L.A./San Bernardino-Riverside June 2014 Radio Ratings

[semoochie]

One of the big surprises to me is the huge jump KSWD has made this Spring. Going from a 2.1 to a 2.9 in one quarter is incredible. KLOS meanwhile is still stagnant at 2.1. I said about three years ago that the Sound was playing to win and that KLOS would be in a big heap of trouble when M&B left. M&B have been gone for about two years now, and while the Heidi and Frank show is not the ratings disaster it could have been, they simply cannot carry the station like M&B did. I have a feeling the rest of the day must be running hugely in favor of the Sound in order to get that magnitude of overall difference.

Over the last three years, the Sound has fulfilled this prediction by the hiring of ex KLOS jocks (but wisely not hiring Jim Ladd though, who has become a polarizing figure due to his political rants and ceaseless playing of old Doors records that no one wants to hear), being more creative in their programming, and having a morning show with Uncle Joe that is much better then what they had before (the hapless Larry and Sherry) but probably costs much less money then the more produced Heidi and Frank. Also, hammering KLOS in their on-air promos seems to be working too (because they keep doing it).

Interestingly, with only the crude tool of the published Spring 6+ ratings, it is hard to make any broad statements, but going with what we have, it seems that the Sound's increase does not really seem to be at the expense of its main competitors who have either stayed in place or grown themselves - where did the extra shares come from? Also, perhaps David or someone could explain how they went from Mar - 2.2; April - 2.5; and May - 2.6 to a total "spring book" of 2.9? I don't understand how that works, but whatever it is, right now the Sound is winning and KLOS has some work to do.

BTW, when comparing classic rock stations, it seems to me that the 6+ is a relative good proxy for the money demos too, as they most likely make up > 80% of the overall audience anyway. Please explain to me why this is faulty logic (I am sure it is, just want to know why).

It sounds like you're confusing the old diary trends with the 13 yearly PPM reports. The diary had monthly trends building up to the full book. A PPM is the entire report.

 

[davideduardo]

It sounds like you're confusing the old diary trends with the 13 yearly PPM reports. The diary had monthly trends building up to the full book. A PPM is the entire report.

Actually, the diary had three month "trend" reports that included the mostly unweighted data from the most recent 4 week period. Arbitron did not issue monthly diary reports.

So the January trend was November, December and January. 2 months from Fall, one month from Winter. PPM does no multi book averages, but there are subscriber only weeklies, which can be looked at on a daily basis, too.

 

[davideduardo]

One of the big surprises to me is the huge jump KSWD has made this Spring. Going from a 2.1 to a 2.9 in one quarter is incredible.

There is no "Spring" book and there is no Nielsen sanctioned quarterly report. You are seeing the data from three separate 4-week books.

Interestingly, with only the crude tool of the published Spring 6+ ratings

Not crude, non-existent.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

There is no "Spring" book and there is no Nielsen sanctioned quarterly report. You are seeing the data from three separate 4-week books.



Not crude, non-existent.

Then what does that final column that says "Spr 14" represent? And why does it have a higher number (in the case of KSWD) than the three spring month columns of Mar Apr and May that precede it?

BTW, while I don't mind being corrected on the technical stuff, as I like to be as accurate as possible, it would be even more helpful if you provided insight to some of the actual questions and issues raised in the post. For example, are the overall shares for classic rock/oldies increasing or not? How are Heidi and Frank comparing to what preceded them and the market as a whole, and the station as a whole. I know you have access to all of that information and could provide some solid analysis rather easily.That is where the board members could really benefit from your many years of experience and wisdom. The proper terminology for the books is so irrelevant by comparison.

 

[davideduardo]

Then what does that final column that says "Spr 14" represent? And why does it have a higher number (in the case of KSWD) than the three spring month columns of Mar Apr and May that precede it?

That "spring" column is something the website has done. Nielsen does not provide a 3-month average or a Spring book. Remember, Nielsen does not even give the format descriptor with the monthly book data... which is why so many formats are listed differently from site to site and why some are wrong on individual sites.

For example, are the overall shares for classic rock/oldies increasing or not? How are Heidi and Frank comparing to what preceded them and the market as a whole, and the station as a whole. I know you have access to all of that information and could provide some solid analysis rather easily.That is where the board members could really benefit from your many years of experience and wisdom. The proper terminology for the books is so irrelevant by comparison.

Point taken. I can give it a glance and see if there is anything obvious, other than the ebb and flow of audience between two competing stations.

 

[davideduardo]

For example, are the overall shares for classic rock/oldies increasing or not? How are Heidi and Frank comparing to what preceded them and the market as a whole, and the station as a whole..

Here is what I see from an evaluation of 35-54 from September of last year to June of this year... 11 books.

Total share went from the 4.3 to 4.5 range last year to 5.5 shares in the most recent book. The June book may be a bit high, as the previous few months were in the 5 share range... still a git of an increase.

The biggest change is that while the KLOS morning shares, while a bit wobbly, are fairly flat overall in this time period. But the Sound morning show has increased from a 1.9 to 2.0 range to a 3 share average lately.

The Sound has also improved, but only by tenths of a point, in other dayparts. But the increases there are enough to put them over KLOS in every one of them.

So we are seeing KLOS at or just little bits below its late 2013 levels, while KSWD has grown, without robbing from KLOS, its average listening levels.

 

[semoochie]

Actually, the diary had three month "trend" reports that included the mostly unweighted data from the most recent 4 week period. Arbitron did not issue monthly diary reports.

So the January trend was November, December and January. 2 months from Fall, one month from Winter. PPM does no multi book averages, but there are subscriber only weeklies, which can be looked at on a daily basis, too.

That's right; I forgot!