WBBR 20th Anniversary

[wadio]

Today marks 20 years since Bloomberg Radio went on the air.

I know many people think WBBR is a waste of a NY frequency but I disagree. So much of talk radio has become so unlistenable that I spend a fair amount of time with Bloomberg each week. With the exception of Charlie Rose (whose holier-than-thou attitude drives me nuts) I find a lot to like. There are good features about business, technology, education and the law. Sundays they simulcast or rebroadcast the Sunday TV news shows -- not great radio but a whole lot better than the infomercials found elsewhere.

Judging from their higher class of advertisers, they may have found a profitable niche that relies on audience quality rather than numbers. As a listener I'd rather hear high-end car dealers, jewelers, banks, camera stores, medical facilities, etc. than an endless parade of prostate cures and other flimflam.

Happy Anniversary WBBR!

 

[TheBigA]

I think it's been very interesting, because this station came on the air at a time when there was a lot of interest and growth in Business Radio as a format, and it's pretty much died a hard death around the country in the years since. I think the difference has been that WBBR was done in conjunction with the overall Bloomberg media strategy, not just as a single radio station. So they weren't just selling the ratings numbers, but rather the BRAND. Perhaps that's a useful lesson for radio to learn. I dropped by the studios once, and the approach was more open newsroom concept than studios with engineers and announcers. More like Metro Traffic. I think that worked better for this kind of presentation, and made it more cost efficient. I think given the low cost of AM frequencies, it might be worth a look from internet media to do this kind of thing as a strategic investment.

 

[luperm]

The other thing to consider is that Bloomberg already creates so much content, it's relatively easy to repurpose it across various platforms -- Radio, TV, Web, Bloomberg Terminal, etc. See a guy on TV, the next thing you know it's a story on the terminal and being excerpted in a radio story. The journalists also adapt the content for the various platforms -- many have microphones right at their desks to voice a quick intro, etc. They do a very nice job -- plus their facilities are impressive as well.

 

[Malika]

I listen to it Mon thru Fri. Imus and WOR are too negative.
It leaves me in a good mood. It is also interesting.

 

[badjef]

I had more respect for Michael Bloomberg before he became the Imperial Mayor.

I can separate the man from the "machine", though.

How many others can?

Does his performance as Mayor affect the ratings of WBBR?

And if so, positively? or Negatively?

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[TheBigA]

Does his performance as Mayor affect the ratings of WBBR?

I think the ratings have been pretty consistent in 20 years: Terrible.

 

[badjef]

Does his performance as Mayor affect the ratings of WBBR?

I think the ratings have been pretty consistent in 20 years: Terrible.

Well, on a 12+, yes.

But that station is not treated as a local for programming even though it is in the Financial Capital, so it is difficult for me to evaluate it on the basis of ratings alone. That is why I posed the question.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[TheBigA]

But that station is not treated as a local for programming

Yes I know, and said so earlier in this thread.

But my answer to your question is that being Mayor has had no effect on ratings. And AFAIK, he hasn't used his celebrity to aid the popularity of the station.

 

[luperm]

Mike Bloomberg "technically" has nothing to do with the day to day operation of Bloomberg, L.P. or WBBR while he's the mayor.

 

[badjef]

Mike Bloomberg "technically" has nothing to do with the day to day operation of Bloomberg, L.P. or WBBR while he's the mayor.

No, I imagine not.

Is there a complete separation in listeners' minds, then?

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[luperm]

Mike Bloomberg "technically" has nothing to do with the day to day operation of Bloomberg, L.P. or WBBR while he's the mayor.

No, I imagine not.

Is there a complete separation in listeners' minds, then?

Hard to say. I have a Bloomberg terminal at work. I think of it as a thing (a Bloomberg) not a person. I see WBBR as an extension of the information I get at the office.

 

[TheBigA]

I have a Bloomberg terminal at work. I think of it as a thing (a Bloomberg) not a person. I see WBBR as an extension of the information I get at the office.

My nephew thinks Madden is a game, and had no idea he is a person.

 

[TimeIsTight]

The Bloomberg Radio listeners are sophisticated, and informed enough to understand the difference between Bloomberg LP and Mayor Mike and it is doubtful that many would connect the two in their minds. Still, we have to remember that the mayor has won three elections in NYC, which means he got more than half the votes in the city. WBBR, like each individual NYC radio station, appeals to a much smaller population slice than one half of the electorate. Put another way, the mayor is far more popular than any individual radio station, including Lite-FM with Christmas music.

WBBR does not pay for Arbitron ratings, nor does it seem to be concerned about ratings at all. Its audience is small, but, as a group, has a whole lot more disposable dollars than the total audience of much higher rated stations. If you want to reach potential luxury item, or financial market buyers WBBR is a very efficient advertising buy.

But, Bloomberg's two initial purposes for buying WNEW-AM, and starting WBBR were to build the Bloomberg brand, which was then not well known outside the financial community, and to provide a portable information link to Bloomberg terminal customers who were away from their hard wired terminal connections. Those were the days before smartphones and WiFi.

So, the $13-million (IIRC) that Bloomberg LP spent for WNEW, and whatever money it invested in the station after, was really spent to build the brand, and serve the terminal customers, and was not, necessarily, ever going to be measured financially in the way that the business model for most other advertising supported, and ratings measured, stations would be.

The station not only helped build the Bloomberg LP brand awareness among the general population around NYC, it also, along with billboard and print ads promoting the station, helped to build a public awareness of the Mike Bloomberg name and brand, that helped make "his honor" the world famous politician that he has become.

For both the Bloomberg LP organization, and the individual "Mr. Mayor," if the station never took in a dime in advertising it still would have been worth every tax deductible penny originally spent on it. It has been a very good investment.

 

[Cosmopolite]

IIRC, several years ago a Shadow Traffic guy was taken off BBR because Mayor Mike didn't like his voice.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

I would think that WBBR-1130 had it's largest number of listeners during the financial crisis in the Fall of 2008

 

[DToTheJ]

@Cosmopolite: I wonder if any 'BBR staffers are shown the door if they bring a 2-liter bottle of soda in with them to work!

 

[badjef]

@Cosmopolite: I wonder if any 'BBR staffers are shown the door if they bring a 2-liter bottle of soda in with them to work!

I don't think Imperial Mayor gave it that much thought.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[TimeIsTight]

I wonder if any 'BBR staffers are shown the door if they bring a 2-liter bottle of soda in with them to work! Cheesy

Unless things have changed over the years, BBR staffers never had a need to bring any food or drink into work with them.

One of Bloomberg LPs early employee benefits was to have qualified chefs preparing restaurant quality food and drink that was available to all employees, any time they wanted it, for FREE. It was just a perk, like free coffee at some other radio stations I worked at, but carried to a relative gourmet extreme.

From Mike Bloomberg's perspective he preferred to spend the money on the free food, while having his employees eat well, and not have to leave the building during the work day. He thought they would be more productive and have lower health care expenses that way.

 

[luperm]

Unless things have changed over the years, BBR staffers never had a need to bring any food or drink into work with them.

One of Bloomberg LPs early employee benefits was to have qualified chefs preparing restaurant quality food and drink that was available to all employees, any time they wanted it, for FREE. It was just a perk, like free coffee at some other radio stations I worked at, but carried to a relative gourmet extreme.

From Mike Bloomberg's perspective he preferred to spend the money on the free food, while having his employees eat well, and not have to leave the building during the work day. He thought they would be more productive and have lower health care expenses that way.

It's a little more subdued at this point. There's a wide variety of snacks and hot/cold beverages available at any time...all served in compost-friendly containers, of course. The gourmet meals are long gone.

 

[badjef]

Unless things have changed over the years, BBR staffers never had a need to bring any food or drink into work with them.

One of Bloomberg LPs early employee benefits was to have qualified chefs preparing restaurant quality food and drink that was available to all employees, any time they wanted it, for FREE. It was just a perk, like free coffee at some other radio stations I worked at, but carried to a relative gourmet extreme.

From Mike Bloomberg's perspective he preferred to spend the money on the free food, while having his employees eat well, and not have to leave the building during the work day. He thought they would be more productive and have lower health care expenses that way.

It's a little more subdued at this point. There's a wide variety of snacks and hot/cold beverages available at any time...all served in compost-friendly containers, of course. The gourmet meals are long gone.

Is there no end to his torture?!?

I'm ripping up my application as we speak!

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!