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The Mighty RTA: Altoona's New #1(???)

M

mountaineer

Guest
Yup, as delivered via email forwarded from a friend--the latest in the (who are these guys, anyway?) SBMG quarterly ratings. This time it's Spring 2005. Adults 25-54. In Altoona, they've got WRTA whipping up on Froggy by 3-and-a-half shares! And in State College, they've got WZWW nowhere in the Top 5!

This could be the "inside" info we need to win big bets on the Spring Arbitron. Anybody willing to take WRTA over WFGY?
 
> Yup, as delivered via email forwarded from a friend--the
> latest in the (who are these guys, anyway?) SBMG quarterly
> ratings. This time it's Spring 2005. Adults 25-54. In
> Altoona, they've got WRTA whipping up on Froggy by
> 3-and-a-half shares! And in State College, they've got WZWW
> nowhere in the Top 5!
>
> This could be the "inside" info we need to win big bets on
> the Spring Arbitron. Anybody willing to take WRTA over WFGY?
>
YOu know I am gonna ask...who is the Top 5 in State College? If you'd rather not say here...I will settle for an off the record email !

Steve
 
Oh, no problem: Froggy, Wowy, Hot, WRSC and The Bus. A Forever/Galli Sweep! Now... you ready to place that $1000 on WRTA?


> YOu know I am gonna ask...who is the Top 5 in State College?
> If you'd rather not say here...I will settle for an off the
> record email !
>
> Steve
>
 
> Yup, as delivered via email forwarded from a friend--the
> latest in the (who are these guys, anyway?) SBMG quarterly
> ratings. This time it's Spring 2005. Adults 25-54. In
> Altoona, they've got WRTA whipping up on Froggy by
> 3-and-a-half shares! And in State College, they've got WZWW
> nowhere in the Top 5!
>
> This could be the "inside" info we need to win big bets on
> the Spring Arbitron. Anybody willing to take WRTA over WFGY?
>
I don't know what WRTA did in the Spring or Fall 2004 Arbitron book 25-54, but I think they'd have to come up a long way to top WFGY.

What did the rest of the Altoona SBMG ratings look like? And I also would like to know: Who are these guys, anyway?
 
Whoever this firm is (just a guess on the anagram: Strategic Brand Marketing Group?) it sounds like Forever is sorry they got rid of Doug ("I-no-longer-be-green") Herendeen!

Joe Thomas
Local AM Talkers United Against Drivel! (LaTuad? Oh well...)


> Yup, as delivered via email forwarded from a friend--the
> latest in the (who are these guys, anyway?) SBMG quarterly
> ratings. This time it's Spring 2005. Adults 25-54. In
> Altoona, they've got WRTA whipping up on Froggy by
> 3-and-a-half shares! And in State College, they've got WZWW
> nowhere in the Top 5!
>
> This could be the "inside" info we need to win big bets on
> the Spring Arbitron. Anybody willing to take WRTA over WFGY?
>
 
RTA beats FGY the day Hell freezes over!

Altoona's "Top 5"? WRTA, WFGY, WRKY, WPRR/WXMJ, WALY.

No serious disrespect for WRTA--they really do a nice job. But the day a 1-kw AM talker whips a 50-kw(+) Country FM with a 15-year Altoona winning streak is the day JoPa retires gracefully. Ain't gonna happen in Real Life.

Really know nothing about SBMG except that they mass mail an occasional newsletter, and once each quarter issue a 25-54 ratings "teaser" for all markets hoping someone will buy a copy. The Altoona Top 5 speaks, again, to the silliness of these ratings. Last Fall they had Quickrock at #1 in State College... Arbitron had 'em at #6.

So, yeah, maybe RTA really did beat Froggy in Altoona; and maybe 3WZ really did disappear in State College. And maybe the Penn State men's basketball team will win the NCAA Tournament this year. Just don't wager the house on it!

> I don't know what WRTA did in the Spring or Fall 2004
> Arbitron book 25-54, but I think they'd have to come up a
> long way to top WFGY.
>
> What did the rest of the Altoona SBMG ratings look like? And
> I also would like to know: Who are these guys, anyway?
>
 
Re: RTA beats FGY the day Hell freezes over!

> Altoona's "Top 5"? WRTA, WFGY, WRKY, WPRR/WXMJ, WALY.
>
> No serious disrespect for WRTA--they really do a nice job.
> But the day a 1-kw AM talker whips a 50-kw(+) Country FM
> with a 15-year Altoona winning streak is the day JoPa
> retires gracefully. Ain't gonna happen in Real Life.
>
> Really know nothing about SBMG except that they mass mail an
> occasional newsletter, and once each quarter issue a 25-54
> ratings "teaser" for all markets hoping someone will buy a
> copy. The Altoona Top 5 speaks, again, to the silliness of
> these ratings. Last Fall they had Quickrock at #1 in State
> College... Arbitron had 'em at #6.

100% agreed....Froggy was...is and most likely Forever shall be #1 in Altoona and more than likely #1 or #2 in State College also. As much as I personally despise the themes and the music...its just a well marketed / well programmed giant. Make no bones about it...everyone whether they listen or not knows what Froggy stands for. Its larger than life and I think its the best creation Forever EVER put out on the dial.

Altoona should run much as it usually does...Froggy will excel. WALY will run up the rear for 2nd and Q-94 will hold their run as the Rock leader in the toon town. I predict a fall for Rocky and perhaps for Hot 100 also. Whether people agree with me or not...there are a LOT of people in Toon Town who don't care for the booty shakin' tunes that Hot is putting out these days...hell an all 80's outlet would fare better up there I think! I will say everytime PRR went with a rhythmic lean, they tumbled. I think this year will be no exception. There is just not enough of a minority base in little old Central PA to support the sound and the redneck listeners (no offense intended to anyone) sure don't wanna hear Fiddy Cent all day! Sounds far too kiddy for the average listener.

State College is a crap shooot...all bets are off on this one except for three things. 101.1fm will continue its upward trend, Froggy will do very well and 3-WZ will beat everyone again. Its inevitable! They just cannot be beat...at least not at this juncture.

Anyone else agree??? Disagree...comments???
 
Re: RTA beats FGY the day Hell freezes over!

> > Altoona's "Top 5"? WRTA, WFGY, WRKY, WPRR/WXMJ, WALY.
> >
> > No serious disrespect for WRTA--they really do a nice job.
>
> > But the day a 1-kw AM talker whips a 50-kw(+) Country FM
> > with a 15-year Altoona winning streak is the day JoPa
> > retires gracefully. Ain't gonna happen in Real Life.
> >
> > Really know nothing about SBMG except that they mass mail
> an
> > occasional newsletter, and once each quarter issue a 25-54
>
> > ratings "teaser" for all markets hoping someone will buy a
>
> > copy. The Altoona Top 5 speaks, again, to the silliness of
>
> > these ratings. Last Fall they had Quickrock at #1 in State
>
> > College... Arbitron had 'em at #6.
>
> 100% agreed....Froggy was...is and most likely Forever shall
> be #1 in Altoona and more than likely #1 or #2 in State
> College also. As much as I personally despise the themes
> and the music...its just a well marketed / well programmed
> giant. Make no bones about it...everyone whether they
> listen or not knows what Froggy stands for. Its larger than
> life and I think its the best creation Forever EVER put out
> on the dial.
>
> Altoona should run much as it usually does...Froggy will
> excel. WALY will run up the rear for 2nd and Q-94 will hold
> their run as the Rock leader in the toon town. I predict a
> fall for Rocky and perhaps for Hot 100 also. Whether people
> agree with me or not...there are a LOT of people in Toon
> Town who don't care for the booty shakin' tunes that Hot is
> putting out these days...hell an all 80's outlet would fare
> better up there I think! I will say everytime PRR went with
> a rhythmic lean, they tumbled. I think this year will be no
> exception. There is just not enough of a minority base in
> little old Central PA to support the sound and the redneck
> listeners (no offense intended to anyone) sure don't wanna
> hear Fiddy Cent all day! Sounds far too kiddy for the
> average listener.
>
> State College is a crap shooot...all bets are off on this
> one except for three things. 101.1fm will continue its
> upward trend, Froggy will do very well and 3-WZ will beat
> everyone again. Its inevitable! They just cannot be
> beat...at least not at this juncture.
>
> Anyone else agree??? Disagree...comments???
> I am not really familiar with the Altoona market.........after many years of looking at books....and many trips to Beltsville, MD to look at the diaries and figure out where the heck they got the numbers...I still can't figure it out....does anyone understand the minority weighting? TSA vs Metro penetration......its like you need the Rosetta Stone to decipher them. When I worked in the Miami market we got monthly breakouts and they never jived with our call out operation we had. A good friend of mine is a Sr. Executive with Eastlan ( the fledgling arbitron wannabe)(they are growing however) the whole thing he told me is sampling..Eastlan samples more often during diary period and does more call outs.......I think WGMR, WJHT, WBUS, and WOWY will give the perennial top 2 3wz and froggy a good run..WLTS will prob take a big hit.......everyone is calling this a throwaway book due to the freq changes...looks like all are taking the numbers seriously though now they are imminent. Good luck all....the level of professionalism and air sound is definitely improving in State College and that benefits everyone.....Have a good day........
 
Don't discount The Bus!

3WZ seems to be playing pretty good defense--gotta give 'em credit for that. But don't forget about WBUS. Of all the Forever/Galli stations in the market, the Bus was the only FM to go through the firestorm with just about everything intact. Having Jeff Brown as the anchor doesn't hurt. With all the other rockers going through major changes these past 6-12 months, it's not hard to imagine that some of the disenfranchised listeners may have landed in their lap. And in a small market like SC, where a few books one way or the other can
move a station up or down a couple shares, 93.7 could be right in the thick of it.

> State College is a crap shooot...all bets are off on this
> one except for three things. 101.1fm will continue its
> upward trend, Froggy will do very well and 3-WZ will beat
> everyone again. Its inevitable! They just cannot be
> beat...at least not at this juncture.
>
> Anyone else agree??? Disagree...comments???
>
 
Re: RTA beats FGY the day Hell freezes over!

.......everyone is
> calling this a throwaway book due to the freq
> changes...looks like all are taking the numbers seriously
> though now they are imminent. Good luck all....the level
> of professionalism and air sound is definitely improving in
> State College and that benefits everyone.....Have a good
> day........
>
Ever talked to a true salesguy??? They are ALL throwaway books unless they come out in your favor. All the talk of throwaways is only to get prepped in case any of the frequency/format flips cause a crash in numbers in which case they can pacify advertisers by saying well we told you this would happen and then they have time to reorganize and regroup for next time.

Hell 101 only changed handles and people are already saying if we go up, it will be useless because we cannot sell off the book since we switched everything around. I have been told that there are already sales gurus out there saying oh man that place changes all the time...meanwhile the hand is quicker than the eye as they try to dust over the fact that their own stations have switched frequencies and calls and formats how many times in the past few years???

Salespeople will always put their spins on the book...that's what they get paid for.
 
Re: Don't discount The Bus!

it's not hard to imagine that some of the
> disenfranchised listeners may have landed in their lap. >

Oh man...there you did it...you said that listeners have been disenfranchised. I said that more or less in the newspaper article that ran on G101's launch and I have been taking heat on it from all angles via this forum and in my email box. Apparently people seem to think I am nuts when I say a HOLE WAS CREATED FOR US TO FILL!!!

Um...call me crazy...but we had 2 CHR's...one rhythmic and one a wimpy kinda watered down Hot AC thingy and the 2 were married into one...not ALL the Beaver listeners like the switch and I know the HOT listeners sure aint buying the idea that its the same station on a new frequency...especially now with Grooves leaving the building...THERE GOES THE LAST REMNANT OF THE OLD HOT IN THIS MARKETPLACE

That means listeners scattered...that' a big old hole where I stand!!!

Now as to whether or not we pull them in is yet to be determined...but I'd say my assessment is about dead on that a hole has been created. Maybe more than one but I will leave that to other programmers in the area to take care of :)

Hitman
 
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