“MARKETPLACE” REORGANIZING TO BEOME MORE AUTONOMOUS • FALL 2016 RATINGS FOR ALBANY, SYCACUSE & CHARLOTTESVILLE

According to a report by the online news site Media File [link] American Public Media’s (APM) Marketplace is undergoing a major reorganization to transform its business model into a “full-on branded enterprise.”

The reorganization and rebranding effort likely means APM will be increasing its investment to create podcasts and other on-demand content. The first new product from the rebranded organization will be Make Me Smart, a podcast featuring Kai Ryssdal and Molly Wood. Make Me Smart is scheduled to begin distribution on Tuesday, January 24^th. More info, including a demo, are available on the Marketplace website [link].  

Other new “enterprise” products in development include videos, live events, and possibly even curriculum and video games. To fund the expansion, new revenue sources are being explored. Marketplace now relies on carriage fees paid by stations, underwriting and foundation support.

Deborah Clark

Describing the reasons for the changes, Deborah Clark, Marketplace Senior VP and General Manager, told Media File reporter Grace Mausser:

“We are looking to adapt from a very legacy-oriented shop with a suite of radio programs…to build Marketplace as an enterprise. Like many media outlets, our landscape has changed.”

In December, Marketplace posted two new job positions: Chief Content Officer and Chief Operating Officer. Clark told SPARK! the search process is “pretty far along.” As part of the reorg, Clark was also named General Manager of Marketplace.

Building a brand identity apart from APM will be a challenge. APM still owns Marketplace, handles the money and distributes its content. Clark says APM has given the new plan it’s blessing.

NIELSEN AUDIO FALL 2016 RATINGS

NPR News station WAMC keeps showing substantial gains in estimated weekly cumulative listeners up 9% from Fall 2015. 

Classical WMHT and sister-station Triple A WEXT stayed about the same.

There is a lot of noncommercial radio listening in this market. 

 

Albany-Schenectady-Troy is geographically a large metro area. 

The physical size of the market likely means that some listeners to out-of-market stations may not actaully be in Albany but are in the far-flung locations. Still Vermont Public Radio, New England Public Radio and North Country Public Radio also added weekly listeners.

In Syracuse WRVO continues to be the dominant NPR News outlet.  It is nice to see gains at Syracuse University’s WAER.  Note the estimated weekly listeners to SU’s other station Z89 WJPZ. Z89 is a student station that airs mass appeal contemporary hits and lots of SU sports. Classical music station WCNY does not subscribe to the ratings.

Syracuse is also a market with far-flung places included in the metro. 

One is WITH in Ithaca. The last time I discussed WITH, a couple of readers contacted me to report WITH doesn’t get much of signal into Syracuse. 

I got WITH's coverage map (on the right) and it appears the readers are correct!

WNRN’s home market is Charlottesville.  Yesterday we reported on a big drop in estimated weekly listeners to WNRN in Richmond. Hometown listeners also went down a bit.