I'm sure part of it has to do with an election year, but....
3.4 to 2.8 is not a "stumble". It is well within the margin of error of the survey, even more so with Nielsen's issues in sustaining a panel during the pandemic.
It appears WABE is for real at least for now. Maybe it's because the Georgia Senate race could decide control of the Senate. But consider that in 2020, the Georgia Senate runoff definitely would determine which party controlled the Senate, and WABE's ratings didn't move up an inch. Perhaps after the Dobbs decision, people became more interested in the election, but I doubt that's the reason for WABE's big increase.
Yes, panel changes, a few non-conforming panelists and just normal changes in listening can do that.
I forgot to add that those of us who have the weekly data from Nielsen see week to week variations that may be even more extreme. And that is with a panel that changes, on average, only about 1% each week; so the panelists are pretty much the same people each week and any panel change effect is not noticeable unless a whole large household listened to one station all the time, every day, and then dropped out or went to Tahiti on vacation.
Dave come on they didn't trip and fall. They have beat the Bull (6+) the last three releases. I did not say blow it up or fire the air staff. It was around 23% drop but this only one book. Google defines stumble "as trip or momentarily lose one's balance, almost fall". Next book if they are back above 3 (6+) this is just momentary. There is an old saying "almost doesn't count except in horseshoes and hand grenades".
Agency buyers don't rely on just 1 month. They buy based on an average of usually 3 months in order to smooth out what appear to be fluky peaks and valleys.
Am Rock, you may be right, but maybe not. It may be connected to the lack of people driving to work because more people are working remotely. The traffic levels are nowhere near what they were pre-pandemic. WSB was huge morning and afternoon during drivetimes.
probably because WSB is right wing to a certain aspect.
Barry, I look at it this way:
Speaking of my circle of friends only, nobody listens to WSB at home. However, I know of several that listen to WABE at home. In particular the mid-day programming.
The only thing GPB offers is Political Rewind. Does that show have higher numbers than the rest of the day?
I did not say they did badly. You misinterpreted my post totally
Agencies don't buy based on one book, and they don't buy on share. Traditionally, they have bought on ratings points, so thus the term "GRIPS" for Gross Ratings Points. If buying by ratings, a share move of 0.5 or so will not change the rating.
Nielsen data released a couple of weeks ago shows that listening levels are very close now to those of 2019 across the country.
