WAMO DEBUTS TIED FOR 15TH PLACE...and other numbers

[Parttimer]

On this site, at least, the listing is only for WAMO-AM, so there's no way to tell how much of it is from the 100.1 translator. Still, the number is a little better than I expected. Now to see if it grows or fades. The initial curiosity might be offset be the combined poor sound quality of AM and the weak FM signal. We'll see. Kiss is still #2 and their cume was actually up. Star also continues to do well, the new (and former Kiss) PD is doing a nice job there.

KDKA is declining at a rate that has to alarm everyone at CBS.

Somehow 104.7 is managing to drop this summer even with the success of the Pirates (cume is up, however, so more likely the issue is time spent listening to the daytime shows)

WLTJ with "80's, 90's, 2K and Today" (huh?) continues to build cume but the overall 6+ number remains flat..

 

[rubberchicken]

Highest Cume's yet for WKST and Star.

I'm guessing, based on cume growth at LTJ, that its a lot of people's second and third choices. They need to translate that into more regular listeners. Music wise? I'll go ahead and say it. It's not too bad. It's been much MUCH worse in the past. Pretty focused right now.

 

[cingram]

For the second time this week I stand corrected. I didn't think WAMO had the signal to get that high a
number in the ratings; so much for what I think. They have now set a bar for any other translator that
may follow them into the market.

C.

 

[Jkf]

Mark my words. That tiny little translator and its daytime companion WILL beat out WLTJ and The Fan. Once that happens, and it will the next book or so, look for CBS to flip 93.7 to a CHR/Rhythmic.

The Fan blows. It's always stunk. NO reason at all why a signal that great should have ratings that BAD.

 

[CaliRadioGuy]

KDKA-FM at 2.5. Is this as low as a rating when it was "The Zone"? And how much longer you think before the flip and if so, to what?

 

[Jkf]

No NFL season? No Fan past October. Christmas music will be played on October 1st. 93.7 will be the first station in Pittsburgh to flip to a holiday format. January 1st or December 26th Wild/Party/AMP/93.7 NOW will be born. Trust me.

 

[Parttimer]

No, no, no ,no, no.

You can not judge the Fan on 6+ numbers. A 2.5 is good for a sports station, and their numbers in male demos are fine. They are billing, they are not paying MILLIONS of dollars in music royalties, and they have the Pitt contracts. Even if WAMO has higher ratings, the Fan will make more money. And it won't be close.

Having said that, I agree that Fan is awful, but it's not going anywhere. And the Zone had a .9....

 

[Jkf]

Yes, yes, yes, yes.

No, you can't judge on 6+ numbers. I'll give you that.

A good sales manager once told me that too. But he said, on the other side of the coin - you know who does look at the 12+ ??? The top 5.

Their male demos are not that good either. Is WLTJ still beating them with males during the day at some point?

Billing? I don't see how when I hear a lot of network "home depot/rite aid/joint ritis, etc." ads.

Pitt sports? Please. They've been on the air for how long? And, this is the closest they have come to play by play rights? I would like to read the contract there and wonder if there are words about "should a format change occur on 93.7 - Pitt sports could be moved to (insert other CBS station here)."

Two things here come into play for them to flip The Fan - regardless of paying royalties.

(1) - Doing a flip to be THE urban/chr station in the market would take a big hit to Clear Channel.

(2) - When was the last major retooling of The Fan? The shuffling of the Titanic chairs of the morning show? Getting rid of that dingbat sports anchorwoman? Let's see if they "retool" anything soon or do nothing. Doing nothing would show a format change.

CBS can not stand to be the laughing stock of the market. KDKA AM has its worst numbers ever. And, The Fan is just as pitiful.

 

[Parttimer]

Sports is the highest billing format in the industry.

Urban is the lowest.

 

[Jkf]

I love to debate with you. If only the higher powers that be had this much fire for the industry still.

Yes, how many of the top 10 billing stations ARE some combination of news, talk, or sports? I think it's around 7.

But then, how many of those are on AM? I think about half.

Care to take a lot of stock in AM radio based on that argument?

And, that's why CBS would never take 93.7 or any of its Pittsburgh stations full blown urban. They would, however, do a chr/rhythmic a la one of their own properties. Take, WPGC for example.

CBS has always had the one signal in each market they always toy with their "hot format" of the year. Fresh is gone in Chicago for news due to market changes. Most of the CBS Fresh stations are disposable. And how many CBS "Jack" stations are left?

 

[Boss Radio]

CBS is in hot negotiations to get the Pirates on The Fan next season. They're not going holiday. They're not going rhythmic. They're not going polkas. They're not going all Sal Patitucci.....

 

[corporateradiosucks]

Highest Cumes yet for WKST and Star.

I'm guessing, based on cume growth at LTJ, that its a lot of people's second and third choices. They need to translate that into more regular listeners. Music wise? I'll go ahead and say it. It's not too bad. It's been much MUCH worse in the past. Pretty focused right now.

LTJ is definitely better than it used to be. WSHH is getting sleepier and I still don't like Star, no matter what they do with it, it just isn't scrambling my eggs.

I want a station that plays John Legend and Jill Scott in the middle of the day, for crying out loud. I don't think that's too much to ask.

 

[amfmxm]

Great showing by WAMO. Yeah, it's most likely the translator we're seeing here, but that's only because Arbitron hasn't yet decided to credit translators separately--and maybe never will.

Yes, 15th in AQH. But 13th in cume. In its first month? Incredible. Anybody want to place any bets on how high they can get--with an AM daytimer + a light-bulb-power translator?

Top 10? Not much of a stretch from where they are already. Top 5?

Look, I'm not a fan of the entire FCC handling of this translator fiasco--they have essentially allowed some very big players in very big markets (Atlanta?) to create extra FM signals above and beyond the ownership cap. And, from all I can see, they don't even realize what's happening. Dipshits.

But give these WAMO guys their due. This was a brilliant move. And, son of a bitch, it's working.

Congratulations. This is one of the great radio stories of the past 30 years. Savor the achievement.

 

[macab4490]

No NFL season? No Fan past October. Christmas music will be played on October 1st. 93.7 will be the first station in Pittsburgh to flip to a holiday format. January 1st or December 26th Wild/Party/AMP/93.7 NOW will be born. Trust me.

Why would CBS put an another CHR on the market? They already have 100.7. Not a bad station one bit.
Kiss which is a CC is a great sounding station and when I have been in the area in Steubenville (and you can get the stations pretty clear) at some points. Again, 100.7 also sounds great too. I think WAMO should be on 93.7 not on 100.1...how dumb. It's a shame the Catholic Radio group is on 106.7. But I am Catholic myself, but on 106.7 - that's big. I was thinking or hoping they would be on the lower dials.

 

[macab4490]

No NFL season? No Fan past October. Christmas music will be played on October 1st. 93.7 will be the first station in Pittsburgh to flip to a holiday format. January 1st or December 26th Wild/Party/AMP/93.7 NOW will be born. Trust me.

Why would CBS put an another CHR on the market? They already have 100.7. Not a bad station one bit.

 

[danikayser84]

Star is adult leaning, however... and why not "100.7 The Buzz" instead of "Star 100.7"? It'd fit the calls perfectly

The only de facto Mainstream CHR is Kiss 96.1 I believe...

 

[Parttimer]

OK. To answer a few of the brilliant comments here...

WAMO is not on 93.7 because Martz doesn't own 93.7.

Why not 100.7 the Buzz? Because they have been Star for years and no one really cares that the call letters don't match. If you rename the station you imply you have changed it.

How high can WAMO go? Probably not much higher on an FM signal that only reaches 25% of the market, if that.

And to put it in perspective, they are still being beaten by WSHH and the Pickle 18-34, which is their target demo. That would possibly indicate that a lot of that 2.0 number 6+ is listeners between the ages of 6-18. At that point your #1 competitor is Radio Disney.

The only sponsors I have heard so far are a couple of clubs and a buy-here-pay-here car dealer.

 

[xm41]

The only sponsors I have heard so far are a couple of clubs and a buy-here-pay-here car dealer.

They are serving and selling to their target audience. That target is the ghetto. That's perfectly fine, there is money to be made in the ghetto. Pawn shops, rib & chicken joints, rent to own places Etcetera.

 

[simonsez]

How high can WAMO go? Probably not much higher on an FM signal that only reaches 25% of the market, if that.

Jeez, one month and you're writing their obituary? ;D
If you'd checked their week 3 and 4 June numbers, you might not be so quick to pass judgement, or look foolish.

 

[Jkf]

CBS would NOT put another CHR station on here. They would put a CHR/Rhythmic station on here. Big difference.

Why would they do this? To take enough listeners from KISS. It wasn't that long ago that KISS refused to play half the CHR chart. It leaned VERY rhythmic. And, just like most of the other Kiss CHRs from the 2000s, they were playing nothing gold other than rhythmic.

Star 100.7 is sounding good? Huh? It sounds like any other CBS hac/chr hybrid. See Mix 106.5 in Baltimore. Honestly, it sounds voicetracked most of the time. There is no personality here.

To say that WAMO is only going to sell to "ghetto" businesses is not only racist but outright ignorant as well.

I said some brows would be raised when the ratings came out for WAMO and I was correct. Let's talk again in a few weeks when they DO beat The Fan and the Q.