Posted by chicagomedia.org on June 19, 2009 at 17:52:41:
Cubs not helping WGN
ARBITRON | Ratings numbers reveal radio broadcasts down
June 19, 2009
LEWIS LAZARE | Chicago Sun-Times
As if WGN-AM (720) wasn't going through enough with the upheaval in its talent and program lineup, the May Arbitron ratings book out on Wednesday gave the station more issues to worry about.
Chief among them appears to be the fact that the Chicago Cubs broadcasts, which traditionally have swelled the news/talk station's numbers during baseball season, don't seem to be having quite the same impact they usually have. At least not so far.
In the key 25- to 54-year-old demo, WGN was down in May to a 2.8 rating from a 3 rating Monday through Sunday. That number bumped the station down to a tie for 16th place in the market, compared with 14th place in the April book.
Many of the changes WGN has made in talent and programming have come in the past two months, and the full effect of management's attempt to create an edgier sound has been clouded by the near daily Cubs broadcasts. The real impact of the makeover won't become apparent until at least October, when the Cubs disappear from the lineup.
Meanwhile, May was another fabulous month for the folks at Bonneville International, who own and operate -- debt free -- two of the city's most successful radio stations: hot adult contemporary WTMX-FM (101.9) and classic hits WDRV-FM (97.1) WTMX maintained its hold on first place in the 25-to-54 demo with a 5.8 -- helped in part by the continued strength of its hugely popular "Eric & Kathy" morning drive show. WDRV also is holding strong with a 4.5 rating and fourth place.
The "Don Wade and Roma" morning drive show on news/ talk WLS-AM (890) also remains a strong performer. Since the portable people meter debuted a year ago, "Don Wade and Roma" has gone from an also-ran in morning drive to something of a powerhouse. In May, the show ranked fourth in its time slot, down from third in April. CBS Radio's country-formatted WUSN-FM (99.5), with a 4.8 rating, jumped to third place from seventh in the 25-to-54 demo.
Speaking of ratings, Chicago TV stations have been in the dark for the past week on how their local news and other programming has fared in the ratings day to day. Nielsen, which tabulates ratings data for TV stations nationwide, has not been sending out any overnight ratings information since the June 12 digital transition. Nielsen said it would start sending out the withheld ratings data today.
WSCR's debut in HD
As previously tipped, CBS Radio-owned sports/talk WSCR-AM (670) made its debut in HD Thursday morning. It's being simulcast at 104.3 HD2, an HD channel attached to CBS Radio's adult hits WJMK-FM (104.3).