Clear Channel Vaults to #1 & #2 -Is this Katrina's Kiss or Is It Gonna Last?

[wennykindham]

After a shorter than expected delay Arbitron has released the latest round of numbers for the Jackson market and Clear Channel's Miss 103 and Halleluah give Inner City a one-two combo punch and may have ole Scrooge in the big office at CC Jxn a little less "Bah-Humbug!" heading into the holidays. Randy Bell and his excellant coverage during the days surrounding the hurricane no doubt helped. The question is, "Can it last?" People are saying that Jackson's twice as populous as before the storm. What is the new demographic profile and who might they listen to? It may liven up a sometimes dull market.
I'll defer to those who normally post the numbers to put the rankings up - GEB This means you....Your analysis is always so concise.

Wenny

 

[ChrisPC]

My family in MS said that Miss 103 was the only station they could pick up for a week or two after Katrina! It ought to have a great book.

 

[ticoSD]

I think Miss 103 did an excellent job with the post-Katrina coverage. With them doing as well as they did in the ratings (which have not yet been posted on Radio & Records, where I usually see them), I think it was a Katrina kiss, though the hangover effect could last for a wee bit longer. Several people I know and myself included who normally don't listen to Miss listened for a long period of time. It was the place I was getting most of the information I needed, especially which gas stations that were open, albeit with long lines.

As far as the population bump, that was something I attempted to address a while back in the "Jackson radio market post-Katrina" post. It'll be a while before we know how many evacuees stayed and what their station of choice is. For the time being, any boosts stations get as a result of evacuees will probably come from those who moved in with friends or family and that household just so happen to get a diary.<P ID="signature">______________
"...and the countdown continues until the neanderthals that govern college football do something about their pathetic postseason."--Tim Brando, Sporting News Radio</P>

 

[wennykindham]

I don't expect that post Katrina we will see any great influence of the new residents on the ratings, at least not right away. And it's entirely possible that by the next U.S. census there will be no discernable change in the numbers or demographic make-up of the area. If I'm not mistaken that itself would be a reversal of the trend that last census showed a decreasing overall population. It is more likely that there will be a net growth. It will be interesting a (at least to this amateur sociologist) to see how it shakes out.

Miss 103 did do a good job-and they stayed on the air. They earned the right to promo that fact proudly. However, this afternoon I was listening to 96.3 enjoying the music when a promo caught my ear. It was one of those that stations make by excerpting messages left on a "listener comment line" by what I lovingly refer to as "morons" who get a kick out of hearing themselves on the air and fawn over whatever station they happen to be calling that day. Anyway, the promo was all about U.S. 96's coverage during the hurricane- the topper being a few callers who breathlessly relate that they were " the only station I could find!" or words to that effect. I had to dust the corn meal off my radio...
Come on guys! Good job on the promo- it sounded great. It's just that it is complete B.S. Hell, during the storm everybody was off for a while- excluding a few Clear Channel and Inner City stations who had generators at the studios AND the transmitters. Of course- maybe the caller was stupid enough to call the wrong station- that happens a lot...
By the way this is not meant as a slam on 96.3- those guys provide a great choice for country listeners.

 

[smashedcd]

> After a shorter than expected delay Arbitron has released
> the latest round of numbers for the Jackson market and Clear
> Channel's Miss 103 and Halleluah give Inner City a one-two
> combo punch and may have ole Scrooge in the big office at CC
> Jxn a little less "Bah-Humbug!" heading into the holidays.
> Randy Bell and his excellant coverage during the days
> surrounding the hurricane no doubt helped. The question is,
> "Can it last?" People are saying that Jackson's twice as
> populous as before the storm. What is the new demographic
> profile and who might they listen to? It may liven up a
> sometimes dull market.
> I'll defer to those who normally post the numbers to put the
> rankings up - GEB This means you....Your analysis is always
> so concise.
>
> Wenny
>
???----while looking on all access..i see #3 and 4..not #1 and 2....as being the top cc stations..<P ID="signature">______________
note to tvland...bring back wkrp!!!</P>

 

[ticoSD]

> > After a shorter than expected delay Arbitron has released
> > the latest round of numbers for the Jackson market and
> Clear
> > Channel's Miss 103 and Halleluah give Inner City a one-two
>
> > combo punch and may have ole Scrooge in the big office at
> CC
> > Jxn a little less "Bah-Humbug!" heading into the holidays.
>
> > Randy Bell and his excellant coverage during the days
> > surrounding the hurricane no doubt helped. The question
> is,
> > "Can it last?" People are saying that Jackson's twice as
> > populous as before the storm. What is the new demographic
> > profile and who might they listen to? It may liven up a
> > sometimes dull market.
> > I'll defer to those who normally post the numbers to put
> the
> > rankings up - GEB This means you....Your analysis is
> always
> > so concise.
> >
> > Wenny
> >
> ???----while looking on all access..i see #3 and 4..not #1
> and 2....as being the top cc stations..
>

Those are spring numbers. I remember reading some time after Katrina hit that Jackson and Baton Rouge's summer numbers would be delayed a couple of days.<P ID="signature">______________
"...and the countdown continues until the neanderthals that govern college football do something about their pathetic postseason."--Tim Brando, Sporting News Radio</P>

 

[DeadElvis]

> If I'm not mistaken [increase in Jackson population]
> itself would be a reversal of the trend that last census
> showed a decreasing overall population. It is more likely
> that there will be a net growth. It will be interesting a
> (at least to this amateur sociologist) to see how it shakes
> out.

You're right...

The Jackson metro is experiencing very slow growth. Hinds County has shown a very slight decline in recent years, but Rankin and Madison are up enough to offset the total for the metro. So, there is some growth, but it trails the national average.

Now, whether Jackson will benefit from the exodus to the south is an open question. I wrote some less-than-supported ideas about that a few weeks back, and won't bother you again with it. But, suffice it to say that I think Jackson can maintain only a small percentage of the highly-inflated numbers many offer as possibilities.

But, from a demographic standpoint, I expect little change. The areas hit by Katrina are not affluent, and are highly-ethnic, just like the Jackson metro. What population does settle here, if any, will look much like what already exists. So, I wouldn't expect much change in radio formats or strategies.

Of course, I could be wrong.

DE

 

[Pat2]

>In a way I wish they had kept their mouth shut about who had gas. Everytime they would blab it on the air, everybody and everybodys mama would show up and cause an ungodly line at the pump. Out where I live we have a couple of little country stores out in the sticks that many "city slickers" don't even know about. But as soon as someone blabbed it on the radio it would be wall to wall Hinds County tags. I'm sitting on empty and I have to go to work, I don't have time to sit in line with a bunch of gas hoarders filling up jugs. Arrrrrgh! Ok thats my rant for the day. Oh, and stop eating up all the food at Ryans.

 

[Pat2]

If I remember correctly their were quite a few stations on the air. Most of the AM was dark except for WJDX. But most of the FM was on during the storm and afterwards some were sporadic.

 

[wennykindham]

> > If I'm not mistaken [increase in Jackson population]
> > itself would be a reversal of the trend that last census
> > showed a decreasing overall population. It is more likely
> > that there will be a net growth. It will be interesting a
> > (at least to this amateur sociologist) to see how it
> shakes
> > out.
>
> You're right...
>
> The Jackson metro is experiencing very slow growth. Hinds
> County has shown a very slight decline in recent years, but
> Rankin and Madison are up enough to offset the total for the
> metro. So, there is some growth, but it trails the national
> average.
>
> Now, whether Jackson will benefit from the exodus to the
> south is an open question. I wrote some less-than-supported
> ideas about that a few weeks back, and won't bother you
> again with it. But, suffice it to say that I think Jackson
> can maintain only a small percentage of the highly-inflated
> numbers many offer as possibilities.
>
> But, from a demographic standpoint, I expect little change.
> The areas hit by Katrina are not affluent, and are
> highly-ethnic, just like the Jackson metro. What population
> does settle here, if any, will look much like what already
> exists. So, I wouldn't expect much change in radio formats
> or strategies.
>
> Of course, I could be wrong.
>
> DE
>
I'm with you- like the winds of Katrina this will probably blow right on through...