Inside Music MediaJerry Del Colliano

CBS Radio’s move to Nashville (home of “Nash”) is very suspicious.

Yesterday it was revealed that this anonymous company has negotiated a favorable new tax deal to move 200 employees to Nashville.

The Nashville Business Journal outed that company as none other than CBS Radio.

Huh?

CBS – the Tiffany Network people are doing a deal to up and move out of the Big Town for the rolling hills of Tennessee.

Oh boy, would I love to drink that Kool-Aid.

But it all tastes like B.S. to me.

Blah, blah, blah – I know Nashville isn’t New York even if it is a great city.

But CBS Radio isn’t your father’s CBS radio anymore, either.

200 jobs.

An average salary of $48,000 per employee – at least that’s what this secret new entity told the state of Tennessee during tax abatement negotiations.

Who could be THAT cheap?

How about Lew Dickey?

And/or Cumulus.

Who is synonymous with Nashville, none other than the creator of “Nash” itself, Lewis Dickey, Jr and his brother Fredo.

You think I’m kidding?

CBS is ready to launch an IPO or so they want everyone to think.

But they blew their best opportunity to sell the entire group to the one company that needs and wants them – Cumulus (with or without Dickey).  Lew has lost a reported $200 million as his Cumulus shares have declined.

So either CBS has gone nuts or they are setting the table for a December surprise the likes of which will have their employees heading to CVS to buy Depends and shaking up an unstable radio industry.

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