Rough Summer for All-News Ratings

[Gregg.]

All-News radio often experiences a bit of drop in ratings during the summer. Some folks are on vacation, some people are heading to the beach, and they may just want to relax with music. But this summer has been especially rough on some News stations.

WINS, which had climbed as high as #3 in NYC, is down to #13. WCBS is #15, not bad. But since the station is also the Mets flagship, you'd think it would get some help from baseball at night.

NYC ... WINS #13, WCBS #15
LA ... KNX #13
Chicago ... WBBM/WCFS (FM) #4 (usually #2)
San Francisco ... KCBS/KFRC (FM) #2
Dallas ... KRLD #23 (part time news station)
Washington ... WTOP #1 (but down a half point)
Philadelphia ... KYW #10
Boston ... WBZ #5 (part time news station)
Seattle ... KOMO-AM-FM #16
Detroit ... WWJ #5 (but down nearly a point)

 

[TheBigA]

The post overlooks the fact that most of the news stations lack an FM simulcast, and are strictly AM. The simulcasts clearly help in Chicago and San Francisco.

But is this a format issue or an AM/FM issue? I think as time goes on, this will be more of an AM issue.

 

[wadio]

How much does streaming figure into this? I stopped listening to WCBS and WINS when they pulled them from TuneIn, etc.

I don't listen to AM OTA anymore, at first due to the increasing noise and interference, but now because after not listening for awhile it just sounds awful.

My phone's data plan is unlimited and pairing it to the car with Bluetooth is simple, but screwing around with multiple apps, multiple clicks, pre-roll VIDEO ads while driving, etc. I've decided I don't want to deal with these distractions and risk having an accident. It shouldn't be that way, of course, if the media companies would settle on a universal, easy to access and easy to use platform. It strikes me like a restaurant fighting to keep other restaurants out of the area when it's been shown that people gravitate to areas where there are multiple restaurants. It's good for everyone.

In the NYC area where news/talk is relegated to the dying AM band I'd think streaming could be a way to increase listening if done right.

 

[TheBigA]

How much does streaming figure into this?

Streaming numbers are not included with station ratings. If you look at the link, you'll see three stations in NY with the letters -STR next to them. That is streaming ratings. So it gets counted, but not combined with OTA listening.

https://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb001

 

[davideduardo]

Streaming numbers are not included with station ratings. If you look at the link, you'll see three stations in NY with the letters -STR next to them. That is streaming ratings. So it gets counted, but not combined with OTA listening.

https://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb001

Streaming numbers are combined with the analog AM or FM if there is a 100% simulcast. But since many stations insert different ads in the stream, they must be listed separately.

 

[drt]

Wadio wrote:

“My phone's data plan is unlimited and pairing it to the car with Bluetooth is simple, but screwing around with multiple apps, multiple clicks, pre-roll VIDEO ads while driving, etc. I've decided I don't want to deal with these distractions and risk having an accident. It shouldn't be that way, of course, if the media companies would settle on a universal, easy to access and easy to use platform. It strikes me like a restaurant fighting to keep other restaurants out of the area when it's been shown that people gravitate to areas where there are multiple restaurants. It's good for everyone.”

You took the words out of my mouth; I also have unlimited data plan and my cell coverage is good; but it has become time consuming if you want to switch stations on my bluetooth system and I need to concentrate on driving without unnecessary distractions. I too listened to WCBS quite a bit in the car until they exited the TuneIn app.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I don't actually use the iHeart or Radio.com apps, but I would assume that voice commands such as "Hey Siri - listen to WOR on iHeart Radio" would work to change stations.

But I doubt that changing streaming platforms is is a major component of the decline of WCBS and WINS.

I'm with you - video pre-roll ads are a total no-go. Any app that uses them will be uninstalled immediately.

 

[TheBigA]

It shouldn't be that way, of course, if the media companies would settle on a universal, easy to access and easy to use platform.

Sure...who would own it? How would they pay for it? You see what's happening in TV. Everyone wants their own platform.

You want easy to use? Nothing beats AM & FM.

 

[wadio]

I don't actually use the iHeart or Radio.com apps, but I would assume that voice commands such as "Hey Siri - listen to WOR on iHeart Radio" would work to change stations.

I tired that in my wife's car with Android Auto.

I said, "Hey Google, play WMAL," and up popped Google Maps ready to take us to Al's Bar & Grill! Not sure that was exactly the name but it was something like that.

 

[TheBigA]

I said, "Hey Google, play WMAL," and up popped Google Maps ready to take us to Al's Bar & Grill! Not sure that was exactly the name but it was something like that.

Their website recommends this: Say, “Alexa, enable the W. M. A. L. Skill”

 

[wadio]

Sure...who would own it? How would they pay for it? You see what's happening in TV. Everyone wants their own platform.

That's shortsighted, IMO, for both radio and TV. They both survived for years using the Government airwaves. It's not too much of a stretch to imagine them thriving on a neutral platform, perhaps a non-profit of some kind. I don't know the exact solution but I'll bet there is one.

You want easy to use? Nothing beats AM & FM.

Yeah, but there's no content I care about on either in my area.

 

[wadio]

Their website recommends this: Say, “Alexa, enable the W. M. A. L. Skill”

Google doesn't respond to Alexa commands. Different platforms. Another problem for the listener!