Should Talk Stations Stop Subscribing to Nielsen?

The numbers are terrible and getting worse for WPHT 1210 in Philadelphia, for WDEL 1150 and WILM 1450 in Wilmington. The ratings are an embarrassment. WNTP 990 does not subscribe. Neither does "The Voice" 920 in Trenton. Or WNPV 1140 in Lansdale. Why pay money to Nielsen just to look pathetic? Besides, do the bottom-feeder clients that buy right-wing talk even care about ratings?

A valid question polluted by hateful bigotry. Try again.

Small Market Guy said:

A valid question polluted by hateful bigotry. Try again.

Click to expand...

Nothing you need to worry about. No ratings in Gillette. But lots of redneck Gomer bigots judging by your show.

I always say: If the numbers are bad, don't sell the numbers. But there are always interesting details when you look beyond the 6+ numbers. That's where a great research department can find a pony amongst all the manure.

FredLeonard said:

Nothing you need to worry about. No ratings in Gillette. But lots of redneck Gomer bigots judging by your show.

Click to expand...

Says the guy who hasn't been in a studio since before I was born. And I'm getting quite old myself.

TheBigA said:

I always say: If the numbers are bad, don't sell the numbers. But there are always interesting details when you look beyond the 6+ numbers. That's where a great research department can find a pony amongst all the manure.

Click to expand...

I think that's what a lot of people don't get. Ratings are a sales tool. Plenty of stations that have great ratings don't make a penny, and plenty of stations with 1.0 6+ numbers rake in the cash hand over fist.

DavidEduardo said:

In the case of stations that belong to a cluster like WPHT, you can't buy for some and not for others as the data for every station, subscribed or not, is in the full report that subscribers and agencies get.

Most low-rated non-clustered stations don't subscribe as there is no return on the investment.

Click to expand...

If groups have to include talkers, that's one thing. But given the current state of talk radio, there can not be much, if any, ROI.

Does forced clustering apply to all co-owned stations in market, not just those with similar (spoken word) formats like CBS but the Delmarva and Clear Channel stations in Wilmington, too?

It probably wouldn't reduce their costs by much, if at all. CC and CBS probably pay Nielsen a large flat rate to cover all of their stations. Further, the data is probably needed to market national ads for their syndicated programming.

I would rather listen to right-wing talk, then that racist, violent, hate spewing, venomous crap coming out of 900 AM. You all know the station that has Cody the Crook, the guy that owes over 2 million to the City of Philadelphia for helping him keep WHAT, way back when the mad bomber was mayor and helped Cody in his devious deeds. Instead of this louse serving time he is in charge of the hate spewing machine...

hangman said:

I would rather listen to right-wing talk, then that racist, violent, hate spewing, venomous crap coming out of 900 AM. You all know the station that has Cody the Crook, the guy that owes over 2 million to the City of Philadelphia for helping him keep WHAT, way back when the mad bomber was mayor and helped Cody in his devious deeds. Instead of this louse serving time he is in charge of the hate spewing machine...

Click to expand...

In what magical location are you able to hear Hate 900 and (former) Standards 1290?

WURD is not a Nielsen subscriber anyway.

DavidEduardo said:

Actually, Nielsen's annual circulation study measures every US County and stations can get individual county market reports.

Click to expand...

And this is how stations in "unrated" markets get ratings. Thanks for explaining that for our radio business impaired friend.

FredLeonard said:

In what magical location are you able to hear Hate 900 and (former) Standards 1290?

Click to expand...

When I lived near the Cherry Hill Mall, 900 was a local and 1290 was listenable on all but the crappiest radios, but that ended close to 15 years ago and I don't know how high the noise floor there is these days.

Small Market Guy said:

And this is how stations in "unrated" markets get ratings. Thanks for explaining that for our radio business impaired friend.

Click to expand...

You righties will accept anything if it's what you want to hear.

OK, if you want to count that as actual ratings, go ahead. Tell us, what's your share and cume? How do you do in in the money demos?

Like many, I morn the demise of local radio as more and more stations become computers in closets. Thank you for reminding me how truly horrible local radio can be. I know it can't be that apparent back in Maryland.

FredLeonard said:

In what magical location are you able to hear Hate 900 and (former) Standards 1290?

WURD is not a Nielsen subscriber anyway.

Click to expand...

I live in Center City where WURD's signal is the best, due to their location near the auto mall, and their direction going north, they can be heard in the Lehigh Valley. 1290 comes in very well also and for some reason they are loud and clear at night the last few weeks, must be running their daytime power. Getting back to hate 900, when they were WFLN they had a very restricted pattern and were off at night. Since they have been leased they have good night power and the tight daytime pattern is gone. They can be received at the Jersey shore during the day and in Center City and the burbs at night. Bottom line the group they are gearing up and targeting, can pick them up with no problem day and night in their locations. They have a city grade signal from Trenton to Wilmington and all points in-between.