What does it mean to be #1 in radio ratings? Not much, these days, sorry to say.
We’re a business of demographics – always have been. It’s always been about being dominant in your target demo – 25-54 women, 18-49 adults – always a key portion of the overall audience. That’s what we strive for, and it’s how it’s always broken down when we send the numbers around to staff and corporate.
When I first got into radio way back in the 1970s (I know, it sounds like the Civil War Era), being #1 12+ actually mattered. In Detroit radio where I was fortunate enough to work early on, WJR the 50,000 watt clear channel station “in the golden tower of the Fisher Building” was #1 – without fail, book after book after book.
They always had the dominant 20-something share 12+ while the rest of the market wallowed in the single digits. So, demographics truly mattered. If my station, WRIF, could seal a win among 18-49 men, it was a true win. But none of us could even touch WJR. Their dominance, from the dulcet tones of J.P. McCarthy (pictured) dominating in morning drive to the Tigers play-by-play broadcasts at night sealed the deal. WJR pretty much had all the sports franchises locked down, and had strong personalities daypart by daypart. They were the undisputed radio station of record in Detroit.
So, most of us lost sight of what it meant to be #1 of the entire market 12+, or since PPM 6+. To this day, it just doesn’t mean that much. And when the trades dutifully print those 6+ ratings every month, we look at them, of course. They’re telling, but we always discount them: “Remember, you’re looking at 6+” we remind ourselves.
I remember my first #1 – not as a PD but as a consultant for WYSP, at the time one of my early Classic
Rock clients. You may remember they were the first Howard Stern affiliate, put together by Andy Bloom and Ken Stevens, then with Infinity Broadcasting. It wasn’t until a few years later, into the 1990s, when YSP broke through under Tim Sabean to achieve #1 12+ in Philadelphia (pre-PPM, of course).
It was a celebration of a long climb to the top, no shortage of naysayers, cynics, and non-believers, many of whom were insistent Stern couldn’t win outside of New York and that Classic Rock would never last. I remember the station took out a full-page ad to celebrate the moment, with of course, a ratings party! Remember those?
So, while looking over the May PPM numbers the other day in RadioInsight, the Chicago numbers caught my eye. I have a horse in that race – Hubbard’s WDRV – a Classic Rock station I’ve been consulting for many years now. And the headline included a historical note from ratings analyst Chris Huff: WDRV’s #1 6+ share of 7.2 was an all-time record for the station.
And yet, no one celebrated it, or even mentioned it to me. And I thought, but isn’t it something?
Program director Keith Hastings and GM Keith Lawless should be taking a bow somewhere, along with the airstaff, and the rest of the Drive team. There must be a bottle of champagne laying around somewhere.
I thought back to when I launched Classic Rock back in the early ’80s, I considered it a flanker format, a version of what was then known as Album-Oriented Rock or AOR – heritage rockers like WRIF, WNEW-FM, WMMR, KLOS, or KISW.
Never in my wildest dreams could I have imagined that a Classic Rock station would ever be “mainstream enough” to compete for top honors in a major market, like Detroit, Chicago, Philadelphia, or Dallas. But now, that happens month after month, quarter after quarter in multiple markets all over the country. Classic Rock stations like WDRV are commonly seen with the biggest share in the market. Bar none. Numero uno. In front of the pack.
It’s impressive in its “bigly-ness.” After all, there’s value in appealing to more people in your market than anyone else. Inside that whopping share are consumers, buyers, shoppers of diverse ages and types. There is such a thing as audience value, and when you’re top dog in your market – especially with some degree of consistency – that means something.
I scanned the rest of the markets for other indicators of what the 6+ dominant shares might portend.
It’s noteworthy that in Minneapolis/St. Paul where all the big boys and girls compete, the #1 station is Contemporary Christian KTIS, owned by Northwestern Media, hit an 11-share 6+ to lean the rest of Twin Cities competitors by more than 2½ shares.
In Washington, D.C., it’s a totally different story – but a compelling one. American University’s NPR News station, WAMU nails down a 10.7, good for #1. Notably, a competitive #2 is Hubbard’s All News juggernaut WTOP. Those two stations’ 6+ shares provide the main storyline of the market. At a time when many public radio stations are struggling, it’s important to note WAMU’s dominance in the nation’s hotbed of news is impressive.
In Boston, the incredible passion for sports makes itself apparent in the glamour demo of 6+. Beasley’s
Sports Hub is a definitive #1 with an 11 share, nearly double of everyone else in the competitive market. This is one of those rare markets with a second sports station, Audacy’s WEEI. The war between these two is one of radio’s all-time great rivalries.
These stories of dominance for all the marbles are important and telling, providing not only a narrative of their markets, but also giving salespeople a key storyline they almost never use. If the idea is to reach the most people multiple times with an advertising message, isn’t that a thing?
Think about it – in these markets, a Classic Rock, Contemporary Christian, NPR News, and Sports Radio station all took top honors. It speaks to radio’s format diversity and the fact every market IS different.
So, congratulations to all you #1 stations who scored the top echelon in the May PPM race. You pulled off something impressive, meaningful, and noteworthy. You slayed all comers in a ratings book, no exceptions. Not everyone in radio gets to say that.
As my friend and long-time crony, Buzz Knight, might say, “It’s not nothing.”
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Fred was inducted into the Radio Hall of Fame in 2018.
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It isn’t anyone’s birthright to be #1. When you hit your goals … celebrate! Victory is a destination you want to return to regularly! I understand that we are living in a world of specific 10 year cells. We have for years. The very best sales departments sell exposure. Ears matter. I once had the MM of a perennial #3 Adults 25-54 station tell me that if they couldn’t hit #1 they should change format. Being #3 sure looked better than when we landed at #10 after the format change. Having the passion of an audience is special. Being a leader matters. Celebrate it.
I was once taken to task when a perrenial #1 fell into second place by a couple tenths. It was one of those “Fred, how coouold you allow this to happen” momoents. It sure taught me never to take #1 for granted again.
In the market with “The Big One”, beating WLW and earning No. 1 never gets old. It doesn’t happen often but when my station (WGRR) does it, I get a little extra pep in my step.
And you should, Keith. It’s a HUGE deal.
Thanks, Fred, for pointing out an oft-overlooked segment of the success of 97.1 FM The Drive, WDRV/Chicago. In an era where the scoreboard isn’t always regarded the way a casual observer might think, we should never forget that “absolute, unadulterated, and total joy of being #1.”
I see daily the incredible creativity, energy, and sweat every member of this team brings to the game, and I proudly congratulate them all on this achievement.
Congrats on what you’ve accomplished with WDRV, Keith. And take note of Eric Jon Magnuson’s comments about the Drive and Milwaukee ratings.
Don’t forget that The Drive is also doing quite well in the Milwaukee metro, via the Lake Co.-based 96.9 signal (WWDV)–which has usually simulcast 97.1 since the days of Classical on WNIB/WNIZ in the ’80s.
That might be even more impressive given that: (a.) Milwaukee might be a stronger Rock market than Chicago; and (b.) the Milwaukee metro only goes down to Racine Co., with Kenosha Co. instead being part of the Chicago metro.
This is a great point, Eric. It’s hard not to think of WDRV as a Chicago thing for all the right reasons. But its footprint up I-94 in Milwaukee is indeed impressive. Thanks for shining the light on it.
Just today I saw someone proudly sharing a meme celebrating the ‘number one’ of WSUN El Nuevo Zol 97.1 FM in Tampa, Florida.
I was happy to see a Hispanic station in the first place, until I read the fine print that said: “Mon-Sun 6A Mid AQH Share Estimates, Persons 18-34 (among Spanish Stations)”
Well, not bad, but…
That’s why those #1s 6+ (or 12+) deserve more attention than they get. It is NOT an easy task to pull off. You want to be #1 – no asterisks.
Having been part of a number of #1 stations I can attest to the need to celebrate. One of our stations hit #1 and I think the party lasted for days. Another station, larger market hit #! after a number of years wallowing in the lower end of the Top10- we had a cake (!). That manager is no longer there, a new PD maintained the #1 position off and on (mostly on) since 2014. In San Diego I’ve had the luxury of being part of the market’s #1 and #2 stations simultaneously. (It wasn’t me that did it.) In 2024 I’m still part of a very successful NPR station that’s hitting near or the top of the ratings pile, and now that the pandemic is over- we’re hoping for a #1 celebration again soon. In a business where the RIFs are pretty common, it’s difficult to see a company bucking up to offer its remaining staff a trophy. Celebration is essential to continued success.
It never gets eld, does it, Dave? And you should never take those #1s for granted. Every one iks worth celebrating.
Thanks, Fred!
I am proud to say that, in May, Classic Rock 102.9 WMGK in Philadelphia just scored our 4th #1 6+ out of the 5 months of 2024. I am so proud to be a part of this team of pros.
MGK has emerged as one of the most consistent Classic Rock stations, thanks in no small part to its hard-working, dedicated staff. Congrats to you, the MGK team, and Beasley ownership for keeping the station in the winner’s circle.
Cue up Todd Rundgren “ #1 Lowest Common Denominator “. – A Classic Rock Deep Track if ever there was one. One bone to pick with your blog. A glancing mention of the Northwest, but Fred, your East Coast/Midwest myopia is showing. Not to include annything about the California markets is a huge oversight. Since I was born and raised in The Bronx, a little understanding of being #1 here. And the view from there was born into street competition and NY Yankees dominance. Moved West when I turned 21. Was able to anchor in Woodside. With San Francisco (and San Jose. The real biggest city by the bay since the Santa Clara Valley got pumped up with Silicon.) had a perennial #1 station. Another 50,000 Watt 3,letter station, KGO. Its signal sits slapping off the bay water where Santa Clara (the only county in the San Jose Metro) Alameda (Oakland) and San Mateo meet. All bigger than the City & County of San Francisco. Poor KGO. The once proud talk outlet is now reduced to sports betting. know you know this market, but a lot of your readers literally don’t know the way to San Jose. For years now KOIT, KCBS and our PBS station, KQED have taken turns at number one, or #1, 2 & 3. KZST holds court in the North Bay, but it’s not a market that Neilsen surveys anymore because two of the three dominant groups stop paying them. As Lobster, I’ve circled the bay. At various times #1 in the demo targeted. Still. So agree with you 110%. Where’s the joy of being #1? Perhaps clusters don’t want to have one of a cluster be the favorite child. Sad. Break out the champagne and proudly say in a promos “Your number one station in…” and thank the listeners.
Thanks for the well-deserved “tak tak,” Paul. My midwest/east coast bias was showing. The west coast has spawned some truly powerful brands over the year. You break down the Bay Area well. I wowuld also add in LA and San Diego to your list of over-achievers. Celebrate the wins!
Excellent article. All of those stations you mentioned that did well in the ratings also have one important factor in common. They all sound professional. They obviously care about their image and make that extra special effort in their delivery and presentation. They also sound like they enjoy their work. It comes across through the speaker. That’s what separates them from the rest of the crowd.
You don’t get to be #1 just sounding “okay.” Thanks for remindng us of the obvious, Curt. These are the stations that still find a way to take pride in what they do and how they do it.
Always but always celebrate #1…. back in the late 80’s, we took an already successful station (WKFR in Kalamazoo) and had the book of a lifetime. A 28.5 12+. We knew we’s never top that, so we celebrated big. And to this day, then PD Phil Britain will never let me forget in the break out, he had a 100 share 12-17, while i only had a disappointing 75. Funny, as we all got older, advances only meant relief, not joy.
Thanks for a great story, Dave.