I think WXRT in chicago is a decent performer in billing and ratings
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Buffalo and Rochester May '23 trends
- Thread starter ckg279
- Start date
Do you have any examples of Country stations in NYC that delivered high ratings and still couldn't find advertisers? I find it hard to believe that the #1 market would shun the format based on prejudice. Advertisers want to sell stuff. In a market with 7 million people, you have many different demographics. Country is just a format that doesn't find a significant audience in NYC...
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As Mark1981 noted, the107.7 frequency's most successful eras were as The Bear and WNSA. The Lake's highest ratings came close to the Bear, but didn't top them.
The Bear had two reasonably healthy books in the 6 range Persons 12+ when it debuted while 97 Rock was off the air. But the Bear's ratings success was quickly thwarted in September 1986 when WHTT flipped to Classic Hits (also when 97 Rock was off the air.) Classic Hits (Version 1.0) debuted in 7+ range, shares, Persons 12+ in the Fall '86 book.
The progression of formats and call letters on the 107.7 frequency is historically interesting. WFNF; WBIV; WUWU; WBYR; WBMW; WEZQ; WNUC; WNSA; WLKK.
Formats? Farm, Religion, Progressive, AOR, New Age, Easy Listening, Country, Sports, Eclectic AOR, News-Talk simulcast, Alternative, Country.
Maybe Pat Robertson, head of the Christian Broadcasting Network, put the malocchio on the frequency when it was sold around 1981 to Doc Chmiel and became WUWU programming an eclectic, often bizarre progressive rock format ("that devil music.")
WUWU received the most notoriety when the program director commandeered the station's transmitter in Whethersfield, resulting in one of the most bizarre on-air episodes in Buffalo radio, the STL link was pulled and a standoff broadcast live from the transmitter followed. The Wyoming County sheriffs were called out to settle the dispute. The program director was taken into custody. He was later released.
Next up: WBYR doing album rock under the ownership of Chris Devine. The station became so financially unstable that in 1987 the studio-offices doors in the Hyatt were padlocked under court order until Devine came up with cash for creditors.
The station was sold to Cascianni, a respectable local broadcaster. A number of formats and call letters ensued, but the owenership was stable and the checks never bounced.
Next on 107.7, WNSA owned by Adelphia cable. Stable for a good time, but money issues surfaced on an even grander scale than under Chris Devine's ownership of 107.7. The Adelphia checks didn't bounce, but company president John Rigas was sentenced to prison 2005 for his role in the Adelphia fraudulent accounting scandal and the Adelphia cable empire and its associated holdings crumbled.
Enter Entercom, which outbid Citadel for the frequency. $10+ million for 107.7.
Alas, The Lake.
Interesting that both Citadel and Entercom (as Audacy) saw their once respectable share prices dwindle to penny stock range.
107.7 is truly the weird stepchild frequency in the Buffalo market.
Malocchio?
The Bear had two reasonably healthy books in the 6 range Persons 12+ when it debuted while 97 Rock was off the air. But the Bear's ratings success was quickly thwarted in September 1986 when WHTT flipped to Classic Hits (also when 97 Rock was off the air.) Classic Hits (Version 1.0) debuted in 7+ range, shares, Persons 12+ in the Fall '86 book.
The progression of formats and call letters on the 107.7 frequency is historically interesting. WFNF; WBIV; WUWU; WBYR; WBMW; WEZQ; WNUC; WNSA; WLKK.
Formats? Farm, Religion, Progressive, AOR, New Age, Easy Listening, Country, Sports, Eclectic AOR, News-Talk simulcast, Alternative, Country.
Maybe Pat Robertson, head of the Christian Broadcasting Network, put the malocchio on the frequency when it was sold around 1981 to Doc Chmiel and became WUWU programming an eclectic, often bizarre progressive rock format ("that devil music.")
WUWU received the most notoriety when the program director commandeered the station's transmitter in Whethersfield, resulting in one of the most bizarre on-air episodes in Buffalo radio, the STL link was pulled and a standoff broadcast live from the transmitter followed. The Wyoming County sheriffs were called out to settle the dispute. The program director was taken into custody. He was later released.
Next up: WBYR doing album rock under the ownership of Chris Devine. The station became so financially unstable that in 1987 the studio-offices doors in the Hyatt were padlocked under court order until Devine came up with cash for creditors.
The station was sold to Cascianni, a respectable local broadcaster. A number of formats and call letters ensued, but the owenership was stable and the checks never bounced.
Next on 107.7, WNSA owned by Adelphia cable. Stable for a good time, but money issues surfaced on an even grander scale than under Chris Devine's ownership of 107.7. The Adelphia checks didn't bounce, but company president John Rigas was sentenced to prison 2005 for his role in the Adelphia fraudulent accounting scandal and the Adelphia cable empire and its associated holdings crumbled.
Enter Entercom, which outbid Citadel for the frequency. $10+ million for 107.7.
Alas, The Lake.
Interesting that both Citadel and Entercom (as Audacy) saw their once respectable share prices dwindle to penny stock range.
107.7 is truly the weird stepchild frequency in the Buffalo market.
Malocchio?
To be fair, it was for a similar reason: Buying a heritage radio division of a major network. I said this in another thread: The downfall usually isn't caused by the buying company, but rather the company they buy. Same with Cumulus. Same with Regent.
Several of the country efforts have delivered salable numbers. Because, as obviously you are unaware, ad rates are commensurate with audience delivery, a lower rated station with proportional rates in a market like New York should bill at least proportionally to its ratings.
However, the most recent country station never got over about a 0.5 power ratio, despite salable numbers and a format that could be sold as significantly unduplicated by other stations due to its musical exclusivity. Buyers were just rejecting "country" and not the size of the AQH rating.
There are plenty of stations with lower ratings in New York that do better than the most recent country station did. It is, and was, all about the format.
A similar case can be made with the Alternative Rock station in Philadelphia: ratings that exceed billings by almost 3 to1, or a 0.35 power ratio. Buyers there just can't get around their predisposition to alternative rock.
We see cases like that all the time with specific stations in specific markets.
Fascinating, David. What accounts for this prejudice? Ignorance? Defiance? Lack of faith? Lack of performance in bringing bodies through the doors? Elaborate. Thanks.
Taking two reasonably healthy companies and piling on a ton of debt for one to acquire the other is the problem here.
So many examples over the years of the issue not being the radio business but being the debt taken on by a way too optimistic buyer. With Entercom/CBS that was intensified by CBS taking out debt and assigning it to the radio business before selling it to get a quick cash boost.
Simply: big city folks who think country listeners are hillbilly hicks with no money. Stereotyping at the worst.
Lenders aren't just giving money away without examining the ability of the company to pay it back. There was a plan, and the plan was based on certain economic conditions. Then a once in a century pandemic hit. If everyone knew that was going to happen, I doubt the loan would have been granted.
Some great demographic information in this article:
What Format Has The Widest Audience Appeal? Hint: It’s Not CHR.
To say country radio is a “big tent format” with broad appeal that touches virtually all age groups would be a gross understatement. According to Nielsen’s Audio Today report, Country
And now country artists are having an impact on the pop charts:
History Being Made: Country Songs Take Top Two Positions On Billboard’s Hot 100.
“Last Night” by Morgan Wallen is sitting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for the 12th straight week, while Luke Comb’s cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” moves
That's an absurd statement. Boo Hoo that Country formats don't work in NYC. You use the same reverse logic on formats you don't embrace. Total rubbish. The Wolf format in Buffalo is being rejected by listeners. Ratings don't lie...
It's apples to oranges comparing a rimshot, life-support country station in Buffalo, its ratings in market #59 with the (former) country station and its rating in market #1. It's also apples to oranges to compare country to alt rock in the same context. NY's country station had salable numbers. It simply under-performed its "power ration" in all likelihood because big city ad mavens and agencies held a prejudice toward country, especially in market #1, as David noted. Perhaps it didn't have the effective sales leadership it needed to compete in market #1 and overcome the format prejudice.
Interesting and informative ... and it also brings up the contention that "country ain't country anymore," it's some amalgam of 70s flanged guitars, 80s power production and lyrics about "teasin', squeezin' and pleasin'." This lament is often cited by legacy jocks and upper demo listeners who grew up on Waylon, Randy Travis, and George Jones... all great artists in their own right. It's not 1985 anymore and country sure isn't Moe Bandy, Tammy, Loretta and Little Jimmy Dickens.Some great demographic information in this article:
What Format Has The Widest Audience Appeal? Hint: It’s Not CHR.
To say country radio is a “big tent format” with broad appeal that touches virtually all age groups would be a gross understatement. According to Nielsen’s Audio Today report, Countrywww.insideradio.com
And now country artists are having an impact on the pop charts:
History Being Made: Country Songs Take Top Two Positions On Billboard’s Hot 100.
“Last Night” by Morgan Wallen is sitting at No. 1 on Billboard’s Hot 100 chart for the 12th straight week, while Luke Comb’s cover of Tracy Chapman’s “Fast Car” moves
Does WBLK have this problem? Some would say they have great ratings but undesirable listeners. They all live in poverty without jobs right?
It's ridiculous. Advertisers want to sell stuff. I can't believe there is some NYC conspiracy against Country formats. Sounds like Tea Party whining to me...
Country in NYC never got anywhere near the ratings of WBLK. Perhaps David could enlighten us on the power ratio of WBLK. In any event, it has been the #1 rated station in town for some time now.
It could simply be like fishing. Owners in NYC decided to cast their line in a place where there were a lot more bites.
The Wolf has a signal issue, and based on what it covers it is doing adequately.
In New York, with the exception of crossover-reinforced WHN, the format has always suffered from buyer prejudice in a market that is almost entirely agency driven.
No, because the station is a ratings leader, and for most radio advertisers its 25-54 core looks very attractive. The audience is highly desirable because it responds to advertising.
In New York City all its incarnations after WHN, it has been a low numbers format in a city that considers country "outside" their local culture. the format has not gotten big enough numbers to be an obligatory buy, so the young girls who predominate as media buyers think of the format as being ultra-fringe with most far suburban, semi-rural listeners.
Media buyers for radio campaigns are not "mavens" and have little discriminatory power. They put together the best buy based on CPP they can in each market. They skip overpriced stations, and they skip stations that are lower rated. And in NYC, they skipped country in the past because they did not feel the format reached anything but the outer rural areas of the market "somewhere near the hilly part of Pennsylvania".
As you noted earlier, "stereotyping at its worst."
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