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Major changes in May 2020 Nielsen Audio #'s - Grand Rapids

Discussion pertaining to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, and Michiana
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MWmetalhead
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Major changes in May 2020 Nielsen Audio #'s - Grand Rapids

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat Jun 20, 2020 8:42 am

Perhaps due to COVID-19 listening habit alterations or just flat out stale programming, WGRD's numbers are at their worst levels from a 12+ standpoint in many, many years. It's been at least 15 years since WGRD last scored a 12+ AQH share as low as a 4.0.

http://www.stationratings.com/sr_rating ... market=127

Other notables:
- Nice gains for WLAV
- WBFX remains a complete dumpster fire; iFart needs to flip this piece of shit station to Variety Hits or Urban AC already (or restore a straight-ahead classic rock format without the white trash morning show from Cleveland)
- Also nice gains for WFGR and WHTS
- WLHT had an unusually weak performance
- B93 continues to completely own Blunder 107.3 and returned to the top of the pack; WOOD Radio is now #2.
- Sports Radio is pretty much dead in Grand Rapids. Only 1.2 shares split between 96.1 & 1340/106.1.

In general, a lot of volatility in the month of May. I suspect some of the above described movements will prove to be little more than wobbles. Time will tell.

Reporting stations only add up to about 65% of total audio listening.

WVGR, Blue Lake Public Radio, WYCE, WJQK-FM/WPNW, and WHTC are some of the noteworthy non-subscribers.

Are those stations responsible for all 35% of the missing audio listening? Nope!



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Re: Major changes in May 2020 Nielsen Audio #'s - Grand Rapids

Post by Deleted User 12047 » Sat Jun 20, 2020 3:45 pm

Sports radio is dead everywhere... due to the overriding lack of actual sports



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Reese K Rickards
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Re: Major changes in May 2020 Nielsen Audio #'s - Grand Rapids

Post by Reese K Rickards » Sat Jun 20, 2020 8:48 pm

If I may offer a few humble observations on these numbers.

Listeners in cars were probably much fewer than normal.

B-93 always hit a high point this time of year. I had always assumed in was part of Birthday Bash and people tuning in to see where tickets were available. With Bash pushed back to fall, clearly I was wrong.

WOOD AM takes a small dip. That could be tied to the Presidents diminished popularity. His poll numbers are much smaller than 4 years ago,

The Christians stations never change by much more than a share and a half.

LAV had a nice monthly.

SNX with no local talent on the air was flat.

Outside of a morning show, that is getting long in the tooth (I know) GRD doesn't have much to brag about.

The rest of the list doesn't have much to brag about. It'll never happen, but if the decision were mine.......

IMHO a bold and really fun move would be hiring a real go-getter young staff and taking on B-93. I would do the things B used to do. A real Birthday Bash with real artists, not the much diminished stuff happening at the ball park.

once a year I would do a solid week of all request radio. Put the listeners on the air. $25 bucks a cut. Let em plug a business if they like. The total would go to a real heart string pulling local charity where a big donation would make a real difference.

I would get the staff out to meet people, shake hands and kiss babies. I would be the deer hunting station again and send a group of widows to Paris. i would pay my staff nothing to start, but sign H*** big bonus checks for winners at the book party.

But all that will never happen unless someone gets a hold of a decent signal, and grows a pair.

IMHO


If I Heart GR really wanted to save money, it would sublet two of it's three floors at 77 Monroe Center.

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Re: Major changes in May 2020 Nielsen Audio #'s - Grand Rapids

Post by ftballfan » Mon Jun 22, 2020 8:58 am

Unusual to see puny WFGR leading the Townsquare group. Has that ever happened before?

Flipping 94.5 to Alternative was a good move IMHO. The combined shares for WKLQ and WTNR are higher than what WTNR and WBBL combined for before Thunder came back on 107.3.

Which iHeart station will flip first, 96.1 or 101.3?



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Reese K Rickards
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Re: Major changes in May 2020 Nielsen Audio #'s - Grand Rapids

Post by Reese K Rickards » Mon Jun 22, 2020 11:34 am

I don't believe WFGR has ever led the Townsquare stable. They caught a nice trend and GRD and LHT each got little sock in the eye. I'd have liked to have seen Matt still there to savor the moment. But I am thrilled for Moose's Dad.

With respect, I don't see BFX or Max ever changing format. Sports will eventually resume and MAX will go back to it's 2 share existence. I Heart gave up on BFX many many years ago. It is one of those signals that when concentrating on Kent and Ottawa counties alone, could under the right circumstances give B-93 a run for it's money.

You should keep in mind the I Heart mind set ( At least it was when I was asked to ride the elevator down four years ago) for it's GR properties. B-93 must always win. No wiggleroom. WOOD AM must come in second. No wiggleroom. WSNX must come in third. WSRW will come in 4th and has been a major ratings disappointment for decades. That signal was owned 20 years ago as a WOOD AM WOOD FM operation. But ever since Bruce Holberg sold out to Clear (I Heart) Channel, I Heart has refused to make it competitive or put it in another format where it could compete. The rest of the I Heart holdings do what they are supposed to do, and that is languish near the ratings bottom. They are owned for the sole purpose of making sure no one else owns them. Other owners would make them competitive. They probably make a little money, but they absolutely do not cost much to run WTKG is there solely as a garbage can. If I Heart has to run spots and no one is looking, that's where the spots go.
IMHO


If I Heart GR really wanted to save money, it would sublet two of it's three floors at 77 Monroe Center.

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MWmetalhead
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Re: Major changes in May 2020 Nielsen Audio #'s - Grand Rapids

Post by MWmetalhead » Wed Jun 24, 2020 8:47 pm

Star 105.7 has generally been a pretty reliable performer in Women 25-54. I am unsure if that remains the case today. It's amazing how much better WNIC - Star 105.7 is a near replica of that station these days - performs in Detroit with regard to the beauty pageant AQH share results.

For 265,000 watts, the station *should* be capable of attracting a larger audience. The thing is - WCSG's Christian Contemporary programming and full-service presentation are extremely popular in the market. That takes away some ears that would otherwise go to 105.7. The competition for middle aged female listening is fierce. 91.3., 93.7, 94.5 (to a lesser extent), 95.7, 98.7, 99.3, 100.5, 104.5, 105.3, 105.7 and 107.3 are all aiming directly or indirectly for that group. It's a crowded field!

If WSNX were to move there, Adult Contemporary simply would not work on 104.5. The signal strength inside commercial buildings in the heart of the GR Metro on 104.5 MHz is simply too weak. In fact, there's no format you could place on 104.5 that would earn anywhere near the type of numbers WSNX currently generates at that spot.

If Newsradio WOOD were to simulcast on FM 105.7, the combined numbers of 105.7/1300 would likely be only modestly better than the combined numbers of 106.9/1300 in the Nielsen Metro. To boot, Newsradio WOOD would then likely run afoul of contractual maket exclusivity clauses relating to certain syndicated programs & sports teams.

I think Adult Contemporary is the proper format to use for 105.7. In the future, depending on musical tastes of the movement, the station can always pivot closer to a Hot AC position (now would *not* be a good time to do that).

When one looks at share of wallet in terms of where radio advertisers place their buys, iHM is the clear leader in the Grand Rapids market.

I do think 101.3's potential is nowhere close to being maximized; the ratings would easily double within three months if the station were to dump the trashy morning show and dump its schizo sounding playlist. I remember when ratings in the mid 2's seemed ho-hum for 101.3. These days, a 2.5 share would be glorious compared to the numbers the station has been earning of late.

I like some of your ideas for 107.3 WTNR, Reese. The problem is - the people who run that station seem incapable of innovative thinking. A national morning show that has been a revolving door + obnoxious imaging sweeps between nearly every song = good radio, in their eyes.

If I were programming WTNR, I'd ditch the terrible V/O actor (who sounds like he came straight from a 1991 hair metal / glam rock station), I'd ditch the national morning show, and I'd GREATLY expand gold rotations to include a lot more 90's and 00's tracks.



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