I’m writing this post while listening to the very well-programmed WBEN 930/Buffalo, who not only are able to continue to pay for Rush Limbaugh’s clearance fee, but once again scored first in the Buffalo ratings ages 12 and over for the Fall 2008 Arbitron survey.

As opposed to Erie’s WJET, which languishes as a middler in the ratings with poor billing, news/talk stations in the major markets surrounding the Flagship City score at the top of the ratings and revenue rankers. The Fall book is out for Buffalo, Cleveland, and Pittsburgh; take a look at these 12+ rankers:

• Buffalo – WBEN (Entercom) – #1
• Cleveland – WTAM (Clear Channel) – #1
• Pittsburgh – KDKA (CBS) – #2
• Pittsburgh – WPGB (Clear Channel) – #3

The two Pittsburgh talkers combine for a massive share of audience that tops rocker WDVE.

Considering the sheer power of the news/talk format in our region, why doesn’t WJET do better in the ratings here in Erie? My take would be the sheer lack of investment in programming and marketing by Connoisseur Media and their predecessors over countless years. The winning stations have real live anchors and reporters and actualities and board-ops that eliminate dead air and cue tones, like the old WJET did through the 1980’s. It doesn’t take much effort, really.

The conventional wisdom in radio for the past twenty years has been to put all of your eggs/energy into your FM basket, and leave the AM stations to die. Meanwhile, with the onset of internet radio, iPod’s and other streams available for music, news and talk are the remaining powerhouses for local connection and community.

We’re seeing the success of the news/talk format elsewhere in the region. Why not here?