KROI Taking a Dive in the Ratings

[BarryATL]

I don't listen often to KROI since I am out of market (I am a news junckie), but I am surprised at the ratings trend. They have lost half of their audience since April.

1.1 April
0.8 May
0.6 June
0.5 July

What is happening that is causing such a nose dive? Here in Atlanta our all newser is holding steady and slowly increasing (at a 1.8 for July). I mention Atlanta because there have been a lot of comparisons between the two new newsers.

 

[TheBigA]

It's the summer. No one cares about the news.

Also, what's the biggest news story of the summer?

Radio has to play the hits. Right now, there aren't any hits in news radio.

 

[BarryATL]

I used the comparison to Atlanta since both KROI and WYAY are new All News stations in the sunbelt. WYAY held steady over the summer and KRLD remained almost steady.

KRLD
1.0 April
1.1 May
1.0 June
0.8 July

WYAY
1.6 April
1.8 May
1.8 June
1.7 July

KROI went from a 1.1 to a 0.5 in the same period trending down each month. I think this has to be more than a summer blip. Has the sound/news quality changed since the new program director has been there?

 

[stan]

You'd have to compare signal coverage areas for both as well. The 92.1 signal is a real handicap for any format.

 

[BarryATL]

You'd have to compare signal coverage areas for both as well. The 92.1 signal is a real handicap for any format.

You are right. Signal is an issue for KROI. However, they had settled in to about a 1.0 rating for more than a year and suddenly in the last four months they nose dive. What changed?

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

I might posit a reason: sloppy production values, inattention to detail and perhaps even a disdain for their listeners.

While out driving during the noon hour, I listened to News92 (usually listen to KUHF, but I don't like their midday program, BBC's "World Have Your Say") today. Their "Traffic on the Nine's" during the entire hour was a repeat of an overnight traffic report, complete with references to "overnight roadwork through 5 a-m."

Every. Single. One. And this from a station that has billboards all over town that read "Stuck in Traffic? Tune to News92."

They didn't have a live traffic report until 1:09 when Karen Christie hit the studio.

If a studio engineer, someone in the newsroom (and especially the anchor on-air at that time), a program director, ANYONE IN THE DAMN BUILDING, couldn't be bothered to notice and take action to correct something as simple as a miscued traffic report, they need to seriously reconsider their commitment to news at this station.

 

[Tim-In-Houston]

Update: after posting here, I went to the contact page at News92 and emailed everyone in management about the error.

to: Douglas Abernathy; Denise Bishop; Nicci Morris; Alan Furst
from: Tim Lankford

subject: breathtakingly disappointing.

I was out driving during the 12:00 – 1:00 hour today and decided to listen to your station.

Bad decision on my part.

Every traffic report that aired during that hour was a repeat from overnight. Every one. How do I know? The traffic anchor kept making references to road work “through 5 AM.” The next live traffic report didn’t air until 1:09 with Karen Christie.

Go back and listen to the off air soundcheck and you’ll see I’m right.

This is something so simple that I find it breathtakingly disappointing that no one in your newsroom, in your studio, in your management offices, in the engineer’s booth noticed.

Tim Lankford

Douglas Abernathy wrote back:

Tim, thank you for sleeting me. I am on business travel and am red faced with embarrassment and anger. I apologize that we failed in so many ways. Rest assured this will be dealt with.

 

[davideduardo]

You are right. Signal is an issue for KROI. However, they had settled in to about a 1.0 rating for more than a year and suddenly in the last four months they nose dive. What changed?

One of the issues with deficient signals is that PPM panel turnover may cause a few panel households that were in your coverage area to be replaced by ones outside it.

The beginning of summer is notorious in Texas (SA, Austin, DFW and Houston) for having higher than average panel turnover.

So this may just be a panel issue. But remembering that panelist households / dwelling units can remain as long as 24 months in service, unless other changes occur, those nonusers will be around a while.

Since a 6 AM to 7 PM 1 share may be produced by a small number of total meters... likely in the 3 to 6 range.

For those curious, here is the math:

• Taking a random month from this year, I found that the average daily in-tab was 1800 meters. Given that the Persons Using Radio 6 AM to 7 PM is in the 10 range, that means at any given time, 180 to 200 meters are actually detecting listening
• With that in mind, a share point is equal to 1% of the meters that are actually detecting a station. Or 1.8 meters (with individual demos weighted up or down depending on the DDI (performance in each cell as a percentage of the proportional target sample)
• So, a change from a 1 share to a 0.5 can be caused by just one or two average meters

Obviously, a full week change of that proportion, 50%, would mean that overall, quite a few less meters didn't use KROI. Still, we are talking about very very few meters to cause variances like that when a station has low shares to begin with.

.

 

[Jay Walker]

Update: after posting here, I went to the contact page at News92 and emailed everyone in management about the error.

to: Douglas Abernathy; Denise Bishop; Nicci Morris; Alan Furst
from: Tim Lankford

subject: breathtakingly disappointing.

I was out driving during the 12:00 – 1:00 hour today and decided to listen to your station.

Bad decision on my part.

Every traffic report that aired during that hour was a repeat from overnight. Every one. How do I know? The traffic anchor kept making references to road work “through 5 AM.” The next live traffic report didn’t air until 1:09 with Karen Christie.

Go back and listen to the off air soundcheck and you’ll see I’m right.

This is something so simple that I find it breathtakingly disappointing that no one in your newsroom, in your studio, in your management offices, in the engineer’s booth noticed.

Tim Lankford

Douglas Abernathy wrote back:

Tim, thank you for sleeting me. I am on business travel and am red faced with embarrassment and anger. I apologize that we failed in so many ways. Rest assured this will be dealt with.

Attention to detail is what defines winners and losers. IMHO News Radio stations are held to a higher standard since the total programming concept is based on the delivery of accurate timely information. For something as glaringly obvious to any person in the station wearing headphones to not be acted upon is a gross indication of how BAD THEY DO NOT WANT TO WIN.

Anyone in the building, the board op, the anchor, a salesman hearing it while standing in the hallway and not caring enough to at least point out "there's a problem here" bears responsibility.

To me and my overly judgmental mindset, They. Do. Not. Want. To. Win.
they are simply collecting a paycheck and if the attitude of "it's not my job" or "it's not my problem" or whatever it may be continues, they will fail...

As they are...

 

[TheBigA]

There's a reason why no other station went all news in Houston. Now you're seeing the reason why.

 

[stan]

But as long as they are making enough money, the ratings may not be critical.

 

[bturner]

I agree. Ratings mean nothing if you're making money. From the rumblings I hear, and they might not be accurate, KROI is alright financially and it would appear a good gamble. Sure, it is an amazingly expensive format to do but much like other specialized formats it seems to be popular with a certain type of advertiser that seems to pull the results they need.

 

[TheBigA]

The thing about news is everything is sponsor-able, usually at a premium price. Not like a music station, where breaks are considered interruptions.

 

[Jay Walker]

stan bturner and TheBigA you are all correct about "making money". I am the one usually beating the "Ratings don't matter is all about revenue" drum.;D

However every now and then the "idealist" in me pops up and bemoans the lack of "Pride in Product, Pride in Performance" in some broadcast situations these days.
When I hear a station blow something as basic as a dated traffic report or a dated commercial "Join us Today" for an event that ended three days ago, I react poorly... :

 

[bturner]

While I know there will be times we wind up with egg on our face, pride in product is something you have regardless of ratings and regardless of revenue if you're doing things right. When the egg flies in the face you react quickly to minimize damage and damage to the reputation. I worked lots of really poor stations where poverty was the norm and management had no clue but we had pride in what we did (about all we had enough of to hang on to).

Spots airing after the kill date and old programming elements are glaring errors that say the staff has too much to do or such a terrible work environment they simply don't care. Granted, it's going to happen but if you're paying attention, it is quickly corrected. In fact I killed audio a few times on outdated spots over the years and once the next song began, I called traffic and the salesperson. You have to care about the product because that directly affects the flow of dollars.

 

[rageradio]

There's a reason why no other station went all news in Houston. Now you're seeing the reason why.

I applaude RO for at least giving it a try. I also think there's no reason why it shouldn't work. Yes we live in an age where information is readily at our fingertips but when you are driving it's more practical and much safer to have it on the radio instead of picking up your phone. Unfortunately such is not the case as people still continue to play with their phones while they drive

 

[mrbeasley]

Radio One is doing pretty doggone good in the stock market. Mainly because of their other urban stations doing as well as they do. So, they can afford to stick their neck out with a news-on-FM format as long as it doesn't go in the red for too long. Keep in mind that KROI is still a young operation. And they need to learn to crawl before they walk. But they have good management and a very respectable line-up of on-air and behind-the-scenes people that are busting ass to make the format successful. If I were a betting person, I would go long on them. I would much rather listen to them than KTRH anytime.

 

[careful705]

I would much rather listen to them than KTRH anytime.

Hell yes... When they start with the "Did you hear what those crazy Democrats are doing?" crap, I just cringe... Even if I agree with your point of view I don't care!! Just give me the news please! That is a concept KTRH lost a long time ago unfortunately... ???

 

[FilioScotia]

**it Happens in the Best of Families

I live in an east Texas town where five local stations are owned by Townsquare Media, and they all broadcast within a few feet of each other in same little office building. Their formats span the spectrum from contemporary country to hard rock to conservative talk, and they're all doing well, revenue wise.

Even so, it's fairly common to hear commercials and promos for events that happened weeks ago. As someone who spent a lot of years in radio, I just don't understand how competent sales managers, sales reps and continuity people can allow that to happen.

 

[Jay Walker]

Re: **it Happens in the Best of Families

I live in an east Texas town where five local stations are owned by Townsquare Media, and they all broadcast within a few feet of each other in same little office building. Their formats span the spectrum from contemporary country to hard rock to conservative talk, and they're all doing well, revenue wise.

Even so, it's fairly common to hear commercials and promos for events that happened weeks ago. As someone who spent a lot of years in radio, I just don't understand how competent sales managers, sales reps and continuity people can allow that to happen.

My point is while a "oops" event like an out of date spot/promo or weather/traffic report can slip by on the best of stations, it only slips by once if people are motivated and take pride in their product. For an "oops" event to run multiple times shows a glaring lack of interest in the product.

While I was very fortunate to work in top 5 markets with two of the big three O&O groups (CBS/ABC), and several of the major second tier players in medium to large market (Doubleday/Gannett) back in the 80's and 90's, I always look back with great fondness and personal accomplishment at my small market days in the 70's where we accomplished so much with so very little.

In those small market stations we had nothing but personal pride in the product to inspire us to do magical things. Small market is where I learned some great lessons, "It's not the tool, but the hand on the tool that creates the product" and "Attitude and Attention" where a positive attitude and attention to detail are the keys to high performance.