MAY PPMS

Tee Man 82 · Jun 17, 2011

No real surprises, just like Providence radio
Lite up to a 12 AQH and increase in cume
Pro-FM stayed the same but cume increased
Ditto for HJY
B101 down a little but increase in cume
CTK stagnant with increase in cume
Coast up half a point but a drop in cume
Hot: slight drop but cume increase
Wonder what this market would be like if stations had to actually try

reelyreal · Jun 17, 2011

I just don't get why so many people are drinking the haterade when it comes to Providence radio. The top three stations are all pulling double-digit shares. If the radio is awful, why are people listening? There are options. Sirius/XM, iPods, Pandora, etc, etc, etc. Yes, there are things I wish stations would do differently, but you can't tell me what they're doing isn't working. If people are listening and stations are profitable, why change?

I hate to break it to most of this board, but while we'd like the "so passionate about radio we post about it on internet message boards daily" demo to be coveted, it isn't. Radio is programmed for the masses, hence the term broadcasting.

Most of the complaints I see on this board and the other New England boards is "why don't they play this song?" or "why do they always play this song?" I can see discussion on what's wrong with poorly performing stations. What's wrong with WWLI? From here, it looks like they're meeting and exceeding all of their goals.

wknd92 · Jun 17, 2011

Amen, reely. Most here are bitter that the couldn't keep up and stay in the game or didn't have it to begin with (listening to their mother's praises for too long).
There are a few who got out of the game on their own accord; but few and far between like myself; but I am realistic....I got my chance to play with the big toys on the Trail for 6 years both on air & in the Programming and Production departments. When I tried to move up, paths were blocked and I wasn't as talented/gifted as some there. I had a decision to make, move markets (which at the time was not a realistic option because of family ties/obligations) or get into a new industry/field....16 years later, still in that "new" field. Do I miss it, sure; but the it is usually the people/camaraderie associated with the work that i miss the most and most of those I worked with are either across the street or in new cities.

Dighton Rockhead · Jun 17, 2011

Interesting to note that WBZ-FM "Sports Hub 98.5" just missed out on the top 10, coming in at #11....and trending upward from March through May.

Not too shabby for what is really an "out-of-market" station.

Just goes to show ya that if there's something out there that folks really want to listen to....they'll make the effort to tune-in.

S DANMAN · Jun 17, 2011

Interesting to note that PRO-AM's new morning line up seems to be a flop. They've lost about half of their morning drive audience with the Tara and Andrew experiment. John DePetro is also far less listened to than in his prior shift. Yorke is giving Buddy a serious run for his money.

Holland Cooke · Jun 18, 2011

"If a tree falls in the forest..."

Talk Radio headline from these numbers: How invisible WHJJ is.
Few Beck/Limbaugh/Hannity stations elsewhere are so STARVING for cume.

Tee Man 82 · Jun 18, 2011

Wknd92 you seem like a realistic guy but don't make assumptions as to who did or didn't get out of the game. As far as hating Providence radio, Lite isn't a bad station. By their nature, stations like this aren't programmed to blaze any new trails. If you were on the trail years ago (how many?? 5-10-15-20??) then you can't compare Pro-FM then with what it is now. Granted the world has changed and so have listeners but the magic there is gone and once Cumulus moves in totally it won't be regained. As far as Hot they're still the whitest hip-hop station on the planet. Not trying is more a matter of what passes for musicradio on Oxford other than HJY and B101 mornings. If people will buy your burgers with a lot of filler in them, then there's no reason to add more meat.

radiojay1 · Jun 18, 2011

Tee Man 82 said:
As far as Hot they're still the whitest hip-hop station on the planet.

Jam'n 94.5 is similar as they cater to the wealthier suburbs of Boston. They are cashing in with excellent ratings and the tower also located near Weston, the wealthiest place in Massachusetts. That's why the 87.7 (Hot 97) pirate was created, to give Boston a real urban station. In the Providence ratings they are one point lower than Hot 106. Jam'n has gone up in the Providence ratings while Hot 106 has gone down. That's why Hot 106, as suggested by others, should become a simulcast of 630 WPRO. You would have 106.3 serving northern RI, 630 serving Providence metro, and 99.7 serving southern RI. The poor signal of 106.3 near Neutaconkanut Hill would not be an issue anymore. Jam'n 94.5 covers northern and central RI, and Jammin 107.7 and Fun 107 (107.1) cover southern RI.

someplacesomewhere · Jun 18, 2011

Dighton Rockhead said:
Interesting to note that WBZ-FM "Sports Hub 98.5" just missed out on the top 10, coming in at #11....and trending upward from March through May.

Not too shabby for what is really an "out-of-market" station.

Just goes to show ya that if there's something out there that folks really want to listen to....they'll make the effort to tune-in.

I wouldn't be surprised to find that a bulk of those numbers are coming from the broadcast of Bruins games. People got excited when they started winning playoff games, it it kept growing.

wknd92 · Jun 21, 2011

Tee Man 82 said:
Wknd92 you seem like a realistic guy but don't make assumptions as to who did or didn't get out of the game. As far as hating Providence radio, Lite isn't a bad station. By their nature, stations like this aren't programmed to blaze any new trails. If you were on the trail years ago (how many?? 5-10-15-20??) then you can't compare Pro-FM then with what it is now. Granted the world has changed and so have listeners but the magic there is gone and once Cumulus moves in totally it won't be regained. As far as Hot they're still the whitest hip-hop station on the planet. Not trying is more a matter of what passes for musicradio on Oxford other than HJY and B101 mornings. If people will buy your burgers with a lot of filler in them, then there's no reason to add more meat.

Teeman, what part of the word "most" isn't clear for you? I never said all here, I said most. I know you can't compare then to now; it is something that not only affects the Trail; but also the ghettoplex on Oxford in Providence. But if you listen to most radio across the country, what the syndication of Howard, Imus, Dees, Tom Joyner, etc in the 90's-2000's did is dumb down radio. It isn't a phenomenon tied strictly to RI. Seacrest, Tesh, Delilah are just part of the problem...the VT doesn't lend to any spur of the moment reaction or interaction with active listeners. The problem is that this is the way it is almost everywhere, so people have to get out of the thinking that things are going to change back to the olden days....not going to happen

Kenny Atkinson · Jun 22, 2011

wknd92 said:
Amen, reely. Most here are bitter that the couldn't keep up and stay in the game or didn't have it to begin with (listening to their mother's praises for too long).
There are a few who got out of the game on their own accord; but few and far between like myself; but I am realistic....I got my chance to play with the big toys on the Trail for 6 years both on air & in the Programming and Production departments. When I tried to move up, paths were blocked and I wasn't as talented/gifted as some there. I had a decision to make, move markets (which at the time was not a realistic option because of family ties/obligations) or get into a new industry/field....16 years later, still in that "new" field. Do I miss it, sure; but the it is usually the people/camaraderie associated with the work that i miss the most and most of those I worked with are either across the street or in new cities.

POLITICS is the reason you did not go up the ladder on the trail.that's it.Not trying to be disrespectful but if they were looking to hire the best.They would have never hire Buddy and not just because he's a felon but it's a conflict of interest with him on the air discussing the problems oif Providence.He's freinds with Ron and that's it.When Ron Leaves Buddy will not stick around.Trust me..
The Trail is going to get bitten the ass if they don't restict him somehow.

wknd92 · Jun 23, 2011

Ken, I can honestly look back and see I wasn't as talented as Davey Morris or Chris Tyler or Brian Lapist, who were all ahead of me in places where I wanted to be. There was no way I was going to unseat Giovanni as the Production God or Midday star he was at the time at Pro, I wasn't going to unseat Tony Mascaro to be MD at Pro, I was already MD at Lite under Tom Holt; but he was early in his contract after Bill George had left for Boston and he wasn't going anywhere. Rob Hogan had the promotions department tied up and had very capable assistance from Jodi Johnson. I had applied for the MIx 98.5 MD position along with the WMAS and WSRS gigs which all came up about the same time. I had a decision to make as I was going to be getting married soon and I looked deep inside myself and thought that yeah, I could eke a living out: but it was going to have to be out of the market and my fiance' had just gotten a new job, so I couldn't ask her to relocate, so I decided to make the move. Some politics did play into it as it would in any situation; but I also had seen enough of the changes from Cap Cities to Telemedia that I knew thingsd were a changing (the week I left had been the 7th straight that someone in some form from the 4 stations in house at the time had left to go into a new field or to a new market and I think the consecutive week streak got to 15). Do I miss it, sure. Do I think I still can program as well as some of the people doing it now, absolutely; but the game has changed so much now and listening to my friends talk about it when we get together, I was smart to move on when I did.