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Febuary Chicago Radio Ratings
- Thread starter CassChopper96
- Start date
WCHI would be a must-listen again if they'd start mixing new songs into their current playlist. Hearing the exact same songs daily with nothing new in between has become boring (I think they play only one new song per day, at 10 PM). There are several good new rock tracks out right now that would be right at home on this type of station.
In regards to WFMT...
I've notice a 5 year trend in many metros- listener supported radio is making huge gains. As people leave terrestrial radio for streaming music, listener supported radio prevails. This includes public radio and religious broadcasters.
I think this has to do with their business model. They're the original "subscription" music service. They get revenue directly from listeners. Furthermore, their audience is much more loyal. The listeners are likely to listen for more hours throughout the day, and listen in more places.
It's not that WFMT is seeing an increase in listeners. Rather, they are seeing an increase in market share, because they keep their listenership while other stations lose listeners altogether.
These are just my thoughts, and they are not backed up by any formal research. Never the less, it's still a noticeable trend.
I've notice a 5 year trend in many metros- listener supported radio is making huge gains. As people leave terrestrial radio for streaming music, listener supported radio prevails. This includes public radio and religious broadcasters.
I think this has to do with their business model. They're the original "subscription" music service. They get revenue directly from listeners. Furthermore, their audience is much more loyal. The listeners are likely to listen for more hours throughout the day, and listen in more places.
It's not that WFMT is seeing an increase in listeners. Rather, they are seeing an increase in market share, because they keep their listenership while other stations lose listeners altogether.
These are just my thoughts, and they are not backed up by any formal research. Never the less, it's still a noticeable trend.
I wonder if going for a take on WBUZ (Nashville Active that reports to the Billboard Alternative panel) would be a solution that could work in Chicago? WBUZ still plays some classic rock favorites, but leans more 90's/00's with a mixture of Active and Alternative currents and recurrents. That specific formula might be able to keep the Q101 nostalgics consistently happy and lure away WKQX listeners who may want more rock in their mix, while keeping the attention of more open-minded Loop listeners.
WBUZ's adds this month just to give an indicator of their balancing act with Active Rock and Alternative songs:
Mike Shinoda - "Happy Endings"
The Offspring - "Let The Bad Times Roll"
The Strumbellas - "Greatest Enemy"
Black Pistol Fire - "Look Alive"
Royal Blood - "Typhoons"
Manchester Orchestra - "Bed Head"
Grouplove - "Deadline"
Badflower - "F*** The World"
Imagine Dragons - "Follow You"
Rise Against - "Nowhere Generation"
10 Years - "The Unknown"
All these songs would sound great in the mix on 95.5.
OK then. What's your Classical Playlist for WFMT? "1000 Symphonic Performances in a row without interruption" sounds a little tacky and commercial. Not to mention unsustainable.
Yeah I think so. 95.5 runs quite a bit of the Q101 alternative favorites from the 90's and 00's (including several songs that never charted on Mainstream Rock) so I think a mixture of Active Rock and Alternative currents can blend in quite well.
I gave WBUZ a listen for two hours and this is what I got from their playlist:
10-11 AM:
1. Nirvana - "Breed" (1991)
2. KennyHoopla & Travis Barker - "Estella//" (2020, C)
3. Metallica - "Until It Sleeps" (1996)
4. Fall Out Boy - "My Songs Know What You Did In The Dark (Light Em Up)" (2013)
5. Guns N Roses - "November Rain" (1991)
6. Highly Suspect - "My Name Is Human" (2016)
7. Weezer - "Buddy Holly" (1994)
8. Breaking Benjamin - "Breath" (2006)
9. The Offspring - "Let The Bad Times Roll" (2021, C)
10. Alice In Chains - "Down In A Hole" (1993)
11. Twenty-One Pilots - "Stressed Out" (2015)
12. Ozzy Osbourne - "Crazy Train" (1980)
13. Dishwalla - "Counting Blue Cars" (1996)
14. Rise Against - "Savior" (2008)
11-12PM:
1. The Breeders - "Cannonball" (1993)
2. Green Day - "Basket Case" (1994)
3. The Pretty Reckless - "And So It Went (feat. Tom Morello)" (2021, C)
4. Pink Floyd - "Run Like Hell" (1980)
5. The Smashing Pumpkins - "Bullet With Butterfly Wings" (1995)
6. Machine Gun Kelly - "bloody valentine" (2020, R)
7. The Killers - "Mr. Brightside" (2004)
8. Red Hot Chili Peppers - "Around The World" (1999)
9. Foo Fighters - "Waiting On A War" (2021, C)
10. Motley Crue - "Shout At The Devil" (1983)
11. Soundgarden - "Black Hole Sun" (1994)
12. Imagine Dragons - "Follow You" (2021, C)
It's not that dissimilar from what Rock 95.5 runs right now (WBUZ even calls themselves "Nashville's Rock Station" much like 95.5 calls themselves "Chicago's Rock Station"). Just mixes in new stuff from Active and Alternative and dials back on the 70's-80's rock favorites a bit (but doesn't cut them out of the mix entirely). I think it would suit Chicago and the ideal long-term demographics better than what they're doing now (Q101 nostalgics are still in the 25-54 demo and will be for a bit longer, Loop listeners are aging out).
WFMT growing, that's fascinating
MarkW has just hated WCHI since the beginning. He has been complaining about it since the day they changed formats...
I like it. I can't say that they're perfect, but I like it. There is still room for improvement (and not just the ratings...)
Things I don't like;
- Still don't like Angie in the morning
- Some of the fillers trying to do comedic bits drive me nuts.
- Traffic report intro's. I don't need some stupid commentary. Just lay a music bed in to the traffic report.
- And yes, they need more consistency with their play list
Things I like;
- Some of their promos... Chainsaw Friday, divorce consultations for Valentines Day, etc...
- Pat Capone. Right now he is doing weekends. He should be your afternoon drive guy. He really hit his stride on 103.9 the Fox. Guitar licks and some of the other stuff he did that would fit perfectly on 'CHI.
I like it. I can't say that they're perfect, but I like it. There is still room for improvement (and not just the ratings...)
Things I don't like;
- Still don't like Angie in the morning
- Some of the fillers trying to do comedic bits drive me nuts.
- Traffic report intro's. I don't need some stupid commentary. Just lay a music bed in to the traffic report.
- And yes, they need more consistency with their play list
Things I like;
- Some of their promos... Chainsaw Friday, divorce consultations for Valentines Day, etc...
- Pat Capone. Right now he is doing weekends. He should be your afternoon drive guy. He really hit his stride on 103.9 the Fox. Guitar licks and some of the other stuff he did that would fit perfectly on 'CHI.
- Status