Nielsen April Report

[tbolt909]

Radio Industry News, Radio Show Prep, Radio Promotions, Radio Station Data, Podcast News

WBLK still #1 with a 2 share lead over WYRK. WBUF has plummeted even further to a 1.5 (Tied with The Wolf in the Hall of Shame). Breeze went up slightly to a 2.9, which is still a feeble number for that signal. Perhaps format changes are coming as were speculated in another thread.

**Note typo in the link above says April 2020 report...**

 

[SirRoxalot]

Does anybody else remember WHTT beating WBEN previously? Or WNED-FM as high as 3.3?

 

[tbolt909]

Does anybody else remember WHTT beating WBEN previously? Or WNED-FM as high as 3.3?

The old demos in Buffalo have kept WBEN alive longer than its counterparts in other markets. The death spiral is slower than elsewhere but inevitable.

It is interesting that Classical (which some people would say is a niche format) is crushing WBUF and The Wolf. Commercial Radio may want to take notice of this...

 

[CSMWNY]

The old demos in Buffalo have kept WBEN alive longer than its counterparts in other markets. The death spiral is slower than elsewhere but inevitable.

It is interesting that Classical (which some people would say is a niche format) is crushing WBUF and The Wolf. Commercial Radio may want to take notice of this...

These are stressful times we live in and sometimes people just want something soothing on. I for one listen to WNED when I'm Doordashing. I just want something relaxing on in the background when I'm driving around in traffic. Sometimes people want a break from nerve wracking political talk and music stations playing the same burned out songs over and over. I do think it works better as a member-supported station though. It might distract from the soothing atmosphere of the station if there were too many commercials.

 

[tbolt909]

These are stressful times we live in and sometimes people just want something soothing on. I for one listen to WNED when I'm Doordashing. I just want something relaxing on in the background when I'm driving around in traffic. Sometimes people want a break from nerve wracking political talk and music stations playing the same burned out songs over and over. I do think it works better as a member-supported station though. It might distract from the soothing atmosphere of the station if there were too many commercials.

I agree. However, there was a time when Jazz was a successful commercial format. My point is that Commercial Radio is stagnant. They keep rolling out burned out formats like WBUF or an ill conceived Country idea like The Wolf. Those are two examples that aren't generating any ratings or listener passion. There should be room for more than Hot Dogs & Hamburgers on commercial Radio. Of course, when a company is drowning in debt Programming is irrelevant...

 

[davideduardo]

I agree. However, there was a time when Jazz was a successful commercial format.

The non-jazz "smooth jazz" format was successful commercially. True jazz has very few and rare success formatsñ.

My point is that Commercial Radio is stagnant.

Yes, it only ages a by a year every calendar year that goes by. Same as people. Today's AC listener is likely tomorrow's as well.

They keep rolling out burned out formats like WBUF or an ill conceived Country idea like The Wolf.

Maybe they make enough money or the cost of a change is greater than what they can make for years into the future.

Those are two examples that aren't generating any ratings or listener passion.

They get enough so that they contribute to cluster sales. A format change means conversion expense and as much as a year of nearly total lost revenue.

There should be room for than Hot Dogs & Hamburgers on commercial Radio. Of course, when a company is drowning in debt Programming is irrelevant...

That is absolute oversimplification.

 

[tbolt909]

Maybe they make enough money or the cost of a change is greater than what they can make for years into the future.

They get enough so that they contribute to cluster sales. A format change means conversion expense and as much as a year of nearly total lost revenue.

Gotta love Circular Logic. WBEN FM simulcast= Fail.
Alternative= Fail. Country= Fail. Those are the last 3 formats on 107.7. Audacy Buffalo has now sold STAR to EMF. Doesn't sound like that move will help "cluster sales" there...

 

[Gregg.]

WTSS is at #8 in this ratings period. Will this be its last as a Hot AC, before the EMF folks take over? Makes you wonder if #15 WBUF isn't ready to go Hot AC and call itself "Star 92.9" when 102.5 becomes K-Love.

Note that Class A, 50,000 watt WWKB 1520 is barely in the ratings. Just a .1. Another Sports Betting Class A station, KGO San Francisco, is doing a little better. It's at a .2. Amazing that WWKB and KGO are commercial English-language stations. It's not like they're playing Hungarian folk tunes.

 

[davideduardo]

Note that Class A, 50,000 watt WWKB 1520 is barely in the ratings. Just a .1.

Remember, 50 kw at 1520 is almost as good as 1 kw at 550. While WWKB covers lots of useless areas at night via skywave, it is not the world's greatest signal in its local area due to the very high frequency.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

WTSS is at #8 in this ratings period. Will this be its last as a Hot AC, before the EMF folks take over? Makes you wonder if #15 WBUF isn't ready to go Hot AC and call itself "Star 92.9" when 102.5 becomes K-Love.

Note that Class A, 50,000 watt WWKB 1520 is barely in the ratings. Just a .1. Another Sports Betting Class A station, KGO San Francisco, is doing a little better. It's at a .2. Amazing that WWKB and KGO are commercial English-language stations. It's not like they're playing Hungarian folk tunes.

Hungarian folk tunes in Buffalo would get better numbers than what's now offered, even better if Polish folk tunes were added to the rotation. Add some Croatian in light rotation. Get a morning guy named Milos ("in the morning"), Zoltan in midday, and an afternoon guy named Stan ... and there's your two share. [/light humor]
§
KB isn't there for the ratings, it's there to clear the lame betting format that's promoted by the delisted-six-cents-a-share-OTC-traded-emabarrassment-of-a-radio-company. This type of "entertainment" is easily found on a number of websites and streaming. There's no need to tune an AM radio to find it. The ratings clearly show this. But what's the alternate format choice for the once legendary, now sad sack 50kW AM that once was a market, if not national, leader? Not much. So rambling-for-gambling it is.

If Audacy sells the Big Tree Road transmitter site to a developer ("Tower Estates, starting at $450,000, choice lots now available"), and WGR is shoe-horned to the WBEN Grand Island site, would any radio observer be surprised if Audacy simply let WWKB go dark?

You can imagine hearing the wooosh of CP applications at the FCC to change frequency and increase power in Brockport, NY; Boston, MA and Mineola, NY. [/light humor ... again]

 

[topsound]

Hungarian folk tunes in Buffalo would get better numbers than what's now offered, even better if Polish folk tunes were added to the rotation. Add some Croatian in light rotation. Get a morning guy named Milos ("in the morning"), Zoltan in midday, and an afternoon guy named Stan ... and there's your two share. [/light humor]
§
KB isn't there for the ratings, it's there to clear the lame betting format that's promoted by the delisted-six-cents-a-share-OTC-traded-emabarrassment-of-a-radio-company. This type of "entertainment" is easily found on a number of websites and streaming. There's no need to tune an AM radio to find it. The ratings clearly show this. But what's the alternate format choice for the once legendary, now sad sack 50kW AM that once was a market, if not national, leader? Not much. So rambling-for-gambling it is.

If Audacy sells the Big Tree Road transmitter site to a developer ("Tower Estates, starting at $450,000, choice lots now available"), and WGR is shoe-horned to the WBEN Grand Island site, would any radio observer be surprised if Audacy simply let WWKB go dark?

You can imagine hearing the wooosh of CP applications at the FCC to change frequency and increase power in Brockport, NY; Boston, MA and Mineola, NY. [/light humor ... again]

"Milos (pronounced MEE-losh of course) in the Morning." Has a nice ring.

 

[topsound]

"Milos (pronounced MEE-losh of course) in the Morning." Has a nice ring.

Very Seinfeldian

 

[KurtLockport]

Does anybody else remember WHTT beating WBEN previously? Or WNED-FM as high as 3.3?

WBEN fixed what wasn't broken and has been a disaster since their format change. WHLD of course reacted to the WBEN format change and likely picked up all of their listeners from WBEN (which isn't many) by picking up all of the shows that WBEN dropped.

Now imagine how many didn't find WHLD.

The shows they kept are pretty much all local hosts who admitted they're being censored, and resort to discussing strange topics that no one wants to listen to.

 

[MarkW]

WTSS is at #8 in this ratings period. Will this be its last as a Hot AC, before the EMF folks take over? Makes you wonder if #15 WBUF isn't ready to go Hot AC and call itself "Star 92.9" when 102.5 becomes K-Love.

That won't be happening. 96.1 has already begun making adjustments. That's the right decision, in my opinion. That's not to say 92.9 should be exempt from changes at some point, but the appropriate move relative to Star 102.5's impending demise is to strengthen 96.1.

 

[spt87]

WBEN fixed what wasn't broken and has been a disaster since their format change. WHLD of course reacted to the WBEN format change and likely picked up all of their listeners from WBEN (which isn't many) by picking up all of the shows that WBEN dropped.

Now imagine how many didn't find WHLD.

The shows they kept are pretty much all local hosts who admitted they're being censored, and resort to discussing strange topics that no one wants to listen to.

WBEN changed formats?

 

[flybynight]

The shows they kept are pretty much all local hosts who admitted they're being censored, and resort to discussing strange topics that no one wants to listen to.

Oh, you mean they are saying they're being censored to mitigate the poutrage of their MAGA audience who want to know why they're not continuing to pefddle the stolen election lie. Got it. At 9 cents a share, David Field cannot afford any legal exposure at this point.

 

[davideduardo]

The shows they kept are pretty much all local hosts who admitted they're being censored, and resort to discussing strange topics that no one wants to listen to.

When a station has a program director and management that determine what the content of a station's programming should be, that is not "censorship" any more than the Sports Editor of a newspaper would not allow a reporter in his department to review restaurants or feature investment advice.

That's no different than not expecting to hear Garth Brooks on a classical music station.

 

[ckg279]

That won't be happening. 96.1 has already begun making adjustments. That's the right decision, in my opinion. That's not to say 92.9 should be exempt from changes at some point, but the appropriate move relative to Star 102.5's impending demise is to strengthen 96.1.

Which MIGHT translate to an image and/or moniker change when Star fades out for good; remember, TS parked quite a few domain names recently...

 

[TheBigA]

Which MIGHT translate to an image and/or moniker change when Star fades out for good; remember, TS parked quite a few domain names recently...

WTSS is at #8 in this ratings period. Will this be its last as a Hot AC, before the EMF folks take over? Makes you wonder if #15 WBUF isn't ready to go Hot AC and call itself "Star 92.9" when 102.5 becomes K-Love.

They can't without permission. The questions you need to ask are 1) what would Audacy want from TS to give up the Star IP? And 2) Why would TS give up something for another company's IP, when it could simply call it "PopCrush" or some other brand name they already own?

 

[Nick Seneca]

So rambling-for-gambling it is.

ROFL! Love it!