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Jazz/NPR KNKX in The Top 10 in Seattle?

G

Gregg.

In the February ratings, Jazz and NPR station KNKX was ranked at #9. That has to be an all-time high. There are no other stations in the U.S., playing jazz, especially conventional jazz, not Smooth Jazz, which makes the top 10 ratings.

Yes, it also carries NPR news shows, Morning Edition in the morning, All Things Considered in the afternoon, and a few popular NPR entertainment shows such as Fresh Air and Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me. But these shows are also heard on the big NPR station in Seattle, KUOW.

So how did KNKX finish in the top 10 in the Seattle ratings?
 
Gregg. said:
So how did KNKX finish in the top 10 in the Seattle ratings?
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The people of Seattle have a personal stake in this station. Now more than ever. They pledged their own cash to keep this station free and independent, as a news & jazz station, not just jazz as the U of W wanted. The listener's group said they preferred the way this station handled news to KUOW. Now they've shown their listening support to match their incredible financial support. I've never seen anything like this anywhere. There are a lot bigger cities that weren't able to get this kind of support. Only in Seattle. Congratulations to the Friends of 88.5.
 
Gregg. said:
There are no other stations in the U.S., playing jazz, especially conventional jazz, not Smooth Jazz, which makes the top 10 ratings.
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I'm not sure there are enough jazz/news stations in PPM markets to really judge that. I can't think of any except for rim shot stations WSIE (St. Louis) and WEMU (Detroit)

I strongly suspect KNKX is benefiting from higher ratings for its news programming, as many NPR stations have shown what could be described as a "Trump Bump" in the January and February periods. Note that KUOW also had a jump up in its ratings this period.
 
PTBoardOp94 said:
I'm not sure there are enough jazz/news stations in PPM markets to really judge that. I can't think of any except for rim shot stations WSIE (St. Louis) and WEMU (Detroit)

I strongly suspect KNKX is benefiting from higher ratings for its news programming, as many NPR stations have shown what could be described as a "Trump Bump" in the January and February periods. Note that KUOW also had a jump up in its ratings this period.
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. I'll study this for further examples but Portland certainly has a Jazz station.
 
NYC - WBGO 88.3 - Full time Jazz
LA - KKJZ 88.1 - Full time Jazz
SF - KCSM 91.1 - Full time Jazz
Houston - KTSU 90.9 - Full time Jazz
Atlanta - WCLK 91.9 - Full time Jazz
Philadelphia - WRTI 90.1 - Classical and Jazz
Detroit - WRCJ 90.9 - Classical and Jazz

None of these stations is anywhere near the top 10. I'm not sure if any are in the top 20.

Some, such as WBGO, use NPR for news updates but I don't think any of these stations run full-length news/talk programs from NPR as KNKX does. I'm sure they'd say, we already have an NPR station in our market running Morning Edition, All Things Considered and other NPR news/talk shows. So we'll just concentrate on music.
 
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PTBoardOp94 said:
I'm not sure there are enough jazz/news stations in PPM markets to really judge that. I can't think of any except for rim shot stations WSIE (St. Louis) and WEMU (Detroit)
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Why can't we judge any that exist in diary markets?
 
Gregg. said:
NYC - WBGO 88.3 - Full time Jazz
LA - KKJZ 88.1 - Full time Jazz
SF - KCSM 91.1 - Full time Jazz
Houston - KTSU 90.9 - Full time Jazz
Atlanta - WCLK 91.9 - Full time Jazz
Philadelphia - WRTI 90.1 - Classical and Jazz
Detroit - WRCJ 90.9 - Classical and Jazz

None of these stations is anywhere near the top 10. I'm not sure if any are in the top 20.
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And apparently WWOZ New Orleans -- a market one might expect a jazz station to have an audience -- doesn't subscribe, because it isn't even listed in the 12+ numbers. But then, maybe only the tourists in New Orleans want to hear jazz.
 
DavidEduardo said:
Why can't we judge any that exist in diary markets?
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If you like, sure. My experience in the Midwest suggests that hybrid jazz/news or classical/news formats are still pretty common in small markets like Peoria IL, Lafayette IN, & Knoxville TN, but that these hybrid stations are rare in large markets, which are monitored by the PPM.
 
Having Nick Francis on board has to be a plus. Very nice guy, worked with him when Brown Broadcasting brought him to 106.9 during the KNUA/KKNW days. He knows the music and format. He must be doing something right.
 
Classical/news NPR formats are common on any state networks, like SDPB, Northwest Public Radio, NET, Prairie Public, etc. But these networks usually have one or more stations with news-related programming or with eclectic music (think of Minnesota Public Radio's 'The Current').
 
CTListener said:
And apparently WWOZ New Orleans -- a market one might expect a jazz station to have an audience -- doesn't subscribe, because it isn't even listed in the 12+ numbers. But then, maybe only the tourists in New Orleans want to hear jazz.
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And Country hasn't been the 6+ leader in Nashville in a long time.
 
PTBoardOp94 said:
I strongly suspect KNKX is benefiting from higher ratings for its news programming, as many NPR stations have shown what could be described as a "Trump Bump" in the January and February periods. Note that KUOW also had a jump up in its ratings this period.
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I'm sure it's not just NPR stations getting the "Trump Bump". The inaugural period has always good for news. But this is not a normal president. And things are only going to get even more surreal before it's finally over. Trump has been big for the cable news outlets. So I'm sure the radio stations that do longer, more in-depth pieces on whatever his antics are today (such as NPR) do benefit from it.

But with his poll numbers currently at 36%, I can't think of a more PERFECT time to relaunch Progressive Talk....
 
CTListener said:
And apparently WWOZ New Orleans -- a market one might expect a jazz station to have an audience -- doesn't subscribe, because it isn't even listed in the 12+ numbers. But then, maybe only the tourists in New Orleans want to hear jazz.
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Unlike PPM markets, non-commercial outlets are not listed at all in diary markets. However, those that subscribe to the Radio Research Council can be seen separately, and through the RRC we can see that WWOZ had a 1.9 share in the Fall 2016 book. Historically, its largest share on record is a 2.5.

semoochie said:
I'll study this for further examples but Portland certainly has a Jazz station.
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Portland OR's jazz outlet is KMHD, and it has never scored better than a 2.3 share.
 
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Bongwater said:
But with his poll numbers currently at 36%, I can't think of a more PERFECT time to relaunch Progressive Talk....
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The problem is there's no talented progressive talkers. That's what killed Air America. Maddow was the best that failed network had and even her talent is well below the conservative talkers.
 
Rob Piotrowski said:
The problem is there's no talented progressive talkers. That's what killed Air America. Maddow was the best that failed network had and even her talent is well below the conservative talkers.
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I agree, and the audience doesn't behave the way the conservative talk audience behaves. It's a different lifestyle.
 
Gregg. said:
Houston - KTSU 90.9 - Full time Jazz
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You could call KTSU a gospel/blues/jazz/R&B oldies/hip-hop/reggae/zydeco station and still be correct.

While various flavors of jazz fill a majority of their program blocks, it's really a block-programmed station. Every host has their own sound.
 
Huff said:
Unlike PPM markets, non-commercial outlets are not listed at all in diary markets. However, those that subscribe to the Radio Research Council can be seen separately, and through the RRC we can see that WWOZ had a 1.9 share in the Fall 2016 book. Historically, its largest share on record is a 2.5.



Portland OR's jazz outlet is KMHD, and it has never scored better than a 2.3 share.
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I was responding to the existence of a Jazz station, not its ratings, which long ago were better than one might expect. That said, KNKX's results are quite a coup!
 
Two entirely different news approaches from these two outlets. Both have an audience in the market. KUOW is almost entirely activist oriented in their local content. You don't really hear local news on KUOW unless there is an activist spin to it, which would be environmental, LGBTQ, immigrant related content with an emotional element. Great story telling but nearly all from a hard left POV which makes sense because this is Seattle.

KNKX on the other hand offers a low key straight up news delivery that covers local/regional news well with a few "feel good" pieces thrown in. Whether intentional or not this may be attractive the non activist/tired of politics audience.

There seems to be room for both in this market.
 
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notalent said:
Two entirely different news approaches from these two outlets. Both have an audience in the market. KUOW is almost entirely activist oriented in their local content. You don't really hear local news on KUOW unless there is an activist spin to it, which would be environmental, LGBTQ, immigrant related content with an emotional element. Great story telling but nearly all from a hard left POV which makes sense because this is Seattle.

KNKX on the other hand offers a low key straight up news delivery that covers local/regional news well with a few "feel good" pieces thrown in. Whether intentional or not this may be attractive the non activist/tired of politics audience.

There seems to be room for both in this market.
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What you knock KUOW for is story selection, not spin.
 
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