Re: There are dozens of different ratings systems
"...KDWNs ratings are more accurate than you believe. If you did
your own informal research and asked people you saw in
public at random what radio stations they listen to, I
promise that very few would mention KDWN."--Jay F.
Jay, KDWN's ratings in the upper demos aren't bad at all...As a matter of fact, KXNT's upper demo numbers are WAY too close to KDWN's for a competent PD's comfort. As that is not the case, and since KDWN is paralyzed with fear of change, KXNT continues its convenient and unchallenged evasion of broadcasting reality.
"...If you specifically asked people at random in Las Vegas
about 720 KDWN, most would give you a puzzled look and say
they never heard of it or say "I don't listen to AM". The
small minority who would say they listen to KDWN would most
likely be elderly (which Arbitron shows to Michael Savage
(which ARB shows to be their only weekday program with any
type of significant ratings)."---Jay F
There is a very interesting Talk ratings anomaly in place here in Las Vegas. We called it "phantom cume" (when I was winning) at K-NEWS. There truly are a lot of Las Vegas Talk listeners out there that are not reflected in the ratings. Personally, I believe it's due to zero competition, and management decisions made to save the money budgeted to market or promote their stations. (Thus, moving more money to the bottom line, and enriching their year-end bonuses, of course.) Therefore, this "phantom" audience truly has no idea who they're listening to. Rather, the research question should be; "What talk show do you like to listen to." You'd get plenty of valid replies.
"...Don't let the calls fool you, I hear many of the same (often
cranky) old voices call in over and over again."
Actually Jay, "The Wells Report" gets a very diverse call-in audience, and at least 3 or 4 "first-time" callers every weekend. Then again, I don't do "open lines"....it's a directed conversation. (So endeth the shameless self-promotion. Hey, if I don't do it, no one else here will...)
"...With by far the best AM signal in town, KDWN has great
potential. With the right programming decisions and some
promotion/advertising KDWN could become the KFI of Las
Vegas. But the way it stands now, believe those consistently
low Arbitron numbers because they very much reflect reality."
This may be a little esoteric....According to their own definitions, Arbitron Ratings are: "...An opinion of an estimate". To say they "reflect reality" may be placing more faith in them than should actually be the case. However, they ARE the 800 lb. gorilla. Therefore, any "reality" assigned to their product is one of their own manufacture. That having been said, regardless of what actually exists, for those of us who are left in the business, "the numbers" are the theoretical "truth".
Likewise, KDWN is trapped in a reality of their own manufacture, now leavened with the abject fear of certain and imminent change. That very combination has created a paralysis from which the only escape is a leap of faith they are incapable of making....
....a pity. And so shall the mediocrity be preserved.
As I have said here before, it took an iceberg to expose the incompetence of Titanic's captain. He was a menace long before an iceberg finally told the truth....In the meantime, enjoy the cruise!
Jon-David Wells
Fearless Broadcaster
