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First Ratings for WUMR Rumba 106.1 Philadelphia

G

Gregg.

It may be too early to look at the ratings, since WISX only switched to Spanish Contemporary WUMR on March 11 (after a brief time simulcasting WIOQ). But in the first ratings after the switch, 106.1 is tied for #20, along with New Jersey talk station WKXW 101.5. iHeart blew up Soft AC WISX. Even though its overall ratings weren't bad, its audience was too old.

It will be interesting to see if Philadelphia has enough Spanish-speaking listeners to boost Rumba's ratings. A full-power Spanish language FM was tried 15 years ago but went no where. I'm still not sure if one station can serve Spanish-speakers from Mexico and Central America, as well as Spanish-speakers from the Caribbean (Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban). Each group in the past had different tastes in music. In most markets, one group has a bigger population than the other and the strongest-powered radio stations aim that way.

But Philly is fairly split in its Hispanic population between the two groups. Can Reggaeton please everyone? We will see.
 
To re-iterate: In terms of determining success, Rumba is a station unlike anything most of us have seen. The ratings books are going to be pretty useless to us in trying to make such a determination. iHeart has a very different strategy up their sleeves for WUMR and it's quite different from what most of us are familiar with.

I love when the ratings come out every month but I typically skip right over what's happening with WRFF because it's basically meaningless. WUMR is in the same boat, but for different reasons. I would strongly encourage folks to just not pay attention to what those stations are doing ratings-wise because it isn't really informative of anything to us laypeople.
 
Gregg. said:
It may be too early to look at the ratings, since WISX only switched to Spanish Contemporary WUMR on March 11
Click to expand...

It is. Here's what Lance Venta said after the ratings were posted:

lanceventa said:
The monthly survey period went from March 3 to March 30. The format change took place on March 11 after a couple days of stunting. It's not even a full month of the new format. Way too early to gauge anything. They haven't even hired a Program Director or airstaff yet.
Click to expand...
 
Gregg. said:
It may be too early to look at the ratings, since WISX only switched to Spanish Contemporary WUMR on March 11 (after a brief time simulcasting WIOQ). But in the first ratings after the switch, 106.1 is tied for #20, along with New Jersey talk station WKXW 101.5. iHeart blew up Soft AC WISX. Even though its overall ratings weren't bad, its audience was too old.
Click to expand...
All we have is the March book. On Monday, subscribers get Week 3 of April, so the April book will not be out until May 16. The March book only covers two weeks of the new format.
Gregg. said:
It will be interesting to see if Philadelphia has enough Spanish-speaking listeners to boost Rumba's ratings. A full-power Spanish language FM was tried 15 years ago but went no where. I'm still not sure if one station can serve Spanish-speakers from Mexico and Central America, as well as Spanish-speakers from the Caribbean (Puerto Rican, Dominican, Cuban). Each group in the past had different tastes in music. In most markets, one group has a bigger population than the other and the strongest-powered radio stations aim that way.
Click to expand...
In 18-34, the rhythmic / reggaetón based Spanish language CHR does just as well in San Juan, PR, as it does in Santiago, Chile. For the first time in decades, we have a contemporary format that appeals to all origins.
Gregg. said:
But Philly is fairly split in its Hispanic population between the two groups. Can Reggaeton please everyone? We will see.
Click to expand...
The problem is that a huge percentage of the local Hispanic population is Puerto Rican, and the 18-34 and 18-49 group is now third generation and far removed from Spanish language radio. There has been no significant Puerto Rican migration to the Northeast since the very late 60's.
 
DavidEduardo said:
The problem is that a huge percentage of the local Hispanic population is Puerto Rican, and the 18-34 and 18-49 group is now third generation and far removed from Spanish language radio. There has been no significant Puerto Rican migration to the Northeast since the very late 60's.
Click to expand...

On the other hand, the biggest growth for Hispanics in Philadelphia has been in Dominicans, and a lot of it has been recent. So while Puerto Ricans are the largest group, Dominicans are the fastest growing minority in the city.
 
TheBigA said:
On the other hand, the biggest growth for Hispanics in Philadelphia has been in Dominicans, and a lot of it has been recent. So while Puerto Ricans are the largest group, Dominicans are the fastest growing minority in the city.
Click to expand...
But, numerically, that is a much smaller group because the Census data does not measure Hispanics on whether they are first or fifth generation.

A good example is Albuquerque where the market is 50% Hispanic yet there are generally less than 10 total Spanish language station shares even including KANW which is only "New Mexico Music" after 6 PM daily.
 
Miguelito said:
I would strongly encourage folks to just not pay attention to what those stations are doing ratings-wise because it isn't really informative of anything to us laypeople.
Click to expand...

So if its pointless to us laypeople, why bother putting them out?
If they mean nothing, what's the point ?
If all that matters is what they get internally that is paid for, then why bother putting out a free product?
 
JH_Radio said:
So if its pointless to us laypeople, why bother putting them out?
If they mean nothing, what's the point ?
If all that matters is what they get internally that is paid for, then why bother putting out a free product?
Click to expand...
Huh? They’re put out for everyone who pays. And yeah. It is pointless to try to dissect what are already worthless numbers from a sales perspective when as was pointed out this is reflective of only a portion of one month and is quite irrelevant regarding sales.
 
I don’t know why this is up for discussion.

106.1 will stay Spanish for a while. How many times does it have to be repeated that the attempt on 104.5 was a different time and different initiative?

iHeartMedia is trying to build a nationwide campaign for advertising targeting predominantly Spanish speaking listeners. This is part of an initiative, and iHeart will accept less than stellar or poor ratings for a while before they consider doing anything with 106.1. Look at their Spanish CHR station WBZY in Atlanta. It’s a constant 1 share, but it hasn’t gone anywhere.

If this were an English language format, I don’t think it’d be so controversial.
 
101tm said:
I don’t know why this is up for discussion.

106.1 will stay Spanish for a while. How many times does it have to be repeated that the attempt on 104.5 was a different time and different initiative?

iHeartMedia is trying to build a nationwide campaign for advertising targeting predominantly Spanish speaking listeners. This is part of an initiative, and iHeart will accept less than stellar or poor ratings for a while before they consider doing anything with 106.1. Look at their Spanish CHR station WBZY in Atlanta. It’s a constant 1 share, but it hasn’t gone anywhere.

If this were an English language format, I don’t think it’d be so controversial.
Click to expand...
I hearts Spanish CHR in Atlanta is at 105.7 not 106.1
 
wprt949 said:
I hearts Spanish CHR in Atlanta is at 105.7 not 106.1
Click to expand...
I know, I was just referencing it (WBZY).

Z105.7 is actually one of their lowest rated big market Spanish stations, quite behind Rumba in Boston performance wise. I expect Rumba in Philly will outperform Atlanta as well. Regional Mexican is more popular in Atlanta (and the southeast in general) due to immigration patterns and there is a simulcast that is locally run that specializes in that called La Raza - also iHeart has regional Mexican on a rimshot, El Patron 96.7.
 
101tm said:
Look at their Spanish CHR station WBZY in Atlanta. It’s a constant 1 share, but it hasn’t gone anywhere.
Click to expand...
WBZY is a rimshot deficient signal. No matter what it does, it can't get good ratings.
 
DavidEduardo said:
The problem is that a huge percentage of the local Hispanic population is Puerto Rican, and the 18-34 and 18-49 group is now third generation and far removed from Spanish language radio. There has been no significant Puerto Rican migration to the Northeast since the very late 60's.
Click to expand...
What about those who fled the island after Hurricane Maria? I seem to recall thousands coming to Connecticut in 2017-18. Have most moved back by now?
 
DavidEduardo said:
WBZY is a rimshot deficient signal. No matter what it does, it can't get good ratings.
Click to expand...
I may be wrong, but I believe the highest WBZY ever got was in the early days of Viva 105.7 in the 2000s (I think it was Spanish AC at the time?). The rhythmic AC and Alt format initially came close to a 3 share, but the signal is essentially wasted to the north and is bad for an urban format due to its deficiencies to the south as well as even a mainstream pop or rock format due to the eastern deficiencies.

The WBZW/El Patron signal is the one that’s extremely sad - it has regional Mexican on it now, but that signal has had a million formats and it’s never going to be more than a small value add or a small help by simulcasting 105.7.

At least iHeart realized 105.7 is a better Spanish language formatted signal than 105.3 in the Atlanta market after years - 105.3 is great for an urban format, but terrible for something like Spanish CHR which is where Z initially was. Any Spanish language format in Atlanta has to hit the northern and northeastern parts of the market to have a chance.
 
CTListener said:
What about those who fled the island after Hurricane Maria? I seem to recall thousands coming to Connecticut in 2017-18. Have most moved back by now?
Click to expand...
A few went to the Northeast. Nearly all, though, went to the Orlando area, followed by Central Florida, Atlanta and Charlotte, NC. While the migration of the 50's and 60's was mostly made up of people from very rural Puerto Rico, today's migrants are from the larger cities and metro areas and tend to be middle class and professionals.

And the hurricane caused a small spurt in migration, but it has been going on for about 20 to 25 years now. In some fields, such as medicine, half the professionals have left. Getting an appointment for a medical specialist in some fields can take 6 months or more.
 
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