John Zach "retiring" from WBEN December 30.

[davideduardo]

The failed FM simulcast showed that no NEW listeners were
tuning in...

The failed simulcast simply proved that rimshot FMs with poor building penetration don't change the game.

The fact is that stations don't fail because they are on a slow decline in ratings. They fail when revenues cease to cover expenses. So as long as WBEN contributes to the cluster cash flow, it will continue.

Anything else is a political argument; radio stations are businesses, not political parties. It does not good to look at their survival based on politics and one's own disappointment in recent events in that area.

 

[Buddy Shula]

David, please explain why Entercom had to give up on the
WBEN FM simulcast. The idea was to grow the station not decline.
No growth took place, so the plug was pulled.

WBEN was once consistently Top 3 in 25-54.
Those days are long gone. They had a recent 12th place finish.
The #6 rank you list probably was a fluke and the best they can hope for.

Sure, it can survive a while longer with what it has now.
The failed FM simulcast showed that no NEW listeners were
tuning in...

Entercom pulled the plug on the simulcast as we were making no additional dollars with the FM on WBEN. The reason we did not make money as we are top heavy direct revenue. Not agency. We are making more on the frequency now by focusing on events. We have 2 stations making money. Not just 1

 

[davideduardo]

Entercom pulled the plug on the simulcast as we were making no additional dollars with the FM on WBEN. The reason we did not make money as we are top heavy direct revenue. Not agency. We are making more on the frequency now by focusing on events. We have 2 stations making money. Not just 1

As I said, simulcasts on rimshot stations do not change the game.

A unique format, however badly it does, has more chance of creating incremental revenue than acting as a non-contributing member of a simulcast.

 

[flybynight]

WBEN is 10th in 18-34, 6th in 25-54 and 4th in 35-64. It is 2nd overall in the Summer book, so there are plenty of 25-54's listening. In fact, a around 40% of all AQH listening is under 55. 7% is 25-34, and 23% is 25-49.

In local markets that don't have as much agency billing (only 22% of Buffalo revenue is national), selling 25-64 or 36-64 is definitely possible. All adult stations have over-55 spillage, including AC, classic hits and classic rock and even country.

In the last 10 years, WBEN has not lost its share of market revenue, so it is hardly declining or in its death throes.

The format all around the country is in decline. Period.

 

[davideduardo]

The format all around the country is in decline. Period.

But it's an enormously slow decline, and much dependent on the quality of the individual station. Stations like WSB are doing very well, and ones like WABC are not doing so well. Plus, we have to include the NPR stations in the category because they are very much, for the most part, news/talk stations. Some of them are leading their market.

The issue with commercial news/talk stations is that they have to appeal to sales demos, and that puts a restriction on what they can do.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

The latest abhorrent episode finds WBEN local talk show hosts defending the repugnant remarks made by a member of the Buffalo board of education. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/23/n...edCoverage&region=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article
What sales demo does this appeal to?

 

[davideduardo]

The format all around the country is in decline. Period.

From this morning's Inside Radio free news summary:

"Radio 2016: News/Talk Wins Ratings Title.
During this controversial, crazy, contentious campaign-heavy year, it’s little surprise that news/talk wraps 2016 as the most listened-to radio format. Nielsen’s Comparable Metrics Report reveals that it garnered a 9.6 share 6+, up from 8.9 in 2015. That is the largest increase in shares among the top 10 radio formats."

More at:

http://www.insideradio.com/free/rad...cle_fc05a4c2-cc0a-11e6-971c-af822da6c449.html

Uh, "decline" usually means "down". Care to try again?

 

[dand5780]

Uh, "decline" usually means "down". Care to try again?

NPR listeners don't always like facts, but here they are.

WBEN SP 09 - 9.6
WBEN SU 09 - 8.3

WBEN SP 16 - 9.5
WBEN SU 16 - 8.7

 

[TheBigA]

NPR listeners don't always like facts, but here they are.

What makes you think NPR listeners "don't always like facts?"

Do you have facts to back that statement up?

 

[dand5780]

The latest abhorrent episode finds WBEN local talk show hosts defending the repugnant remarks made by a member of the Buffalo board of education. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/23/n...latedCoverage®ion=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article
What sales demo does this appeal to?

Were they defending the remarks, or is this another instance of fake news from an NPR listener? I will say that I didn't hear Caputo in for Beach, but I heard Bellavia and he did not defend the remarks. This of course is all a way to stop the only person holding anyone in the circus and freak show of a school district accountable for anything. The voters had a choice and they didn't want the kid that was already arrested twice since the election to represent them. Next time they could find a different candidate that will keep the benefits of the friends and family club flowing.

It's really irrelevant because one has nothing to do with the other. The fact that this was published in Artvoice makes it even more amusing. Artvoice is even lower on the credibility scale than The Buffalo News.

 

[dand5780]

What makes you think NPR listeners "don't always like facts?"

Do you have facts to back that statement up?

I think that's what DavidEduardo just did.

 

[flybynight]

From this morning's Inside Radio free news summary:

"Radio 2016: News/Talk Wins Ratings Title.
During this controversial, crazy, contentious campaign-heavy year, it’s little surprise that news/talk wraps 2016 as the most listened-to radio format. Nielsen’s Comparable Metrics Report reveals that it garnered a 9.6 share 6+, up from 8.9 in 2015. That is the largest increase in shares among the top 10 radio formats."

More at:

http://www.insideradio.com/free/rad...cle_fc05a4c2-cc0a-11e6-971c-af822da6c449.html

Uh, "decline" usually means "down". Care to try again?

Uh, I'm talking overall in the last 15 years, not a lazy example of a non-election year to election-year comparison.

 

[flybynight]

NPR listeners don't always like facts, but here they are.

WBEN SP 09 - 9.6
WBEN SU 09 - 8.3

WBEN SP 16 - 9.5
WBEN SU 16 - 8.7

I was talking about the format overall nationally.

 

[flybynight]

Were they defending the remarks, or is this another instance of fake news from an NPR listener? I will say that I didn't hear Caputo in for Beach, but I heard Bellavia and he did not defend the remarks. This of course is all a way to stop the only person holding anyone in the circus and freak show of a school district accountable for anything. The voters had a choice and they didn't want the kid that was already arrested twice since the election to represent them. Next time they could find a different candidate that will keep the benefits of the friends and family club flowing.

It's really irrelevant because one has nothing to do with the other. The fact that this was published in Artvoice makes it even more amusing. Artvoice is even lower on the credibility scale than The Buffalo News.

No local media source is lower than WBEN, but that doesn't stop you from defending them at every turn. Says a lot.

And the fact that you are trying to dismiss Paladino's remarks as the now-trite "he's just tellin' it like it is" only reveals you as the racist pig most of us already figured you were.

Go crawl back into your slimy hole.

 

[TheBigA]

I think that's what DavidEduardo just did.

That doesn't address the question: "What makes you think NPR listeners "don't always like facts?"

 

[dand5780]

No local media source is lower than WBEN, but that doesn't stop you from defending them at every turn. Says a lot.

And the fact that you are trying to dismiss Paladino's remarks as the now-trite "he's just tellin' it like it is" only reveals you as the racist pig most of us already figured you were.

Go crawl back into your slimy hole.

The folks in this forum can't even have a conversation without resorting to playing the race card.

Moo.

 

[dand5780]

The latest abhorrent episode finds WBEN local talk show hosts defending the repugnant remarks made by a member of the Buffalo board of education. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/23/n...latedCoverage®ion=EndOfArticle&pgtype=article
What sales demo does this appeal to?

So was this made up, or were there actually WBEN talk hosts defending this? This is a holiday week so Beach is on vacation, Bauerle is on vacation. I listened to Bellavia yesterday, it wasn't him. Was it Caputo? I listened to him today, didn't seem to be defending anything that was said. Sunday was Christmas music. Saturday-was it Glenn Wiggle or Mike Lomas the Financial Guys? Was it Esther the tax lady? Was it Dominic the home improvement guy? Who exactly was defending the remarks?

 

[tbolt909]

The reality is that WBEN has a rapidly aging audience.
Entercoms own people admit this.
The format is not growing.

Paladino and Dandy could star in a remake of
"DUMB & DUMBER". It just wouldn't be a comedy...

 

[davideduardo]

The reality is that WBEN has a rapidly aging audience.
Entercoms own people admit this.
The format is not growing...

We all age one year each and every year.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

So was this made up, or were there actually WBEN talk hosts defending this? This is a holiday week so Beach is on vacation, Bauerle is on vacation. I listened to Bellavia yesterday, it wasn't him. Was it Caputo? I listened to him today, didn't seem to be defending anything that was said. Sunday was Christmas music. Saturday-was it Glenn Wiggle or Mike Lomas the Financial Guys? Was it Esther the tax lady? Was it Dominic the home improvement guy? Who exactly was defending the remarks?

Clearly using the straw man argument, David Bellavia said, "I don't know if he's a racist... the comments were made in jest... it's humor... people get way too upset over this stuff... we live in a way too politically correct world." All the dog whistle stuff, tacitly agreeing with callers who supported the school board member. Sad.