GSP June trends

[101tm]

https://ratings.****************/content/arb191

WORD continues its slide.

The Block proved it could get a 3+ share on the trimulcast, but the ratings have been almost halved. The 96.3 signal has been really bad over the past few months. You have to get past Woodruff on 385 for the signal to become solid now. The other translators on Paris (98.5, 99.5) come in solid in Simpsonville, but something has happened to the 96.3 signal. I wonder if that could be affecting ratings?

WHZT is top 3, mainly due to the fact that everything above it previously slid. WFBC was up as well. I feel if WFBC would get a fresher morning show and imaging they would have a better chance at competing with 98.1, especially with a signal advantage. 98.1 sounds fun. 93.7 sounds tired.

The Lake continues to drain. Real Rock is almost non existent. IHeart has two problem children on their hands it seems. I wonder how alternative would do on 104.9? It used to do ok on 98.5 with that limited signal, but they do about half of what they used to so it may be the format.

Lowest I’ve seen for WSPA-FM. It seems this book slammed all adult oriented stations hard (WROQ, WSPA, WESC, etc). Or, as I’ve said many times, does this market just have too many signals and too many adult oriented stations playing the same songs?

 

[AMRocks]

https://ratings.****************/content/arb191

WORD continues its slide.

The Block proved it could get a 3+ share on the trimulcast, but the ratings have been almost halved. The 96.3 signal has been really bad over the past few months. You have to get past Woodruff on 385 for the signal to become solid now. The other translators on Paris (98.5, 99.5) come in solid in Simpsonville, but something has happened to the 96.3 signal. I wonder if that could be affecting ratings?

WHZT is top 3, mainly due to the fact that everything above it previously slid. WFBC was up as well. I feel if WFBC would get a fresher morning show and imaging they would have a better chance at competing with 98.1, especially with a signal advantage. 98.1 sounds fun. 93.7 sounds tired.

The Lake continues to drain. Real Rock is almost non existent. IHeart has two problem children on their hands it seems. I wonder how alternative would do on 104.9? It used to do ok on 98.5 with that limited signal, but they do about half of what they used to so it may be the format.

Lowest I’ve seen for WSPA-FM. It seems this book slammed all adult oriented stations hard (WROQ, WSPA, WESC, etc). Or, as I’ve said many times, does this market just have too many signals and too many adult oriented stations playing the same songs?

Great analysis! Definitely on target.

WORD is over. People are getting tired of politics and Rush is dead. The "news" cable outlets have all declined in viewers. Talk radio is resetting, too.

I'm going to have to try listening to The Block more. Not my style of music, but I know that translator isn't great.

B is tired. You are right on the money on that one. But they just made some changes (read: people fired) from a corporate level. Although the local talent is gone from midday and PM drive, (and possibly evenings, too,) maybe these out of market jocks can give the station some life. Forget about in person appearances, though.

Again, 100% correct on The Lake and Real Rock. 102.5 is a killer signal. Totally wasted. I don't think they have any jocks on the station at all, not even out of market ones. At least not when I've listened. It's not much different than Jack was....or the new Awesome 99.5 is. Yawn. As far as 104.9, I think they make a big mistake by not putting some urban format on it. (Their HD2 runs iHeart's "classic soul" and it's very good.) It would hurt Jamz and potentially boost their Country combo numbers. The only reason I can see keeping the rock format is they can package spots with their other products - adult, country. Urban would be harder to do that with.

Magic is also a very tired station. Nothing exciting about it. Same old same. But all AC stations seem to be that way lately, not just here in the Upstate.

....and I still think Salem is making a huge mistake not flipping Earth and WGTK's frequencies. Earth is live, local and definitely more exciting than any station on the dial. The jocks sound engaged everytime the mic is on. There's big potential there. Plus, isn't most of 94.5 just satellite Salem talk shows that they want to clear in the market? Plus, with their 95.9 signal getting improved soon, it would be the perfect time to make the flip!

 

[101tm]

Back when politics were “normal”, WORD averaged about a 4-5 share on 106.3. That was with Rush as well as Mike Gallagher, Russ Cassell and others. Given the times were in now with talk radio and none of those voices still on 106.3, I could see them continuing to crash. Their programming is really in the doldrums. Stations like WVOC and WBT have lost Rush, but they haven’t had so many other changes to their schedule.

Magic 98.9 is doing Christmas music this weekend. Is that a desperate attempt to get people to listen? I honestly don’t think most of their issues are self inflicted. AC’s aren’t doing that great in a lot of markets and they have a lot of competition on the older end.

I noticed Bru and Julia were on today during their respective air slots on B93.7. Sounds like they let the few weekend staff members they had left go or moved them elsewhere.

Re; 94.5 - I bet BJU made Salem sign an agreement that the station wouldn’t play secular music like they did with 1260 AM when they sold it. I know their desire to keep it religious (or religious oriented, which most of the talkers on there are) was one of the hurdles they had for years trying to sell it. If that’s the case, unless Salem unloads 94.5 at some point, or maybe a certain amount of time has passed, I bet we won’t see anything secular on it. Earth FM is OK, but I’m really enjoying Awesome 99.5 lately. I like that Earth has actual personalities but I like the music and presentation on Awesome more.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Re; 94.5 - I bet BJU made Salem sign an agreement that the station wouldn’t play secular music like they did with 1260 AM when they sold it. I know their desire to keep it religious (or religious oriented, which most of the talkers on there are) was one of the hurdles they had for years trying to sell it. If that’s the case, unless Salem unloads 94.5 at some point, or maybe a certain amount of time has passed, I bet we won’t see anything secular on it. Earth FM is OK, but I’m really enjoying Awesome 99.5 lately. I like that Earth has actual personalities but I like the music and presentation on Awesome more.

WMUU played a lot of secular music. However, it was way more conservative than any of the evil rock and roll Earth FM plays.

 

[genius]

Back when politics were “normal”, WORD averaged about a 4-5 share on 106.3. That was with Rush as well as Mike Gallagher, Russ Cassell and others. Given the times were in now with talk radio and none of those voices still on 106.3, I could see them continuing to crash. Their programming is really in the doldrums. Stations like WVOC and WBT have lost Rush, but they haven’t had so many other changes to their schedule.

Magic 98.9 is doing Christmas music this weekend. Is that a desperate attempt to get people to listen? I honestly don’t think most of their issues are self inflicted. AC’s aren’t doing that great in a lot of markets and they have a lot of competition on the older end.

WSPA has always done Christmas in July but the reality is they completely suck as a station at the the moment as they slip into the 2’s. No one cares anymore and the station is dying.

WORD’s latest ratings made me laugh 😂. I also noticed no one even comments on their Facebook posts nor on on that idiot Tara’s page much anymore. As with WVOC the moment Gary & Christopher retire or get forced out that will be a dead signal too.

.

 

[genius]

Also Noticed both WSSL and WESC have flip flopped over who was the leading country station.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Also Noticed both WSSL and WESC have flip flopped over who was the leading country station.

It always surprised me that the classic-leaning station did better. but it's good to have a station that's worth listening to when I go to the mountains. There is an oldies translator in Asheville, but once I get out of the city going west I can't hear it anymore. It does reach Black Mountain.

 

[101tm]

WSPA has always done Christmas in July but the reality is they completely suck as a station at the the moment as they slip into the 2’s. No one cares anymore and the station is dying.

WORD’s latest ratings made me laugh 😂. I also noticed no one even comments on their Facebook posts nor on on that idiot Tara’s page much anymore. As with WVOC the moment Gary & Christopher retire or get forced out that will be a dead signal too.

It's really sad what WORD has become. I wish they would take AM and PM drive in a more news oriented direction, but the market is probably too small for that. I'm an independent who enjoys a number of right leaning websites and podcasts but WORD's Trump vs. everyone else strategy and schpiel is getting old and tired fast. People are getting tired of it.

A talk station that is actually still tolerable is WGAC in Augusta, GA, owned by Beasley. They focus more on LOCAL issues and news on their local programming instead of the snarky attitudes of the non-national WORD hosts. I hoped WORD would be brought up to a more national standard set forward by the new Entercom/Audacy (the company owns WINS, WCBS, and KYW for crying out loud) but apparently not.

 

[AMRocks]

It's really sad what WORD has become. I wish they would take AM and PM drive in a more news oriented direction, but the market is probably too small for that. I'm an independent who enjoys a number of right leaning websites and podcasts but WORD's Trump vs. everyone else strategy and schpiel is getting old and tired fast. People are getting tired of it.

A talk station that is actually still tolerable is WGAC in Augusta, GA, owned by Beasley. They focus more on LOCAL issues and news on their local programming instead of the snarky attitudes of the non-national WORD hosts. I hoped WORD would be brought up to a more national standard set forward by the new Entercom/Audacy (the company owns WINS, WCBS, and KYW for crying out loud) but apparently not.

I always thought it was just stupid that WORD had local hosts and they never did local issues--at least I never heard anything but national stuff when I tuned in to Tara or Bobby Mac. If you're going to do all national stuff, just run syndicated programming and save some money.

And I really think doing more "news" would be a good move for the station. Small market or not, people will listen to straight forward news.

 

[genius]

I always thought it was just stupid that WORD had local hosts and they never did local issues--at least I never heard anything but national stuff when I tuned in to Tara or Bobby Mac. If you're going to do all national stuff, just run syndicated programming and save some money.

And I really think doing more "news" would be a good move for the station. Small market or not, people will listen to straight forward news.

Tara and Bobby Mac did occasionally talk about local issues usually around election time or anytime there was “moral outrage” in the Upstate. I remember back in 2018 during the GOP primary for the 4th District Congress seat Trey Gowdy was retiring from the station heavily pushed, campaigned, and endorsed for ultraconservative Lee Bright who had already lost his state senate seat over Bright’s own controversies to primary rival Timmons back in 2016. Well Timmons won the primary and the next day both Tara & Bobby were crying/shrieking on air about it. Yikes! As for the “moral outrage” that was reserved for any type of cultural events, gay pride & drag shows, ways sex ed is being taught in Greenville County schools. nude artwork, whatever county councilman Joe Dill was offended by(everything lol) etc. WORD use to encourage protests against but it’s tapered off to nil. I haven’t had the stomach to listen to WORD since Biden took office nor would I waste my time listening.

Have no idea about Bobby Mac’s replacement other than I heard he was “rubbish”. It’s bad to know Dana Loesch sounds more sane than Tara ever has her in whole career. How many stations had Tara been fired from before getting lucky with WORD?

 

[AMRocks]

Tara and Bobby Mac did occasionally talk about local issues usually around election time or anytime there was “moral outrage” in the Upstate. I remember back in 2018 during the GOP primary for the 4th District Congress seat Trey Gowdy was retiring from the station heavily pushed, campaigned, and endorsed for ultraconservative Lee Bright who had already lost his state senate seat over Bright’s own controversies to primary rival Timmons back in 2016. Well Timmons won the primary and the next day both Tara & Bobby were crying/shrieking on air about it. Yikes! As for the “moral outrage” that was reserved for any type of cultural events, gay pride & drag shows, ways sex ed is being taught in Greenville County schools. nude artwork, whatever county councilman Joe Dill was offended by(everything lol) etc. WORD use to encourage protests against but it’s tapered off to nil. I haven’t had the stomach to listen to WORD since Biden took office nor would I waste my time listening.

Have no idea about Bobby Mac’s replacement other than I heard he was “rubbish”. It’s bad to know Dana Loesch sounds more sane than Tara ever has her in whole career. How many stations had Tara been fired from before getting lucky with WORD?

I'm sure they were all in on the drag queen story time at the Greenville Library from a few years ago. I can't listen. Ever. Once a month or so, if I'm in my car, I'll pop on the top or bottom of the hour newscast, just to see what they are doing. But i usually opt for NPR's TOH instead. It's not local, but just tuning to 106.3 makes my stomach do flips.

 

[101tm]

106.3 could do right leaning talk without being far right on every social issue. Tara and Charlie were not as far right socially until they came to 106.3.
I like hearing both sides and 106.3’s hang up with moral issues and the hard alignment with the MAGA crowd (which in their defense is most of their audience and most talkers have done the same thing) have made it a turn off. Why are politics in Greenville county and SC rarely discussed? Like stated above it’s just Newsmax/whatever talking points repeated.

WSB and WBT used to be good examples of talkers that leaned right but weren’t hardcore. They carried Rush, but they still had some different viewpoints at other times and more news. WBT is doing horribly these days, they still share Vince Coakley with 106.3.

I consider WRNN, WVOC, and WSCC far right locally but not far right near the level of WORD. Even that approach should be welcomed. I feel like the biggest market has the worst talker in the whole state. I think more state and local/regional discussions would be a breath of fresh air to a lot of people. WGAC in Augusta is great with local news/talk.

 

[tylerSC]

I used to like WSB back in the era of Neal Boortz and Clark Howard. And WBT used to have Al Gardner, Keith Larson, and John Hancock. While leaning conservative, but not strictly catering to the far right, but a better overall balance. I am still waiting to see what Radio One does with WBT.