What's up with Rock in Atlanta?

[jabba17]

Both River and Rock100.5 were way up this month in 6+, with 6.7(!) and 3.2 shares respectively. River is the most popular music station and second overall behind sister WSB-AM/WSBB.

In other news, B98.5 had their worst outing in a long time, in line with the two CHRs. What's happening there?

How do the real numbers look?

 

[RoddyFreeman]

This is the first time that Rock 100.5 has cracked a 3 share in Persons 6+. That tells you that its adult male numbers have to be through the roof. And yes, 97-1 The River had by far its best month ever.

On the female size, B98.5 had its worst month in a long time. B98.5 has the inherent advantage of being the station tuned in at restaurants, retail businesses, offices and homes during the day because it's perceived as agreeable background for almost anything. The numbers they get from that gives them quite a head start versus competitors.

I believe in not putting too much credence in just 1 month and am not drawing any conclusions.

One question: While this is Rock 100.5's first foray into the 3's, does anyone recall whether Q100 ever topped a 3 share when it was on 100.5? I'm thinking it might have shortly before the move to 99.7.

 

[RadioDoogie]

I used to keep up with these when RROnline used to post the music charts and ratings together. Q100 always was in the 2 range from 2001 up until the transmitter power increase in October 2005. Then they would straddle the 3 range back and forth but in the low 3's and sometimes in the high 2's. Since the move "to the left" at 99.7 in January 2008, they have always stayed above 3.

 

[ATLD]

Maybe a Meter change? Not sure. As far as rock stations go, it seems like Cumulus is hitting 1057 from both sides, the older and younger demos, with Rock 1005 and (to a lesser extent) 99X. It's hard to say without looking at the demos, but as far as 6+ Goes those are the worst ratings I've ever seen for 105.7. I've noticed that as 100.5 trended more mainstream, 105.7 became more rock based. This is exemplified by their current music mix and adjusted positioner as "ROCK alternative." I'm assuming this is to protect their male demo.

 

[davideduardo]

Maybe a Meter change?

The meters are changing constantly... on average, about 8% of the panel turns over every month.

 

[ATLD]

Is the change ever significant enough to skew numbers in certain books?

 

[secondchoice]

BTW here is an easy link to ratings:


http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb047

 

[secondchoice]

I just wonder what Rock 100.5 would do with a better signal. IMHO they would have younger demo's than 97.1. You just have wonder how long Cumulus is going to keep under performing programming on 106.7? The paid crap on the weekend would have to accept 100.5 or go to AM. IMHO 100.5 mono would work as well as 95.5

 

[davideduardo]

Is the change ever significant enough to skew numbers in certain books?

The change is enough to affect numbers sometimes. If a station loses a couple of heavy listeners and they are not replaced with other similarly heavy listeners, it can definitely affect the numbers enough to be noticeable.

Just look at the math. If there are, let's say, 2000 in-tab meters in a market, and a PUR of 9%, that means on average only 180 meters actually detecting any listening. A station with a 5 share would have about 8 to 10 meters detecting it at any given time... so a change in a couple of meters could drop that station's share noticably.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I just wonder what Rock 100.5 would do with a better signal. IMHO they would have younger demo's than 97.1. You just have wonder how long Cumulus is going to keep under performing programming on 106.7? The paid crap on the weekend would have to accept 100.5 or go to AM. IMHO 100.5 mono would work as well as 95.5

We've been talking about this for several years, but Cumulus seems committed to the News/Talk format on 106.7.