Boston Radio Ratings: June 2013

[Joseph_Gallant]

--What is WEEI-FM doing at #12 while the Red Sox are at the top of their division? Why is WBZ-FM, tied for #4, beating WEEI-FM by a sizable margin during baseball season? Maybe in the late Fall or Winter. But in May and June?

Three words: Stanley. Cup. Playoffs.

The Boston Bruins went all the way to the Finals, and came to within two games of winning the championship (indeed, if the Bruins had won the two overtime games they lost, they and not the Chicago Blackhawks would have won the championship).

Expect WEEI-93.7's ratings to surge the rest of baseball season.

 

[CatCall]

--Who would think Country would be #2 in Boston?

Is it the popularity of country music, or is it a testimony to WKLB really sounding that good? They deserved the CMA award last year.

 

[pjc1961]

AllAccess June 2013 PPM Ratings Analysis including top 5 stations in 25-54, 18-34 + 18-49 (scroll down for Boston):

http://www.allaccess.com/arbitron-p.../june-ppm-analysis-for-houston-washington-d-c

 

[Eli Polonsky]

--Who would think Country would be #2 in Boston?

Is it the popularity of country music, or is it a testimony to WKLB really sounding that good? They deserved the CMA award last year.

In my perception, it's because WKLB took a different approach to programming country than any other country station had tried in Boston before. Past attempts at country stations in Boston had tried to appeal to the traditional male country listener. That approach still works very well in many other areas, even nearby in NH and RI, but there aren't enough of that profile in a large enough percentage here in Boston.

WKLB appears to me to be the first country station in Boston to try appealing to the contemporary female country listener as well as (or more than) the male country listener. Lots of contemporary upbeat country-pop including a lot of current male "heart throb" performers and widely admired current female artists, some women DJ's and other female hosts, and a delivery that sounds like a "twangy" version of a female-leaning Hot AC station.

Their website has none of the female exploitation (bikini models, etc...) and none of the traditional male toys like "monster trucks", etc... that you usually see on male-oriented country stations sites. It's a female oriented site that includes a women's VIP listener promotion group called the "Red High Heel Club" and offers pages with parenting, gardening, and career advice geared (mainly) toward women.

It's certainly a different approach to programming a country station than the old traditional way, it appeals to the office and "soccer mom" female contemporary country listeners around greater Boston and the suburbs, and the numbers bear out that it obviously works very well!

 

[diamondj]

I would add to the discussion that ZLX is a great sounding radio station. Their imaging almost always makes me laugh. The jocks are allowed to be real and they are out there doing appearances. The biggest thing for me is even when I know what artist is coming up, I can't guess what song it will be - how many other commercial radio stations can you say that about?

 

[Signpost]

I think you nailed it Eli ! My wife's favorite station is WKLB, always on in her car. When we first started dating she was punk rock/new wave.

WKLB appears to me to be the first country station in Boston to try appealing to the contemporary female country listener as well as (or more than) the male country listener. Lots of contemporary upbeat country-pop including a lot of current male "heart throb" performers and widely admired current female artists, some women DJ's and other female hosts, and a delivery that sounds like a "twangy" version of a female-leaning Hot AC station.

Their website has none of the female exploitation (bikini models, etc...) and none of the traditional male toys like "monster trucks", etc... that you usually see on male-oriented country stations sites. It's a female oriented site that includes a women's VIP listener promotion group called the "Red High Heel Club" and offers pages with parenting, gardening, and career advice geared (mainly) toward women.

 

[WBIMDJ]

I would add to the discussion that ZLX is a great sounding radio station. Their imaging almost always makes me laugh. The jocks are allowed to be real and they are out there doing appearances. The biggest thing for me is even when I know what artist is coming up, I can't guess what song it will be - how many other commercial radio stations can you say that about?

Agreed. WZLX is very enjoyable to listen to. Great wide playlist and fun jocks..

 

[leegart]

Maybe amp just needs to speed up there songs a little all the others are doing it

Maybe Amp needs to flip back to classic hits where it was one of the higher rated stations.

 

[CTListener]

Maybe amp just needs to speed up there songs a little all the others are doing it

Maybe Amp needs to flip back to classic hits where it was one of the higher rated stations.

Too bad advertisers didn't want its listeners.

 

[leegart]

Maybe amp just needs to speed up there songs a little all the others are doing it

Maybe Amp needs to flip back to classic hits where it was one of the higher rated stations.

Too bad advertisers didn't want its listeners.

But it had listeners. Among the most!

Amp?

 

[CTListener]

Maybe amp just needs to speed up there songs a little all the others are doing it

Maybe Amp needs to flip back to classic hits where it was one of the higher rated stations.

Too bad advertisers didn't want its listeners.

But it had listeners. Among the most!

Amp?

Not as many, but most of them in the young-and-gullible demo that advertisers drool over.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Maybe amp just needs to speed up there songs a little all the others are doing it

Maybe Amp needs to flip back to classic hits where it was one of the higher rated stations.

Too bad advertisers didn't want its listeners.

But it had listeners. Among the most!

Amp?

In commercial radio today, a lot of listeners in the demographic that advertisers don't want to spend money on does the station no good.

A small amount of listeners in the exact demographic that advertisers want to spend money on does the station a lot of good.

 

[leegart]

Maybe amp just needs to speed up there songs a little all the others are doing it

Maybe Amp needs to flip back to classic hits where it was one of the higher rated stations.

Too bad advertisers didn't want its listeners.

But it had listeners. Among the most!

Amp?

In commercial radio today, a lot of listeners in the demographic that advertisers don't want to spend money on does the station no good.

A small amount of listeners in the exact demographic that advertisers want to spend money on does the station a lot of good.

Well in the #1 market, New York, CBS was quite happy to flip WCBS-FM back to oldies/classic hits and take high ratings with the audience that has disposable income and is less saddled with debt. They appear to be getting the audience.

 

[reelyreal]

CBS-FM is #3 25-54 in NYC, but that's the first time they're cracked the top 3 in the key demo in over a year. ODS wasn't performing that well. Different situations, different markets, different dynamics. If WODS were performing more strongly 25-54, they'd still be alive. The 25-54 demo is crowded in Boston... WZLX is still #1 men, and #4 persons 25-54. When you've got Kiss always at #1, then WKLB, WBZ-FM, and WBMX crowding the demo, they were struggling to make inroads.

It just drives home the point that you CAN NOT TELL ANYTHING FROM THE BEAUTY CONTEST NUMBERS. Look at WBOS... 11th overall with a 3.6, but #3 18-34... MONEY. Cheap to run, performs well in the demos, gets to live.

 

[leegart]

Will AMP's new TV ad buy help?