August 25th, 2010 
joel 
WRTS/Star 104
It’s got to be one of the biggest Top 40 stations in the country.
According to the recently released Spring 2010 Arbitron ratings for Erie, the nearly 18 percent share of the Erie radio audience that WRTS/Star 104 enjoys at any given part of the day means that if you were to pile all those people into one place it would be the equivalent of the population of a decent sized city all jumping up and down to The Black Eyed Peas. Star definitely benefited from the sheer depth of great Top 40 songs currently in rotation. Erie has gone GaGa for the Lady, the glam of Adam Lambert, and the Gurls of California.
In fact, market watchers tell me that Star 104 has reached audience Nirvana with its “skew graph.” Connoisseur Media’s WRTS scored nearly the same percentage of adult listeners in each demographic slice, meaning that it’s the station that Grandma, Mom, and Sissy can agree on. Most Erieites listen to Star and another station; from Bob to Z.
Speaking of Z, the other big story of the book was the resurgence of the Citadel Broadcasting cluster for listenership, led by a big jump in audience for WQHZ/Z102.3. Z’s total audience numbers more than doubled since last spring, and in some dayparts tripled. The other Citadel FM’s WXKC/Classy 100 and WXTA/Country 98 both gained audience against their counterparts, although WTWF/93.9 The Wolf made it four books in a row of winning the country wars led by their live and local morning show, now hosted by Erie radio vet Sammy Stone.
I have to think that my friends at WRKT/Rocket 101 have got to be concerned about the heritage rock station’s second soft book in a row. No doubt they miss the promotional investment that station founder Rick Rambaldo used pump into each ratings period.
On the AM band, not much to see listen here. WJET/Jet Radio 1400 shows up in eighth place in the overall rankings, while WRIE/ESPN 1260 is 11th. Meanwhile AM stations dominate in both listeners and billing in the markets surrounding Erie. What’s worse is that the Erie AM’s rarely get sampling outside their small fan base. Until a full-time news presence become available on these stations, they will not be a “go-to” destination when breaking news or weather happens.
Finally it’s curious that three Canadian stations scored positions on the rankers, but locals WFNN and WPSE didn’t. Maybe they were Star-struck.
Actual 12+ full-week rankers are available on AllAccess.com.
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It’s sad that the AM stations are neglected in Erie and other markets. The only one who cares about the AM station he is in charge of is Captain Dan at WYNE. I say either make WFNN Nostalgia or donate it to Mercyhurst as a simulcast partner to WYNE. Older people are looking outside of Erie for their brand of music and Canada is serving it up on 3 stations including 80,000 watt “92.1 The Jewel” during evening hours. Buffalo recently flipped an AM there to Nostalgia probably after seeing AM 740 get numbers there.
Even the powerhouse, highly-rated FM stations are neglected. OK, this is me talking… Time and time again, I come away from a Boston Store visit with an overall feeling of disappointment… so much unrealized potential. Even with Star 104, I keep thinking “How is it that they are ALWAYS on top? Perhaps, it’s because there’s nothing better to challenge the ubiquitous music which can be found in a various number of sources, and the prerecorded voices that I hear….. I LOATH VOICE TRACKING for the simple reason that it says FAKE to me. I go down there time and time again and I hear the voices… I see no people, but I hear the voices… Am I pschizophrenic?
Tom, I share your sentiments regarding Captain Dan and his staff at WYNE. As an oldies/nostalgia music fan, I love the format and the overall sound. I also am attracted to the PEOPLE aspect. It’s not just music that make a radio station… intelligent and enthusiastic are just as vital to the health of a good station. Computers do not attract people. PEOPLE attract people and the good people get better with age. Computers just become obsolete.
I’m amazed people still listen to local radio.
Yes Shawn, people still listen to local (Erie) radio. There are some of us who not only listen, but study local radio. With television being limited to the four borders of a screen, radio truly is the “Theatre Of The Mind”, and with the internet, we can connect Erie Radio with the rest of the world. Is that not cool or what?
When radio came to the Boston Store in 2001, I said “WOWEE, ZOWEE!”… Those were my exact words. NextMedia and Richard Rambaldo took the radio medium and made it visual to the average Joe. I honestly don’t know why more people don’t take time to visit that beautiful downtown edifice.
Where there once was clothes and furniture and a soda fountain, and oh yeah, a clock… now, there is state of the art radio equipment and more importantly, radio people. There are 6 classrooms down there and teachers who are extremely intelligent and entertaining. Someone should put mirrors along the back walls of the studios to give the visitor the feel of being behind the microphone….
What about a DJ For A Day contest? With Prep and Erie Business Center and Gannon in the immediate vicinity, there has to be willing participants who seek to expand their horizons. Cash prizes only go so far, but an education lasts a lifetime. Come on Connoisseur, tap into a wonderful resource of fresh minds with fresh ideas. Perhaps, we could get Citadel to join forces with you guys down there. Just a thought….