More breakdown on Spring ratings

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: WGN, WGCI dominate Chicago radio landscape : New measuring system takes effect next period : : WGN-AM 720 and WGCI-FM 107.5 pulled away from the pack as the No. 1 and No. 2 radio stations in the Chicago market in the spring Arbitron ratings released Tuesday, while Jonathon Brandmeier and the revitalized Loop (WLUP-FM 97.9) made a strong comeback with male listeners in the 25-54 age group. : Among listeners 12 and older, WGN grew to a 6.3 share, with WGCI not far behind at 6.0. The spring ratings marked the farewell to radio diaries that are filled out by local listeners. After months of delay, the portable people meter, an electronic measuring system, will gauge radio audiences from this point forward. : While Chicago Cubs baseball again delivered the goods for WGN, the station registered an unusually strong showing among men 25-54, many presumably Cub fans. In that demographic, WGN jumped to a 4.1 share (fifth place), from 3.0 last spring. And among cumulative male 25-54 listeners, WGN soared to second place, from 17th, to 284,500 from 155,900. WGN, the Cubs and this paper are owned by Tribune Co. : "We have to give a big assist to the Cubs," WGN program director Bob Shomper said. "They're our partner, and we wouldn't be here without them." : WGCI continued its dominance of several age groups, including first-place finishes among listeners 12-24, 18-34 and 25-54. Comedian Steve Harvey's morning show set the tone by topping the ratings in the station's target market of 18-34 listeners with a 7.5 share. : "Steve Harvey is a big star, especially among the African-American audience," WGCI program director Kris Kelley said. "He's not just a comedian. He offers that, but he also offers information and a national perspective when we look at certain issues." : Over at the Loop, Brandmeier recovered nicely from the pounding he took when Steve Dahl moved to mornings for WJMK-FM 104.3. Among men 25-54, Brandmeier climbed to second place, from 10th (5.4 from 3.7). Like his last couple years at WCKG, Dahl seems marooned at Jack FM without much of a station around him and saw his share fall to 3.8, from 5.8. WLUP afternoon personality Eddie Webb rose to a 4.8 share (second place) among men 25-54, and the Loop as a whole tied WGCI for first (4.6) in the demographic. : "We are paying attention to what the market is telling us," said Tisa LaSorte, director of brand and operations for both WLUP and WKQX-FM 101.1. "I think we've become more focused with the right mix of rock music that our listeners are looking for." : Women 25-54 have long been the domain of Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart at WTMX-FM 101.9. But the morning duo expanded its reach in the spring and reprised its first-place showing of a year ago among all listeners 25-54 with a 5.7 mark. That helped The Mix tie for 10th (3.0) among listeners 12-and-up with its sister station, classic-rock WDRV-FM 97.1, and news-talk WLS-AM 890. : "We're real happy with the results for both The Mix and The Drive," said Jerry Schnacke, vice president/market manager of Bonneville's Chicago stations. "Both staffs work extremely hard, and it's nice to see them rewarded." : Other winners: Teen titans WBBM-FM 96.3 (10.6) and WKSC-FM 103.5 (10.5) stayed neck and neck in the 12-24 bracket behind WGCI. Country music WUSN-FM 99.5 made it back into the Top 10 in 12-plus (3.1, ninth place). Smooth jazz WNUA-FM 95.5 remained a steady performer (3.5 in 12-plus, sixth place). Sports-talk WMVP-AM 1000 (3.8) regained the lead in its seesaw battle with WSCR-AM 670 (2.8) in men 25-54. : Other setbacks: Spanish stations WPPN-FM 106.7 and WLEY-FM 107.9 fell heavily in the ratings, to 13th and 15th, respectively. News station WBBM-AM 780 dropped to fifth place in 12-plus (4.7 to 4.0). Classical music WFMT-FM 98.7 slid to 27th place (1.4, down from 2.2). : : (Patrick Kampert)

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