Big Troubles coming down the track at WPRO

[Seekonk Sally]

As Buddy would say, "I hear that train a coming !!!! " It seems that WPRO's huge Spring book came with some major "irregularities" amongst some particular diaries from the East Greenwich zip code. It seems that the arbitron detectives have found very suspicious diary reporting apparently linked to a certain PRO personality which is resulting in the whole Spring book being blown up and reissued. This is a very expensive, and serious infraction for all those involved. Fines, job loss potentially. You're hearing it ahead of the news curve. Holland, tell us what could happen if someone is found to tamper with diaries while on-air during sweeps.

Sally

 

[Skynet74]

Oh boy...... this wouldn't be good. This wouldn't be good at all! I know NOTHING about any of this! But I'll be scanning some sources and learning whatever I can about how serious this would be if it actually turns out to be true.

 

[Skynet74]

Here is one example where Arbitron delisted a Radio Station due to Diary Fraud.


http://www.variety.com/article/VR105880.html?categoryid=23&cs=1

 

[tolduso]

Not necessarily...

Well, there's no concrete evidence linking anyone who works at WPRO to these diaries in East Greenwich. Sure, there's a couple of people who work at WPRO who live in East Greenwich, but there's also 13,000 other people who live there.

Someone at another station in Providence spotted an irregularity in some diaries that happened to benefit WPRO. This kind of thing happens all the time, and, when brought to their attention, Arbitron corrects the mistake. So we'll see the new book on Monday. WPRO did extremely well even without those 6 diaries. Other stations may point fingers, but no one has any evidence that links those diaries to anyone at WPRO. In a competitive enviornment, the competition will use any method they can to get a leg up, and who can blame them? I'm sure if the situation was reversed, WPRO would have done the same thing.

But as it stands right now, and as this situation continues to play out, you'll see WPRO had nothing to do do with this irregularity.

 

[wknd92]

I did mention when the book came out that for that jump in the ratings, there had to be an explanation....this is one thing I didn't mention because I don't think people would be stupid enough to do it. If it is true, the people involved are as stupid as can be and deserve to get booted.

I also think that closer scrutiny will find that credit given to WPRO-AM when it should have gone to WPRO-FM. There will be more on this to come

 

[QuohogDels]

To: Subscribers to the Spring 2008 Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket Radio Market Report



Arbitron has learned that six Spring 2008 Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket metro diaries were returned from a media-affiliated household. We have confirmed that these diaries, which were in-tab for the originally published report, should not be included in the in-tab sample.

A revised Spring 2008 Providence-Warwick-Pawtucket Radio Market Report (Arbitron eBook), based on an in-tab sample that excludes these diaries, will release on Monday, August 11, at 10:00 AM Eastern Time.

Revised Spring 2008 Maximi$er, Media Professional, Tapscan, and quarterly Arbitrends estimates will be available for download on August 11 at 10:00 AM Eastern Time as well. A revised Summary Data Set will also release on August 11 to third-party processors and other original recipients.

Audience estimates for WPRO-AM may be substantially affected in particular demos and dayparts.

 

[aqualung]

Any time I've seen a story break like this someone always eventually gets offered up as a sacrificial lamb. If there is actually blame within WPRO you'd probably have to see the numbers in all dayparts to figure out where it lies since IF there was something not kosher going on I'm sure whoever the culprit is would want specific shows to benefit. From what I read here I doubt any air person is so gung ho about the whole station that he would want everyone to benefit. If it's not an on air person then that's another matter. And of course this is a big IF so let's see how it plays out.

 

[Skynet74]

I have a question. How many Diaries are sent out each quarter? I would like to know if 6 diaries would even make all that much of a difference?

 

[Seekonk Sally]

There is a specific diary that has been deemed "highly questionable" by arbitron. Supposedly one household contains 5 or 6 people in the exact demo who only listened to WPRO in a specific daypart and no other radio for the whole week. Let's say this demo doesn't exactly fit the typical talk radio demo.

Sally

 

[Holland Cooke]

Cue first four notes of theme from "Dragnet..."

Holland, tell us what could happen if someone is found to tamper with diaries while on-air during sweeps.

Hoo boy.

And SIX diaries?
Mathematically, that's big.
'Multiplies-up-to THOUSANDS AND THOUSANDS of listeners...BEFORE geographic and demographic weighting.
ONE SINGLE DIARY in-the-right-demo, in-the-right-Zip Code, can move-the-needle. 'Happens all the time.

Hopefully, things'll work out.
Arbitron pit bulls do NOT mess.

Good evening from WPTF/Raleigh NC, where ratings-news-we-got-here-today was REAL good.
(And these numbers are BEFORE our just-arrived morning host, Scott Fitzgerald, from WLW/Cincinnati.)

One apparently-longtime-market-watcher here posted on the Raleigh-Durham board:
"I can't remember the last time local owners had three of the top four stations with 25-54's."
'Nice way to end-the-day if you're the consultant.

But my day here began with a moment that will amuse both consultant-dissers AND wistful Southern New England local radio buffs...
CONSULTANT REVENGE.

Typically, the consultant shows up, and plays airchecks, while the talent winces.

THIS trip, Curtis Media COO Phil Zachary -- whom I met at a 1970s TV12 Jerry Lewis Telethon, when he (then a DJ at WGNG) and I did adjacent hours at the fishbowl -- turned-the-tables on me.

This morning, he surprised me by hitting Play on a cassette he'd found in a box at home, and neither-of-us could figure out where-he-got, and THIS played: http://members.aol.com/cookeh/WPRO1979.wma

I can remember that hour -- circa 1979 -- like it was yesterday.

WHAT A TIME CAPSULE.
Note:
1. Sears' disco jingle
2. The Newpaper
3. recruitment spot: "SPACE-AGE PROJECTS FOR THE 80S AND LONG INTO THE FUTURE..."
4. Zayre
5. WPRO's great PAMS custom jingles, later syndicated as Series 41
6. WPRO's tweaked audio chain
7. Pro Personalities Gary DeGraide and John Bina
8. DJs-doing-assemblies-at-local-high schools
9. New England Teamen soccer
10. LOTS of local content (PSAs, promotions), that didn't slow-down the music
11. a FRIENDLY voice on the radio, not a snarling "I'M-RIGHT-YOU'RE-WRONG" Rush wanna-be
12. and the voice was doing A SIX HOUR AIRSHIFT.

And even the most dispassionate diarykeeper would have NO question what station he/she was listening to.

That year, I was flattered-as-all-get-out to be approached by legendary genius Charlie Parker, the late-great program director at WDRC/Hartford, whom I'd worshipped-from-afar since I was a lad in the nearby Springfield area, listening to his station instead of doing my homework. I never seriously considered leaving WPRO for Hartford. But I took the interview, just to spend a few minutes talking with Charlie Parker. He said he'd heard me driving to-and-from his beloved Cape Cod, and raved about my show. As DJs would, I asked him "WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER ME SAYING?" Without hesitation, he winked "WPRO."

If life had a Rewind button...

HC
www.HollandCooke.com

 

[wc3434]

O man! I hope Wknd 92 is right. I do think people got confused with WPRO am WPRO fm and 99.7 fm..
And, I don't think Depetro, ( and come on, thats who this is about) would be involved in anything that dangerous. I guess we'll see. Good luck WPRO.

 

[Skynet74]

*To Holland regarding your air check. I meant to quote it here, but I pressed the wrong button.*


Nice delivery. You were a very good jock! This is the way Major market radio should sound. But sadly you can't even get great sounding radio like this out of New York and LA now.

 

[hannitized]

What I don't understand is, why everyone is thinking PRO-FM is being negatively affected by WPRO-AM being on FM now? Could someone explain a scenario where they would be hurt? Anything I think of is either even as it was before 99.7 or PRO-FM gets the credit...

If someone is listening to 99.7 and puts down WPRO-FM or PROFM, than 92.3 gets the credit.

If someone is listening to 99.7 or 92.3 and puts down WPRO, 630 gets the credit. But 5, 10, 20, 30 years ago, if you put down WPRO and you were listening to 92.3, The news-talker would've gotten the credit anyway, so this is nothing new...

I can't imagine many people are putting WEAN down in their diaries, but if they did, no effect whatsoever for 92 PRO-FM.

Am I missing something here?

 

[Skynet74]

I started answering the post above, but then erased it because I don't know what's more confusing for me. What he just wrote, or the simple fact that there are now three different places on the dial where they identify themselves as WPRO.

I've been a Nielsen family before. Are Arbitron diaries set up in a similar fashion? I would love to look at one just to see how confusing it may be to accurately fill out for the average listener.

 

[Holland Cooke]

Diary methodology is A MEMORY TEST

why everyone is thinking PRO-FM is being negatively affected by WPRO-AM being on FM now? If someone is listening to 99.7 and puts down WPRO-FM or PROFM, than 92.3 gets the credit.

I'm thinkin' that the 99.7 simulcast HELPS the pre-existing WPRO-FM station (92.3).
Why: 99.7 = WPRO-on-FM; confusing, since 92.3 = "WPRO-FM."

Providence rankers we've seen published in trades show big gains for WPRO (AM), NO number for WEAN-FM.
Next-level-of-detail, i.e., eBook would be instructive to see if, suddenly, reporting 99.7 as "WPRO-FM" raises adult demos shown for 92.3.

Nice delivery. You were a very good jock!

You're gracious to say so, and I sure DID enjoy doing that.
But I was "the kid" then, the youngest Pro Personality.

This was the station SALTY was on!
In terms of pure DJ aesthetics, I think Jimmy Gray set a watermark. Super-voiced, EXTREMELY well-prepped, a REAL quick wit.
We ADDED A POSITION to get Gary DeGraide, who'd been on WRKO; and whose work I knew well from WDRC/Hartford.
Larry Kruger and I had worked together in Springfield.
Super-smooth Ed Cherubino was doing OVERNIGHTS.

I always felt that I was working-up-to the talent around me...and that THE STATION ITSELF was the star.

 

[choicevoicepro.com]

No actually Holland you're the one that's gracious - you were a superb talent (as were all at WPRO at the time). And Skynet makes a good point. You don't really find talent like that even in the largest markets these days.

I gotta tell you folks it was quite cool to work with HC at WBIG in Washington... (we were blessed with the most amazing "fill in" talent ever!) I remember driving out of town on the first day of vacation and hearing Holland in for me on PM drive. It was a bit of a rush knowing that someone I admired so much as a talent was doing my vacation fill.

... also didn't know that you had interviewed with Charlie Parker. I felt really fortunate to work with him at WDRC. It was a great learning experience.

As for the diary hijacking: Did at least one half of a very famous Denver radio team spend some time in jail for lying to a jury about his involvement in a diary scandal? (yes it was a perjury charge but Arbitron HAS taken such issues into the courts)

 

[Holland Cooke]

No! YOU'RE Shmoopy!

Ladies and Gentlemen, gifted, talented, accomplished Tom Kelly, who -- when I would follow him on Oldies100 in Washington -- would ALWAYS, ALWAYS, insist-on regaling DC-area listeners with effusive praise for "A LEGEND IN NEW ENGLAND RADIO...SOMEONE I LISTENED-TO WHEN I WAS YOUNG..."

Whereupon I'd say "STOP IT!"
And THEN he'd laugh...

 

[S DANMAN]

As for the diary hijacking: Did at least one half of a very famous Denver radio team spend some time in jail for lying to a jury about his involvement in a diary scandal? (yes it was a perjury charge but Arbitron HAS taken such issues into the courts)


Wow !!! PRO could have half of their line-up...... in a line-up.

 

[Neanderpaul]

Disqualifying those 6 diaries will certainly drop PRO the .4 margin of victory 12+. It remains to be seen how they affect in-demo shares.

If the personality in question is the "former Boston personality," the man has always been suspect since the day he decided making fun of the tragic shooting death of my friend, on the day it happened, on air, was good content.

Karma cannot strike that man hard enough. If it's him...the loss of his gig, credibility, and livelihood forever would be a nice start.

 

[S DANMAN]

Rumor has it that Buddy wasn't happy about being number 2 and questioned it. He caught wind of his old nemesis having posession of arbitron diaries and dropped a dime. It doesn't pay to screw with his Honor, ask Esserman or Cicilline.