Philadelphia Radio Ratings: Holiday 2014

WPHT at a 1.7, lost 9,700 listeners in latest period, after gaining a few hundred in last survey period. I guess is a combo of the new lineup not working and the Christmas music. Time for CBS radio to do something drastic with 1210 WPHT-AM. WBEB is truly Philadelphia's #1 Christmas music station, 15.1, gained 637,500 listeners. As for Wired 96.5, went to a 2.2, gained 100 listeners

More....lived up to the name. I was a bit surprised to see both WOGL and Ben hold relatively firm, all things considered. Mix on the other hand....not so much. Not that any of it matters much, but it is still a quick, interesting read.

Jul said:

Time for CBS radio to do something drastic with 1210 WPHT-AM.

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I'm shocked you would say this.

Ravens said:

I'm shocked you would say this.

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I'm not. I think Its finally time for something to happen with 1210 AM WPHT, and I hope it happens soon. CBS can't be very happy that the station, with such a big signal, has been doing this poorly for a long time in the ratings.

WPHT is preforming about the same as many talk stations in the country. Again, there is nothing CBS can do with it. Sports is covered, KYW is and will be all news. One positive move was Dick Morris leaving.

benale said:

WPHT is preforming about the same as many talk stations in the country. Again, there is nothing CBS can do with it. Sports is covered, KYW is and will be all news. One positive move was Dick Morris leaving.

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It's clear to me, that 1210 didn't get a huge bump with Dick Morris leaving and Rich Zeoli taking over the afternoon show. There is something CBS can do about this, IF, they are willing to make a huge sacrifice and drop talk. There's room for one more sports station (1210 AM should be that station) if they do decide to go in that direction. Come March Madness time, WIP is going to need a 2nd station to air the WestWood One NCAA men's basketball tournament coverage. I doubt 94 WIP will give up 12 hours of local programming for that. So logically IMO, 1210 AM would be the choice to air that event, along with a sports format, since the CBS radio Philadelphia own the rights to the Westwood one sports events, I guess.

WPHT is making money. That's what matters.

OMG, Julius. Seriously. Stop hijacking every thread with this crusade. And for the love of God, learn to recognize when people are making fun of you.

WPHT: The overall format really is the only logical choice. It's not to say they've made the right choice in every time slot. But one thing is clear, March Madness or other college sports on 1210 certainly won't the answer. Really, out-of-town college play-by-play?

WPHI: Why is classic hip-hop hot here and not so much elsewhere? Can this last? Much more interesting than WPHT rants.

WXTU: As Charlie Brown Said about that Christmas tree, "Oh, I killed it."

WIOQ: Where did the audience go? More FM? Mix? Not Wired!

WIP-FM: Lives and dies by the Eagles, so how surprised can we be? There's only so much vicarious pleasure to be derived from talking about the Cowboys getting beaten by teams better than them, or the Eagles. And they've certainly beaten the Mariota horse to a pulp. That horse isn't even twitching a hoof.

WRDW: Wired is tired. That janitor guy is going to lock everybody out of the studio and play teletype sounds.

KYW: The weather outside is finally frightful. Joy to the world.

Heart Two Sizes Too Small said:

WPHT: The overall format really is the only logical choice. It's not to say they've made the right choice in every time slot. But one thing is clear, March Madness or other college sports on 1210 certainly won't the answer. Really, out-of-town college play-by-play?

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CBS is being held hostage with a failing and poorly programmed format, despite making a lof of money, and its truly a shame.

Held hostage?!?! Seriously!?!
CBS is willingly choosing to keep this format around BECAUSE it makes money.

Then again, I did see Rushbo walking around near CBS headquarters with a ski mask and a 9mm.....

Heart Two Sizes Too Small said:

WPHI: Why is classic hip-hop hot here and not so much elsewhere? Can this last? Much more interesting than WPHT rants.

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Because Philly has a much longer Hip-Hop history and tradition than most other cities. We were basically the 2nd biggest city in the hip-hop world from the mid 70's to mid 80's. Almost every mixjock on wdas & wusl grew up with rap and most have been on the radio playing since that era. Add in nostalgia for the music from one's youth, and the crap that passes for rap now, and you have an audience that has been placated for decades finally getting what they wanted since they were kids, an all rap station, similar to what KDAY was in the 80's.

Now whether the all/classic rap format will last in philly depends of how/what they play. If they are liberal with adding what were local hits, before rap went national, with the urban rap hots of the 80's and 90's, and they stay with the block party/belmount plateau style that we are used to, it may work. If they try to format the station with syndicated stuff like the rubbish that WUSL continually tried to force on Philly, like the Kid Capri show and the Ed Lover/Doctor Dre stuff from NYC, then it will fail like Rickey Smiley did when 107.9 switched formats with WRNB during the signal switch a few years back.

Jul said:

CBS is being held hostage with a failing and poorly programmed format, despite making a lof of money, and its truly a shame.

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I'm not sure I see the logic of the statement. If they make a decent profit, a core objective of a for-profit enterprise, how is that "failing?" Sure, talk isn't exactly the draw of some formats, but not everyone can be at the top. So they have a niche, and they deliver on it. is there an explanation of how that constitutes failure in the business world?

You really are new around here, aren't you?

Bob Eubanks said:

how is that "failing?"

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Because he doesn't like it.

Julius, like it or not, radio is a business, just like the pizza parlor or sub shop down the street. If not enough folks buy their pizza or subs, and it costs them more to run their business than they're making in sales, then they go out of business. Same with radio. The advertisers are a radio station's customers, not the listeners, they are the product the radio station is selling to the advertisers. Each radio station will target certain folks who the advertisers are seeking by airing certain type of music or spoken word programming. CBS Radio, WPHT's owners, probably have done studies as to what floats the boat of Philly listeners, as they probably do for any market they have stations. So they've determined that the profit they are making with 1210 WPHT is just fine, if it ain't broke don't fix it. Many AM stations are losing money, so CBS is happy, THEIR AM station in Philly is making money. So it isn't a matter of whether or not the management of CBS Radio or WPHT like the programming, its a matter of they need to make money to keep the stock holders happy. So if CBS Radio management thought that they could make MORE money on 1210 WPHT by playing Polkas 24 /7 you'd be complaining about how CBS needs to change this crappy Polka King station 1210. While I'd agree with you that polkas would be a lousy format, their job is to make money and if that would make more money than political talk, then you'd hear it on that station.

I can't explain it any better than that, so get over it, WPHT 1210 is not going to be a station you're going to want to listen to, so tune somewhere else, it is what it is.

No station except the one playing Christmas music pays any attention to the Holiday book.

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I don't know if I entirely agree with that. (Maybe the first time I've disagreed with something you've written here!) Isn't the Holiday Book really just another "monthly" ratings book? I was under the impression that here are actually 13 books per year (which is why I usually put "monthly" in quotes) because they wanted to have one book specifically during the holiday season.

If a station consistently does poorly in the 13th book of each year, regardless of the reason, wouldn't that be a trend potential ad buyers might make note of?

And if (for instance) WISX drops to the basement during the 13th book of the year, isn't that a cause for concern since they seem to have defected for a station with a very similar format who will be trying to hold onto them come January?

Thanks!