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Here's What Happens When Radio Gets Liberated

J

jaxradidio

A friend sent me this news blurb.

"Nashville’s WSM-AM (650) is independent again – adding shows and running in the black. Its Joint Sales Agreement with Cumulus expired at year-end and owner Gaylord Entertainment seems to be rarin’ to go by bringing in current artists on the new Friday night “Back to the Barn.” It debuts live from Gaylord-owned Wild Horse Saloon February 20. The Business Journal says the new “barn door will be open to everyone from rockers and hipsters to bluegrass and country legends." It’s already more than half sold-out, ad-wise. We’ve been watching WSM shrink lately, shedding local news reporters and other elements from its full-service days. Ratings-wise, it's down from the mid-2s to a 1.7 in the last Arbitrend. Looks like Gaylord is ready to help it grow, even in today’s tough environment."
 
I wonder how many of WSM's listeners are from outside their primary service area, versus from within (the same would apply to other clear-channel class A stations). Is there any kind of rating service that has attempted to measure this?

Does, or could, Arbitron take out-of-market diary or PPM references to clear-channel stations and aggregate them to get a number of listeners (in lieu of share, which would be meaningless for an out-of-market survey) or TSL? You would also have to take seasonality into account (more out-of-market listeners in winter, when nights are longer).

I would presume that WSM gets more for spots than what a random non-clear-channel AM station with a 1.7 share (coughWGSTcough) would get. Strictly from a business standpoint (heritage aside), a 1.7 share and commensurate rates is a waste of a clear-channel station if they aren't.
 
If people in another market were listening to WSM, the PPM would pick it up. If there was sufficient listening, Arbitron would report it for that market. Advertising agencies buy based on a list of markets. Theoretically, agencies should add the audiences of stations that show up in multiple markets, but in this fast-paced, computerized, knock-out-the-buy world, they don't. There is a network ratings report (RADAR), but a WSM situation is not reported in that.

Truth be told, despite being receivable in a number of markets at night, it's highly unlikely that WSM gets enough audience to be reported in any market except Nashville. For one thing, listening in daytime hours is zero, and that gets averaged in.
 
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