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Ho-Ho-Ho Ratings

Christmas music rang the bell big time for KEZ in the Holiday throwaway 6+ ratings:

1 KEZ 19.2

2 KOOL 5.8

3 KYOT 5.6

4 KSLX 5.1

5 KZZP 3.8

6 KJZZ 3.5

7 KALV 3.3

8 KUPD 3.1

9 KTAR 3.0

10 KMXP 2.9


...and for those wondering how the WOW factor faired, how does a 0.9 sound? Not good, but just wait 'til next month!
 
Or the 50's & 60's when KTKT was in the 50's with market size about 200,000.

The highest KTKT got was 1956, when it had a 29.8. By 1965 it was in the mid-20's, and by 1970 it was doing 16.0. By 1973, the year I was associated, it did a 22.6, but was down to a 14.8 the next year and 10.1 in 1975. After '79, it never got double digits again.

KTKT did not move from 1490 to 990 until the middle of the decade, and it was initially a daytimer. It was always the "other station" since it never had a network affiliation in the final years when networks still dominated.

KTKT lost to another for the first time in 1970, beaten by 1490 KAIR.
 
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My first thought when I saw those numbers was: Is that a record for KEZ? And apparently it is!

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/...2-kesz-sets-new-station-mark-with-19-2-share/

It's almost like a return to the 60s, when it was possible for a station to get a 20 share.

Is that 19.2 the largest holiday share of any station in America this past Christmas? Looks like WBEB-FM in Philadelphia was close with a 18.6 share. Will also be interesting to see how far KEZ drops in January.
 
The highest KTKT got was 1956, when it had a 29.8. By 1965 it was in the mid-20's, and by 1970 it was doing 16.0. By 1973, the year I was associated, it did a 22.6, but was down to a 14.8 the next year and 10.1 in 1975. After '79, it never got double digits again.

KTKT did not move from 1490 to 990 until the middle of the decade, and it was initially a daytimer. It was always the "other station" since it never had a network affiliation in the final years when networks still dominated.

KTKT lost to another for the first time in 1970, beaten by 1490 KAIR.

I confused 'shares' with listeners of one radio show. The article I referred to was about DJ and PM Frank Kalil who at one time was reported to have half the radio listeners in Tucson tuned into his show. I did not mean to confuse that with the station share number.
 
If that 19 share drops back to a 7.1 (the November number) next book, then what does it mean? A Xmas miracle? A Nielsen wobble?

No such miracle for WOW. The format is a Lump of Coal...
 
If that 19 share drops back to a 7.1 (the November number) next book, then what does it mean? A Xmas miracle? A Nielsen wobble?

No such miracle for WOW. The format is a Lump of Coal...


If I remember correctly, it means that KEZ starts the year with double digit ratings, which looks really good to agencies and media buyers, and will lead to at the least a very good first quarter, and probably a good year as far as revenue goes.

And while a 12 point drop is significant, if it leaves you sitting at a 7 share, then that's a pretty good problem to have.
 
I confused 'shares' with listeners of one radio show. The article I referred to was about DJ and PM Frank Kalil who at one time was reported to have half the radio listeners in Tucson tuned into his show. I did not mean to confuse that with the station share number.

"Half the listeners" means a 50 share. "Share" is synonymous with "percent of radio listeners".

"Rating" is the percent of all people, listening or not.
 
If I remember correctly, it means that KEZ starts the year with double digit ratings, which looks really good to agencies and media buyers, and will lead to at the least a very good first quarter, and probably a good year as far as revenue goes.

Agencies ignore the December and Christmas book in PPM markets, except when planning next year's Christmas time budgets.

They know the numbers are distorted, with regular stations going down and one or two stations going up abnormally. So often both December and Holiday books are ignored.

Most agencies use rolling averages of three to six books, anyway. Buys going down now are likely using July to November books as a basis for negotiation.
 
"Half the listeners" means a 50 share. "Share" is synonymous with "percent of radio listeners".

"Rating" is the percent of all people, listening or not.

Isn't 'share' the term I used? I looked at the tribute site for a long time today but could not find the original statement I was quoting so perhaps it was on another site. At any rate I don't recall if that original statement was any more scientific than I stated. I seem only to remember the term "half the listeners" and doubt that it explained whether a share or rating. Knowing the popularity of the Kalil show back then it might have been both (for his time period obviously).
 
If that 19 share drops back to a 7.1 (the November number) next book, then what does it mean? A Xmas miracle? A Nielsen wobble?

No such miracle for WOW. The format is a Lump of Coal...

I’m halfway convinced that they’ll bring back “All Classic Hits” without the Oasis branding soon.
 
Isn't 'share' the term I used? I looked at the tribute site for a long time today but could not find the original statement I was quoting so perhaps it was on another site. At any rate I don't recall if that original statement was any more scientific than I stated. I seem only to remember the term "half the listeners" and doubt that it explained whether a share or rating. Knowing the popularity of the Kalil show back then it might have been both (for his time period obviously).

A 50 rating would mean that half of all people in the market were listening.

Remember, in the 50's and 60's radio ratings did not have age breakouts, so that would mean, first, that more than half of all people were listening to the radio every minute during Kalil's shift and at least half of the market was listening to him.

In those years, listening to all radio was not even near 50%. In other words, that's impossible.

And even back then, there were other stations in Tucson. And when KTKT moved to 990, it was a daytimer... it took several years for them to be able to add a night operation. When they moved from 1490 to 990, the new station on 1490 immediately became the #2 station, with shares nearly as big as KTKT. A lot of KTKT listening was for the music, not the DJs.

A high-20's share means that other stations got a low 70's share, combined. And all 100 shares were not, on average, more than 25% of all the people in the market.

In any case, there was no share of 50%. It did not even get to a 30% in the best of times, before the move to 990 fragmented its audience by leaving the new 1490 to take many of the prior listeners.
 
A 50 rating would mean that half of all people in the market were listening.

I obviously used the wrong word. The article I have in mind said Frank had half the listening audience. Whether that was accurate or not I have no idea. I do remember that of my high school aged friends he and his station was virtually the only one we listened to. And not only on the radio. Anytime he was doing live gigs anywhere in town we were there (as well as some of his other KTKT DJ's). Frank brought his camel. Chris Borden brought his vintage fire truck. Every new business in town seemed to have someone from KTKT doing a live opening.

Remember, in the 50's and 60's radio ratings did not have age breakouts, so that would mean, first, that more than half of all people were listening to the radio every minute during Kalil's shift and at least half of the market was listening to him.

Everything came from Pulse in those days (at least to us) but I could not begin to tell you how those numbers were calculated. I do know that I was pretty typical. My listening would begin when I finished my paper route with Chris Borden and end when I began my school day. When I got home (around 2:30) I would tune in again to Kalil's show and listen until KTKT went off the air (time varied) using this time to do homework. I would then switch over to KOMA until I fell asleep. Judging from my friend's memories that was a pretty popular schedule back then at the end of the 50's.

And even back then, there were other stations in Tucson. And when KTKT moved to 990, it was a daytimer... it took several years for them to be able to add a night operation.

IIRC KTKT went 24 hours sometime in 1960, just before I moved from Tucson to S.F. Interestingly, both Chris Borden and Buck Herring had moved to stations in S.F. at the same time so it was like old home week for me.

When they moved from 1490 to 990, the new station on 1490 immediately became the #2 station, with shares nearly as big as KTKT. A lot of KTKT listening was for the music, not the DJs.

I believe the "new" station was KAIR which was sort of a clone of KTKT (although I don't remember them using the "color radio" brand). My sister used to listen to them. I think I remember Kalil buying into KAIR at some time thereafter. Might have been the beginning of his brokerage business.
 
I’m halfway convinced that they’ll bring back “All Classic Hits” without the Oasis branding soon.

I’m thinking the same thing too unless they completely flipped formats to something else. There really is not a classic hits station in the valley right now. I have said it before, KOAI-FM should emulate KDRI AM 830 in Tucson. I find myself listening to that station a lot during the day when I’m not listening to KAZG / Oldies 92.7.

The WOW! factor is a non-factor in the latest ratings. How much longer can it survive with just a 0.9 or 1.0 share?
 
I’m thinking the same thing too unless they completely flipped formats to something else. There really is not a classic hits station in the valley right now. I have said it before, KOAI-FM should emulate KDRI AM 830 in Tucson. I find myself listening to that station a lot during the day when I’m not listening to KAZG / Oldies 92.7.

The WOW! factor is a non-factor in the latest ratings. How much longer can it survive with just a 0.9 or 1.0 share?

How do talk stations like KKNT or KPHX survive when they can't even get a 0.1 share here?
 
How do talk stations like KKNT or KPHX survive when they can't even get a 0.1 share here?

KKNT's (Salem) weekday lineup consists primarily of Salem syndicated hosts, whose programs are sold nationally. Come the weekend, a lot of brokered programming.

KPHX presently is airing what would have been on KASA 15~Forty if they hadn't lost their towers. Their translator is owned by Vic Michaels, who also owns KPHX and a gazillion translators across the fruited plains.

The most interesting pair that exists without showing in the ratings is CRC's KFNN & KQFN. Money Radio 15~Ten don't need no stinkin' ratings, but Sports Parking Lot 15~Eighty needs to at least show like the other Sports Parking Lots. Nurse Jeff and I don't think Bruce Jacobs and Dale Hellestrae are working for trade outs.
 
KKNT's (Salem) weekday lineup consists primarily of Salem syndicated hosts, whose programs are sold nationally. Come the weekend, a lot of brokered programming.

KPHX presently is airing what would have been on KASA 15~Forty if they hadn't lost their towers. Their translator is owned by Vic Michaels, who also owns KPHX and a gazillion translators across the fruited plains.

The most interesting pair that exists without showing in the ratings is CRC's KFNN & KQFN. Money Radio 15~Ten don't need no stinkin' ratings, but Sports Parking Lot 15~Eighty needs to at least show like the other Sports Parking Lots. Nurse Jeff and I don't think Bruce Jacobs and Dale Hellestrae are working for trade outs.

If they don't subscribe to the books, their ratings don't get publicly published.
 
If they don't subscribe to the books, their ratings don't get publicly published.

But subscribed advertisers and agencies do get the data.
 
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