L.A./San Bernardino-Riverside Radio Ratings: June 2013

[pjc1961]

Los Angeles: http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb003
Riverside-San Bernardino: http://ratings.****************/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb379

Overall age 6+ publicly released data for subscribing stations is for the June 2013 survey period covering Thu. 5/23/13-Wed. 6/19/13.
Next survey period will be July 2013 (covering Thu. 6/20/13-Wed. 7/17/13) with the data release date being Mon. 8/5/13.

AllAccess PPM Ratings Analysis for June 2013 (scroll down for Los Angeles):
http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/a...rch-director-inc-presents-exclusive-june-ppm-

 

[Thomps2525]

KFI fell out of the top five for the first time in a long time. KNX suffered a sizeable ratings drop. Have all the news stories recently been so horrific that people are seeking comfort by tuning to music stations and away from news? Or are there other reasons for the KFI/KNX declines?

 

[radio124]

And how did KRTH do this time in 25-54? Any better? They are flat 6+. KTWV is way down even in 6+
Congrats to CBS-FM #2 6+ #3 25-54. They must be doing something right over there.

 

[davideduardo]

And how did KRTH do this time in 25-54? Any better? They are flat 6+. KTWV is way down even in 6+

No statistically significant change in 25-54 for either KRTH or KTWV. Both are real underperformers there.

 

[justpassingthough]

And how did KRTH do this time in 25-54? Any better? They are flat 6+. KTWV is way down even in 6+
Congrats to CBS-FM #2 6+ #3 25-54. They must be doing something right over there.

Am I missing something? Jack is nowhere near the top on the 6+ numbers and has been flat or declining in the overalls for years now. KAMP has seen steady growth in the meaningless 6+ numbers, though.

 

[36james]

im wondering when the PD, will make all the changes to KTWV and KRTH, now that hes been there almost a month now, although i have to say 3.7 overall is not horrible. its better than Jack FM.

 

[michael hagerty]

And how did KRTH do this time in 25-54? Any better? They are flat 6+. KTWV is way down even in 6+
Congrats to CBS-FM #2 6+ #3 25-54. They must be doing something right over there.

Am I missing something? Jack is nowhere near the top on the 6+ numbers and has been flat or declining in the overalls for years now. KAMP has seen steady growth in the meaningless 6+ numbers, though.

I think he was referring to AMP, which CBS owns. While the 6+ numbers are meaningless, if AMP is #3 25-54, that's a notable achievement.

 

[davideduardo]

Am I missing something? Jack is nowhere near the top on the 6+ numbers and has been flat or declining in the overalls for years now. KAMP has seen steady growth in the meaningless 6+ numbers, though.

Jack is a solid 25-54 performer.

It has the exact same rating as KFI, KBUE, KRCD, KPWR, KRTH and KHHT in 25-54.

 

[davideduardo]

..if AMP is #3 25-54, that's a notable achievement.

Amp is 4th in 25-54, right after KBIG, KIIS and KROQ.

 

[davideduardo]

im wondering when the PD, will make all the changes to KTWV and KRTH, now that hes been there almost a month now, although i have to say 3.7 overall is not horrible. its better than Jack FM.

You don't take two stations that are billing over $20 million each and make a bunch of disruptive changes all at once. Unless a total format flip is intended, the transitioning will be gentle so as to preserve some audience while hopefully gaining new listeners.

The changes will likely be imperceptible to the average listener.

 

[michael hagerty]

..if AMP is #3 25-54, that's a notable achievement.

Amp is 4th in 25-54, right after KBIG, KIIS and KROQ.

Ah, okay, so the reference was to KROQ.

 

[pjc1961]

And how did KRTH do this time in 25-54? Any better? They are flat 6+. KTWV is way down even in 6+
Congrats to CBS-FM #2 6+ #3 25-54. They must be doing something right over there.

Am I missing something? Jack is nowhere near the top on the 6+ numbers and has been flat or declining in the overalls for years now. KAMP has seen steady growth in the meaningless 6+ numbers, though.

Believe it or not, the original poster radio124 was referring to WCBS-FM New York, which finished in those respective positions for NYC/June 2013. An odd reference here on the L.A. board, to be sure, especially since WCBS-FM was not being compared to its L.A. counterpart KRTH.

 

[michael hagerty]

And how did KRTH do this time in 25-54? Any better? They are flat 6+. KTWV is way down even in 6+
Congrats to CBS-FM #2 6+ #3 25-54. They must be doing something right over there.

Am I missing something? Jack is nowhere near the top on the 6+ numbers and has been flat or declining in the overalls for years now. KAMP has seen steady growth in the meaningless 6+ numbers, though.

Believe it or not, the original poster radio124 was referring to WCBS-FM New York, which finished in those respective positions for NYC/June 2013. An odd reference here on the L.A. board, to be sure, especially since WCBS-FM was not being compared to its L.A. counterpart KRTH.

I'll just stop now. I'm totally confused.

 

[Thomps2525]

Can anyone explain why and how most of the "Jack" stations---and all the clones (Bob, Dave, Joe Ben, et al)---have maintained decent ratings? (WJMK and the aforementioned WCBS-FM are two obvious failures in the format.) Many of the Jacks have no news, no sports, no traffic and no weather. They would all sound like a jukebox were it not for the lengthy commercial blocks and the imaging voice of Howard Cogan, who sounds very smug and arrogant and conceited and snobbish and who I do not like listening to. I also do not like the untrue "We play what we want" slogan. They don't. In the case of KCBS-FM, the playlist has shrunk considerably from what it was when the format debuted in March of 2005. David or Michael would know for sure...but I think KCBS-FM has a more classic-rock-oriented playlist than the other Jack stations. KCBS-FM's audience share is now 0.6 above that of KLOS.

 

[michael hagerty]

Can anyone explain why and how most of the "Jack" stations---and all the clones (Bob, Dave, Joe Ben, et al)---have maintained decent ratings? (WJMK and the aforementioned WCBS-FM are two obvious failures in the format.) Many of the Jacks have no news, no sports, no traffic and no weather. They would all sound like a jukebox were it not for the lengthy commercial blocks and the imaging voice of Howard Cogan, who sounds very smug and arrogant and conceited and snobbish and who I do not like listening to. I also do not like the untrue "We play what we want" slogan. They don't. In the case of KCBS-FM, the playlist has shrunk considerably from what it was when the format debuted in March of 2005. David or Michael would know for sure...but I think KCBS-FM has a more classic-rock-oriented playlist than the other Jack stations. KCBS-FM's audience share is now 0.6 above that of KLOS.

No news, no sports, no traffic and no weather is a desirable thing for some listeners. Especially those who have a station they go to when they want news, sports, traffic and/or weather.

The image voice is a matter of preference. Clearly, some people like it. What I've heard, I've enjoyed. The liners Howard delivers seem very well-written. A too-hip L.A. snark.

Playlist I'll leave to David.

 

[Thomps2525]

Howard Cogan is too similar to that cocky sneering man in the tv commercials who swaggers out with his hands in his pockets and asks, "Could switching to Geico..." and I never hear the rest of his sales pitch because I change the channel as soon as I can. Of course, as you point out, Cogan's voice is a matter of preference. And actually, isn't almost everything a matter of preference? (That's a rhetorical question---I really don't want to start a philosophy discussion.)

 

[davideduardo]

KCBS-FM's audience share is now 0.6 above that of KLOS.

In music dayparts, KCBS-FM beats KLOS by 100%.

In mornings, the nice increases at KLOS with the new morning show (2.5 25-54 average last 3 months of 2013 vs. 3.5 average for April-May-June), bring up the station average. But music vs. music, CBS-FM wins big.

 

[Gregg]

I know it's pointless to say "What's wrong with listeners today?" But I'll do it. What's Wrong With Today's Adult Listeners? They don't seem to want to listen to anything that's aimed at adults! According to the All Access article...

Los Angeles 25-54 Adults...

1. KBIG (Hot AC)
2. KIIS (Top 40)
3. KROQ (Alternative Rock)
4. KAMP (Top 40)
5. KSCA (Regional Mexican)

You have to go down to #7 to find Mainstream AC KOST. And who knows where the other adult formats are? Shouldn't adults 25-54 be listening to News, Talk, Oldies/Classic Hits, Classic Rock, Adult Alternative, Classical, Smooth Jazz, NPR? Not one but TWO Top 40 stations, aimed at kids, are among the most listened to formats for adults in LA? KIIS, KAMP and KBIG which is mostly Top 40 with a few rap songs omitted and a few songs per hour that go back 10 years. Other than that, KBIG is not that different than KIIS.

Top 40 is one of the most youthful formats. Other than Hip-Hop, there's nothing aimed younger, unless you count Radio Disney. 30 years ago, if you wanted to reach teens, you'd program Top 40. And even then, Top 40 did include some adult music... Carpenters, Barry Manilow, Anne Murray, Lionel Richie. Not today. No Top 40 station is going to play Madonna, Norah Jones or Sade, even if their CDs are doing well. It used to be, if you wanted to reach adults, you'd program AC, Talk or -gasp- Beautiful Music! Not today. If you want to reach adults, play songs like "We Are Never Never Getting Back Together" with a high school girl mindset.

What happened to tastes that mature? What happened to formats that hold some challenge? I don't understand it.

 

[michael hagerty]

I know it's pointless to say "What's wrong with listeners today?" But I'll do it. What's Wrong With Today's Adult Listeners? They don't seem to want to listen to anything that's aimed at adults! According to the All Access article...

Los Angeles 25-54 Adults...

1. KBIG (Hot AC)
2. KIIS (Top 40)
3. KROQ (Alternative Rock)
4. KAMP (Top 40)
5. KSCA (Regional Mexican)

You have to go down to #7 to find Mainstream AC KOST. And who knows where the other adult formats are? Shouldn't adults 25-54 be listening to News, Talk, Oldies/Classic Hits, Classic Rock, Adult Alternative, Classical, Smooth Jazz, NPR? Not one but TWO Top 40 stations, aimed at kids, are among the most listened to formats for adults in LA? KIIS, KAMP and KBIG which is mostly Top 40 with a few rap songs omitted and a few songs per hour that go back 10 years. Other than that, KBIG is not that different than KIIS.

Top 40 is one of the most youthful formats. Other than Hip-Hop, there's nothing aimed younger, unless you count Radio Disney. 30 years ago, if you wanted to reach teens, you'd program Top 40. And even then, Top 40 did include some adult music... Carpenters, Barry Manilow, Anne Murray, Lionel Richie. Not today. No Top 40 station is going to play Madonna, Norah Jones or Sade, even if their CDs are doing well. It used to be, if you wanted to reach adults, you'd program AC, Talk or -gasp- Beautiful Music! Not today. If you want to reach adults, play songs like "We Are Never Never Getting Back Together" with a high school girl mindset.

What happened to tastes that mature? What happened to formats that hold some challenge? I don't understand it.

Well, first, Top 40/CHR hasn't been aimed directly at teens in more than 30 years. And the most successful practitioners of the format (KFWB, WABC, WLS, KHJ, KFRC) always did well 18-49 and 25-54.

Understanding that, on a mass level, tastes really don't change that much into the average person's 40s, was what gave birth to Adult Contemporary as opposed to MOR in the 1970s. Those of us who were early AC programmers found that Todd Rundgren worked better than Tony Bennett for a 37-year-old in 1972. And those of us who dug deeper found that older-skewing formats skewed....really old. Classical, Beautiful, News and Talk were 50+...and often 65+.

On the AC stations I programmed, there were usually six records that were different between my station and the local Top 40 (we both ran 30 currents).

When the CHR renaissance happened in 1982/83, that was when AC went very soft. It set up the expectation among some people that there was a clear divide between CHR and AC...and the rise of hip-hop maintained the separation for a long time. But that's over. Generational change has happened again.

Sure, there are adults in the 25-54 demo who listen to NPR, Jazz, and all sorts of other things. But the middle of 25-54 is 39 and a half. That's someone who graduated high school in 1992. Is it a surprise that, as a group, they might look at KOST as being their mom's radio station?

No one wants to think of themselves as old at that point, so there's still an effort to stay current (always especially true of females). And CHR and Alternative are in a very melodic, accessible phase right now. There's nothing to push the adults away.

Also, you have to consider the demographics of L.A. AAA is a non-starter. Anything without a rhythmic/ethnic component is at a disadvantage since the market is only 27% Anglo.

 

[justpassingthough]

From a sociological standpoint, "50 is the new 30", also. Or at least thats what a bunch of 50 year olds want you to believe. We live in a society that still heavily values youth culture. The changing fabric of the American family caused by divorce, blended families, the delay in getting married and having children has led to an arrested development of sorts, where the generations that are now in the 25 to 54 range (myself included), which includes the youngest of the Boomers, all of Generation X and the older Millenials, no longer act in the same manner that the generations before them did. Ageing is not the "death sentence" it once was- in terms of middle aged Americans still leading very full social and sexual lives that were not discussed by previous generations and/or did not occur.

Its not surprising that their tastes in music have not "matured", which is an inaccurate term anyway. The idea that someone becoming old and boring and only wanting to listen to news, talk, or AC is anachronistic. A bygone era that rightfully has gone away. As a 32 year old male, I grew up listening to alternative, top 40 and hip hop. I probably won't ever listen to mainstream AC. That musical taste never had serious traction during my late teen years, so even if my tastes "mature"- I will be more likely to follow classic alt rock and hip hop as my leading musical choices. I'm also single and have no children and have a million media and communication options at my fingertips so I listen to contemporary music including EDM, country, hip hop and alt rock almost exclusively.

I need to post a link to a Salon article from a few years back how Radiohead and Wilco are the new "adult contemporary". It summarizes this topic nicely.