Lewis Lazare looks at the April 2010 radio ratings

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: Chicago's top 10 radio stations in April : Arbitron ratings among adults 25-54: : 1. WOJ0-FM (105.1) Regional Mexican music : 1. WDRV-FM (97.1) classic hits : 3. WTMX-FM (101.9) hot adult contemporary : 4. WVAZ-FM (102.7) urban adult contemporary : 5. WUSN-FM (99.5) country : 6. WGCI-FM (107.5) urban contemporary : 7. WLIT-FM (93.9) adult contemporary : 7. WBEZ-FM (91.5) news/talk : 7. WGN-AM (720) news/talk : 7. WLUP-FM (97.9) classic rock : --------------------------------- : : Cubs, Hawks broadcasts give WGN-AM a big ratings boost : : May 20, 2010 : BY LEWIS LAZARE | Sun-Times Columnist : Sports programming came to the rescue of news/talk WGN-AM (720) in a big way in the Arbitron April ratings book released Wednesday. : The station, which has drawn the scorn of many longtime listeners and media pundits for the many and varied changes to its programming and talent over the last year, got a big boost in April from its broadcast of Cubs games and, increasingly, those of the Blackhawks, who are in the NHL playoffs. : WGN leapt all the way to a four-way tie for seventh place in the April book from a tie for 22nd place in March in the key adult 25-to-54 demo. The station's biggest ratings increases in April came during the afternoon and evening periods, when Cubs and Blackhawks games typically aired. WGN's morning drive show, hosted by Greg Jarrett, also got a little boost upward, tying for 15th place in April, up from a tie for 18th place in March. : Regional Mexican music-formatted WOJO-FM (105.1) maintained its top ranking in the April book, but this time around it shared the top berth with Bonneville International's classic hits WDRV-FM (97.1), a consistently top-rated station in the market for some time. : Bonneville's hot adult contemporary WTMX-FM (101.9) was close behind in third place, and its morning drive program fronted by Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart easily held on to its No.1 ranking in that time slot. : The April book also confirmed that Clear Channel Radio Chicago's adult contemporary WLIT-FM (93.9) has hit its stride as a top 10 performer in the 25-to-54 adult demo, even without the benefit of its hugely popular holiday music format. : WLIT moved up to a four-way tie for seventh place in April from a tie for ninth in March. And even as Emmis Communications CEO Jeff Smulyan suggested he might consider selling classic rock WLUP-FM (97.9) and/or alternative rock WKQX-FM (101.1), both stations are showing real strength in the ratings. WLUP jumped from a tie for 11th place in March, to part of a four-way tie for seventh place in April, while WKQX just missed the top 10 -- moving to a tie for 11th in April, from a tie for 14th in March. : Interestingly, star morning drive host Jonathon Brandmeier's departure from the Loop in late 2009 hasn't hurt the station as much as some might have expected. : As Emmis Chicago market manager Marv Nyren pointed out, WLUP's morning drive show was ranked a most unimpressive 21st among adults 25 to 54 last October, when Brandmeier was still fronting the show. Without Brandmeier, the morning drive show was tied for 11th place in the just-released April book. "I think we've given people not as many reasons to leave the station," said Nyren.

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