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HD stations/Translators
- Thread starter AMRocks
- Start date
https://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb_menu_date
That's the site I use but it doesn't usually list the correct format for the HD stations. It almost always lists the format of the main station, which is meaningless. That's part of the change recently where they seem to have verified formats but in some cases they haven't really. Instead, nearly every station playing oldies is called "classic hits" even if the format is really oldies. And many of the religious stations "Christian CHR", regardless of the contemporary-sounding music style.
The formats come from Wikipedia.
Greenville SC:
WFBC-HD2 2.9 urban (the market's only other urban is urban AC)
WJMZ-HD2 .8 alternative (it has done better than this; the market has two active rockers which are mostly loud rather than quality, with a lot of older songs)
WJMZ-HD3 .8 variety hits (I'm suspicious of these ratings because they're exactly the same, but this one has also done better)
Charleston SC
WMXZ-HD2 2.2 urban (even though there is another one)
Columbia SC
WXBT-HD2 3.1 throwback (I'm suspicious of these numbers, especially since the site does not list the main station)
Richmond VA
WRXL-HD2 1.4 country (I wonder if the HD3 channel, listed as contemporary Christian, is the one actually getting these numbers, because there are other country stations)
WKHK-HD2 1.1 classic hip hop
Nashville TN
WPRT-HD2 1.0 urban oldies
That's the site I use but it doesn't usually list the correct format for the HD stations. It almost always lists the format of the main station, which is meaningless. That's part of the change recently where they seem to have verified formats but in some cases they haven't really. Instead, nearly every station playing oldies is called "classic hits" even if the format is really oldies. And many of the religious stations "Christian CHR", regardless of the contemporary-sounding music style.
The formats come from Wikipedia.
Greenville SC:
WFBC-HD2 2.9 urban (the market's only other urban is urban AC)
WJMZ-HD2 .8 alternative (it has done better than this; the market has two active rockers which are mostly loud rather than quality, with a lot of older songs)
WJMZ-HD3 .8 variety hits (I'm suspicious of these ratings because they're exactly the same, but this one has also done better)
Charleston SC
WMXZ-HD2 2.2 urban (even though there is another one)
Columbia SC
WXBT-HD2 3.1 throwback (I'm suspicious of these numbers, especially since the site does not list the main station)
Richmond VA
WRXL-HD2 1.4 country (I wonder if the HD3 channel, listed as contemporary Christian, is the one actually getting these numbers, because there are other country stations)
WKHK-HD2 1.1 classic hip hop
Nashville TN
WPRT-HD2 1.0 urban oldies
Nope. Each HD signal is encoded separately. So that's the HD2/Translator.
A couple of others that stand out:
KQKS-HD2- Denver runs comedy on a translator. Pulled a 1.3 last month.
WQSH-HD2- Albany, NY. Urban format. In Spring 2018, the HD2/Translator pulled a 4.0. WQSH-HD1 as a full market (then) Adult Hits station pulled a 1.3
And at one point, in Decatur, IL (Spring 2013 book)
WYDS-HD2/Translator pulled a 9.4 with an Urban AC. Top station in the cluster. (Second best pulled a 3.8!) https://www.allaccess.com/nielsen/q/market/286/decatur-il
WOW! A 9.4!!! On a translator? That's very significant. And the signal doesn't look that great either. https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=W238CH&service=FX
Given the problems this site has, I wouldn't be surprised if they got that wrong.
It was one period. More likely a PPM anomaly (or diary if that market still used them) than anything of significance. Urban hardly seems like a true top format in Decatur where Country is king!
This thread does highlight something important though: Much of the economic value of subchannels is that they count as primaries from which translators can then be licensed from. Likely cheaper than running a separate AM signal for the same purpose.
Decatur is definitely a Diary market. The Decatur/Champaign/Springfield TV DMA is enormous, extending all the way to the Indiana/Illinois line. But the radio market is much smaller, with Decatur, Champaign, and Springfield each being its own market.
So the weak translator signal would still reach a big chunk of the market population.
So the weak translator signal would still reach a big chunk of the market population.
The HD2/Translator remained the #1 station in the cluster (the only stations subscribed and showing) for 4 straight books (2 years) until the market became unrated in 2015.
It looks to me like the highest rated translator station (and HD subchannel) is in Greenville SC.
"The Block," which is on 96.3 in Greenville and 104.5 in Spartanburg, and on the HD-2 signal of a full power WFBC-FM 93.7, is pulling in a 2.9! It's a diary market, but that's pretty impressive for such a small signal.
"The Block," which is on 96.3 in Greenville and 104.5 in Spartanburg, and on the HD-2 signal of a full power WFBC-FM 93.7, is pulling in a 2.9! It's a diary market, but that's pretty impressive for such a small signal.
Splash is probably strong, but Baltimore's "Praise 106.1" (WLIF-HD2) is almost at a 2.0. The urban gospel station has seemingly stolen most of WCAO's "Heaven 600" audience.
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