty tightly controlled members-only clubs. That's hardly news to insiders but those looking from afar may not see that.

The recent Academy of Country Music Award ratings news and some of social media buzz is hard to sweep under the rug and ignore. It's not just about the sponsoring group; the good or bad shines on the entire industry. The headline of ratings loss in Variety and the other trades is about image.

The loss of audience is a little hard to figure. Two million fewer down to around 10 million maybe in the nine million area ... And a 20-something percent drop in the key 18-49 demo. That's a pretty strong blow.

Reba was a great host; some would say there was a balance of older and newer stars. George Strait had a prominent role. As a viewer at home, I never wanted to change stations. Who likes everything on an awards show? I stayed all the way through.

I had a few say they tuned in only to turn off and stay off due to the opening number. Bro Country. Not everyone's favorite style of Country music. Maybe a more inclusive number with George Strait and some of the young stars in the "Honky Tonk Bar" song. Or something similar. The big Country music family with all its variations on display.

Award show producers have so many factions pulling at them. The labels, the network, the presenting body, demands of the managers and artists and so much more. It's a monster to plan and coordinate. So many masters to please.

But was it a true industry all-hands-on-deck kind of event? National exposure on an international network. There were, I'm sure, a 100 reasons but where was Garth, Tim, Brad and Kenny, for starters? Previous ACM winners such as Dolly, Alabama, Martina, etc. etc. It just didn't have that must-see-TV feel. You can't miss this show or you will miss history. Some feeling of urgency.

And the Vegas location for too many events is getting to be boring. The ATT Stadium show had a zillion-dollar production costs, but it had a big audience, too. It felt like you had to watch.

Country music is so diverse in styles today. The show did a very obvious choice of displaying female artists despite their lack of chart success. There was a lot to see, such as Brooks and Dunn with Luke Combs. Miranda and George. Wrestlemania was on that night and the downhill sliding Idol, but no big sporting event or cable special. Award show fatigue is what some say. Who knows?

One thing that has to be remembered: People are cord cutting every day. Teens and young 20-somethings don't take in cable TV. They use apps. Programming a broadcast show to hit that demo is suicide. After a lead in like 60 Minutes, you needed to slide right into a big musical event appealing with a similar audience. Something diverse ... familiar.

Going Bro Country after 60 Minutes didn't seem like a great programming move. Playing new, unfamiliar songs in prime time never feels right. Labels want new. The next big thing. Audiences -- especially older ones -- not so much. A national award show has to be broad appeal ... 18-49 down 23%. They weren't all watching Wrestlemania.

Monday morning quarterbacking sucks. Country music fans just want a show that makes everyone proud. Shows off the stars and the epic nature of modern Country's role in the culture.

ACMs and CMAs ... The two huge industry group shows need 100% support. From radio, the press, labels and all other interested parties. A further ratings drop would be very bad. Note: On Sunday, NO radio is live. Radio can;t really help on the day of the show.

The new stars may get radio play but that doesn't mean a transfer to the wider TV audience, an audience that is much broader and diverse than Country radio. Throwing Khalid in around hour three is not going to accomplish the diversity goal.

Along the same line ... The Country Music Hall of Fame. The politics of induction. You can easily list a few that remain off the induction list. Earl Thomas Conley with 18 #1s and huge influencer of today artists like Blake Shelton came very apparent this week at his death ... Keith Whitley, Hank Williams, Jr., just to name a few. Johnny Horton and John Denver on the outside stills feels wrong.

The insider's club needs to get over it. The Hall of Fame needs to bring in a few of the missing and honor people while they're living not after they are gone when possible. It needs to be exclusive, but it looks silly when you read the missing persons list to the public. They have no idea.

Random thoughts: Award shows -- sing the nominated hits ... honor the bigger genre. Stop using an award show to push the next single. Stop being an infomercial for the next thing on the chart. Give out awards ... otherwise, don't be an award show. Something's got to give on this.

Reinvent ... revisit at least openly discuss. The best songwriters, session players and singers are the available talent. USE THEM!

Clean up the politics in the Hall of Fame process. Stop building condos on Music Row....

That felt good. How was your week?