Stray thoughts about September Ratings

[Wimmmex]

The September ratings are out...although it coveres a lot of August.

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

Here are some stray thoughts.

WBZ-AM is hanging in there..although I'm sure their demographics are not great.

WRKO seems to be showing a little more life as of late. While there hasn't been any great programming changes, the addition of WBZ's news and the weather channel weather seem to give RKO a little more credibility, and gives people less reason to change to get the weather and news update elsewhere. Having WBZ produce newscasts for WRKO gives the whole station a little more 'alive' sound...instead of 'canned' news they were running.

WXRV - The River still impresses me that this station from 30 miles out of town seems to have a consistent product over the years, decent jocks, and is a nice sounding station. I know they added some "booster" signals as of late. Lots of agency buys for an out of town signal. This dispute all the crazy stories that have been heard about the owner(ship).

WBQT - Has the bloom fallen off this rose? They came on the air as one of the great launches in 2013-2014...and seems to have slinked back into a mid-range stations (Yes, I know the individual/important demos are good.) and they have a pretty good morning show, but the rest of the day sounds kinda flat.

WKAF sounds pretty 'generic' on air. Not sure I understand the format change/adjustments. Ratings don't show any great move with the launch of the format changes.

At the bottom of the ratings...

WODS with it's full Boston signal has a 1.6...(have they ever been lower?) battling it out with the non-comm (signal deprived) classical station WCRB?

WJMN gets beat by WXLO? Again, a full signal WJMN is getting less listeners that a station out of Fitchburg? (Yes, I know they added some boosters to their signal, but is WXLO sonding so good they can beat WJMN? Or is WJMN simply lost without a compass.) This morning 3 breaks on the station were about Tyga and if he's cheating on Kylie Jenner.

Entercoms' WWBX, WODS/AMP and Magic are all in a 3 month downward trend. While I'm sure Magic is safe, they can't be happy with the lack luster performance of Mix.

While I have resisted the prediction hat a format change on AMP is in the offing, what can you make of a station that has a 1.6 and is beaten by WXLO (Fitchburg) and signal deprived WKAF, and The River?

WBOS might be showing some signs of life.

I know much of the rating period was August/Labor Day/and some of September and don't mean a lot.

Yes, I know this is 6+, but my comments are about overall trends and sound.

Just my $0.02. Your conclusions may vary. ;-)

 

[TheBigA]

While I have resisted the prediction hat a format change on AMP is in the offing, what can you make of a station that has a 1.6 and is beaten by WXLO (Fitchburg) and signal deprived WKAF, and The River?

What would you flip it to? Seems like the options aren't much better.

 

[Wimmmex]

What would you flip it to? Seems like the options aren't much better.

Beats me! Thats the other half of the equation I suppose!

 

[jlehmann]

I would be really curious to know how WODS and WJMN rank in 18-34. At this point they must still be very high, to justify both stations still existing? Nothing else would make sense unless they both also have the best sales staffs in the history of radio and they're outbilling most of the market?

 

[jlehmann]

Beats me! Thats the other half of the equation I suppose!

Seems that an 80s pop classic hits station is still a huge hole, based on the numbers the format gets in so many other markets. I know David Eduardo will insist that they stay CHR/CHR Rhythmic as he can't stand any form of classic hits though...

 

[TheBigA]

Seems that an 80s pop classic hits station is still a huge hole

Isn't it already being done on ROR and Magic?

 

[CTListener]

Isn't it already being done on ROR?

The playlist is largely whitebread rock-flavored hits, with a few token MJ/Madonna/Billy Joel/America tracks. Actually, only one America song, I believe: "Sister Golden Hair." The pure pop, crossover r&b and disco hits of the '70s and '80s don't exist. That's the music that was lost with the flip of WODS. But as noted frequently, for whatever reason, there is little desire to hear that stuff again even in the upper half of 35-54, while if you play anything that sounds like classic rock you not only get that demo but a good number of younger listeners as well, which makes the ad agencies drool.

 

[jlehmann]

Isn't it already being done on ROR and Magic?

WROR's entire playlist is very small, and only includes an even smaller number of non rock songs. Magic does play a lot of it, but I think there's plenty of room for a station where you can hear that music and not have to hear Taylor Swift.

 

[freqlost]

What stations are all the people who once listened to WKAF, WBQT, WODS & WJMN listening to now ?

 

[CTListener]

What stations are all the people who once listened to WKAF, WBQT, WODS & WJMN listening to now ?

Streams? Satellite and other pay services? Downloaded music? Pirates?

 

[davideduardo]

Seems that an 80s pop classic hits station is still a huge hole, based on the numbers the format gets in so many other markets. I know David Eduardo will insist that they stay CHR/CHR Rhythmic as he can't stand any form of classic hits though...

As I put classic hits on a dozen stations, 5 in Top 10 markets, I don't know why you say this.

The format I object to on revenue reasons is oldies. Lots of great music, but it only appeals to persons over 65.

 

[davideduardo]

I would be really curious to know how WODS and WJMN rank in 18-34. At this point they must still be very high, to justify both stations still existing? Nothing else would make sense unless they both also have the best sales staffs in the history of radio and they're outbilling most of the market?

It's not essential to get 18-34. There are plenty of the very highest billing stations that have their core in 35-54 and only have "spillage" in the younger demos.

The predominant general market sales demo is 25-54. Buyers generally select several stations to reach the younger, older and middle ranges of ages to cover that whole target. Or they just buy a portion of 25-54, depending on the client's main target.

 

[jlehmann]

It's not essential to get 18-34. There are plenty of the very highest billing stations that have their core in 35-54 and only have "spillage" in the younger demos.

The predominant general market sales demo is 25-54. Buyers generally select several stations to reach the younger, older and middle ranges of ages to cover that whole target. Or they just buy a portion of 25-54, depending on the client's main target.

I’m curious how WODS and WJMN are doing in their target demo, since the 6+ numbers are so poor.

 

[Jacko]

Peaking around, several other Entercom alternative stations have had a bit of an uptick in recent books. WNYL/New York has been slowing rising in the 6+, and they had a nice jump in the suburban New Jersey market. I'm feeling more and more that the time is coming. There is a hole for the straight-ahead alternative station, and Entercom may be the one to fill the hole. Just my two cents...

 

[wcozBoston]

Could Entercom consider Mike FM with good personalities and music work on 103.3 or possibly 104.1? They were successful on 93.7 but that format lost out when Entercom moved WEEI there. A Mike could draw listeners from WROR, WZLX and WBOS. What do they have to lose compared to the numbers with the current format?

 

[Deleted User]

When discussing ETM, and stations in other markets, remember Entercom has been laying off people left and right, mid days in many markets are now jockless or VT'd.

I'd be waiting for a couple of rating periods to go by to see how things settle out with their ratings.

 

[TheBigA]

A Mike could draw listeners from WROR, WZLX and WBOS.

As I said with classic hits, those songs are already being played on the stations you list. But sure, if they get "good personalities," it would probably help.

How does being the 4th station playing Journey and Aerosmith get you better numbers?

 

[CTListener]

As I said with classic hits, those songs are already being played on the stations you list. But sure, if they get "good personalities," it would probably help.

How does being the 4th station playing Journey and Aerosmith get you better numbers?

But it would likely be the only station playing "Time After Time," "I Wanna Dance With Somebody," "Easy Lover," "Rhythm of the Night," "YMCA," "Brandy," "Isn't She Lovely," "Ghostbusters," "Caribbean Queen," "Cruel to Be Kind," "Nice to Be With You," "Baby Come Back," "What's Love Got To Do With It" and hundreds of other '70s and '80s pop hits that have hardly been heard at all since WODS went CHR and WROR decided that rock ought to be at least 80 percent of its playlist. Some of these songs may have been heard on WMJX in years past but have either aged out or are too soft for today's always-on-the-go, hardwired-for-uptempo AC listener.

 

[TheBigA]

Some of these songs may have been heard on WMJX in years past but have either aged out or are too soft for today's always-on-the-go, hardwired-for-uptempo AC listener.

I don't hear a lot of those getting played as adult hits. Certainly not "Brandy," "Nice To Be With You," or YMCA." Those are oldies. Way too pop for adult hits. It seems to me there's a reason ROR went more rock than pop. I can see why in other markets, where 70s rock has appeal with millennials, while the pop stuff only appeals to boomers.

 

[Retro]

What would you flip it to? Seems like the options aren't much better.

80s and 90s hits, with an emphasis on the more rockier side of the music. IOW, what Magic, WROR, and Rock 92.9 (or is it 92. Rock instead) isn't playing: think songs like:

Let's Go All They Way-Sly Fox
I Heard A Rumor-Banannarama
Lights Out-Peter Wolf
Wild Wild West-Escape Club

Some of them plus add the popier stuff that WZOU was playing before their flip, and take a page from then what was the new sound of Mix 98.5 during the mid to late 90's as well!

And ad a good Mix of radio talent (no pun there), and the format just might be viable!

Oh, I wouldn't give up on Mix 104.1 yet. True, they are suffering from a lack of good "new" music, and have become comfortable and stale too. Some shaking up the playlist, and getting the air talent just a bit more variety might help!