Summer Book-Public Radio in Rochester

[Mark_Giardina]

WXXI-AM and FM did not fare well in the 2005 summer book. I can’t release the 12+ figures, but I can say that compared to the spring book, both stations have lost listeners.

One person’s theory is that talk-radio fares better in the fall and winter months. Yet I remember, when I worked at the AM station, that the summer book was one of the best ones mostly because we didn't have to change pattern until much later in the evening.

Despite the apparent audience erosion, both stations did surpass their October fundraising drive of $200,000 by over 10 grand. So someone, with bucks, is listening.
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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people and I expect the same from them".</P>

 

[SirRoxalot]

More Rochester Reaction

It looks like Fickle wasn't the station that stole listeners from WXXI. They haven't exactly "jacked" up the ratings, have they...

 

[Bob1370]

> WXXI-AM and FM did not fare well in the 2005 summer book. I
> can’t release the 12+ figures, but I can say that compared
> to the spring book, both stations have lost listeners.

Can't speak to the FM numbers.

One thing that is true about news/talk stations in all the large markets, is that by and large all the old established talkers, commercial and noncomms alike, are down some from peaks they hit a year ago. WHAM and 'XXI have both been in the format since the '80s and they're typical of the post-election slump that also hit WBEN in Buffalo, WSYR and WFBL in Syracuse, WABC, WLIB and WOR in NYC, and WLS in Chicago...and the list goes on. I think the loss of Bob Edwards (a self-inflicted wound on NPR's part) is also continuing to ripple throughout 'XXI's broadcast day...remember, the station hit its peak during his final books in 2004.

> One person’s theory is that talk-radio fares better in the
> fall and winter months. Yet I remember, when I worked at the
> AM station, that the summer book was one of the best ones
> mostly because we didn't have to change pattern until much
> later in the evening.

Not sure the pattern change is as much of a factor as the fact that a) the station has changed in a key daypart and sounds different than it did for the first 20 years of its history, and listeners may not yet have digested that change, and b)there hasn't been as much hot-button news to draw people in, as there was during the national election cycle last year---at least until the fall began. The news cycle is beginning to pick up in intensity now and that may have some impact, IF the stations doing news/talk can take advantage of it and take ownership of the issues.

> Despite the apparent audience erosion, both stations did
> surpass their October fundraising drive of $200,000 by over
> 10 grand. So someone, with bucks, is listening.

Which may tell you one of two things, or both; 1)the audience erosion is more apparent than real and may even out soon in the reported numbers, and/or 2)people are drifting back this fall because there's more for them to focus in on and follow in the news.

We will see in due time.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

Re: More Rochester Reaction

For many NPR member stations, Arbitron ratings only matter if there are enough listeners tuned-in to send in enough pledge $$$.