Local Spring 2009 Arbitron Radio Ratings

Here’s a quick snapshot of the newly released spring 2009 local radio ratings, including gains/losses since the last survey period in fall 2008:

Federated Media stations top the list, with WOWO continuing to dominate in the market. It should not come as too much of a surprise that the conservative city of Fort Wayne listens to the likes of Glenn Beck and Rush Limbaugh.

Both country stations, K105 (WQHK) and WBTU, had some minor losses in shares, yet K105 remains strong in key demos. While the country format may be declining, the two hip-hop stations, Hot 107.9 (WJFX) and Wild 96.3 (WNHT), showed some gains.

WLDE 101.7 took the greatest hit with a 2.4 share loss. WFWI The Fort is also declining. Is it possible that Bob and Tom have finally run their course?

Although the Arbitron rating system is imperfect, because it depends on written diary entries, it does give us a glimpse into the trends of Fort Wayne’s radio listening habits.

--Tessa G.

Nielsen Offers New Radio Measurement

Nielsen is rolling out a paper diary system to measure radio in 51 small to midsize markets. Similar to diary measurements for TV, this radio version will rely on consumers to log their listening habits. This will be beneficial for small markets who cannot afford the portable people meter offered by Arbitron.

There are pros and cons to this new system. On the plus side, Nielsen’s sample size will be larger than Arbitron’s and will thus offer a more precise measurement. They will over-sample and offer larger incentives to harder-to-reach younger demos and minorities. Also, Nielsen’s diaries will include stickers with station call letters and frequencies, which will help respondents recall which stations they listened to rather than name stations based on their top-of-mind awareness.

On the other hand, the stickers may prompt participants to check off a station they don’t listen to. Another concern is that ratings will only come out once a year. Format fluctuations and local programming changes will make these ratings irrelevant.

The bottom line: Some ratings are better than no ratings. For small markets who are not subscribing to Arbitron because it is cost-prohibitive, Nielsen is a valid and cost-effective alternative. For large radio groups such as Cumulus and Clear Channel, switching from Arbitron to Nielsen seems like a step back, but in these economic times, the pros apparently outweigh the cons.

--Tessa G.

Jammin’ with Jelli

Traditional radio will never be the same. On June 28, CBS Radio is launching a 100 percent user-controlled radio program on KITS-FM, out of San Francisco. Listeners will be able to take over the airwaves via a web service called Jelli, whose motto is “No Suits. No DJs. No Kidding.”

Every song that airs on the station between 10 p.m. and midnight on Sundays will have been chosen and voted upon by listeners. Anything goes, as long as enough people agree. Not only can you vote for your favorite song to be played on the air, but you can also vote for a song to be taken off the air. All this happens in real time.

What will this mean for the radio station’s ratings? With the format fluctuating from country to rap to adult contemporary, will the station be able to keep a loyal audience? Will people enjoy listening to Eminem, followed by Miley Cyrus, followed by Lyle Lovett? (Granted, Lyle Lovett probably would not make it on Jelli’s playlist, but that’s another story).

It’s an interesting experiment that may shed light on listener profiles, but personally, I would rather use Pandora or Slacker, which allow you to customize your own personal radio station on the web. These services allow you to expand your horizons without having to endure formats that are on the opposite end of your own musical spectrum. Radio would truly be revolutionized if we could figure out how to transfer these custom stations to live radio.

--Tessa G.

Wheelie cool

The Indiana Criminal Justice Institute’s Traffic Safety Division has an important but challenging mission: to reduce death, injury, property damage and the economic costs associated with traffic crashes on Indiana highways.

Perhaps most difficult is making authority and safety seem cool. But ICJI’s new campaign, starting today on TV, radio and billboards, has an authority figure of a different variety: 2006 Moto GP champ Nicky Hayden.

Nicky’s a great spokesperson. He’s got the street credit to talk to a thrill-seeking crowd. As a motorcycle racing pro, he appeals to the nontraditional outsider. And he’s a winner, so he represents something to aspire to.

Nicky also has charisma. Watch how he delivers the last line of this TV spot. “Save a life and be aware: motorcycles are everywhere” could easily devolve into a sing-song rhyme. But Nicky says it like a friendly reminder from one cool guy to another. You wouldn’t want to cut this guy off in traffic, right?

--Julianne W.