CLASSICAL MUSIC REMAINS STRONG IN DIARY MARKETS • MAINE CLASSICAL IS FASTEST GROWING CLASSICAL MUSIC STATION

Classical Music stations in Nielsen Audio Diary markets are demonstrating the staying power of the format. In the Fall 1017 sweeps, we tracked 25 stations or regional groups that air full-time music and ten dual-format stations that air Classical and NPR Newsmagazine. Then we compared the data to Fall 2016, one year ago during the height of election season.

FULL-TIME CLASSICAL: We had complete data for 23 stations/groups. Of the 23 stations, 12 (52%) increased their estimated weekly listeners over the past year.  Eleven full-time Classical stations (48%) had fewer weekly listeners. 

Total estimated weekly listeners to all full-time Classical stations was 1,030,000 in Fall 2017 compared with 937,100 in Fall 2016, a gain of 9%.

DUAL-FORMAT CLASSICAL & NPR NEWS: We had complete data for 9 stations/groups. Of the 9 stations, 9 (56%) increased their estimated weekly listeners over the past year while four (44%) had fewer weekly listeners.

Total estimated weekly listeners to dual-format stations was 711,100 in Fall 2017 compared with 703,000 in Fall 2016, a gain of 1%.

MAINE PUBLIC CLASSICAL WEEKLY LISTENERS WAS UP 61% IN FALL 2017

About two years ago Maine Public Broadcasting began building a network of full-time Classical music stations to serve the major population areas of the state.  

That investment has paid big dividends. 

According to the Nielsen Audio ratings, Maine Public Classical had 61% more weekly listeners in Fall 2017  than they did compa Fall 2016. Observers credit three factors for the increase: 

• A new station at 96.7 FM (WBQF) was added the format group in 2017
• Targeted promotion that created awareness of the new station
• The music and programming style sound terrific

FULL-TIME CLASSICAL STATIONS/GROUPS

The chart of the left contains the Top Ten stations/groups carrying full-time Classical music in Diary markets. 

KUSC, based in Los Angeles, has numerous weekly listeners in four exurban markets: Oxnard-Ventura, Santa Barbara, Palm Springs and San Luis Obispo.

Iowa Public Radio’s Classical stations grew solidly over the past year, up 16%.

Weekly listeners to Hawaii Public Radio’s Classical stations dropped a bit due to a reorganization of all HPR’s stations.

Vermont Public Radio’s Classical stations rose to what I beliieve is a record high.

In the next group give a shout out for WDPR in Dayton.  WDPR increased their estimated weekly listeners 20% between Fall 2016 and Fall 2017.

KCME in Colorado Springs and KBSU both out-perform their market size and had nice gains in their number of weekly listeners.

The final 5 are “works in progress.” WVTF in Roanoke did a major reorganization of their stations.  WVTF, which used to have a dual-format is now 24/7 News/Talk. 

Classical now has a smaller footprint. WWVT is now the flagship for the Classical stations using the name “WVTF Music.” This sounds like self-imposed confusion to me.

KUNR is Reno signed on KNJC as a full-time Classical station with a dab of Jazz.

DUAL-FORMAT NPR NEWS & CLASSICAL STATIONS/GROUPS

WCVE will no longer be a dual-format station in a few months. As we reported in January [link]. Commonwealth Public Broadcasting Corp., the owner of WCVE TV and radio, opened the wallet in late December to purchase two commercial FM frequencies for $1,950,000. 

WCVE’s plan is the have focused formats 24/7 on each of the three stations. WCVE 89.1 FM wil switch to full-time news/talk programming. One of the new stations, 107.3, will begin airing Classical music 24/7. The other new station at 93.1 FM is slated to air full-time Jazz music. Following FCC approval of the deal (which is expected), the changes will happen in Spring 2018.

WBHM, Birmingham and North Country Public Radio based in Canton, New York also increase estimated weekly listeners by substantial amounts.