New ‘Fanatic’ programming head looking to share the wealth

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

http://www.phillyvoice.com/new-fanatic-programming-head-looking-share-wealth/

The competitive nature of Sports talk radio in the Philadelphia market.

It’s not unusual for a newly hired broadcast executive to arrive in a market and proclaim that he or she will take down the existing ratings champ. At least not here in Philly.

Multiple times over the past three decades or so, I’ve written about TV honchos coming to town vowing to replace 6ABC as the market’s most-watched news outlet. As you may know, that never happened (although, according to the November 2017 Neilsen Ratings, NBC10 is giving perennial powerhouse 6ABC a run for its money, at least among the all-important 25-54 demographic).


But Eric Johnson, who late last year was installed as program director at WPEN-FM (97.5)--which markets itself as “97.5 The Fanatic”—is taking a different, far more collegial tack. The Fanatic perennially has viewed rival WIP-FM (94.1), the region’s jock-talk behemoth from afar, in terms of the Neilsen ratings, which track radio listenership. But rather than seek to wipe out WIP, Johnson believes there is room at the top for both stations.

“The analogy I use is that there are two sports stations in Boston in the top-five [radio] ratings. There's no reason why Philadelphia can't have that as well,” reasoned Johnson, who spent 18 years guiding Trenton-based news-talk powerhouse WKXW-FM (101.5), better-known as “New Jersey 101.5.”

(Full disclosure: My weekly radio show, also called “That’s Show Biz,” airs on WWDB-AM (860) which, like The Fanatic, is owned by Beasley Media Group LLC. However, I receive no compensation from the company).

According to Johnson, while strong ratings are always the name of the game, he’s more concerned right now with getting his ducks in a row before making a move toward the upper reaches of the ratings chart.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Sounds smart and realistic to focus on putting their best product possible out there, and if that means two successful stations (97.5/94), great.

610...well, good luck with that fixer-upper. If they can make a little coin off it to boost the bottom line, fantastic.

 

[Miguelito]

A lot of things--a lot of things--would have to happen for WPEN to catch up to WIP! It's almost unfathomable. Proclaiming that he's going to dethrone WIP would be setting himself up for a very public embarrassment. Coming in with the measured approach was really just common sense.

 

[Gunsmoke]

and don't forget the so-so signal, not the best you know.