Sorry, fellows, but this is the era of the consolidators. This decision was taken with the corporate bottom line as the most important consideration. Very likely the final decision was taken with very little consideration being given to local radio at the street level. The consolidators ... well ... they buy up vast numbers of local stations, sell off assets and centralize operations. Station programming is based solely on whatever is the company game plan. As someone said above, NASH is a Cumulus brand; therefore, eventually NASH will replace programming on all Cumulus country stations. The only way any change will be made is if NASH tanks. These companies are going for an economy of scale and trying to get the most return on their investment in programming, which is good business practice.
I have always believed that radio broadcasting should be local. The consolidators think that radio broadcasting should be regional or national, with centralized programming being fed to individual stations in the chain, with little or no local talent or program origination. Right now, the consolidators control radio, and they think that their game plan is a winning one. Broadcasting has been in a slump generally for quite a few years. This is not necessarily the fault of the consolidators, but I do not believe their business philosophy is doing any good for what used to be a strong industry and a vital part of many communities.