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Latest Chicago Radio Ratings 9-7-2021
- Thread starter Dr Wayne
- Start date
Here is Robert Feder's observations
That is a really huge ratings gap between a soft AC and a mainstream AC.
Do you see any stations getting format changes in the near future. Do you think anything will happen to WXRT?
They just hired a new brand manager for WXRT but she has a long history at the Alt format and only brief experience on AAA. It's quite possible she's being brought on to transition 93XRT to "Alt 93.1".
I believe she worked for WTTS which is another AAA station. I don't think WXRT is going anywhere unless the ratings drop too much
Yeah she was at WTTS and also at an Alt station, WGBJ.
I think WXRT has a very loyal listening base. I hope she does a good job with the music. But i don't think Audacy is doing anything to the station
I am really glad that the scrappy WRME-LP at 87.75 continues to do well, consistently in or near the Top 10. It exposes the demographic age divide that maintains that older listeners are irrelevant. At least a few tenths can be drawn away from stations that just want you to listen to and accept their younger demographic crap and not have an alternative. It reflects the great divide in other areas of life. The station is difficult to find and tune on most radios. Who knows how high the ratings would be with a mid dial position. I think saying you can't sell the format is just an excuse not to. You don't like our music, and we don't like yours.
The problem in large markets is that most of the ad business comes from agencies or ad departments and the clients are multi-location retailers and service providers or things like insurance or national products and brands.
Practically none of those clients buy specifically over-55 audiences because all kinds of research shows that older people have very established brand preferences and require too many ad impressions to create any trial or change... often costing more than the profit. This is not arbitrary; major advertisers have studied this in great depth.
In fact, CBS TV has been trying for years to go to ad agency clients and agency upper management to get the 55-54 tier added to TV buys... mostly because CBS is the oldest leaning network. But years of efforts have apparently yielded no significant results. TV buys all tend to be 18-49 focused which is why the ratings published on the web almost always show that demographic first.... and shows that are renewed have to perform there.
Only products and services that specifically want older persons will benefit from using that type of station and format. In part, that is because senior-specific services generally appeal to needs older folks did not have when younger so they have no prior brand preferences and habits.
In much smaller markets, older leaning formats can do better for several reasons. First, most business is direct and local. Second, the geography is more limited, and a single location can serve it all. Third, the client themselves may be in the older age group and more comfortable with a format that they enjoy themselves.
Agencies and ad departments are much more "scientific" and the decisions are made based on well studied customer and expenditure profiles.
While 93.9 is Soft Adult through and through (the word 'contemporary is not appropriate here as there are little if any contemporary songs played), WSHE is not a Mainstream AC, but rather an offshoot of the Adult Hits format.
wshechicago.tunegenie.com
That WSHE doesn't just lean all the way over and go full Adult Hits is probably to protect their co-owned Hot AC and Classic Rock outlets. Subjectively speaking the mix that WSHE airs is a refreshing take in a radio world that is so homogenized.
As for 95.5, it would seem clear that the all things to all people let's not offend anyone and have a large tent thing by playing Alanis/Third Eye Blind/Journey/Brian Adams alongside Metallica & Alice in Chains isn't working, judging from the plethora of sub-2 6+ ratings.
Maybe a hard classic rock or an active rock / alternative rock approach like 105.7 KPNT/St. Louis could work (skewing harder due to the presence of 101.1 in the Chi. market).
Rock can work - in San Diego, Rock 105.3 is in a respectable in 7th place 6+ with a 4.3 share. It's just got to be tailored properly to the market.
Chicago’s 100.3 FM – WSHE On Air Playlist
The latest Playlists for Chicago’s 100.3 FM – WSHE
wshechicago.tunegenie.com
That WSHE doesn't just lean all the way over and go full Adult Hits is probably to protect their co-owned Hot AC and Classic Rock outlets. Subjectively speaking the mix that WSHE airs is a refreshing take in a radio world that is so homogenized.
As for 95.5, it would seem clear that the all things to all people let's not offend anyone and have a large tent thing by playing Alanis/Third Eye Blind/Journey/Brian Adams alongside Metallica & Alice in Chains isn't working, judging from the plethora of sub-2 6+ ratings.
Maybe a hard classic rock or an active rock / alternative rock approach like 105.7 KPNT/St. Louis could work (skewing harder due to the presence of 101.1 in the Chi. market).
Rock can work - in San Diego, Rock 105.3 is in a respectable in 7th place 6+ with a 4.3 share. It's just got to be tailored properly to the market.
Within the last week or two, 95.5 removed most or all of the wimpy 90s Hot AC artists and has boosted spins for 80s hair metal bands (Skid Row, Ratt, Cinderella, etc.). We'll see if that makes any difference.
I think the station is making a mistake by ignoring virtually all post-2005 material.
I think the station is making a mistake by ignoring virtually all post-2005 material.
That would get them back into trying to mix oil and water, don't you think?
It depends. A fairly large number of Mainstream & Active Rock stations mix currents/recurrents and an extensive gold library successfully.
Similar examples also exist at Urban AC, Mainstream AC and even Hot AC in some instances.
Motley Crue, Ozzy and Dirty Honey fit better together than Motley Crue, Ozzy and Matchbox 20.
Now, would I just add some 2000s & 2010s material, along with a few currents, and call it good? Probably not. I'd ditch artists such as Journey and John Mellencamp.
An equally valid proposition would be to take the station in more of a Classic Rock direction, albeit with some noticeable artist differences relative to WDRV.
Similar examples also exist at Urban AC, Mainstream AC and even Hot AC in some instances.
Motley Crue, Ozzy and Dirty Honey fit better together than Motley Crue, Ozzy and Matchbox 20.
Now, would I just add some 2000s & 2010s material, along with a few currents, and call it good? Probably not. I'd ditch artists such as Journey and John Mellencamp.
An equally valid proposition would be to take the station in more of a Classic Rock direction, albeit with some noticeable artist differences relative to WDRV.
Rock in Chicago has had quite a problem in recent years.
WKQX was musically a clone of KPNT St. Louis before Emmis sold it. Harder edged. Ratings were really bad. In the 1s. The airstaff are what made that station.
In January 2011, Emmis quietly flipped The Loop to Classic Rock (dropping currents) in preperation for selling that signal.
Alternative was really evolving around that time. The sound was different. A lot of good songs were being released. Merlin took advantage of that and launched a format with that music on 87.7. Cumulus liked it, and moved it to 101.1 when they took over. It was quite successful on 87.7 and initially did even better on 101.1. Unfortunately, that sound has faded in recent years and now WKQX has a more Gold-based format
during the day, with more currents at night. Like any current based format, finding memorable songs is a little harder. WLUM in Milwaukee is current-friendly and doing very well. Different market though.
The Loop was harder edged Classic Rock than The Drive. The Drive actually was supposed to be the softer version of The Loop when Bonneville launched it. The Loop barely evolved past the 80s musically, thus what 95.5 is trying to do.
95.5 is filling 97.9’s harder edged void while including the 90s and 2000 cuts. Think of it as a newer version of Classic Rock. Some songs are questionable. But all iHeart stations have limited playlists. Stations like that usually refresh them a little once or twice a year.
WKQX was musically a clone of KPNT St. Louis before Emmis sold it. Harder edged. Ratings were really bad. In the 1s. The airstaff are what made that station.
In January 2011, Emmis quietly flipped The Loop to Classic Rock (dropping currents) in preperation for selling that signal.
Alternative was really evolving around that time. The sound was different. A lot of good songs were being released. Merlin took advantage of that and launched a format with that music on 87.7. Cumulus liked it, and moved it to 101.1 when they took over. It was quite successful on 87.7 and initially did even better on 101.1. Unfortunately, that sound has faded in recent years and now WKQX has a more Gold-based format
during the day, with more currents at night. Like any current based format, finding memorable songs is a little harder. WLUM in Milwaukee is current-friendly and doing very well. Different market though.
The Loop was harder edged Classic Rock than The Drive. The Drive actually was supposed to be the softer version of The Loop when Bonneville launched it. The Loop barely evolved past the 80s musically, thus what 95.5 is trying to do.
95.5 is filling 97.9’s harder edged void while including the 90s and 2000 cuts. Think of it as a newer version of Classic Rock. Some songs are questionable. But all iHeart stations have limited playlists. Stations like that usually refresh them a little once or twice a year.
Not sure what is with your weird obsession with this conspiracy that Audacy will flip WXRT to mainstream alternative.
It says something when even some of the most vocal critics of Audacy's programming choices on this board agree that your continued assertion that this will happen is ridiculous. The mere concept of a broadcaster blowing up a popular (not to mention their top performing music station) is just silly.
When WXRT's format flips, I'll be over here in the WFMT fan club 😁
But seriously, the longest running format in Chicago on the FM dial is WFMT. Is the second longest running format WXRT?
According to the citations on Wikipedia for WXRT: The format as it exists today began in August 1972 as a nighttime-only freeform rock experiment, while a variety of ethnic programming continued to air during the daytime hours. The format's hours were gradually expanded, and on April 26, 1976, it began airing 24 hours a day
WFMT has been broadcasting classical music since 1952.
WBEZ started broadcasting NPR content in 1970, BUT they also carried a lot of Jazz and Blues music until 2007. I would say their format flipped in 2007.
But seriously, the longest running format in Chicago on the FM dial is WFMT. Is the second longest running format WXRT?
According to the citations on Wikipedia for WXRT: The format as it exists today began in August 1972 as a nighttime-only freeform rock experiment, while a variety of ethnic programming continued to air during the daytime hours. The format's hours were gradually expanded, and on April 26, 1976, it began airing 24 hours a day
WFMT has been broadcasting classical music since 1952.
WBEZ started broadcasting NPR content in 1970, BUT they also carried a lot of Jazz and Blues music until 2007. I would say their format flipped in 2007.
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