It's the 8th highest biller in the market, and #5 music station. No reason to change.
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Chicago Radio Ratings Released 12-27-22
- Thread starter Dr Wayne
- Start date
In Phoenix, Audacy actually has KALV-FM ahead of KZZP, a rare market in which Audacy outclasses iHeartMedia in arguably the latter's signature format. It's clear Audacy is at the very capable of programming KALV-FM into a competitive CHR/Pop station, so I don't know why they haven't been able to do it in other markets.
They also have WKRZ FM in Wilkes Barre PA they are the number one station in that market and consistently gets between a 9.0-10.0 share which is almost unheard of . Their other CHR competition only gets into the 5s which is still good . But Audacy knows what to do when they want to . They just don’t always apply themselves lol.
Definitely. I feel like the cost cutting of the pandemic seemed to affect Audacy a lot, possibly leading to them not being able to afford to do proper research for certain markets/stations, or something along those lines.
This was discussed in the previous month's thread on the ratings release, but I would guess Audacy would have to do something with the station if ratings continued to slide further and consistently and if WKSC sees some sort of rebound. I don't think they are imminently planning to flip B96 to simulcasting The Score, or anything else for that matter (there's a lot more they could do without flipping the station). I was simply replying to your post to my original comment, which I misinterpreted.
The AM has no growth or future potential, so obviously they are identifying with the FM frequency.
Outside of the archaic need to give the call letters once an hour, "WBBM" is a brand. They do not have to say "WBBM and WBBM FM" or whatever the legal calls are.
What do you mean by "due diligence"?
An ad agency looks at media that reaches each client's target age, gender, ethnicity, lifestyle, etc. and buys media that reaches that target at the best possible price. In radio, it's still mostly looking to get the best cost per point (CPP) or cost per thousand (CPM) vs. other possible station buys.
Each medium has metrics, such as page-views, circulation, viewers, and so on. These are used by agencies to compare delivery within a medium.
Most of these metrics have an industry association that does review and accreditation, such as the MRC in electronic media. Home
The diligence of an agency is to make media buys that are the most effective in reaching a client's ptential customers.
Great answer; thanks for that info. By due diligence, indeed I meant evaluation of best CPP.
The reason I asked the question is because I was curious how much revenue generation at B96 could be chalked up to brand recognition / legacy as opposed to modern day listenership. Audacy does have a great group of stations in Chicago, which undoubtedly helps. I'm just surprised B96 would be #8 in the market since Kiss 103.5 usually wins - although sometimes by fairly small margins - in key demos (and has WLIT as a cluster mate). Perhaps that's part of iHM's issue - I would surmise they don't reach as many non-ethnic listeners with their cluster of stations in an AQH as Audacy does with its cluster of stations.
The reason I asked the question is because I was curious how much revenue generation at B96 could be chalked up to brand recognition / legacy as opposed to modern day listenership. Audacy does have a great group of stations in Chicago, which undoubtedly helps. I'm just surprised B96 would be #8 in the market since Kiss 103.5 usually wins - although sometimes by fairly small margins - in key demos (and has WLIT as a cluster mate). Perhaps that's part of iHM's issue - I would surmise they don't reach as many non-ethnic listeners with their cluster of stations in an AQH as Audacy does with its cluster of stations.
Like Canada, we've run out of decent FM facilities to replace AM Service Areas though. In rural areas in cars at night, AM protected skywave can be very useful to travelers. Satellite and streaming have problems in cars, like shadows and internet drop outs. Remember that radio is supposed to be a public service, not just a business owned by huge broadcasting companies to make money. Most FMs offer little public service other than being a music box with commercials. WBBM AM 780 has a place.
There is plenty of CHR stations that are doing fine. Audcay has many Hot AC stations that are doing well just not the CHR stations
Top 40 stations need more local on air talent in the case for Audacy
Believe it or not, a 50 (equivalent after the move to the 670 tower) kw stick in Chicago is still useful. The Chicago market extends beyond the 70-75-mile reach of the FM. (The FM is WCFS, by the way, mentioned only in the official ID at about 58 after the hour.)
They're both, plus an HD. They can do that. Nobody complains. It's on the mic flags, too. (I go back and forth between the AM and FM, on whim, and have both set in the car.)
Like David said, they have to say "WCFS Elmwood Park" in the Top of the Hour ID. If they want to say WBBM AM and FM Chicago in their TOH ID, they'll have to change the call letters, and the City of License also, which the FCC won't do. WCFS is considered a First Local Service to Elmwood Park. Elmwood Park is a substantial City. The FCC has refused to change COLs to nearly nonexistent communities in favor of more substantial communities, mainly at the behest of competitors, for trying to move the TL to a location where it would serve a substantially larger population and city and serve it somewhat with a 70 dBu contour, but the 70 dBu F(50,50) would no longer serve the nearly nonexistent COL. One had well over a dozen other commercial 5 mV/m and 70 dBu commercial signals covering it. They might have tried to use Longley Rice prediction now that it is more widely accepted.
In other cases, the companies have owned enough stations and made deals with other broadcasters to replace the "move in" with another station, by swapping COLs between stations. That is hit and miss unless you own numerous signals in an area. Otherwise, I guess you could put another station into Elmwood Park. But it has to already be Licensed to Cover and on the air before that could happen. And an existing station would have to have more than one station in its COL.
The illusion of commercial service to lesser COLs is usually just that, an illusion. And any Rural Radio Initiative would really have to change 92-108 MHz rules to like Canada has, to allow lesser facilities without distance separation requirements, only contour requirements. NCE-FMs in 88-92 MHz have much less stringent F(50,50) service reqirements. Numerous commercial full power stations in thinly populated areas have gone off the air, and many have been deleted. I'm not sure that LPFMs are powerful enough to serve larger rural areas, and they are also noncommercial.
In other cases, the companies have owned enough stations and made deals with other broadcasters to replace the "move in" with another station, by swapping COLs between stations. That is hit and miss unless you own numerous signals in an area. Otherwise, I guess you could put another station into Elmwood Park. But it has to already be Licensed to Cover and on the air before that could happen. And an existing station would have to have more than one station in its COL.
The illusion of commercial service to lesser COLs is usually just that, an illusion. And any Rural Radio Initiative would really have to change 92-108 MHz rules to like Canada has, to allow lesser facilities without distance separation requirements, only contour requirements. NCE-FMs in 88-92 MHz have much less stringent F(50,50) service reqirements. Numerous commercial full power stations in thinly populated areas have gone off the air, and many have been deleted. I'm not sure that LPFMs are powerful enough to serve larger rural areas, and they are also noncommercial.
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The Chicago market does not extend 75 miles out from downtown. The furthest town that I can find which is part of the Chicago DMA is Kinsman, Illinois - population 99. It is 70 miles to the southwest, and receives adequate coverage from LaSalle - and is also closer to Champaign than Chicago.
75 miles east will put you in South Bend, which is its own market.
75 miles north will put you in Milwaukee, which is its own market.
75 miles west will put you in Rockford, which is its own market.
75 miles southwest will put you in LaSalle/Peru, which is its own market.
DMA's are a TV market definition. The Nielsen radio markets are Metro Survey Areas only for PPM markets, with MSA and Total Survey Areas for Diary markets.
An expandable PDF of the 2021 market maps is at https://worldradiohistory.com/Arbitron-Market_Maps.htm
Here is the current Chicago MSA direct from Nielsen. It is important to note that each county within a survey area is weighted proportionally according to its population.
98.5 KRZ in Scranton is doing well.
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