January 30th, 2009 
joel 
In one of most lopsided ratings outcomes since corporations took over most of Erie radio, WRTS/Star 104 and Connoisseur Media emerged with a much greater share of audience than rival WXKC/Classy 100 and Citadel Communications.
As part of a near Connoisseur sweep of the top 5 slots in the Erie radio ratings, WRTS increased their average share by 40 percent, beating WXKC by almost six share points. The rest of the top five were WRKT/Rocket 101 at #3, WTWF/93.9 The Wolf at #4, and WXBB/Bob-FM 94.7 fifth.
Rounding the top 10 include WXTA/Country 98 at 6th, WQHZ/Z-102.3 #7, WJET-AM at number eight, CFZM-AM 740 “zooming” in ninth place, and 106.3 WCTL #10. Honorable mention goes to WYNE, who made their first showing in the book with Captain Dan Geary at the helm in the morning.
A shocking no show? WFNN/Fox Sports 1330!
You can see the 12+ numbers at radioandrecords.com.
ANALYSIS: Because of the sheer amount of change that has come to the local radio airwaves in the past few months, we have to get our bearings on what these ratings reflect. The Fall 2008 Arbitron survey was conducted from September 18 – December 10. That means that in the country matchup, The Wolf’s Aimee Clemson was in force, but Big D and Bubba’s syndicated show on Country 98 was not. Smack dab in the middle of the book Tony Jay was released from Classy, and Truckin’ Tom took over for the departing Johnny Marx on WXTA.
Other than Star 104, gainers over last fall included Rocket, The Wolf, WJET, CFZM, WCTL, and Froggy/WGYY. Looks like BOB-FM was a two hit wonder, settling into numbers that are middler at best. You’ve got to hand it to WCTL, who showed their best ratings in four books and continues to outperform other Christian stations in the Northeast US by a factor of three.
The amazing decline of the 1330 signal, and the strong adoption of AM 740, a truly excellent Toronto music station, should give Connoisseur some pause that an upper demographic is out there just waiting for a station that cares about them.
Major station most likely considering a format change: I’ve got to say Z-102, who keeps dropping and with a strong city signal would do well as an FM talker or Smooth Jazz station. I can only hope!
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I agree about Z-102, Rocket had the market on the rock station, Erie doesn’t need 2 classic rock stations, Z should change format. I say FM-Talker, while broadcasting regional and national sports on the weekends.
As for Z102, we need another variaton on a Jazz format like we’ve needed another variation on Classic Rock for the past several years. Besides Smooth Jazz would erode Classy 100′s audience even further.
FM talk? It will only work with live LOCAL personalities and a strong IN-HOUSE local news committment. We DON’T need another version of 1400 on FM. And since Citadel just finished slashing a bunch of staffers in a budget cutting move, I don’t think they’ll spend any more $$$.
Personally, I would like to see a 90′s/early 2000′s hits format show up on 102.3. I’ve tried to listen to BOB and I just can’t stomach it.
Since we’re on the subject of “local talk radio”, I’m wondering how successful it is in general at this point in time —- much less in a small market like Erie.
It seems to me that (no matter how ‘talented’ the particular host is) there is just not enough to talk about day after day….especially now that there are blogs, message boards, Topix, and so forth to occupy the relatively small handful of vocal would-be participants and their sycophants.
Is there **really** that much to talk about in Erie which is worth a listen on a regular (e.g., measurable in ratings and therefore spot sales) basis ? Be honest now ! I don’t think so……
Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Limbaugh-Hannity-Beck-Miller-Savage-Smerconish-Ingraham et al are more than enough in this genre IMHO. Do we really need a redundant set of local knockoffs sitting in a studio talking to themselves or their faithful few day in and day out ?
The question here is how long is Connoisseur Media tied into the rental agreement at the Boston Store? 6 fully equipped studios, plus office space…. Doesn’t Connoisser Media rent a large portion of prime first floor property? That has to be pricey. Maybe, if management could break ties with certain rental obligations, perhaps we could call back some of the humans. That’s what I’m rooting for.
Kudos to Connoisseur. For the time being, PASSIVE RADIO seems to rule. They are finding some way to get ratings with a large automated presence. I honestly don’t know how. I truly believe that the ratings could be much higher, and the windows could be much more attractive with humans.
Even the Erie Sports shrine that long resided in the Fan’s studio isn’t what it used to be. Very Sad.
Suprising that Star 104 is number one, but they only have 3 DJ’s throughout the day. I mean people want to hear mostly music, but we need some sort of entertainment by the Disc Jockeys. My daughter loved the man a few years back at Star who had the night shift, he was so fun and outgoing, and MADE us want to tune in.
I said it before. I’ll say it again…. Music without people is not radio. Music without people is an iPod. Star 104′s key demographic, the kids, understand that all too well.
For myself being in the radio business, I feel that there should be more jocks on air to entertain. Citadel uses the same jocks on every station which sucks for people like me in the business whose professions are on-air personality, because jobs are being eliminated due to the corporate companies. And on the other side of things look at 103.7, they eliminated the midday jocks and night jocks and Bob Fm only has a morning and afternoon jock as well. Citadel uses syndicated morning shows which eliminates even more. Look at Tony J and Johnny Marx who have been on Erie radio since Jet Fm 102 years. Speaking of, I think z-102.3 should change there format as well. Actually, Erie needs a
rythmic CHR which is where 102.3 would come in, not another talk nor classic rock station. I really believe that would be the best move for 102.3 (it’ll give 103.7 a run for their money, since Star 104 is a mainstream CHR.) ERIE NEEDS A RYTHMIC CHR or URBAN STATION. I believe rythmic CHR would be the best bet. Those are my thoughts on Erie Radio. If anybody is going through the Jamestown NY area, I work for 106.9 WKZA.
I agree, Mike. Erie radio has only become worse in the past year. It’s hard to find something different on the airwaves when two corporate radio giants own most of the stations and do practically the same thing with all of them. The radio stations are setup in a very similar fashion, with only different music.
None of them are very entertaining. Ever since the beginning of the year, I have been listening to Erie radio much less. I often put on the radio in the morning but the tuner is set to Star 97.1 from Ashtabula. Although I’m not a big fan of country music, Wake Up with the Wolf has to be the city’s best morning show. Star 104′s music isn’t bad at all – I just hate how the morning show passes off lame stuff to the listeners as a form of entertainment.
Since you work for 106.9 KISS-FM, WKZA in the Jamestown, NY area, you must be Mike Dunn (http://www.1069kissfm.com/miked.php) from the station’s morning show. I hope the station you work for does radio differently than what Citadel and Connoisseur do with their stations in Erie.
Aimee must save her best stuff for after 7am because I occasionally listen between 6 and 7 and hear nothing that’s all that entertaining or out of the ordinary.
Yeah Doug, That is right. I go by just Mike now, though. I have been talking with Marcus Maloney from Connoisseur for about a year now, and I have been keeping in touch with Dave Calabrese as well, but Dave has since been replaced and is no longer with connoisseur, he has only been with the company for a few months. Don’t know about Marcus, haven’t heard anything from him in a while. I highly respect both of those gentlemen. But Connoisseur has such a high turn over rate.
If you look at Star 104, there is always new air talent on. As well as 93.9 the Wolf, but not as much. The only station that has a stable air talent bank is Rocket 101, those guys have been on forever (mojo, nat, ron, woody, and chris). But Star 104 is the absolute worst, I don’t know why they can’t keep anybody stable there except Craig Worvel. ANd when they do hire new jocks they are absolutly horrible, look at the most recent jock they had, Ty, His voice is hiddious for radio. Baxter was good though, but he found a new job. Also remember about 4 years back a guy named Dan was afternoon drive and Program Director, but you couldn’t even understand the guy when he talked, he was horrible too. Now they have a guy named Dave doing afternoon drive and he sounds like he is lost and doesn’t know what he is talking about half the time.
Star 104 first of all needs more air talent, 2nd of all they need some half way good talent too. They haven’t had any good talent since the days with Karen Black, Bill Page, Scott Stevens, Shane Taylor, Mark Richards (who is now in utica NY), Michael Ray, and Sherrie McBride. Or if you want to go back further how about all the old
K-104 dj’s.
Erie needs to do something, how about hiring me at the station, but I forgot star only hires the horrible voices. I tried to get in Erie radio but I can’t even get an interview. I had interviews in big markets but how about little old Erie, whatever. And I am from Erie. I can go on and on about it.
Those are my most recent thoughts. Have a great day everyone.
Mike – If you see Bill Dorrion doing fill ins at Kiss, tell him I said Hi.
Tom – I will do that. As a matter of fact he is filling in for me when i go on vacation for a couple days June 8th, 9th, and 10th. Bill is a great guy, funny too.
Tom – tell me “hello” yourself! What have you been up to? I think I might be back in radio full time soon! Will keep you apprised!
Here is the latest of what I have heard.
It sounds like to me that not only are these Erie stations downsizing, but I have listened to Star 104 lately, and I may be wrong but they now use the old afternoon Dj Baxter for their liners and station voice, probably for less money. If I am wrong, then the new station voice sounds just like him.
The voice they previously had was really good, they had him at Wink 104 in Harrisburg too, last I knew.
If that is true about using Baxter, then that is unbelievable. Anything to save a buck these days.
Well thats the latest everyone – have a great day
Star previously utilized the late Brian James, who had an amazing set of pipes. Brian also did the voiceover work for the TV show, Extra, as well as many other broadcast stations.
Don’t think their current v/o guy is Baxter.
That CFZM made the top 10 in the Erie market is instructive and only goes to show that AM 1260 screwed up big time when it dropped Music of Your Live in favor of a sports radio.
It still amazes me that a market that once avoided a sports presence as if it was the plague still has two sports radio stations. As a frustrated sports broadcaster, it is apparent I might have gotten out at the wrong time.
Or not.