Ratings: July

[Wimmmex]

Here are the July Nielsen ratings:

https://ratings.****************/content/arb013

(Yes, I know they are 12+.)

Here are some thought:

WRKO seemed to have a nice jump. Seems to be right up there with WBUR. Did WRKO do anything to deserve this uptick? (I DO like hearing the WBZ staffers delivering the newscasts on WRKO.....seems to give it a little more credibility.)

WKAF seemed to have been doing well before it's format change. (Maybe too well?) I don't know if 97.7 will ever be able to stand on its own, it appears just to simply be a foil for Hot 96.9.)

WBQT-Hot 96.9 seems to have been slowly trending downward since their grand debut in 2013.

WODS, WAAF WJMN are in the pack with WXLO. Management HAS to think of these stations as "in trouble" and in need of a new plan (not necessarily a format change) going forward.

WROR might have gotten some extra interest with the departure of Loren Owens.

Has WKLB settled into it's mediocre ratings? I forget what year they peaked, but it appears they have been slowly withering away, no matter what changes they make in music, jocks, imagine, etc.

Is there anything WGBH can do to brighten it's image and take it to the next level?

My $.02 Your are welcome!

 

[Methuselah]

WRT WRKO

Remember: One observation is not a trend.

 

[justgladtobehere]

Here are the July Nielsen ratings:

https://ratings.****************/content/arb013

(Yes, I know they are 12+.)


Is there anything WGBH can do to brighten it's image and take it to the next level?

My $.02 Your are welcome!

What does WGBH need to do? They have listeners paying them and businesses buying non-advertisements for an audience that is very wealthy. God bless 'em.

 

[CTListener]

What does WGBH need to do?

Hope WBUR vanishes and WBZ drops news for 24/7 talk?

 

[EnterCommunicator]

Curious if anyone has insight on how WBUR maintains such a lead over WGBH? I know several years ago WGBH offered up musical options in the form of classical and a great evening jazz show, but since they ditched the music and went all talk it feels like each station airs the same pool of shows, albeit possibly at different times. Is it just as simple as listener habit that more continue to tune in to WBUR?

I enjoy NPR, but wish the two locals had more diversity of programming. Tuning in on the weekends where it's a 50/50 bet that at any time "Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me" is on is a bit of a drag.

 

[Wimmmex]

Curious if anyone has insight on how WBUR maintains such a lead over WGBH?

Don't underestimate the power of being "the first". WBUR went to a news/talk format in the late 80's. (I also think WBUR has a more cohesive flow to the days programming and has better local newspeople.)

In order for WGBH to "catch up" they have to perform, and wait for WBUR to drop the ball so they can score with something.

But, you're right, the stations don't distinguish themselves from each other very well. The only distinctive difference is midday programming, where WGBH airs local talk (that sounds more like a commercial station), and WBUR sticks with the safer NPR offerrings in midday. Other than that, I don't think most people can tell a difference.

What does WGBH need to do?

Have as many listeners as WBUR....and keep them listening as long as WBUR's listeners do.

 

[Jacko]

I'd say it's quite similar to how Kiss 108 is still the dominant top 40 station over 103.3 Amp Radio. WBUR has the heritage and lots of resources to keep itself well ahead of WGBH, despite GBH's efforts to expand local coverage and go all news/public affairs. Yes, often they are broadcasting the same coverage at the same time, but WBUR has more local drop-in stories and good investigative reporting. It's nice to have two options, especially when one station is fundraising, you can go to the other to hear the news.

What I noticed right away was the drop for both sports-talkers. The survey period likely ended prior to Greg Hill taking mornings at WEEI. Is it that the talk shows are getting stale? Or that the Sox are in a bit of a slump, and beside the Revs, no other professional sports are playing?

 

[musiklover]

Beasley seems to win the crown for maximizing the station swaps..Seems like the iheart strategy is all out of wack....whatever that could be...
Kiss losing on the upper demo, JMN is still dead as a door knob..WKAF is something now that doesn't make sense anymore, Urban AC was wide open for them... WZLX/WBZ are their only true winners.
Entercom Boston's wall of women works...Men, not so much...
*before people jump in on 'well if it makes money then it must be working* that's shortsightedness -- ratings decline and revenue declines go hand and hand - if not immediately then eventually..

 

[Wimmmex]

Entercom Boston's wall of women works...Men, not so much...

Not quite a wall...but they do have WAAF and WEEI/Red Sox, so they get in on a lot of male buys.

 

[TheBigA]

Is there anything WGBH can do to brighten it's image and take it to the next level?

That would be so anti-public radio. They sort of champion the idea of being dull.

 

[CTListener]

Not quite a wall...but they do have WAAF and WEEI/Red Sox, so they get in on a lot of male buys.

And really, even if Entercom owned WZLX and WBZ-FM instead of a couple of also-rans, it would still have to diversify into other formats simply because there are so many more lucrative ways to attract female listeners. With CHR, AC and country all now skewing heavily female and current rock so fragmented and out of favor with the labels -- so forget putting hard rock or alt on any full-market signal -- any strategy focusing strongly on male listeners would appear doomed. IMO, Entercom may have to rethink its reluctance to do urban-based formats to prosper down the road, especially as more and more cities become "majority minority," although Boston is a long way from that.

 

[justgladtobehere]

WBUR sticks with the safer NPR offerrings in midday. Other than that, I don't think most people can tell a difference.

The safer NPR offerings between 10AM and 2PM are produced by WBUR and started as local programming. Just like WGBH co-produces national stuff that it broadcasts in the middle of the day.

Responding to another post, I don't know that WBUR has significantly more drop in stories or investigative reporting than WGBH.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

I don’t think I haft very much values the black or Latino demographic in NA so I doubt they will change WJMN or WKAF even if it means higher ratings. I think they just want as much crossover appeal to Kiss as possible.

Anyone with an ear to hip hop or in the target demo could have told you not to get rid of the Breakfast Club. Within a week of that happening I said they’d bottom out at 1.9. That had happened. Many people only listened for the breakfast club-that’s why you don’t see a gain at WBQT or WKAF. The younger portion and the more diverse of their demo at JAMN simply turned off the radio.

Same thing for WKAF. Anyone who listened to WKAF could’ve told you not to switch the format. They too will se a decrease with no appreciable gain by WBQT simply because the music is even more stale at WBQT. People will just stop listening-they already are.

 

[davideduardo]

I don’t think I haft very much values the black or Latino demographic in NA so I doubt they will change WJMN or WKAF even if it means higher ratings. I think they just want as much crossover appeal to Kiss as possible.

While that may seem the case in Boston, it is not the company attitude. They created an Hispanic initiative several years ago and hired several top industry programmers and talents. They made a major full court press on the established rhythmic / r&b station in LA, hiring away the strongest Black and Hispanic talents for the format.

So for a company with a number of successful Urban and Hispanic targeted station, Boston is being looked at as a market to be decided on based on local revenue streams, competition and audience composition.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

While that may seem the case in Boston, it is not the company attitude. They created an Hispanic initiative several years ago and hired several top industry programmers and talents. They made a major full court press on the established rhythmic / r&b station in LA, hiring away the strongest Black and Hispanic talents for the format.

So for a company with a number of successful Urban and Hispanic targeted station, Boston is being looked at as a market to be decided on based on local revenue streams, competition and audience composition.

Yea, Im saying that is the case in Boston. Other markets are different of course. Still it is indicative of company attitude as it concerns Boston.

 

[davideduardo]

Yea, Im saying that is the case in Boston. Other markets are different of course. Still it is indicative of company attitude as it concerns Boston.

A "company attitude" about formats is based on revenue or revenue potential, and nothing else. If local management is making decisions based on personal likes or dislikes for certain kinds of music, programming or listeners, they won't last long in today's environment of both fairness and political correctness.

 

[Retro]

Kiss losing on the upper demo, JMN is still dead as a door knob..WKAF is something now that doesn't make sense anymore.

I seriously think that that only reason for Iheartradio flipping formats is compliment their other 2 CHR Stations, ? and Jam'n (if WJMN really qualifies as CHR/Rhythmic) at this point? I think that the WKAF station helps the other 2 stations with billing.

OTOH, the new format could be just a placer until they figure out what they really want to do with the frequency instead.

 

[wcozBoston]

And really, even if Entercom owned WZLX and WBZ-FM instead of a couple of also-rans, it would still have to diversify into other formats simply because there are so many more lucrative ways to attract female listeners. With CHR, AC and country all now skewing heavily female and current rock so fragmented and out of favor with the labels -- so forget putting hard rock or alt on any full-market signal -- any strategy focusing strongly on male listeners would appear doomed. IMO, Entercom may have to rethink its reluctance to do urban-based formats to prosper down the road, especially as more and more cities become "majority minority," although Boston is a long way from that.

Are you suggesting that Entercom should have considered holding on to WZLX and WBZ-FM and spin off most of the rest? They might have been able to retain WBMX and or WBZ-AM or both and let go of all of the other properties in one cluster. Could never understood why Entercom did not try to hold on to one of CBS' male dominant FMs at the very minimum during the CBS-Entercom merger.

 

[UrbanTeenager]

A "company attitude" about formats is based on revenue or revenue potential, and nothing else. If local management is making decisions based on personal likes or dislikes for certain kinds of music, programming or listeners, they won't last long in today's environment of both fairness and political correctness.

In theory. Thats not set in stone. I think you can make a judgement about the Boston market and then just move off of that. Its not necessarily against the music.

Still i think its for cross marketing-the problem is WJMN is going to decline (has declined)as will WKAF. So its really just two weak flanks for KISS-its not really cross marketing because it isnt working and hasnt in quite some time. Which i think is disrespectful to the black population of the Boston metro which stand at 350k 12+ Not simply because these are not urban stations but because there so poorly/lazily done, and barely invested in. And many of the programming decision are in the face of vocal opposition.

 

[TheBigA]

And many of the programming decision are in the face of vocal opposition.

So what? With the internet today, anything anyone does will face "vocal opposition." Take a look at all the complaints about the morning show at WEEI. Everyone likes to complain. It's the easy/lazy thing to do.

The fact is they own the station, and they program it the way they see fit.