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Rush to Excellence

> The Rush Limbaugh show is garnering high ratings nationally
> verses Air America's hosts.

Like the other Premeire press releases this week, this one is clearly targeted at the innumerate.

After 15+ years, Limbaugh is on roughly 600 stations, and after 18 months, Franken is on 67.

Most of Franken's 67 stations are less than half the radiated power of Limbaugh's stations in the same market, many (like WLIB in NYC) are 1/5 the power or less.

Yet Franken's 12+ share, compared to Limbaugh's, is nearly 2/3 the ratio of their stations. And even more telling, Franken's 25-54 share nearly matches the ratio of their stations.

Who is providing the better value to advertisers, Franken or Limbaugh?

Who offers the best growth opportunity for the owners of underperforming AM stations around the country?

I look forward to seeing what this comparison looks like in five years -- or even two.

[ Edited to correct and clarify the back-of-envelope calculations -- the point being made remains the same. ]

<P ID="signature">______________
also known as tombetz.</P><P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by Tom Betz on 07/27/05 02:31 AM.</FONT></P>
 
As usual, well stated, Tom.

> > The Rush Limbaugh show is garnering high ratings
> nationally
> > verses Air America's hosts.
>
> After 15+ years, Limbaugh is on roughly 600 stations, and
> after 18 months, Franken is on 67.
>
> Most of Franken's 67 stations are less than half the
> radiated power of Limbaugh's stations in the same market,
> many (like WLIB in NYC) are 1/5 the power or less.
>
> Yet Franken's 12+ share is roughly the same as the ratio of
> stations. And even more telling, Franken's 25-54 share is
> HIGHER than the ratio of stations.
>
> Who is providing the better value to advertisers, Franken or
> Limbaugh?
>
> Who offers the best growth opportunity for the owners of
> underperforming AM stations around the country?
>
> I look forward to seeing what this comparison looks like in
> five years.
>
 
> > The Rush Limbaugh show is garnering high ratings
> nationally
> > verses Air America's hosts.
>
> After 15+ years, Limbaugh is on roughly 600 stations, and
> after 18 months, Franken is on 67.
>
> Most of Franken's 67 stations are less than half the
> radiated power of Limbaugh's stations in the same market,
> many (like WLIB in NYC) are 1/5 the power or less.
>
> Yet Franken's 12+ share is roughly the same as the ratio of
> stations. And even more telling, Franken's 25-54 share is
> HIGHER than the ratio of stations.
>
> Who is providing the better value to advertisers, Franken or
> Limbaugh?
>
> Who offers the best growth opportunity for the owners of
> underperforming AM stations around the country?
>
> I look forward to seeing what this comparison looks like in
> five years.
>


What does the "ratio of stations" have to do with ratings comparisons in individual markets?
 
Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

> I look forward to seeing what this comparison looks like in
> five years.

If you have any idea of what it looks like in 5 years (assuming, for example, that Al Franken decides NOT to run for a Senate seat in Minnesota), let us know.

The press release is kind of funny, actually. I look forward to the next release, "Sun Rises in Morning", or "Clouds Expected To Bring Rain", or perhaps "Dog Bites Man".

Rush is an established, huge talk radio presence, and the fact that his ratings lap his liberal talk competitors is no surprise. For whatever reason, Premiere felt the need to send out a press release about the obvious.

-OA <P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

Of course, rush also eclipsed all of the Salem shows!<P ID="signature">______________
Soon to set the world record for recieving Nigerian scam and phising e-mails!</P>
 
Re: Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

> Of course, rush also eclipsed all of the Salem shows!

And in Northeast Ohio, where Rush runs on 50,000 watt powerhouse WTAM/1100 Cleveland, he's likely wiping the floor with Salem talker Dennis Prager, who runs in the same time slot on the company's WHK/1420. ;) But it doesn't take a press release, or even a look at the ratings, to make that educated guess.

I understand why they released this, as those advocating libtalk often overstate its gains vs. established conservative shows. But it's still kind of silly.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
Re: Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

> > I look forward to seeing what this comparison looks like

> Rush is an established, huge talk radio presence, and the
> fact that his ratings lap his liberal talk competitors is no
> surprise. For whatever reason, Premiere felt the need to
> send out a press release about the obvious.
>
> -OA
>

OA, ya know im in da fan club...LOL

Ok, tell me this...wouldn't this be a shot in the dark to extrapoliate numbers that mask that Rush has declining ratings....hasn't he been showing a significant drop....

With the lead Rush has, shouldn't he be comparing himself against his peers..because if I'm right the pillpopper is falling hard and Hannity has either passed him or he is getting close to passing him.....can you confirm my suspicions? Rush's woes are hurting him whether Premiere wants to say so or not...so its easy to kick on the little guy....for now....

We also know in Miami (for example) Ed Schultz (a more accurate comparison since Ed and Rush are similar) is beating him demographically and that Ed is probably on him like "white on rice".

Tom Betz is right too...theres a lot to be said for the falling (60 to 48) demo for liberal radio listeners...

Can you help with your wisdom....? thanks in advance
 
> What does the "ratio of stations" have to do with ratings
> comparisons in individual markets?

The press releaase leads with national share numbers that include all stations. I was talking about that portion.

I ignored the comparisons done in carefully chosen markets where Progressive Talk is still underperforming, often because of inadequate commitment to the format.

For example, WWRC in DC is running Imus as the lead-in to Stephanie Miller. A more incongruous coupling I can't imagine.

If you are going to introduce a format, you have to stick to the format, at least until it is well-established. You don't break it by starting your day with an old-fart reactionary like Imus. Bo Dietl alone is enough to cause the liberally-inclined to tune away from the station, never to return.<P ID="signature">______________
also known as tombetz.</P>
 
Re: Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

> With the lead Rush has, shouldn't he be comparing himself
> against his peers..because if I'm right the pillpopper is
> falling hard and Hannity has either passed him or he is
> getting close to passing him.....can you confirm my
> suspicions? Rush's woes are hurting him whether Premiere
> wants to say so or not...so its easy to kick on the little
> guy....for now....

I've heard that as you suspect, Sean Hannity has surpassed Rush as the #1 conservative talker. I honestly don't remember where I heard that (I think it was from another non-related host's show, perhaps WSB/Cox/Jones' Neal Boortz). Some of this is that Rush is not as dominant as he used to be, though he's still very, very popular. Some of it is that Sean Hannity airs in afternoon drive in the eastern U.S., and since he airs in drive on stations like WABC, his home base, that gives him a larger audience base than middays.

> We also know in Miami (for example) Ed Schultz (a more
> accurate comparison since Ed and Rush are similar) is
> beating him demographically and that Ed is probably on him
> like "white on rice".

Well, like the comparison to Hannity, Ed Schultz isn't competing directly with Rush, either. How does Franken do on WINZ/940 vs. Rush on WIOD/610? How does Schultz do against whoever's on WIOD in afternoon drive? (If I remember right, it's Todd "MJ Kelli" Schnitt...)

> Tom Betz is right too...theres a lot to be said for the
> falling (60 to 48) demo for liberal radio listeners...

I talked about this in another thread. It does appear that libtalk may have a younger audience base, but I don't know if there's enough evidence to support an automatic assumption. It all started when WLIB/NYC was surprised by their first book's 18-34 numbers, a demo not traditionally reached by talk radio. I don't know if we've got enough data to expand that out past one particular book.

Anyway, while libtalk is certainly carving out an audience that wasn't expected to be there, it's still FAR too early in the game for Rush or Hannity to get worried about Franken, Schultz and Rhodes overtaking them.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
> For example, WWRC in DC is running Imus as the lead-in to
> Stephanie Miller. A more incongruous coupling I can't
> imagine.

Agreed there. And in a market filled with anemic AM signals, WWRC/1260 is one of the worst.

-OA<P ID="signature">______________
Ohio Media Watch - <a target="_blank" href=http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com>http://ohiomedia.blogspot.com</a></P>
 
> > What does the "ratio of stations" have to do with ratings
> > comparisons in individual markets?
>
> The press releaase leads with national share numbers that
> include all stations. I was talking about that portion.
>
>

There are no national figures ANYWHERE in the press release. This is one of a series of press releases regarding ratings as the spring Arbitrons come out in various markets. Rush beats Al in all of them (that I have seen), usually by huge margins. AAR and Al Franken surely know how to put out a press release, but I don't think they have much in the way of good news regarding Limbaugh/Franken ratings. Franken even loses in NYC, although his showing is credible.
 
Re: Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

This quote attributed to Winston Churchill on another board may apply to the question of talk radio audience demos:

One who is conservative at 20 has no heart.
One who is liberal at 40 has no brain.


>
> I talked about this in another thread. It does appear that
> libtalk may have a younger audience base, but I don't know
> if there's enough evidence to support an automatic
> assumption. It all started when WLIB/NYC was surprised by
> their first book's 18-34 numbers, a demo not traditionally
> reached by talk radio. I don't know if we've got enough
> data to expand that out past one particular book.
>
> Anyway, while libtalk is certainly carving out an audience
> that wasn't expected to be there, it's still FAR too early
> in the game for Rush or Hannity to get worried about
> Franken, Schultz and Rhodes overtaking them.
>
> -OA
>
 
Re: Rush to oblivion?

> > After 15+ years, Limbaugh is on roughly 600 stations, and
> > after 18 months, Franken is on 67.
> >
> > Most of Franken's 67 stations are less than half the
> > radiated power of Limbaugh's stations in the same market,
> > many (like WLIB in NYC) are 1/5 the power or less.
===================================================================
Picture this:

A few years ago, before "CC" started buying stations like crazy, Rush was on an FM station in my area with a pretty good signal and a pretty good coverage area.

Then, when "CC" bought a local AM 1000w station, "CC" took Rush off the
established location,(the ever-so-much stronger FM station which was and still is operated by an independent owner) and put it on "their" CC owned station.

I can see why this was done, but the coverage area of who could hear Rush went down immensely. Sometimes, I just don't understand corporate logic. Oh well...

<P ID="signature">______________
"Be seeing you..."</P>
 
AAR Public Relations Dept

> > > What does the "ratio of stations" have to do with
> ratings
> > > comparisons in individual markets?
> >
> > The press releaase leads with national share numbers that
> > include all stations. I was talking about that portion.
> >
> >
>
> There are no national figures ANYWHERE in the press release.
> This is one of a series of press releases regarding ratings
> as the spring Arbitrons come out in various markets. Rush
> beats Al in all of them (that I have seen), usually by huge
> margins. AAR and Al Franken surely know how to put out a
> press release, but I don't think they have much in the way
> of good news regarding Limbaugh/Franken ratings. Franken
> even loses in NYC, although his showing is credible.
>

AAR Public Relations Dept might have it's hands full with another little matter.

http://www.radio-info.com/mods/board?Post=497877&Board=usa
 
- DELETED

This post has nothing to do with radio.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by cabradio on 07/27/05 07:56 PM.</FONT></P>
 
Re: AAR Public Relations Dept

> AAR Public Relations Dept might have it's hands full with
> another little matter.

Fully debunked as just another bit of mischief from the right wing bloggers.
 
Re: Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

> This quote attributed to Winston Churchill on another board
> may apply to the question of talk radio audience demos:
>
> One who is conservative at 20 has no heart.
> One who is liberal at 40 has no brain.

This has nothing to do with radio, but Churchill never said anything like this.
And the original quotes were about "communists" or "socialists," not "liberals." There's a big difference.

From:
"Nice Guys Finish Seventh: False Phrases, Spurious Sayings,
and Familiar Misquotations" by Ralph Keyes, 1992.

"An orphan quote [unattributed quote in search of a home] sometimes
attributed to Georges Clemenceau is:
Any man who is not a socialist at age 20 has no heart.
Any man who is still a socialist at age 40 has no head.

The most likely reason is that Bennet Cerf once reported Clemenceau's
response to a visitor's alarm about his son being a communist:
If he had not become a Communist at 22, I would have disowned him.
If he is still a Communist at 30, I will do it then.

George Seldes later quoted Lloyd George as having said:
A young man who isn't a socialist hasn't got a heart;
an old man who is a socialist hasn't got a head.

The earliest known version of this observation is attributed to
mid-nineteenth century historian and statesman François Guizot:
Not to be a republican at 20 is proof of want of heart;
to be one at 30 is proof of want of head.
 
Re: Premiere PR: Sun Rises in Morning

> > This quote attributed to Winston Churchill on another
> board
> > may apply to the question of talk radio audience demos:
> >
> > One who is conservative at 20 has no heart.
> > One who is liberal at 40 has no brain.
>
> This has nothing to do with radio, but Churchill never said
> anything like this.
> And the original quotes were about "communists" or
> "socialists," not "liberals." There's a big difference.


The post by Fred is IMO a light hearted attempt at describing Talk Radio Demos...thus the relation to radio.

Thanks for doing research on the quote, and clearing up who may have actually said it. As Fred said, it was "attributed to Churchill on another board", so he (fred) was not saying he thought that it was was Churchill, but didn't do any fact checking either.<P ID="signature">______________



</P>
 
Re: AAR Public Relations Dept

> Fully debunked as just another bit of mischief from the
> right wing bloggers.

Right. Right wing bloggers like the NY Daily News and the NYC Dept. of Investigation.

Take a step back to reality, please.
 
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