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August ratings

R

radioman148

Another big dip for WLS-FM. This is not a good sign during the summer months. At this rate it won't be long before WLS-FM falls below WJMK.
Another Jan Jeffries proud moment.

http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb005
 
August 2013 age 6+ overall publicly released ratings for subscribing stations cover the survey period of Thu. 7/18/13-Wed. 8/14/13.
Next survey period will be September 2013 covering Thu. 8/15/13-Wed. 9/11/13 with the data delivery date being Mon. 9/30/13.

AllAccess.com's August 2013 PPM Ratings Analysis featuring the top 5 (or so) stations in the 25-54, 18-34 + 18-49 demographics
(scroll down for Chicago):
http://www.allaccess.com/arbitron-p...search-director-inc-presents-exclusive-august
 
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radioman148 said:
Another big dip for WLS-FM. This is not a good sign during the summer months. At this rate it won't be long before WLS-FM falls below WJMK.
Click to expand...

In 25-54, the station is 30% below WJMK. But it is simply at the level where it has been on average all year in the sales demos. July was simply an upside wobble.
 
Here's the problem with 94.7. I've said this elsewhere, and I'll say it here. It's DULL.

Prior to the format change last year, it was at least diverse. The music ran from 1955-1991 or so. Most of the music was from the mid-late 60s thru the 80s. They played pop, rock, disco, and some 80s AC. The early 90s stuff was your Rod Stewart AC hits.

The DJs were able to actually USE their personality.

The current format: Fine, old people and people who grew up listening to 50s and 60s music can go.

But here's what they did. They went and cut the playlist in half to a very repetitive, depressing, stale lite Classic Rock playlist. Think of The Drive when it launched in 2001, except the playlist is smaller. You hear songs more than once a day if you listen long enough.

The DJs can't use their personality. They just talk, do some card reading every few songs. Otherwise it dry segues. The playlist is boring. I recorded the station the other night, it was jockless. Instead of using the WLS jingles, it was just 1 liner "94-7 WLS" every 2 or 3 songs. That's all they would do. Say "94-7 WLS" If you want, I'll post the aircheck.

So the direction they were going in was obviously the original formula that was associated with the term "Classic Hits" (Lite Classic Rock, none of the harder stuff) Now the term "Classic Hits" basically replaced the typical modern 60s-80s oldies pop format, because apparently people are afraid of a word.

Problem, they tend to throw in an awkward Lionel Richie, Prince or Tina Turner song that has no place in the format. That makes it sound even more ridiculous.

The main issue, they dull down the DJs, keep a stale playlist, and make it BORING to listen to. WJMK isn't doing much better, and the music isn't all that different, but they add some excitement to the station to make it listenable.

If someone wants to listen to the same 4 CCR, Eagles, Journey, Elton John and Fleetwood Mac songs over and over and over again, they can get an iPod and fork over about 30 bucks on iTunes, or better yet simply bring out their old record collection and convert them to MP3s.

You can't get ratings from the same tired songs being played over and over again, using a bunch of talented DJs to card read them for you without using their talent, which the listener knows they have. They grew up hearing them at least at some point during their life. Chicago radio listeners are not that stupid, but apparently Cumulus believes they are. Yes, you have to be PPM-friendly, but people know when something isn't right.
 
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I should also mention WRIT (95.7) in Milwaukee uses the "Oldies" word, plays 60s music (and 70s) not as much 80s. And their always Top 5 in the market in both 6+ (Where it's #2 in the market) 25-54 and 55+ You hear this station everywhere. Businesses, on the cable access channels, in cars, everywhere.

Sure the playlist isn't as deep as some, but they make it work. And yep, Clear Channel owns it.
http://www.milwaukeeoldies.com/

In September of '06, they tweaked this station to a 70s and 80s format. When PPM came around in 2010, they prepared for it by tweaking backwards to 60s and 70s and bringing back the "Oldies" name. A number of other CC stations followed suit.

Worked out pretty well for them.

Thing is, if you have people who know what they're doing, it can be done and can be successful. You need a dedicated staff, a talented sales staff and you need a PPM-friendly playlist. They did just that here.
 
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Look at how well CBS-FM is doing. #1 in August. WOGL,KRTH and several other mass appeal classic hits stations are also healthy. I don't understand why WLS won't emulate them. Good example in Milwaukee. Great talent muzzled. With WJMK doing essentially the same format, it could only help WLS to return to what made them good in the first place. I'm not saying a return to playing a lot of 60's, but more in line with what the above stations are doing.
 
Certainly WLS-FM has lost a lot of listeners since Jeffries changed the music so drastically.
Having such great DJ talent and not letting them talk is foolish along with the music change.
 
WRIT is indeed a good listen. But....Milwaukee isn't Chicago. And the talent....at least from what I've heard....is competent enough, but pretty much vanilla (which is probably what management wants). The WRIT HD-2 channel....which isn't streamed...uses the CC real oldies format with live CC jocks via the bird from Cincinnati (Marty "with the party" Thompson, Dan Allen etc.). It brands itself as "WOKY, the mighty 92" and uses vintage WOKY jingles.

The result....while a little awkward with the WOKY branding....is older music (60s based), more energy, at least a modicum of personality, and a station that practically nobody knows even exists.
 
radioman148 said:
With people living longer & healthier lives these days it is sad how 60s music has disappeared from radio.
Click to expand...

There are several elephants in this particular room, all apparently invisible to most "defenders" of 60's Top 40 / pop music on the radio.

Besides the lack of ad revenues available to stations that play that stuff, it's really important to recognize that a majority of seniors don't listen to that kind of music, even where it is offered. Some liked it once, but are tired of it or have moved on. Most never liked it and prefer other kinds of music... country, gospel, classic rock, urban, Spanish language, etc., or talk and news radio.

Assuming that all baby boomers ever liked pop songs is just wrong.
 
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