Buffalo April 2024 Ratings

[SirRoxalot]

The April Nielsen number are out. Here's the Top 15:

Station	Format	Owner	Jan 24	Feb 24	Mar 24	Apr 24
WBLK-FM	Urban	Townsquare Media	10.0	9.6	10.9	9.0
WYRK-FM	Country	Townsquare Media	7.2	7.8	8.9	8.2
WGRF-FM	Classic Rock	Cumulus Media	8.1	8.5	7.4	7.7
WBEN-AM	News/Talk	Audacy	5.3	5.9	6.7	7.3
WHTT-FM	Classic Hits	Cumulus Media	6.6	5.9	6.7	7.0
WKSE-FM	CHR	Audacy	5.8	5.3	6.1	5.9
WTSS-FM	AC	Townsquare Media	6.3	6.1	4.1	4.8
WGR-AM	Sports	Audacy	5.8	5.5	4.9	4.5
WECK-AM	Oldies	Radio One Buffalo	3.2	3.0	2.9	3.4
WEDG-FM	Alternative	Cumulus Media	3.6	3.7	3.6	3.3
WBFO-FM	Public Radio	Western New York Public Broadcasting Ass	4.4	3.8	3.4	2.8
WNED-FM	Classical	Western New York Public Broadcasting Ass	2.2	2.7	2.3	2.5
WLKK-FM	Country	Audacy	1.1	1.3	1.8	1.4
WBUF-FM	Rock	Townsquare Media	1.5	1.2	1.2	1.2

You can get the full 12+ report here:

https://ratings.****************/content/arb037

 

[SirRoxalot]

Here are the Rochester numbers for the stations that cracked a 1-share:

Station	Format	Owner	Jan 24	Feb 24	Mar 24	Apr 24
WDKX-FM	Urban	Monroe County Broadcasting	10.0	9.1	8.4	8.2
WBEE-FM	Country	Audacy	9.1	8.3	7.4	7.5
WHAM-AM	News/Talk	iHeartMedia	7.0	6.8	6.8	6.3
WRMM-FM	AC	Stephens Media Group	5.3	5.2	5.4	5.7
WCMF-FM	Classic Rock	Audacy	5.3	5.5	5.2	5.5
WPXY-FM	CHR	Audacy	4.3	3.2	4.1	4.3
WAIO-FM	Talk	iHeartMedia	3.2	2.9	3.5	3.4
WBZA-FM	Adult Hits	Audacy	2.7	2.4	2.9	3.1
WDVI-FM	Country	iHeartMedia	2.8	2.1	2.2	2.3
WFKL-FM	Adult Hits	Stephens Media Group	1.8	1.7	2.0	1.9
WKGS-FM	CHR	iHeartMedia	1.4	1.8	1.7	1.5
WZNE-FM	Alternative	Stephens Media Group	0.7	1.1	1.7	1.5

https://ratings.****************/content/arb079

 

[davideduardo]

A better listing for Buffalo is at

Buffalo/Niagara Falls

Nielsen Audio Monthly Ratings Buffalo/Niagara Falls (Market #59) Population: 1,011,800 Hispanic Population: 57,100 - Black Population: 133,100 Average Quarter Hour

radioinsight.com

And for Rochester at

Rochester

Nielsen Audio Monthly Ratings Rochester (Market #60) Population: 974,700 Hispanic Population: 79,300 - Black Population: 116,600 Average Quarter Hour Share

radioinsight.com

 

[Radiowaves]

David, I would like your opinion on this since it makes zero sense. I have access to the ratings.

In weeks 9-12 APRIL ONLY, 739 total diaries went out to the DMA in Buffalo. The number of diaries that came back for per station 12 plus are as follows

WBEN 86
WECK 83
WBLK 96
WYRK 121
WKSE 126

I have the other stations as well, but I wanted to show the non-sense of this. How can WBLK, WYRK , WKSE be stations that cume nearly 170,000 per week, and are always top rated, yet these are the number of diaries that came back per station, and on average it’s about the same every month?

Something seems way out of whack. How can WBLK have 170,000 cume when WECK and WBEN both have 80-90k cume with just about the same number of diaries. ?

I just don’t understand it

 

[SirRoxalot]

These are rolling 3-month averages, so significant moves indicate even bigger swings during the course of a month. Those are likely affected by diary return rates and the geographical distribution. In reality, distribution is so low that a few diaries can really influence a particular demographic. What's more instructive are long term trends.

It seems apparent that last month's 10.9 for WBLK was an outlier, as was WECK's 2.9. Both are back closer to their historical averages. WBEN has been growing steadily since last Fall indicating that interest in politics is heating up. Of course, it could also be affected by interest in the Bauerle family drama as listeners try to figure out what makes Tom Bauerle tick (or if he's a blood-sucking tick).

WBFO has been on a downward trend for months now indicating that there may be a problem with their programming. Diary markets are notoriously slow to reflect shifts in listening, and NPR audiences are typically quite loyal, so dissatisfaction with the product may extend back longer than ratings reflect.

WGR-550 is facing the summer sports doldrums without Bills or Sabres games. Their minor losses generally mirror minor gains by 97-Rock and perhaps WHTT. That gives you an idea what stations share audience.

The former Star 102.5 audience seems to be divided by WKSE and "New 96.1" with Kiss getting a few more of those listeners. It also seems to indicate that EMF's 102.5 likely retained some of the old Star audience or gained some new converts. They don't show up in the book directly, but the fact that they're not accounted for in a longer-term look at averages indicates that some listeners went elsewhere.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

This is the first monthly "book" lacking an All Christmas influence, which this poster believes has a residual effect extending into January. This monthly Persons 12+ report reflects a rolling average of shares February-March-April. It's of interest to compare this monthly to the January monthly, which reflects November-December-January. The numbers will show that WHTT, WECK and WYRK ... formats that are conventionally affected by All Christmas ... are up, while at the same time January to April, the All Christmas station's share is down.

The diary return question is particularly interesting. As I have read, weighting again comes into play. It's essential to understand that cume reflects the number of times customers "walk through the doors of the store" while shares reflect, to an extent, the length of time customers "spend time in the store." A particular format can attract listeners who walk into the store countless numbers of times throughout the day, but don't spend much time in the store. Convenience stores vs. malls (when malls were a thing.) Top 40 stations in the 70s and 80s were cume intensive, but the shares often trailed the cume. Hence, the "if we can keep 'em listening for five minutes longer and sweep into the next quarter hour" strategy often came into play. Some formats attract an extensive number of customers who not only walk through the doors, but also spend a lot of time in the store. Conversely, the Shulke and Bonneville Beautiful Music formats often had lower cumes than the Top 40 stations, but scored massive shares, largely because shoppers spent a lot of time in the store.

 

[Newsradioguy]

Big yikes for WBFO. Listeners are rejecting their programming choices and their greatly diminished news presence. I’ve said before, the changes to the midday lineup are just terrible. And given WBEN’s gains, I can’t help but wonder if news hounds are switching to BEN more and more at least for the local news of the day, which you just don’t get on BFO.

 

[davideduardo]

David, I would like your opinion on this since it makes zero sense. I have access to the ratings.

In weeks 9-12 APRIL ONLY, 739 total diaries went out to the DMA in Buffalo. The number of diaries that came back for per station 12 plus are as follows

WBEN 86
WECK 83
WBLK 96
WYRK 121
WKSE 126

I have the other stations as well, but I wanted to show the non-sense of this. How can WBLK, WYRK , WKSE be stations that cume nearly 170,000 per week, and are always top rated, yet these are the number of diaries that came back per station, and on average it’s about the same every month?

Something seems way out of whack. How can WBLK have 170,000 cume when WECK and WBEN both have 80-90k cume with just about the same number of diaries. ?

I just don’t understand it

Simple answer: each station has different Time Spent Listening. Share/Rating/AQH persons are based on cume and how long the average listener "tuned in".

 

[Radiowaves]

Simple answer: each station has different Time Spent Listening. Share/Rating/AQH persons are based on cume and how long the average listener "tuned in".

I have the TSL for every station. Other than WBLK, they are not dramatically different from each other.

 

[tbolt909]

I have the TSL for every station. Other than WBLK, they are not dramatically different from each other.

Even bottom dwellers like WBUF and WLKK?

If you have the complete ratings, reach out to your Nielsen rep. Stations that have good ratings are struggling to find advertisers in many markets. That's a more dire issue...

 

[Radiowaves]

Even bottom dwellers like WBUF and WLKK?

If you have the complete ratings, reach out to your Nielsen rep. Stations that have good ratings are struggling to find advertisers in many markets. That's a more dire issue...

Why do I need to reach out to my Nielsen rep when there are many persons in this discussion boards that know these answers as well?

I have asked my Nielsen rep, and she walks the company line with the explanation.

Yes, WBUF and WLKK as well. Our agency has full access to everything every month. If you would like, I can post the exact number of diaries that went out in the 3-month rolling average period, and how many of those diaries every station in Buffalo/Niagara Falls came back

There are many “assumptions “ with Nielsen. For “fairness”, they need to assume that x percent of the population listens to radio. I can tell you we also subscribe to Comscore with is a TV based service and they get ratings electronically. It is very obvious from Comscore that younger persons do not watch a lot of network or cable TV. However, Comscore does not have to “assume” they do. They go off subscription data and set-top /smart tv data so it can literally tell you the next day, how many persons were watching what.

My point is that in Buffalo/Niagara Falls, the stations that appear to be way ahead and on top of ratings, are not far off from the entire top 10 in terms of getting diaries back.

I will post those results.

 

[ckg279]

Big yikes for WBFO. Listeners are rejecting their programming choices and their greatly diminished news presence. I’ve said before, the changes to the midday lineup are just terrible. And given WBEN’s gains, I can’t help but wonder if news hounds are switching to BEN more and more at least for the local news of the day, which you just don’t get on BFO.

Consider what WXXI-AM/FM is airing in weekdays:

10am-noon: 1A
Noon-2pm: Connections with Evan Dawson

Arguably, WXXI is caring more about news/current issues than trying to get new listeners in(as BTPM is trying to do with WBFO).

I'd LOVE to know what WXXI does in ratings: Radio-Online doesn't have the current month available, and Radio Insight doesn't have it at all. To be fair to both, WXXI may not have them available.

 

[SirRoxalot]

I will post those results.

You might want to check your Nielsen terms of service before you post anything in a public forum other than 12+ numbers. You could cost your agency serious money or lose access to Nielsen ratings.

 

[tbolt909]

You might want to check your Nielsen terms of service before you post anything in a public forum other than 12+ numbers. You could cost your agency serious money or lose access to Nielsen ratings.

I don't think he cares. He seems to be saying that very few completed diaries are being returned and that Nielsen is using fuzzy math to arrive at the rankings...

 

[Radiowaves]

I don't think he cares. He seems to be saying that very few completed diaries are being returned and that Nielsen is using fuzzy math to arrive at the rankings...

Yes and no.

What I am saying is by looking at 12plus numbers, the biggest sample there is, you would think WBLK soars by far. However, the actual diaries returned mentioning the top 10 stations are very much near each other. First off, not many diaries actually go out. Furthermore, less come in.

Regarding posting numbers, we pay for them. We can show to anyone. Nielsen reminds me of FICO scores. Zero oversight, bad methodology, and everyone is afraid of them.

Ed Christian at Saga dropped Nielsen long ago, and has never looked back. More stations should sell advertising with ideas, not ratings. Ideas are at least real.

 

[davideduardo]

Even bottom dwellers like WBUF and WLKK?

Yeah, almost all music stations have a TSL that falls within a rather limited range.

If you have the complete ratings, reach out to your Nielsen rep.

Why? What can a Nielsen rep do about industry issues that have nothing to do with ratings?

Stations that have good ratings are struggling to find advertisers in many markets. That's a more dire issue...

And one that that Nielsen can't help resolve.

 

[davideduardo]

What I am saying is by looking at 12plus numbers, the biggest sample there is, you would think WBLK soars by far. However, the actual diaries returned mentioning the top 10 stations are very much near each other. First off, not many diaries actually go out. Furthermore, less come in.

Arbitron knew since that 60's that more diaries have to be placed for a certain percentage to return. That is a fact of all random probability samples.
And it is not "not many diaries go out". Enough diaries go out to get a return which creates a reliable sample within an acceptable margin of error. In fact, to increase reliability significantly (without going into "one standard error" comparisons) you need to quadruple the sample to double the reliability; no station will pay for that!

Regarding posting numbers, we pay for them. We can show to anyone. Nielsen reminds me of FICO scores. Zero oversight, bad methodology, and everyone is afraid of them.

Yes, but a station's contract establishes where you can use the data and where you can not. One place you can not use those numbers is in public media.

Ed Christian at Saga dropped Nielsen long ago, and has never looked back.

Ed Christian passed recently, but before he did he renegotiated with Nielsen and subscribed in most of the Saga markets.

More stations should sell advertising with ideas, not ratings. Ideas are at least real.

You obviously did not take statistics in college. It's a precise science where error is accepted in the results in order to use manageable and affordable samples.

Oh, and try to sell "no numbers" to an ad agency.

 

[tbolt909]

Nielsen reminds me of FICO scores. Zero oversight, bad methodology, and everyone is afraid of them.

Ed Christian at Saga dropped Nielsen long ago, and has never looked back. More stations should sell advertising with ideas, not ratings. Ideas are at least real.

No one has ever been forced to buy the Nielsen ratings. If you believe your "ideas" can offer solutions, free enterprise allows you to do it. Some stations run promos saying --"We're your number 1 hit music station". It's just an empty slogan without any methodology either...

 

[Radiowaves]

No one has ever been forced to buy the Nielsen ratings. If you believe your "ideas" can offer solutions, free enterprise allows you to do it. Some stations run promos saying --"We're your number 1 hit music station". It's just an empty slogan without any methodology either...

#1 can mean a lot of things. Depends what context you put it in.

 

[Radiowaves]

Arbitron knew since that 60's that more diaries have to be placed for a certain percentage to return. That is a fact of all random probability samples.
And it is not "not many diaries go out". Enough diaries go out to get a return which creates a reliable sample within an acceptable margin of error. In fact, to increase reliability significantly (without going into "one standard error" comparisons) you need to quadruple the sample to double the reliability; no station will pay for that!

Yes, but a station's contract establishes where you can use the data and where you can not. One place you can not use those numbers is in public media.

Ed Christian passed recently, but before he did he renegotiated with Nielsen and subscribed in most of the Saga markets.


You obviously did not take statistics in college. It's a precise science where error is accepted in the results in order to use manageable and affordable samples.

Oh, and try to sell "no numbers" to an ad agency.

My mistake on Ed Christian. I was referring to another Ed who has stations in Syracuse

If numbers can’t be made public, why do I see breakdowns of demos in the newspapers all the time? The numbers are the numbers. We can put them wherever we want. We pay to do that. It’s not like we are making them up. That’s what we are given.

So David, are you saying the Nielsen methodology is not flawed or outdated? It’s perfect the way it is in diary markets?