ONE-YEAR TRENDS: SPOKANE, MADISON, CHARLOTTESVILLE & DANBURY

Today we have one-year trends of weekly cumulative listeners for 4 very unique Diary markets. Nielsen Audio measures these the markets the old-fashioned Arbitron way – a week of self-reported listening per respondent. Because of the smaller sample size, these markets sometimes appear volatile. Keep in mind these are estimates, snapshots of time.  I recommend looking at trends in Diary markets.

There are many more dual format stations – typically NPR News & Classical – in the smaller markets.  I hope the management of these stations will act now to take advantage of the FCC’s recent action that allows AM stations to acquire FM translators, creating a new “FM station.” The FCC is promoting the AM-moves-to-FM scheme by making available FM translators within 250 miles of the AM stations. But it is a limited time offer and many operators covet positions on the FM dial.

SPOKANE • Nielsen Audio Market #96 STATION FORMAT FALL 2014 WEEKLY LISTENERS FALL 2015 WEEKLY LISTENERS ONE YEAR TREND  KEEH  CCM 53,700 61,700 + 12%  KEWU  Jazz 8,400 6,600 - 21%  KFAE Repeater  NPR News 9,500 10,300 + 7%  KMBI  Christian Teaching Na 24,300 Na  KPBX  NPR News & Classical 47,000 44,000 - 6%  KPBZ  PRX ReMix 4,100 4,700 + 12%  KSFC  NPR News 15,600 13,700 - 12%  KWSU Repeater  NPR News & Classical 25,500 13,700 - 46% Spokane is one of my favorite noncom markets because of diversity of formats and sophisticated  broadcasters. Hometown Spokane Public Media operates three stations: KPBX, KSFC and KPBZ.  KPBZ airs PRX Remix 24/7, the only station in a rated market doing this. (Many stations are blocks  of Remix, particularly during overnights. Two Northwest Public Radio signals from Pullman have significant listening in Spokaen, But it looks  like someone let the air out of the tires at KWSU.  Two others noncoms also likely have measurable listening but don’t subscribe to the ratings:  Gonzaga University’s old-school KAZU has been the Classical voice for many years.  Newer  community station KYRS features Progressive Talk and Pacifica warhorses like Democracy Now! Want to an awesome coverage area  Check out this map showing the signals of Northwest Public Radio: MADISON • Nielsen Audio Market #100

  MADISON • Nielsen Audio Market #100 

STATION	FORMAT	FALL 2014 WEEKLY LISTENERS	FALL 2015 WEEKLY LISTENERS	ONE YEAR TREND
WERN	NPR News & Classical	69,500	89,100	+ 21%
WHA-AM	Local News/Talk	74,100	72,300	- 2%
WNWC-AM	Christian Teaching	2,500	3,800	+ 34%
WNWC-FM	CCM	73,600	56,300	- 23%

Nice weekly listener growth for Wisconsin Public Radio! NPR News & Classical

WERN-FM is now on top of the noncom market and public radio Talker WHA-AM

Continues to be a major factor in Madison.  WHA’s repeater WHAD-FM also has remarkable listening in Milwaukee. Two other noncoms likely have measurable listening but are not Nielsen Audio subscribers: NFCB voice WORT and WSUM, one of the best College Rock stations in the nation.  WSUM has been reported in previous “books” with 2,000 to 3,000 weekly listeners.

CHARLOTTESVILLE • Nielsen Audio Market #206

STATION	FORMAT	FALL 2014 WEEKLY LISTENERS	FALL 2015 WEEKLY LISTENERS	ONE YEAR TREND
WMRA	NPR News	Na	27,300	Na
WNRN	Triple A	Na	21,600	Na
WTJU	Classical, Jazz & Variety	Na	10,300	Na
WVTF Repeater	NPR News & Classical	Na	28,000	Na

Though I couldn’t find Fall 2014 data for Charlottesville and want to show this market because of two stations we discussed yesterday in Richmond.  Look at this, a repeater of WVTF, Roanoke has slightly more weekly listeners than hometown WMRA. WVTF appears to have something going on. And the inspiring Triple A shows significant listening in another Virginia market.

DANBURY Nielsen Audio Market #197

STATION	FORMAT	FALL 2014 WEEKLY LISTENERS	FALL 2015 WEEKLY LISTENERS	ONE YEAR TREND
WMNR	Classical	8,000	8,600	+ 7%
WQQQ	NPR News	5,300	5,700	+ 7%
WSHU	NPR News & Classical	18,000	18,000	No change

WMNR, based in Monroe, Connecticut, is an EXCELLENT small market Classical station that appears in rating for several markets.  WQQQ punted their local operations and is now airing 24/7 NPR News from WSHU, Fairfield.

These data are provided for use by Nielsen Audio subscribers ONLY, in accordance with RRC's limited license with Nielsen Audio.
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