Black Information Network

[Barry]

I realize that B.I.N. has several major corporations sponsoring it, in a manner similar to public TV or radio. But it appears that very few people listen to this news and features service, at least over the air. In many if not most markets it is in, B.I.N. is near the very bottom of the ratings list, with cumes of just a few thousand.
If the ratings do not improve, is it likely that even sponsors with the best of intentions will decide to put their money elsewhere, since there is such a tiny audience?

 

[PTBoardOp94]

The format will survive as long as there is nothing clearly better suited for those stations. Obviously the ongoing revenue from BIN is a part of that equation - if the revenues go down, it becomes harder to sustain.

We can't know how "mission focused" iHeart and their corporate partners are to BIN, or how that might change in the future.

 

[boombox4]

.....But if you look at the estimated cume, BIN might actually be serving an audience in some metros. In my metro the cume for the BIN station is around 13K. Maybe reaching 4-5% of the estimated African American population in the metro, and maybe a higher percentage in the southern part of the metro that the station here (KHHO 850) predominantly serves. And the cume went up from last ratings period.

Maybe the network needs a chance to build. As for funding, why do corporations underwrite public radio? Some of it is probably a form of advertising, but it's also public service. And one of the factors behind BIN's founding was that it would provide some sort of public service to the US African American community.

 

[Kelly A]

I realize that B.I.N. has several major corporations sponsoring it, in a manner similar to public TV or radio. But it appears that very few people listen to this news and features service, at least over the air. In many if not most markets it is in, B.I.N. is near the very bottom of the ratings list, with cumes of just a few thousand.
If the ratings do not improve, is it likely that even sponsors with the best of intentions will decide to put their money elsewhere, since there is such a tiny audience?

Ratings are not some scoring system as to whether a radio or TV network/stations are successful. Most specialized networks, like BIN, get paid through mainly national spots within the programming. Has zero to do with ratings.

 

[Gregg.]

Well, I don't think Kelly A can say it has "zero to do with ratings." Advertisers, even on national networks, want to see something in terms of reaching potential customers. Ratings ARE important. But there are other factors too.

For those involved, BIN is also a good-will gesture. iHeart has plenty of music stations aimed at African-American listeners. It makes a lot of money from those stations. So it has made a commitment, along with about a dozen big national advertisers, to support BIN.

It would be interesting to add up all the expenses iHeart has put into BIN. It purchased WWRL 1600 in NYC for several million dollars. (Some would say iHeart overpaid.) It is leasing 610 WTEL Philadelphia, 640 WMFN Chicago and 1370 WQLL Baltimore from other companies. That ain't cheap. It has also flipped stations it owned in other markets from formats such as Sports (Detroit, Seattle), Talk (Atlanta, Riverside) and Urban Gospel (Dallas) to provide affiliates for BIN. It even gave up a 50,000 watt Urban FM station in Norfolk, 105.3 WNOH, to become a BIN outlet.

And it has hired a dozen+ professionals newscasters to staff BIN. It also pays several people to provide commentaries every week. Yet I only hear a few commercials per hour, usually from the core list of founding corporate partners.

 

[Kelly A]

Well, I don't think Kelly A can say it has "zero to do with ratings." Advertisers, even on national networks, want to see something in terms of reaching potential customers. Ratings ARE important. But there are other factors too.

I'm willing to bet that most of the BIN stations don't bother subscribing to rating services. It's an expense that if you don't benefit from, there's no need in purchasing them. And if you don't subscribe, you can't quote or sell based on ratings.

For those involved, BIN is also a good-will gesture. iHeart has plenty of music stations aimed at African-American listeners. It makes a lot of money from those stations. So it has made a commitment, along with about a dozen big national advertisers, to support BIN.

And those national advertisers are paying attention to the demographic reach intended for BIN. Advertisers want to reach African American's, for the same reason they want to reach Latino's, or LGBTQ, Sports Fan's, Females 18-34, or even Angry, White Males 60+.

 

[Barry]

Are there any markets where BIN has a cume of more than a few thousand? It appears that BIN is not really reaching many African American people, or anyone else.
Perhaps most African Americans prefer the more mainstream news sources. Maybe BIN would gain listeners if it evolved into a talk station, discussing issues of concern to the African American community. It could still have the same hourly newscast they provide to IHeart's R&B, and hip-hop stations.

 

[Kelly A]

Are there any markets where BIN has a cume of more than a few thousand? It appears that BIN is not really reaching many African American people, or anyone else.

Not sure how you're basing those assumptions. iHeart has a lot of research resources, not to mention; revenue tracking, to know whether a format is reaching it's intended audience or not. Someone relying on useless 6+ ratings for any conclusion, is just wasting brain synapse energy.

 

[Barry]

I'm looking at the most recent cume, not the overall ratings. Some examples:
Atlanta: 12,500.
Baltimore: 4,200.
Chicago: 16,900.
Detroit: 15,300.
New York: 26,000.
Philadelphia: 12,600.
Seattle-Tacoma: 12,900.
Washington D.C.: 9,400.

 

[gr8oldies]

If I’m not mistaken, is it the idea of BIN not only the longform programming but also supplying news to urban formatted music stations?

 

[Kelly A]

I'm looking at the most recent cume, not the overall ratings. Some examples:
Atlanta: 12,500.
Baltimore: 4,200.
Chicago: 16,900.
Detroit: 15,300.
New York: 26,000.
Philadelphia: 12,600.
Seattle-Tacoma: 12,900.
Washington D.C.: 9,400.

Again, cume likely doesn't matter. It's what revenue are they seeing from the format. Money is where the rubber meets the road.

 

[mightynine]

I'm willing to bet that most of the BIN stations don't bother subscribing to rating services.

If they are part of a iHeart cluster (and I think there's only one BIN station that's not iHeart? or maybe they were just a BIN News affiliate), they'll get ratings. iHeart has a national deal with Nielsen. I don't think there are any iHeart stations with individual Nielsen deals.

 

[Kelly A]

If they are part of a iHeart cluster (and I think there's only one BIN station that's not iHeart), they'll get ratings. iHeart has a national deal with Nielsen. I don't think there are any iHeart stations with individual Nielsen deals.

But, it doesn't mean they sell on ratings. And affiliate's are under no obligation to subscribe to ratings.
Again: Ratings are not some sort of scoreboard as to the success or failure of a radio or TV station/format. The only things that determine success or failure is: revenue, expense, cash flow, potentially for a group of stations. Period.

 

[Marcos_C]

If I’m not mistaken, is it the idea of BIN not only the longform programming but also supplying news to urban formatted music stations?

Also, black-oriented talk stations. KBLA in Los Angeles airs one-minute-long newscasts from BIN at the top and bottom of each hour.

 

[DavidEduardo]

I'm willing to bet that most of the BIN stations don't bother subscribing to rating services. It's an expense that if you don't benefit from, there's no need in purchasing them. And if you don't subscribe, you can't quote or sell based on ratings.

How many BIN stations are there that are not owned by iHeart? Otherwise, iHeart has those stations on its shared market account.

And those national advertisers are paying attention to the demographic reach intended for BIN. Advertisers want to reach African American's, for the same reason they want to reach Latino's, or LGBTQ, Sports Fan's, Females 18-34, or even Angry, White Males 60+.

But the real issue here is how many advertisers are going to continue to support a format and network that has very few listeners. Initially, this was a positive and affirmative response to BLM, but we are now at the "if a tree falls in a forest...." stage where supporters will question whether this is the best way to support this... or any... minority group.

 

[TheBigA]

If the ratings do not improve, is it likely that even sponsors with the best of intentions will decide to put their money elsewhere, since there is such a tiny audience?

You're basing this on LOCAL cume, while BIN is being sold as a national format. The local cume isn't being sold. BIN is being sold as a national network, like CBS News Radio or some of those national services. It's a different playing field. At one time, RADAR tracked national formats.

Nielsen Releases RADAR March 2015 Network Ratings | Nielsen

Excerpt

www.nielsen.com

This is similar to the Westwood One 24/7 formats. They air on hundreds of radio stations. Typically the per market ratings are very low because the stations don't do any local marketing. Same thing with radio stations that carry all syndicated talk shows, such as KEIB in LA or Talk1200 in Boston. They get terrible ratings because it's all national, not local. If you don't target local, you're not going to win. But these stations sell the national number.

 

[Kelly A]

How many BIN stations are there that are not owned by iHeart? Otherwise, iHeart has those stations on its shared market account.

From what I understand, they also have affiliates who take programming like their newscasts, or certain hours of programming. From iHeart's perspective; if the network generates at least enough revenue to sustain itself, it counts as a community service aspect of the greater good. Ultimately, that could create goodwill along with other financial benefits (NTR) for iHeart as a whole by keeping it around.

But the real issue here is how many advertisers are going to continue to support a format and network that has very few listeners. Initially, this was a positive and affirmative response to BLM, but we are now at the "if a tree falls in a forest...." stage where supporters will question whether this is the best way to support this... or any... minority group.

I'd assume that iHeart packages national buys to reach the targeted African American audience by having a rare format/network specifically targeting that audience. BIN amounts to another format in the portfolio.

 

[wadio]

And those national advertisers are paying attention to the demographic reach intended for BIN. Advertisers want to reach African American's, for the same reason they want to reach Latino's, or LGBTQ, Sports Fan's, Females 18-34, or even Angry, White Males 60+.

I notice you mention 6 categories of listeners:

• African Americans
• Latinos
• LGBTQ
• Sports Fans
• Females 18-34
• White Males 60+

But only one has a modifier, "Angry."

Why is that?

 

[DavidEduardo]

I notice you mention 6 categories of listeners:

• African Americans
• Latinos
• LGBTQ
• Sports Fans
• Females 18-34
• White Males 60+

But only one has a modifier, "Angry."

Why is that?

Actually, we could add conditional modifiers to nearly all of those.

Start with Hispanics being divided into Spanish dominant and English users.

 

[wadio]

Actually, we could add conditional modifiers to nearly all of those.

Start with Hispanics being divided into Spanish dominant and English users.

Yes, but let's face it. Kelly A's post is the equivalent of a post from the 1950s (if the Internet had existed then) listing:

• Irish
• Italian
• Polish
• Jews
• White Men
• Uppity Negros

That kind of rhetoric was common back then. Thankfully it isn't today.