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990 WNTP...why a failure?

M

musicrrrr

Guest
I just recently discovered that Philly actually has two talk radio stations. The popular 1210 and the lesser known 990 WNTP. I listen to 1210 a lot but i have to admit i like the programming on WNTP as well.

Upon looking at the ratings, i discovered wntp seems to be a loser while 1210 comes in at number 11.

maybe its because 1210 carries rush and hannity...or perhaps its because they have a much bigger signal.

any thoughts?
 
> I just recently discovered that Philly actually has two talk
> radio stations. The popular 1210 and the lesser known 990
> WNTP. I listen to 1210 a lot but i have to admit i like the
> programming on WNTP as well.
>
> Upon looking at the ratings, i discovered wntp seems to be a
> loser while 1210 comes in at number 11.
>
> maybe its because 1210 carries rush and hannity...or perhaps
> its because they have a much bigger signal.
>
> any thoughts?
>

1210 does have a monster signal, the established line-up and local hosts. 990's just haven't caught on yet. I know a lot of people who like 990 over 1210, but they dont get those "thingies to write in". (Is that ok to be cleared by the censors?)

Let's do a comparison of the weekdy line-up, shall we?

Smerconish vs. Bennett: Smerconish is local and, at times, lively. Bennett can be boring and drab at times.

Beck vs. Ingraham: Two good, well-seasoned hosts. Both lively....but edge to Beck for the production and dry wit.

Rush vs. Hewitt: Rush has the proven track record. People listen to Hewitt to get away from Rush.

Hannity vs. Medved: Hannity is a rising star in conservative talk radio, this is his match to lose.

Dom G. vs. Savage: I am going to give the slight edge to Savage here. The plus for Giordano is that he's local. BUT.....Savage is a thinking man's moderate. I actually enjoy him as he is not a rah rah man for the Republicans. Not saying Dom G is, but you get the idea.

Rollye vs. ???: Altho' syndicated, Rollye is an interesting listen....especially when she goes on the inside about radio.

Coast to Coast vs. Gallagher/Doyle: Coast to Coast ain't the same without Art. Gallagher is a lovable smarta** and Jerry Doyle is phenominal. Definitely worth a listen. A hollywood insider who juuuuust happens to be a conservative. He wishes the Hollywood elite would just "shut up and return to acting". The last election proved no one cares what actors and musicians think. Edge to WNTP.

NEws Talk 990 does have some strong points, but the overall rub goes to The Big Talker.<P ID="signature">______________
I've done it all...HOO HOO...tell 'em, Fred!
FOX News Alert: YOU SUCK!!! Ya like apples?</P>
 
That was a really nice comparison, and I agree with most of it, Is Dennis Praguer (sp?) on during Rush? I like him. I do think Savage is far better than Dom G. Savage advocates better for his position. Dom G. is a mental midgit.
 
Same reason as Air America

Let me count the ways...

Purely driven by ideology.
No local presence.
* Local personalities
* Local topics
* Local news
* Local events
* Little promotion.

They both sound canned; they both are canned.

1210 has a better signal, but not that much better. Both have weak spots in their coverage areas. 99's signal once dominated local radio. The signal is good enough if with the right programming and promotion.
 
Re: Same reason as Air America

> Let me count the ways...
>
> Purely driven by ideology.
> No local presence.
> * Local personalities
> * Local topics
> * Local news
> * Local events
> * Little promotion.
>
True enough, though a 1210's local talk lineup is barely there....two shows the entire day? Awful, just awful.
 
> That was a really nice comparison, and I agree with most of
> it, Is Dennis Praguer (sp?) on during Rush? I like him. I do
> think Savage is far better than Dom G. Savage advocates
> better for his position. Dom G. is a mental midgit.
>
Dom is painful to endure for anyone who doesn't "drink the Kool-Aid."

He contradicts himself on a regular basis, and hangs up on anyone who dares to point that out. He's also the epitome of a corporate sell-out: it's remarkable how neatly his views fall in line with the right now that he's on 1210, instead of the more independent streak he had at 96.5.
 
Re: Same reason as Air America

There is also a major PR problem for 990. During the days when 1210 was in the pits, it still got a lot of mention in the press. Even during its all sports run, it got mentions in the Inky because a particular rating period not even one diary showed time spent listening during morning drive!

After all of the years WZZD ran CCM and syndicated preachers, the audience fizzled out and so did media attention. When the switch to N/T came along, it met with little attention. They ae doing some advertising, with billboards along I-95 and other key spots. But besides Laura, the hosts they are promoting are unknowns to most people. The small audience showing in the ratings now are a vast improvement over their CCM days. Whether it increases, or like Air American flatens out, remains to be seen.


> Let me count the ways...
>
> Purely driven by ideology.
> No local presence.
> * Local personalities
> * Local topics
> * Local news
> * Local events
> * Little promotion.
>
> They both sound canned; they both are canned.
>
> 1210 has a better signal, but not that much better. Both
> have weak spots in their coverage areas. 99's signal once
> dominated local radio. The signal is good enough if with
> the right programming and promotion.
>
 
> That was a really nice comparison, and I agree with most of
> it,

Agreed. WNTP is owned by Salem, which is primarily a religious broadcaster. I also agree that there isn't enough of a neoconservative audience to justify a second neoconservative station.

Wonder if Nostalgia / Adult Standards would do better? I don't have access to the ratings books you insiders have...how do WNTP's ratings now compare to WPEN when they were nostalgia / adult standards?

Richard / Allentown
 
WPEN's 12+ numbers were much better than WNTP's have ever been - much better than WPEN's have been since. WPEN's 12+ numbers with standards were as good or better than WPHT's numbers are now.

But WPEN's audience demographics skewed old and most advertisers were not buying.

Salem has a political and religious agenda to promote. Possibly more important, WNTP is automated and a very low-cost operation. The station gives Salem a Philadelphia outlet for its syndicated talk shows. Salem comes out ahead with increased national sales revenues for its syndicated hosts (money for carrying TRN programming is gravy).

Don't think ratings. Think money. Then it starts to make sense.



>
> Wonder if Nostalgia / Adult Standards would do better? I
> don't have access to the ratings books you insiders
> have...how do WNTP's ratings now compare to WPEN when they
> were nostalgia / adult standards?
>
> Richard / Allentown
>
 
>
> Don't think ratings. Think money. Then it starts to make
> sense.

You're right. A shame, though, that this resource managed by the FCC for the public good -- the airwaves -- is managed to maximize profits, not listenership.

Richard / Allentown
 
Theoretically, higher ratings mean more ads and higher rates. In practice, not all listeners have equal value to advertisers. For example sports talk tends to attract males 25 to 49, a hard to reach segment prized by some advertisers. So a sports talk station with low overall numbers may do better than a nostalgia station with higher overall numbers.

The FCC has long been the lap dog of the broadcasting industry. Once in a while, somebody at the FCC will make a speech about the "vast wasteland" or go on a crusade against indecency. None of this affects profits. Sort of like cops on the take have as part of the deal they get to knock over a few crap games, massage parlors, or drug joints right before the election.

The solution (which makes the broadcasting industry postal) is to auction off frequencies every few years to the highest bidder. Make broadcasters pay to rent bandwidth. I still prefer to let the marketplace decide "public good" rather than bureaucrats and special interest groups (who often make money from whatever they advocate as the public good, like when organizations the produce kids' programs were pushing for more TV shows for kids a few years ago).

And/or put a tax on every radio and TV receiver. Forget advertsing. Use the ratings to allocate the money. If people watch your show or listen to your station, you get paid.



> >
> > Don't think ratings. Think money. Then it starts to make
>
> > sense.
>
> You're right. A shame, though, that this resource managed
> by the FCC for the public good -- the airwaves -- is managed
> to maximize profits, not listenership.
>
> Richard / Allentown
>
 
That assumes it _is_ a failure, which may not necessarily be the case.

They're all syndicated and they're on an AM frequency they didn't have to go into hock for, so their costs are low (to their credit, they do have their own local news dept.); and they are getting local advertisers and local revenue, so something must be going right.
 
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