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Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by Hunter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Hunter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 1:26 pm

The July 2023 PPM ratings were released yesterday and I note a number of Chicago stations continue to flounder in the ratings. I'm aware this is not necessarily a death sentence. The billing is what matters.

A quick glance indicates stations such as WSHE-FM 100.3, WCHI-FM 95.5 and WLS-AM 890 do not appear in the desired demos.

At what point does this trigger a format adjustment or format change? I understand a given market might be top heavy in a particular format so it may not be quite so easy.

Several formats skew too old for advertisers and have come and gone.

Given the current state of the industry, would it be cheaper to continue to run the formats of the
stations listed above? Also, does hitting just one demograhic means the difference of a profit or loss?

Note to the moderators: I'm unsure if I'm required to furnish a link to the latest PPM ratings. I had some difficulty last month. I shall give it a try.
Thank you.

Link: JULY 2023 PPM RATINGS

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 1:48 pm, in reply to "Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

WSHE = WTMX flanker. It's not intended to perform very well

WLS = Clears programming. They're not trying to perform very well.

WCHI = No clue. Might be performing better in specific demographics than it does in the 6+, such as Men 25-54

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by John from Wisconsin <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=John+from+Wisconsin' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 3:51 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

I do NOT have an answer, but sports stations hover so low.
Are they just going after a male demographic?
I know the ratings "mean nothing" and it's the billing, they say.

SERIOUS QUESTION. Are there TOO MANY radio stations?
IE: Are the pie pieces cut too thin????

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 3:55 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

Sports stations often bill well regardless of ratings. There's certain advertisers that want to be associated with the teams, and the hosts.

They are going after the male demographic, and sometimes even when the station has low overall 6+ ratings, some of the shows are Top 5 in certain demographics, sometimes even #1.

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 4:04 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

Jeremy is correct. Sports bills really good, regardless of ratings.

The other thing for Hunter, there are also situations of selling ads to the cluster, multiple stations, etc. Jeremy already explained some stations are flankers.

The radio industry is just crap. Look at Audacy. They are milking it so they can get bonuses before they sink the ship in BKP. This crap never flew in the past.

Z

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 4:24 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

I can take Saga in Milwaukee as an example.

iHeart has the original Oldies station. WRIT. It's 70s-90s hits now, but some people still listen by default. Their closest competition is Saga's WKLH.

How can they chip some of WRIT's audience away to make WKLH seem higher in the overall ratings? Traditional Oldies on a low power signal that does not cover the entire market, 106.9. It does quite well in the 6+ given it's signal. Chips off some of WRIT's older demo and props up WKLH as a result. They can also add that in as a package deal with the other stations from a sales point and they do. Lot of local advertisers run spots on there. National ones, not as much. Little extra money. Keeps the older demo away from the competition.

WSHE is likely used to keep other stations from beating or getting to close to WTMX in the overall ratings. They can also package sell it.

I don't know what iHeart would package sell WCHI with. I would assume WKSC. They seemingly saw a format hole and filled it. Took about a share away from WKQX which averaged around a 3.0 before. Likely that station's upper demo. Lot of the same music. People frequently post videos of themselves listening to WKQX on social media, and 95.5 is almost always a preset next to it.

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 4:57 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

I don't know what iHeart would package sell WCHI with.

The Lite. That is why they are not full blown hard rock. They play all those female friendly alternative cuts.

KISS is more apt to be cross sold with GCI. V103 with LITE. V103 and GCI will have some younger demo crossover. When Rock 955 goes away, it will be because some other format will be easier to sell in the cluster.

Z

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by Hunter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Hunter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 5:43 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

Hi WYTZZ95FM and Jeremy Andrews:

>>The Lite. That is why they are not full-blown hard rock.<< A reference to WCHI-FM 95-5.

I deeply appreciate your input here. This is highly educational.

I wish to ask you a question. WRCX-FM 103-5 lasted roughly four years and they were active rock after beginning as a mainstream rocker. I don't believe hard rock has staying power in Chicago. It does in Philadelphia with powerhouse WMMR-FM 93.3 as one example. It's difficult to compare markets because hard rock does not work in New York, the #1 market as you know. It's highly diverse as an example.

Hard rock **does** work in the suburbs/smaller markets such as WIIL-FM 95.1 as one example.

As for WCHI-FM, it sounds like they're trying to program two radio stations within one signal on 95.5. Harder rock for the males and Hot AC type music for the females. Sorry for the poor music description.

Y, one last thing, Audacy's WXRT-FM was given a huge ratings boost when the late, great, Lin Brehmer returned and sadly, passed away. He is deeply missed. Taken from us way too soon. From what I can surmise, new listeners or passive listeners liked what they heard and stayed with 'XRT. It does well in several demos, however, I'm not sure about the billing. As both you and Jeremy Andrews have said, advertising tends to be sold in packages. To sum it up, can WXRT-FM "save" Audacy in the Chicago market from bleeding money? If not, is this a case of WSCR-AM/670 and possibly WBBM-AM/WCFS-FM all-news? Thank you.

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by WYTZZ95FM <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=WYTZZ95FM' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 6:07 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

Audacy is bleeding everywhere. One station can't save it. I am surprised it is still around mostly untouched. It costs more money to run it with live jocks compared to other stations.

Side note, B96 still sounds so canned. It is really bad. I know they are trying to be lifestyle radio aiming females, but man, the audio levels over songs is horrible. The jocks are not interacting with the audience, they are literally talking to themselves! Horrible. Music alone will not make or break a station.

Z

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by Hunter <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Hunter' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 6:44 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

As a non-B96 listener, are the personalities live or are they voice-tracked?

To borrow your phrase...
Side note: WLS-FM 94.7 doesn't have too many live personalities. Voice-tracking and there is a syndicated show heard on Sunday morning. I think much of their success is due to the demise of WJMK-FM/K-Hits and the heritage call letters.

In the world of PPM, call letters are meaningless.

Thank you again everyone for the knowledge. Take care.

Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations

Posted by Jeremy Andrews <iframe src='https://members.boardhost.com/chicagomediachat/info/user=Jeremy+Andrews' width='330' height='300' border=0 style='border:none;'> on August 8, 2023, 7:57 pm, in reply to "Re: Underperforming Chicago Radio Stations"

94.7 is actually live and local most of the time except for evenings. It's the way they present the station that you are noticing. They often have live board ops running it.

B96 is struggling with remote programming. They have jocks do shifts from all over the country, and I don't believe they have the capability to handle it in a smooth matter. They really didn't do much of anything to the station except change the music. Wasn't really the music that was their biggest problem.

WIIL started out as a Classic Rock station. Heavy on the deep album cuts. They evolved it in the 2000s to more mainstream and eventually Active. The PD who put that together was just fired this year. The afternoon guy is leaving. Across the hall, WXLC's entire local airstaff was tossed out. WXLC's PD was tossed out. They literally put the studio in another location because nobody is ever in it.

The "Star" simulcast is now leaning more Rhythmic Hot AC similar to B96. I'm guessing they're after Eddie's old B96 listeners. It sounds pretty rough. The competition probably is not helping B96 but I doubt it's hurting them either. Not like it's live. At the very least they are still very active in the community even with nobody in the studio. They frequently do appearances in the coverage area. That's quite the commute for Eddie, who is based in Joliet but he's up in Lake County quite often

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