New 12+ Record for a Progressive Talker

[smedge2006]

WXXM (92.1 The Mic), Madison, 4.7, tied for 6th.

I point this out because of the tendency to accentuate the failings of progressive talkers and discount or ignore their successes.

I also have to point out the irony that this is the book BEFORE the morning host quit, the PD was downsized, and the very unliberal Dave Ramsey added to the lineup. No good deeds go unpunished in the world of liberal talk radio.

 

[amfmxm]

Congratulations to Madison's 92.1/The Mic. Finishing #6 with a rimshot Class A in market #98 despite openly hostile management (Dave Ramsey??????) is quite an accomplishment. Give WXXM one of those Class B rigs and full-market coverage in a progressive bastion like Madison, and they'd be fighting for #1. The only explanation for the Ramsey move has to be that election results pissed off the market manager. "That'll teach those liberals for listening to our radio station!"

Sharing the spotlight, though, is Portland's 620/KPOJ, finishing #4 (12+) in market #23--less than a share behind co-owned conservative talker KEX. IIRC, the #4 ranking is the highest rank ever achieved by any progressive talker in any size market. And doing it in a major market should be an attention-grabber. Proof positive that with a competitive signal progressive talk is a very viable format.

Both WXXM & KPOJ are owned by Clear Channel--so in Madison the problem has to be local management...

But, hey, kudos to both!

 

[Ultimajock]

Congratulations to Madison's 92.1/The Mic. Finishing #6 with a rimshot Class A in market #98

...Sun Prairie is hardly a rimshot into Madison. That's like saying Jersey City is a rimshot into New York or Evanston a rimshot into Chicago...

 

[amfmxm]

Congratulations to Madison's 92.1/The Mic. Finishing #6 with a rimshot Class A in market #98

...Sun Prairie is hardly a rimshot into Madison. That's like saying Jersey City is a rimshot into New York or Evanston a rimshot into Chicago...

Then go ahead and crank up a Class A FM in Evanston and tackle Chicago... or NYC from Jersey City. A Class A puts out a city-grade signal 7 miles and a 60 dBu (listenable) signal all of 15 miles. WXXM's 60 dBu doesn't quite cover the whole city of Madison, much less the MSA.

I'd still love to see what that thing could do with one of CC's Class Bs.

 

[smedge2006]

On a car radio, WXXM is overwhelmed by other 92.1's just a few miles to the west (Blue Mounds State Park).

 

[w9wi]

On a car radio, WXXM is overwhelmed by other 92.1's just a few miles to the west (Blue Mounds State Park).

Blue Mounds State Park is nearly 30 miles from Madison.

It's hard to compare Madison to Chicago or NYC -- Madison is a MUCH more geographically compact place.

See http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1000168.html for WXXM's 60dBu contour. As you can see it easily encompasses the entire City of Madison and most of the major suburbs -- it does miss Verona, but on a car radio you aren't going to have much trouble there either.

I don't think WXXM would do that much better on a full Class B signal. Most of the rural listeners aren't nearly as progressive & wouldn't be listening. It might pull a fair bit of listenership in Janesville & Beloit but aren't those cities in a different market? (for that matter, with GM gone is there going to be anyone in Janesville much longer???)

Remember that back in the mid-1980s, the rural voters managed to elect a Republican to Congress from Madison's district. There are a LOT of non-progressives in those outlying areas.