WCRB-WGBH's ratings since the change....

[Don Juan]

Saw something interesting when glancing at the ratings.

Here is the weeks of WGBH before the switchover to news/information.

0.7, 0.8, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 0.8...

..after the change:

1.1, 1.1, 0.7, 0.8, 1.0, 1.1

Thoughts: So, it appears WGBH is doing a tad better with it's new format, that with it's previous block programming. GBH's new format is still in the pre-natal stage, so maybe it will grow from there even more...but it appears to be a step in the right direction, even if slight. Also, considering the noise level of the people who loved the classical format on WGBH, where were they? Prior to the change, they had a hard time getting above a 1 share.


Here are the weeks ratings of WCRB leading up to the changeover to it's non-comm status under GBH's management

1.0, 1.0, 1.2, 1.0, 1.0, 1.0, 0.7, 1.0

Now the weekly ratings after the changeover:

0.8, 0.6, 1.0, 0.8, 0.8, 0.8, 0.8

Thoughts? As much as people complained about the old WCRB, it had more listeners than WGBH. Even with it's crappy signal, WCRB performed better than the 100kw signal of GBH.

Since GBH took over WCRB, they appear to have imposed the WGBH style of classical music on WCRB, however, that for all of its high minded enthusiasm, has had the effect of lower ratings at WCRB wince WGBH took them over.

I realize that WCRB is no longer worried about ad revenues, and ad rates, but they are depended on ongoing listeners support...which I assume will be more difficult with less people listening.





[note to mod.: I am using the above ratings in the fair use provision as spelled out by Arbitron.]

 

[Goldilocks94941]

You talk about these ratings as if they are prescriptive, relevant, and an end in themselves. I think the people who have to decide what to program at WGBH and WCRB will analyze ratings by demographic components, and beyond gender and age, and also look at their share and time spend listening stats over time, and check to see where the tune-in, tune-outs, and shared listening patterns are. Just expecting them to make major decisions by looking at 12+ ratings would be irresponsible management. Perhaps it would be more useful to suggest particular fine tunings that you think would make each station more competitive. I don't think they're going to scrap either format service based on a few ratings books, but that they are probably trying to find ways, given their resources and internal culture, to attract larger audiences.

 

[Don Juan]

You talk about these ratings as if they are prescriptive, relevant, and an end in themselves.Just expecting them to make major decisions by looking at 12+ ratings would be irresponsible management.

Who said they were 12+ ratings?

Moreover, no one is expecting them to jump and make changes. It just appears to show that WGBH is growing (a little) with their change.

WCRB, with it's move away from the much maligned "classical hits" format of the past, has actually shed listeners.

People have raved about WGBH's past Classical offerrings...but you can see they had minuscule audience. Let's hope they don't drive away WCRB's audience with the same programming that gave them less than a 1 share on 100kw WGBH-FM.

 

[radiojay1]

Imagine if WCRB broadcasted from Mount Washington in NH at a full 100,000 watts, not on 99.5, but any frequency that was available to do that if possible.  Now that would be some incredible coverage, not to mention a decent signal in Boston.  Makes me wonder if 94.9 WHOM ever had the option to broadcast at 100,000 watts from Mount Washington instead of the current 48,000 watts.  The bigger mystery is why WGBH would need a 5 watt translator in Cambridge on 96.3 when there is the 98,000 watt signal on 89.7 FM from Great Blue Hill.  

 

[carmen]

Makes me wonder if 94.9 WHOM ever had the option to broadcast at 100,000 watts from Mount Washington instead of the current 48,000 watts

WGBH is grandfathered in along with many other stations - google for a list

. The bigger mystery is why WGBH would need a 5 watt translator in Cambridge on 96.3 when there is the 98,000 watt signal on 89.7 FM from Great Blue Hill.

because a lot of big buildings cause destructive interference - reflections cancelling the signal out, would be my guess

 

[JustinT]

Makes me wonder if 94.9 WHOM ever had the option to broadcast at 100,000 watts from Mount Washington instead of the current 48,000 watts.

WHOM's 48kw, combined with it's extreme height above average terrain, means that the station is acting more like one broadcasting with 350kw. That's far from an average Class C (100kw), and why it's one of the grandfathered Cs.

 

[aaronread]

The bigger mystery is why WGBH would need a 5 watt translator in Cambridge on 96.3 when there is the 98,000 watt signal on 89.7 FM from Great Blue Hill.

WGBH's signal penetration downtown is worse than you'd think, even with that 98kW. There really aren't any tower sites outside of downtown that really cover downtown...the buildings just cause tremendous multipath and shadowing. Not to mention the substantial blanketing interference zone surrounding the Pru. (obviously a 5 watt translator ain't gonna help with that, but the other things it does)

As for why the Beacon Hill translator? Rumor has it there was just one major donor who lived on the north side of Beacon Hill who couldn't get 89.7 reliably, and he ponied up some serious cash to make 96.3 happen. Now that could just be a rumor, but it does make a lot of sense. There does tend to be a certain sort of "community" among the fabulously wealthy who live on Beacon Hill...everyone knows everyone and all that...and no doubt some of them are WGBH fans and more than happy to sign five- or six-figure checks to be "pampered" as that translator does. Or more to the point, it "did" when it first came on back in the 1990's...and once you get someone like that to be a donor, it's a lot easier to make them a repeat donor every year.

It could all be total B.S., too. (shrugs)

As for the ratings, the old WCRB long ago decided to pursue a "working man's" classical format designed to appeal to a broad audience. Whereas WGBH was for the "connoisseur" and had more "challenging" pieces. Both strategies make a lot of sense; WCRB was commercial and had to get audience numbers to drive ad sales. WGBH had to build strong relationships with donors to ensure contributions during fundraisers. Whether this dynamic is still really true in 2010 is very much for debate, though.

 

[TheBigA]

People have raved about WGBH's past Classical offerrings...but you can see they had minuscule audience.

That was my first thought when I saw your post. This used to be one of the biggest NPR stations in the country. Now it struggles with a 1 share, while BUR is up there with the big boys. I can understand why they want some of that.

It was interesting that while BUR lost about a point, it didn't go to GBH.

I'll also be watching the numbers at WNYC-run WQXR in NY. Their signal was also cut in the trade.

 

[aaronread]

This used to be one of the biggest NPR stations in the country.

I think it's been a while since that was true; I vaguely recall WGBH being long-viewed as a "distant second" in NPR affiliates in Boston back when I worked at WBUR, and that was in the late 1990's. Of course, working at WBUR I suppose you could say my judgment is not impartial. : Still, I think ever since Gulf War One when some NPR outlets went all-news and saw their ratings skyrocket...those station have - broadly speaking - been the "big" NPR stations, and that was almost 18 years ago.

It was interesting that while BUR lost about a point, it didn't go to GBH.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't WBUR taken a hit in both cume and AQH since the PPM came to Boston? If true, that's a shame but it's not surprising...WBUR did an absolutely fabulous job of establishing brand identity and loyalty; those attributes help skew things in your favor under the diary system, but the PPM mostly neutralizes that effect.

 

[TheBigA]

I think it's been a while since that was true;

I just think they used to be closer than they are now.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but hasn't WBUR taken a hit in both cume and AQH since the PPM came to Boston?

Could be...I haven't paid that close attention. As you know, the focus isn't always simply on getting the ratings, but in converting the numbers into members. And although some Development folks go to funders with audience numbers, I always thought it was more impressive to throw around the membership figures. That is, if they're good. But clearly the powers that be think news/talk is a better format for attracting dollars than music. Perhaps the commercial stations might look a bit closer at what's going on.

In this situation, I think GBH could learn from commercial stations that compete in the same format, that it's not format alone that will attract an audience, but presentation.