February 2021 Ratings

[atthestars]

Monthlies are out. Some notes!

WDAS continues to dominate as #1 overall, but WMMR had a very nice spike landing them at #2.

KYW continues to do well with the addition of 103.9 and finds #3.

WOGL regains the "Classic/Adult Hits" lead over WBEN, but numbers still aren't that hot looking compared to previous.

WIOQ easily winning the CHR battle over WTDY, which continues to slip.

And has WRNB set a dubious record? 0.8 share, is that the worst overall share of a "full-powered" FM commercial signal in Philly? If I remember correctly, the old Mix 95.7 WMWX only bottomed out at 0.9. Time to hit the panic button on WRNB? When you have a webstream (WIP-FM), a WAY out of market Country station (WKMK) and an AM/FM Translator combo (WHAT) doing as well or better than you? That's bad.

(And any worry at WTDY? I know it's the sales $'s that matter, not the ratings, but these are some record lows for the frequency)

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

certainly TDY isn’t exactly Entercom’s pride and joy, but the open question is…what is a better alternative (no pun intended)? (I’ll refrain from suggesting adding a 1210 simulcast!)

 

[CassChopper96]

WTDY loos bad

 

[atthestars]

certainly TDY isn’t exactly Entercom’s pride and joy, but the open question is…what is a better alternative (no pun intended)? (I’ll refrain from suggesting adding a 1210 simulcast!)

I've thought about that. What format hole needs to be filled, or what clustermate could work?

WMMR is a top biller, but would a Rock or Active Rock station bite too much into the male numbers of WIP?

With WRNB focusing more on Hip Hop, would it make any sense to attempt to knock off WDAS?

Is there enough $$ in Country to split WXTU's cashflow to go after that?

Run it on the cheap like a Jack FM? But that might bite even more into WOGL.

It's tough to see what else could be put on 96.5. We saw an attempt of Conservative talk on 106.9 that failed, but that could have been more of a mismanagement and lack of promotion issue from Merlin Media.

 

[TheBigA]

I've thought about that. What format hole needs to be filled, or what clustermate could work?

Too many radio stations, not enough money. That's why commercial stations get sold to EMF.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

True enough. They’re a little boxed in and the formats they might be able to make some headway in (and have experience, such as one wants to say that’s good or bad) would be uphill slogs against entrenched competitors.

There might be some nibbling at the edges they could do with 96.5, but for now maybe it’s just ride it out, run it on the cheap and keep an eye open for opportunities. And an ear out for anyone interested in taking the asset off your hands for the right price.

 

[CassChopper96]

i think Rythmic CHR or AC might be the only avaliable format for WTDY. WBEB sounds more HOT AC recently

 

[CTListener]

Too many radio stations, not enough money. That's why commercial stations get sold to EMF.

And too much research by too many number crunchers that has calcified opinions both of what works and what doesn't work in terms of attracting listeners advertisers consider it cost-effective to reach, and of just who those can't-be-bothered-with listeners are. Several decades ago, the absolutist, inflexible, anal-retentive, statistic addicts declared "Women 25-44 good, men 55+ bad," and now that one-time snapshot of a moment in time has become a golden monument to immutable truth that will apparently stand forever.

 

[TheBigA]

And too much research by too many number crunchers that has calcified opinions both of what works and what doesn't work

Sorry...never "too much research." The only way to get the money people to allow you to take a chance on a format is to show them research. Show them a way they can make more money with an experimental format, and they'll let you do it. Otherwise, it's going to be more of the same. As long as someone else is paying, you need to show them research. Otherwise, just buy the songs yourself and listen to them at home. Nothing wrong with that.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

I’m not sure I follow how research and data, the lifeblood of many successful businesses in all manner of industries is a negative in radio specifically.

I get there will always be an anecdote of the person in industry X who bucked the conventional wisdom and found their way to some measure of success. But those are the exceptions for a reason. In the same way, a well-researched business plan can fail. But by and large, you need to have a sound business plan based on data to stand the best chance of success.

Turning back to TDY, splintering the AC audience further seems less advised than staying the course right now. The B is weakened, the Breeze is in place and seemingly found its range. Complementing yourself in a cluster, sure. WMGK/WMMR. No real room in the AC space things being what they are.

 

[TheBigA]

I get there will always be an anecdote of the person in industry X who bucked the conventional wisdom and decency that t their way to some measure of success.

There are, and even a few in radio. But usually they're either using their own money, or profits from another more successful venture. It's hard to convince someone else to risk their money on your dream. Or your personal musical taste. But if you find a way to pay for it, and it hits, you will be heralded as a genius.

 

[radiodx10]

Call me crazy, but I think if you brought back WWDB 96.5, that would fare better than any new music format. Podcasts are HUGE right now, and perhaps a station that reflects the sound and feel of a podcast would do better than another music format. That may sound crazy, but considering how politics and cultural news are really the bulk of online social media content, and podcasts are basically the audio version of social media, 96.5 wouldn't, in my opinion, be completely insane to try something like that.

At least it would be groundbreaking, and there's nothing wrong with thinking a little outside the box.

Or just put another country station idk

 

[davideduardo]

And too much research by too many number crunchers that has calcified opinions both of what works and what doesn't work in terms of attracting listeners advertisers consider it cost-effective to reach, and of just who those can't-be-bothered-with listeners are. Several decades ago, the absolutist, inflexible, anal-retentive, statistic addicts declared "Women 25-44 good, men 55+ bad," and now that one-time snapshot of a moment in time has become a golden monument to immutable truth that will apparently stand forever.

Nobody in radio declared "men 55+ bad".

Agencies just didn't (and don't) buy that demo on radio. And if you are in a top market, you need agency business. Advertisers don't go after 55+ because people in older age groups have rather well defined consumer habits and don't try new things easily and don't switch brands on a whim.

So radio stations generally try to focus on audience groups that get the buys. Sure, a few stations in each market can generate second tier income with fringe demos and formats. But, in general, if you are not targeting 18 to 54 you are going to have a very hard time.

So this focus on a particular demographic range has nothing to do with radio stations or their own format and music research; it has everything to do with what advertisers want. Stations try to get a big enough slice of some portion of 18-54 so that, with the proper pricing ("Cost Per Point" or CPP) they can get on agency buys and on the buys of direct accounts that look at ratings, ranking and pricing.

Demand is created by the buyer, not the seller. And in commercial radio, the demand is for very specific demographics.

 

[CTListener]

So this focus on a particular demographic range has nothing to do with radio stations or their own format and music research; it has everything to do with what advertisers want. Stations try to get a big enough slice of some portion of 18-54 so that, with the proper pricing ("Cost Per Point" or CPP) they can get on agency buys and on the buys of direct accounts that look at ratings, ranking and pricing.

Demand is created by the buyer, not the seller. And in commercial radio, the demand is for very specific demographics.

The number crunchers I was referring to were the advertising professionals, not the radio programmers. Sorry I didn't make that clearer. My point was that these numbers appear to have been carved in stone sometime in the '80s or early '90s and are accepted by everyone involved in any way with commercial radio, including the advertisers themselves, as gospel and never to be changed, or even challenged, again.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Simply not true. Data continues to show the results. Advertising people are no different than other competitive professions. Looking for a leg up, an opportunity mostly untapped to deliver results. Where there is real money to be made, it will be made. And where there’s not...well, blood from a stone and all that.

 

[davideduardo]

The number crunchers I was referring to were the advertising professionals, not the radio programmers. Sorry I didn't make that clearer. My point was that these numbers appear to have been carved in stone sometime in the '80s or early '90s and are accepted by everyone involved in any way with commercial radio, including the advertisers themselves, as gospel and never to be changed, or even challenged, again.

The numbers are always in an ongoing revision process, usually based on consumer data for each agency client's goods or services. And it's not the ad agencies that drive this; it is the marketing departments of advertisers. Those marketers go to agencies for ways of sending a message to the best consumers.

Sidebar: note that beers do not advertise to women. While women may buy beer at the market, they buy what their partner likes. So the product is specified by men of a certain age, and research reveals that. Research in the 50's did not allow that information to be used for efficient ad buys... now it does.

Consumer research accounts for an expenditure by business and industry that exceeds the total annual billing of the radio industry. Most companies are doing research constantly.

This all goes back to the processes P&G and others developed in the 30's, including the "Pantry Check" and focus groups that tried new products or discussed old ones.

With computers, research became more stratified and advertising became more targeted.

Until the later 60's, local ratings were just "total people" in very broad dayparts. They did not measure "at home" and "at work" and "in the car" or just teens or African American Women 25-44 or whatever clients might find as their consumer strong point.

The change was evolutionary, not revolutionary. It went from discreet ages by the late 60's to gender, age, ethnicity and even income by the late 70's and then all the processes were refined and made more disectable over the next three to four decades.

Now we are moving into an era where multiple platforms will be measured together to see how consumers split their time.

 

[Miguelito]

WIOQ easily winning the CHR battle over WTDY, which continues to slip.

But is it? WTDY is 7th 18-34. Unless WIOQ is in 8th or 10th place, it isn't in the top 10 this book. And even if they are in 8th or 10th, they're still being beaten by WTDY. (AllAccess revealed the top 7 & #9 in the demo but didn't reveal what station landed at #8 or #10.)

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

Question for David Gleason , or of someone suitably authoritative :

I trust I'm not THAT off-topic here, but anyway, here goes.

Over the 15 or so years I've been on these radio boards, there has been tons of easy reading about major markets and agency advertising. I had done much radio for 26 years .... DJ, news, PD, music director -- every possible format. But that was a long time ago.
Oh yeah. That;s right, My question.

The big conflict re the topic of research and demos seems to arise amid much vitriol from the major markets. Can you approximate at what size / rated market number at which the agency purchases begin to dwindle and become not the priority?
See, the closest market to here, Allentown, is a lofty #74..... growth, sprawl, some huge radio signals, a clean airport. So how much national ad revenue does their perennial #1 station (Classic Rock WODE) depend on to stay successful?
If the answer is 'very little', then what approximate number market would you say is the cutoff for that ?

 

[atthestars]

But is it? WTDY is 7th 18-34. Unless WIOQ is in 8th or 10th place, it isn't in the top 10 this book. And even if they are in 8th or 10th, they're still being beaten by WTDY. (AllAccess revealed the top 7 & #9 in the demo but didn't reveal what station landed at #8 or #10.)

Good point. And that's unknown to us regular non-subscribing folks. Are they monetizing that audience though? I remember WTDY being #1 in that demo for a couple of books. Hell, WRFF was #1 in that demo several times, and their $$ has been horrible.

 

[Miguelito]

Good point. And that's unknown to us regular non-subscribing folks. Are they monetizing that audience though? I remember WTDY being #1 in that demo for a couple of books. Hell, WRFF was #1 in that demo several times, and their $$ has been horrible.

One of the things I imagine Entercom does well is sales. I imagine they also strategize pretty well. Then, waaaaaaaaaay down the list would be programming. lol