• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

WLS AM ratings back in the day......

My informal survey of my high school peer group in a small town in Western Ohio was that WLS won the night. I seemed to be the only person who knew of WABC's existence, though arguably WABC had a better signal due to WLS's skywave/groundwave cancellation issue. We had a booming signal from CKLW during the daytime, and top 40 from WMEE in Fort Wayne, both of which we lost at night. If you only had AM in the car, it was WOWO or WLS at night

Could you hear WLS at all during the day in Western Ohio? I'm guessing it might have been squeezed by the 880 in Columbus.
 
wa

Remember that WRFD used to be just 5 kW.

WLS wasn't too bad in Ann Arbor, MI. And I listened to the waves there on WCFL on March 15, 1976. Art Vuolo had them both listed (for AM Daytime) on his very first Dial Guide, distributed at the Lafayette Radio store in Ypsilanti where he once sold Stereo Receivers. Probably harder today with WFDF 910 from Carleton with IBOC and WDEO on 990 from just North of Ypsilanti.
 
Here are the earliest Chicago ARBs I have:

Fall 1970

WGN—12.9
WLS—11.8
WAIT—8.3
WCFL—8.2
WBBM-7.7

When Arbitron started measuring radio in 1965, Chicago was one of the first markets it surveyed. In the initial surveys, the top spot typically rotated among WGN, WIND and WLS.

MAY 1965
WGN - 17.6
WIND - 17.5
WLS - 14.9

SEP/OCT 1965
WIND - 16.1
WGN - 14.2
WLS - 14.0

JUNE 1966
WLS - 14.3
WIND - 14.0
WGN - 12.2

Prior to that, here are some Hooper surveys showing WLS' performance in the early 60s:
MARCH 1963
WLS - 18.3
WIND - 18.0
WGN - 14.7

OCTOBER 1962
WLS - 22.0
WIND - 15.3
WGN - 13.3
 
When Michael DelGiorno interviewed DJs from WIND and WLS recently, including his father Bob, they were discussing how well WIND did in the ratings. I was surprised, but I realize that with 5 kW at 560 and the DA pattern, the signal was one of the best in the immediate Chicago area.
 
Thanks! From past drives through the area I remember WLS & WCFL being tough day time catches in that area. I do remember hearing WLS until splatter from WRFD wrecked the remaining signal in this area.
 
When Michael DelGiorno interviewed DJs from WIND and WLS recently, including his father Bob, they were discussing how well WIND did in the ratings. I was surprised, but I realize that with 5 kW at 560 and the DA pattern, the signal was one of the best in the immediate Chicago area.

WIND was often #1 in Chicago radio ratings until Howard Miller was fired in 1968. After that I don't think their ratings were ever as strong as they were previously.
 
When Michael DelGiorno interviewed DJs from WIND and WLS recently, including his father Bob, they were discussing how well WIND did in the ratings. I was surprised, but I realize that with 5 kW at 560 and the DA pattern, the signal was one of the best in the immediate Chicago area.

Hey Cat - when did you hear Michael do these interviews and was it on 99.7 WTN? Interesting.
 
When Arbitron started measuring radio in 1965, Chicago was one of the first markets it surveyed. In the initial surveys, the top spot typically rotated among WGN, WIND and WLS.

MAY 1965
WGN - 17.6
WIND - 17.5
WLS - 14.9

SEP/OCT 1965
WIND - 16.1
WGN - 14.2
WLS - 14.0

JUNE 1966
WLS - 14.3
WIND - 14.0
WGN - 12.2

Prior to that, here are some Hooper surveys showing WLS' performance in the early 60s:
MARCH 1963
WLS - 18.3
WIND - 18.0
WGN - 14.7

OCTOBER 1962
WLS - 22.0
WIND - 15.3
WGN - 13.3

Interesting stuff. Thanks Huff!
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom