No Krogers left in STL ...

But where there are, they want their commercials respected...

From Tom Taylor:

Kroger, a heavy radio user, doesn't want its spots running on “commercial-free” stations.

TRI's got a copy of this email from the Kroger agency - "Hello radio partners, a couple weeks ago I had sent out a request for information in regards to your station using the verbiage 'commercial-free.' After much discussion with CB&S/Kroger Corporate, we absolutely cannot have spots running on a station that communicates that it is 'commercial free.' Please let me know as soon as possible that you will stop using this specific verbiage. All other stations across the nation have accommodated this request." It's impossible to know if that last statement's true - but there are going to be some serious conversations at the department head level about a tactic music radio has employed for decades. Why would a client dislike it? It communicates a negative about advertising, which is, after all, what pays the bills. Sounds like grocery chain Kroger is (ahem) fed up.