Local radio stations just say no to Arbitron

[JayR]

From the News-Press:

Local radio stations just say no to Arbitron

At least three radio station companies in the area have decided they’re not going to buy the ratings provided by Arbitron Inc.

The three companies opting out of Arbitron are Fort Myers Broadcasting*, Meridian Broadcasting* and Alpine Broadcasting (which owns WAVV).

*These two are essentially one and the same.

 

[Beachit]

The Arbitron diary system as it is in Fort Myers is a joke really. One bad book due to a misplacement of diaries or overweighting makes or breaks too many stations. And agencies don't care about the problem, just numbers. Well now those stations have no numbers whatsoever to use (listeners or not), and with their station WARO having the worst book in probably ever, they are going to have an even harder time fixing it. Syndication with Bob and Tom..... Yawn!

And then does anyone really believe a station as heavily Urban as WBTT that targets 12-24 with their music can actually be #1 in all primetime day parts A25-54? That right there tells you that they're probably sick of paying for a system that is overpriced. It's also the largest two book market in the US still, but it is my understanding that is part due to Fort Myers Broadcasting and Meridian's refusal to pay their part towards doing that, so maybe the rest of the market will finally move forward with it and get some real on-going ratings month to month so programmers can adjust better.

Wavv doesn't need Arbitron to sell, though nothing relevant in the top 10 for the most part A25-54 because of its format, they are number one 65+, 55+, 45+, 35+, 25+ and even 12+ with all the listeners over 55+ listening its even still number one 12+. Its an elevator music format and the old goats they sell to, don't know any better to even care about ratings as long as its driving in the walking dead through their doors.

 

[raydiodude]

And then does anyone really believe a station as heavily Urban as WBTT that targets 12-24 with their music can actually be #1 in all primetime day parts A25-54?

Absolutely.

My station in Grand Rapids, WSNX, has a rhythmic lean (not as urban as WBTT however) and also hits #1 25-54 all the time (outside of morning drive). They aren't TARGETING 12-24, to do that would be silly in medium market like Ft Myers/Naples. No one targets 12-24 unless it's a major market like L.A., it just wouldn't make sense. They target 18-34 surely. They've been on the air for ten years now I believe so the 18 year olds that listened when they signed on are 28 now and still loyal listeners. They win 25-54 most likely because they dominate the 25-34 portion of that. That's what happens with us.

Not to mention that it has always been a very focused radio station with consistent entertaining personalities. It's no surprise to me that The Freak Show and Scrappy dominate drive times there. They have done an excellent job making the format appeal to all races, not just the 6.1 percent African American population there.

 

[DToTheJ]

Wavv doesn't need Arbitron to sell... Its an elevator music format and the old goats they sell to, don't know any better to even care about ratings as long as its driving in the walking dead through their doors.

Indeed. WAVV is The Dove South.

 

[Beachit]

I was trying to point out Arbitron's failure to have any accuracy in that market. Yes my mistake, no one targets 12-24 really, and WBTT IS a 18-34 station, with a focus towards men possibly. They are after all number one with men 18-34 as well. But then again, WZJZ a station focusing on W35-54 or W25-54, is #2 with Men 18-34 (probably WZJZ's only decent showing in any top three anywhere), so what does that tell you?

Over the Spring 2010 book in those three months, there were only 104 diaries total in the market there for Men 18-34. That is only an average of about 34.5 diaries per month over three months. If 25-30 of those books each month fall in an African American or Spanish household because they are getting paid a couple of bucks in order to get them to fill out diaries. What does that tell you after those diaries are weighted up after a lack of return of other 18-34 households in that age cell? So if 80% of WBTT's listeners are between the ages of 12-34, how are they #1 A25-54? Right, the 25-34 year olds, and mainly those 25-34 year olds. We all get that.

For the record, WBTT is barely ranked in the top 15 when you break out only the A35-54 age cell. So there you have it. So another point, should they be getting on the Home Depots, Mercedes Dealer Associations, advertisers like that etc... for Adult 25-54 ad buys? That's a whole another story of debate there.

So yes it's probable that the weighting up of diaries by the people who actually have to be paid in order to fill out and return a diary in the first place, that are providing incorrect ratings in that market. Especially with such small sample sizes and the weighting practices taking place as a result. So if I was Fort Myers Broadcasting or Meridian. I would not be paying for a broken system either.

Its the same reason Bubba's debut in the Fort Myers market was pretty much #1 one book M25-54, then completely beat out by a Spanish format Morning Show out of nowhere show the next with a 17 share (then back down to a 7 share again then next one). The diaries are so few and in-between, its is impossible to take the system seriously there.

 

[HadYourPhil]

(discovered this thread only today)
The inaccuracy of the Arbitron ratings here in Ft. Myers-Naples has been the stuff of legend. So few diaries, it has resulted several times in bizarre rankings. I do miss seeing the book, but don't miss the goofiness of it.