STEPHANIE CURTIS NAMED DIRECTOR OF PROGRAMMING FOR MPR’S NEWS NETWORK • NIELSEN RATINGS FOR NOLA, OKC & LOUISVILLE

Stephanie Curtis

We are pleased to learn that Minnesota Public Radio (MPR) has chosen all-purpose MVP Stephanie Curtis to be Director of Programming for MPR’s news stations.

During her 25+ years at MPR, Curtis has done almost everything involved with programming. Since 2016 Curtis was MPR’s Senior Producer of Audience Development and Engagement. Prior to that, Curtis had been a host for Sound Money and The Daily Circuit. She also managed MPR’s book initiative The Thread for five years.

Curtis also was an Associate Producer for American RadioWorks documentaries (now known as APM Reports).

What we have enjoyed the most is her on-air work. She has hosted many special broadcasts and is known as the Movie Maven for her coverage of films new and old. Recently she added the podcast Cube Critics [link] to her workload. The podcast offer weekly movie chats by Curtis and MPR arts and culture reporter Euan Kerr. 

Curtis said on Twitter:

“Take hold of your life while you still have a chance.”

Handling the programming for MPR’s news network is a big assignment.  It originates at KNOW, serving the Twin Cities from MPR’s HQ in St. Paul. There are more than 20 repeater stations covering virtually every inch of Minnesota, plus repeaters in Sioux Falls and Fargo-Moorhead.

According to a press release from MPR, the organization conducted an “extensive national search.” Fortunately MPR chose Curtis and we wish her well in her new assignment.

NIELSEN AUDIO “SORT OF MONTHLY RATINGS” FOR THREE KEY MARKETS

We are now in third month of Nielsen Audio’s Continuing Diary Measurement (CDM). Nielsen considers CDM is huge success but there are plenty of people who are skeptical about the “product’s” veracity.

According to Nielsen, there are 94 markets where subscribing stations are receiving “monthly” reports. But actually the monthly data is mainly from the prior two months. Nielsen has not increased the in-tab sample size. Rather, the sample is now spread over three months but is labeled as “new” each month.

Programmers have told Spark News that they have seen wild swings from book to book. Nielsen makes available only AQH share information.  We, and a couple of other radio news sites, have asked Nielsen to provide top-line data showing weekly cumulative listeners.

Though the Radio Research Consortium still sells CDM data to noncommercial stations, they told Spark News earlier this year:

“This will be the last survey RRC will provide public topline estimates because Nielsen reporting changes are forcing us to provide incomplete topline data.”

We will continue to report CDM ratings as is.

In New Orleans, NPR News/Talk WWNO continues to have strong AQH shares. The big story in NOLA is the recent rise of WWOZ. WWNO’s Classical channel appears to be stable on a translator at 104.7 FM that is simulcasting their HD2 program stream.

The problems with Nielsen CDM date is apparent in the Oklahoma City numbers. For instance, look at the variations in the ratings for KZTH.  In the Spring 2019 report (data April, May and June) KZTH had a 0.5 AQH share. Then in the July report (data from May, June and July) KZTH vanished.

In Louisville, two of Louisville Public Media (LPM) stations – NPR News/Talk WFPL and AAA WFPK – appear to be trending up. LPM’s third station Classical WUOL is holding steady.