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San Francisco Radio Ratings - March 2020
- Thread starter HenryOchs
- Start date
Looks like the virus crisis is really boosting ratings at news stations.
No surprise on the growth for KCBS and KQED. It looks like the only music stations to take a major loss was KMVQ and KITS (and KOIT to a lesser extent).
What will KITS will look like coming out of quarantine? Their topline numbers are horrible and from the outside looking in, it appears that Entercom doesn't care about the station a whole lot. It looks like they have a very small staff and looks like Programming KITS is an added part-time job for the KLLC Programming staff. Does Megan Holliday voice track from Los Angeles?
What will KITS will look like coming out of quarantine? Their topline numbers are horrible and from the outside looking in, it appears that Entercom doesn't care about the station a whole lot. It looks like they have a very small staff and looks like Programming KITS is an added part-time job for the KLLC Programming staff. Does Megan Holliday voice track from Los Angeles?
Mike Savage
Why don't KFSO throw Michael Savage off the air ?
Why don't KFSO throw Michael Savage off the air ?
Remember that San Jose is an embedded market; the San Francisco number include San Jose. Embedded market surveys are simply breakouts, although additional sample balancing is done in that market area for the data to stand on its own.
Because he's on KSFO.
Keep in mind that nobody will be making buys off March, April, May and probably June. Nielsen is keeping the survey going as they have contracts with stations and, further, it would cost more to start an new panel in 3 or 4 months than to keep going.
Advertisers won't be making buys based on this just like they don't use the Holiday book to make January buys.
No, he's saying he isn't on KFSO, a Spanish-language music station in Visalia. He's on KSFO, a right-wing talk station in San Francisco.
Speaking of Savage---a fascinating piece in yesterday's New York Times on how Savage is ripping the right (especially fellow right-wing talk hosts) for not taking the pandemic seriously. He's still a Trump apologist, essentially blaming Hannity and Limbaugh for leading Trump astray, but he's one of the few hard-right voices to take the pandemic seriously from the start (as the Times notes, he has training in epidemiology):
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/...trump-coronavirus.html?searchResultPosition=1
https://www.nytimes.com/2020/04/16/...trump-coronavirus.html?searchResultPosition=1
KGO's John Rothmann and Pat Thurston are doing great radio, reminiscent of the old great original KGO. I was expecting to at least see a deserved bump, but they're flat 6+ with just a 1.8 share. Is it simply that the market is unaware that the station has somewhat refocused itself to providing good radio in some dayparts? John and Pat are excellent, and Chip Franklin in afternoon drive has stepped up his game as well during this crisis. Furthermore, the station just launched a new local morning drive program last month hosted by Nikki Medoro. While Nikki still has growing pains to overcome, having a live and local show in AM drive is a true commitment to this media market. For these and other reasons, I would think KGO would be seeing at least somewhat of a positive trend, rather than sitting flat, during this period in which quality and informative newstalk is what the listening audience is craving. Thoughts?
My take is the audience is satisfied with its options in the news & talk formats, and they see no reason to seek alternatives. That's what it will take. People have to make a conscious decision to try something else. We saw the same thing in Atlanta. The audience was given options to WSB, and stuck with the familiar favorite.
Alt 105.3 is a very tough listen right now. Appears that there are no longer any live DJs. There is zero local connection or engagement. Feels like listening to Pandora or Spotify. Ratings decline lines up to the cost-cutting. Sadly, this heritage station is headed for the same ending as KFOG. Story is the same...changing times, changing demographics and corporate mismanagement. Similar to KFOG, with the right management (local) and support, the format can be a viable successful niche play.
Lot of people losing their jobs right now. Not just radio. There's a pandemic going on.
There's an argument that radio is more important than ever during these times and early data suggests that people are spending more time with radio while stuck in their homes. So, in theory, this is a huge opportunity for radio to put their best foot forward and remind listeners of their value. People are forming new habits as I write this.
Advertiser supported media definitely has some short term challenges, but when it comes to their on-air product, I believe they should be playing the long game right now.
Only one problem: There's only one way to pay for it, and right now it's gone. Even non-commercial radio is facing challenges and budget cuts because the public isn't contributing money. Unless you're suggesting that everyone work for free. Right now, they're devoting what few resources they have to news and information. Seems to me that's the proper use of those resources. And as you can see in the ratings, those are the stations people want to hear.
The long game requires capital, and many companies (in fact, most) don't have enough money to sustain the business for long, let alone to embark on new projects or expansion.
A good example is the largest movie theater company in the US. They are estimated to have only enough money to last 90 to 120 days while closed; they still pay rent and a lot of other expenses. Only because the major equity holders are putting $300 million in can it last any longer.
Companies seldom have a lot of idle cash. They distribute earnings to shareholders, reinvest in the business, expand the business, buy down shares or otherwise use the money.
Nobody predicted this kind of situation, so nobody was ready for it. Only a few companies, like Apple for example, grow faster than they can find use for their earnings and thus have considerable cash available. I don't know of any significant radio operator that has the money to last very long under current conditions.
So don't look for new initiatives. A drowning guy does not worry about building a sand castle on the beach.
Yes, but the in-home listening does not make up for the at-work and in-car losses. In fact, overall listening is off about 15% based on the first two heavily impacted weeks.
Common mistake. lol
My dad used to tell people his son has a show on KSFO. I most certainly did not!
This was back when KFSO was assigned to 1400 AM in Visalia.
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