User:CashConners

This page is about the radio personality. For Cash Conners, see CashConners (disambiguation).

Cash Conners
File:Cash Conners.jpg Cash Conners in September 2009.
Born	Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Alma mater	Algonquin College
Occupation	Radio personality
Years active	2003–present
Website	www.cashconners.com

Cash Conners (born December 16, 1977) is a Canadian Radio personality. He has worked in multiple radio formats but CHR is his most notable. Conners is a winner of the Top On-Air Performer award from Algonquin College. He graduated in 2002 and has been working on-air since 2003. Previous stops include Star 96 FM Pembroke, 91.5 The BEAT Kitchener-Waterloo, HOT 89.9 Ottawa, 101.3 The BOUNCE Halifax, and most recently KiSS 92.5 Toronto.

Beginnings

Born and raised in Canada’s Capital, Cash began his broadcasting career as senior swing announcer at Ottawa’s Number One Hit Music Station, The NEW HOT 89.9 FM in March 2003.

During that time Cash also launched a weekly CHR chart show, Ottawa’s HOT 30 Countdown. As executive producer Cash designed the clock, produced all audio elements, and even wrote the script. The show has since attained national syndication as The Canadian Hit 30 with Mauler And Rush.

File:Canadian Hit 30 Countdown Screenshot.jpg

The Canadian Hit 30 Countdown website

First break

In July 2004 Cash loaded up the moving truck for the first time and headed West on the 417 to Pembroke, Ontario where he jumped into Afternoon Drive at Today’s Country, Star 96 FM.

During his time in Pembroke Cash also co-hosted the weekly chart show, The Star Country Countdown, with longtime morning show host Brian Burton. He was also involved in the community, participating in fundraising events such as the Starlite Golf Tournament.

It was at Star 96 FM where Cash got his first taste of the promotions department. He conceptualized a ratings promotion titled “Vacation Roulette”. Various hosts from Star 96 FM would show up at unsuspecting listeners houses and award them an all expense paid trip to one of 5 destinations. The host held 5 different envelopes, each contained a different destination. The listener was excited and surprised every time.

Mornings

L to R: Sandra Henein, Cash Conners, Mocha Frapp, Adele Newton, Scott Wilkie

In March 2005 Cash packed up again and headed down the 401 to Kitchener-Waterloo where he joined Adele Newton as the new co-host of The Beat Breakfast morning show on KW’s New Number One Hit Music Station, 91.5 The BEAT.

Once again Cash co-hosted a weekly chart show, The Beat Top 20 Countdown. Cash also experienced his first thrill of hosting a LIVE-2-AIR when he filled in for Mocha at Revolution Nightclub in Waterloo. The rush he felt from pumping up a massive crowd was one he wanted to experience again.

Back to Ottawa

Later in 2005 Cash received an offer to come back to his hometown to launch a brand new station, Ottawa’s Alternative Rock, LiVE 88.5. Cash co-hosted the Afternoon Drive show with Jen Traplin. In a mid 2006 shuffle Cash moved back to his CHR roots and took the reins of HOT 89.9's evening show, reaching new ratings heights.

A 12 +	2006	2007	2008
S2	15.7 (1st)	12.8 (1st)	13.9 (1st)
S4	8.9 (1st)	12 (1st)	12.7 (1st)
A 25 - 54
S2	15.7 (4th)	12.8 (5th)	13.9 (2nd)
S4	8.9 (7th)	12 (1st)	12.7 (3rd)
F 25 - 54
S2	11.9 (2nd)	10.1 (2nd)	18.1 (2nd)
S4	5.7 (6th)	14 (1st)	13.2 (2nd)

The evening show soared with Cash as host. He implemented new features like "The Homework Hour" and introduced a premium text message based voting element to the nightly new music feature "The Battle Of The Beats". In addition to hosting the evening show, Conners also wrote and produced much of the show's imaging.

Pioneering text promotions

In late 2007 Conners spearheaded one of Canadian Radio's first text based promotions, "School Spirit 4 A HOT 89.9 Dance Party". The promotion required researching school populations, setting up short code polls and writing and producing contest imaging. Cash launched the promotion during his show and wrapped it up LIVE at the winning school.

After all was said and done, HOT 89.9 received 30,599 premium SMS messages during the contest's 2 week run. Under Cash's direction the contest generated just over $5,000 in revenue for HOT 89.9.

Launching The BOUNCE

File:CashConnersHalifax2009.jpg

Cash Conners broadcasting with 101.3 The BOUNCE at the Tall Ships Festival in Halifax 2009

In July 2008 Cash accepted an offer to help launch a brand new FM CHR station in Halifax, NS. The new station would be known as 101.3 The BOUNCE and Cash would be the first personality heard on the air. As a new voice in the market facing direct CHR competition from Evanov Radio Group's Z 103.5, Cash realized the battle for afternoon drive ratings would be challenging. But, by the end of The BOUNCE's first ratings period Cash's afternoon drive show was the most popular CHR afternoon drive show in Halifax. Cash and The BOUNCE surpassed former CHR market leader Z 103.5, cutting their ratings by half in the process.

The Big Smoke

In June 2009, Rogers Media's 92.5 Jack FM flipped format from rock to CHR and reverted back to KiSS 92.5. Even though Cash enjoyed 101.3 The BOUNCE and it's staff immensely, he needed to answer a question that had been burning deep inside for years. Did he have the talent to step on Canada's biggest media stage? Cash hit the ground running as the afternoon drive personality at the new KiSS 92.5. It wasn't an overnight success but Conners, along with the rest of the team at KiSS 92.5, worked extremely hard to build the station's ratings and generate a loyal following.

Together, Cash and the KiSS team became social media leaders. They grew the station's facebook fan page into the largest in Canada (128,831 likes as of Nov 3, 2013). They nurtured the station's twitter account to 46,295 followers. Despite heritage stations claiming the lion's share of audience, Cash developed a strong following of his own.

File:CashAndWyldeCherLloyd.jpg

Cash & Wylde with Cher Lloyd, September 2013

In March 2013 Cash teamed up with longtime friend Adam Wylde to deliver a multi-voice CHR afternoon drive show, Cash & Wylde. Along with a stellar cast of producers and interns, Cash & Wylde provided a morning show in the afternoon. Ratings began to climb and by Cash's exit stage the audience share grew to it's highest ever.

A 18 - 34	2012	2013
R1	-	5.3 (6th)
R2	-	6.4 (5th)
R3	5.7 (5th)	6.9 (5th)
R4	4.5 (8th)	-
F 18 - 34
R1	-	5.3 (5th)
R2	-	6.1 (5th)
R3	5.1 (4th)	7.5 (4th)
R4	4.2 (6th)	-

Cash is among the leaders in Toronto media twitter accounts with 7,427 followers. His facebook fan page has 1,716 likes. And, he has 4,857 facebook friends on his personal account. (All numbers as of November 2013)

Future

Cash is currently searching for his next adventure. It could be on-air or it could be programming, but one thing is certain. Cash will resurface soon, recharged, refreshed and more determined than ever before.