Posted by chicagomedia.org on August 13, 2009 at 09:29:07:
In Reply to: July 2009 Arbitron PPM Ratings For Chicago Released posted by chicagomedia.org on August 13, 2009 at 07:30:53:
Eric & Kathy hold on to lead, WVAZ jumps to 2
August 13, 2009
LEWIS LAZARE | Chicago Sun-Times
Bonneville International's hot adult contemporary WTMX-FM (101.9) and its powerhouse morning drive show fronted by Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart are still red hot. As it has for several months, WTMX remains comfortably ahead of the rest of the pack with an overall 5.9 rating in the key 25- to 54-year-old adult demographic in the July Arbitron radio ratings released Wednesday.
The station's weekday morning drive show also is a solid No. 1 with a 7.8.
Clear Channel Radio Chicago's urban adult contemporary outlet WVAZ-FM (102.7) jumped to second place with a 5.5 in the July book, up from a 4.6 and third place in June. And the station's "Steve Harvey Show," which replaced Tom Joyner in the spring, climbed back up to ninth place in morning drive with a 3.5 in July, up substantially from a 2.6 rating in June, when Harvey's show could do no better than 16th place in the rankings. When it was dropped in March, Joyner's show had the same rating as Harvey's does today.
The warmish summer weather clearly has provided a nice boost for CBS Radio's country WUSN-FM (99.5), which remains a strong contender. The popular country music station scored a 5.4 in July just as it did in June. But that 5.4 July rating knocked WUSN down a notch to third place in the rankings. The oldies format at WLS-FM (94.7) is a definite hit with Chicagoans, scoring a 4.5 rating in July, putting it squarely in fourth place overall.
Emmis Communications' classic rock WLUP-FM (97.9) has been a fairly consistent performer in recent months. It climbed up to a 4.3 rating in July (from a 4 rating in June) to put it in fifth place.
The absence of major news events and Chicago Bears game coverage hasn't helped all-news WBBM-AM (780). The station was at the top of the heap last winter, but with a 3.8 rating in July, WBBM has now sunk to eighth in the overall rankings among 25 to 54 adult demo.
And what of Tribune Co.'s news/talk WGN-AM (720)? The station has been undergoing a wrenching transformation (at least for some longtime listeners) in talent and tone over the past several months. The station showed no further erosion, netting a 3.4 rating in July, the same as it was in June. And Greg Jarrett, WGN's new morning drive host, pulled a 2.6 in morning drive, good enough for a tie for 17th place in July. That was up from a 2.4 rating and 19th place in June.
But right now WGN-AM arch competitor news/talk WLS-AM (890) looks to be struggling a bit. The station dropped to a 1.9 rating in July, from a 2.3 in June. It is now tied for 24th place in the rankings overall in the 25-to-54 adult demo, a drop from 19th position in June.