COURT DISSMESS WEAA WHISTLE BLOWER LAWSUIT • DC & BALTIMORE SEPTEMBER PPM RATINGS

Michele Williams

Last Monday (9/30/19) a federal judge dismissed a wrongful termination lawsuit filed in April 2018 by Michele Williams, a former Director Broadcast Operations at WEAA-FM in Baltimore. 

The suit was against against Morgan State University (MSU), the licensee of WEAA, and DeWayne Wickham, Dean of the School of Global Journalism and Communication, who oversees the station for MSU.

Williams claimed in her lawsuit that MSU misreported WEAA’s finances in reports to CPB in attempt to increase WEAA’s CPB funding.

 Williams claimed that her termination was wrongful and that it violated Maryland’s public employee policy guidelines and several whistle blower protection laws. 

According to the Baltimore Sun [link], Williams alleged that MSU fired her after she spoke out about MSU “cooking the books.” 

Williams was seeking $2 million in the suit.

She was hired by MSU in 2014 and she was fired in 2017.

Morgan State reported operating expenses for WEAA of more than $1.9 million for 2014, 2015 and 2016. Williams began to speak out when she learned that MSU was not using internal information from the station that was much lower than the numbers MSU reported to CPB.

WEAA's expenses for FY 2018 dropped to around $1.1 million according transparency documents on WEAA’s website [link].

William’s lawsuit was dismissed by U.S. District Judge George Russell III because it lacked “specific details” to justify William’s claims.

NIELSEN RELEASES AVERAGE TIME PER DAY THAT LISTENERS SPEND ‘MEASURED MEDIA”

This week Nielsen Audio posted new information about the duration listeners, 18 and older, spend with nine media platforms. The chart on the right provides the topline data.

Overall, in 2019 so far, listeners spent 11-hours and 45-minutes daily with “measured media.” This was over 10% higher than 2018 during the same time period.

Radio time-spent-listening stayed about the same. In 2019 when the average respondent listened to 1-hour and 42-minutes of radio each day. That was slightly down from 2018 when the average survey respondent spent 1-hour and 45-minutes daily listening to radio.

NIELSEN AUDIO SEPTEMBER PPM RATINGS

According to Nielsen Audio's September PPM ratings for Baltimore, WEAA continues to have a significant audience. 

WEAA’s Jazz format attracted 93,400 estimated weekly listeners. 

WEAA has the second highest total for noncommercial stations in the Baltimore metro.

The BIG story in Baltimore is the terrific ratings performance by NPR News/Talk WYPR. Not only was WYPR the top noncom station in the market, WYPR is now the number one source of radio news in Baltimore.

WYPR beat Hearst’s flagship commercial station WBAL in both AQH share and estimated weekly listeners for the first time. 

Someone at Hearst is probably “having a cow” right now because WBAL has been led the market leader since Lee de Forest sold his first vacuum tube.

Meanwhile in our nation’s capital, WAMU and commercial WTOP traded places again in AQH shares. 

WTOP typically has more estimated weekly listeners than WAMU because ‘TOP features quick-in-out traffic and weather.

Also in Washington, DC, live and hyper-local CCM station WGTS is blowing away the canned automated programming on K-Love repeater WLVW.

Here are the monthly AQH share trends for WAMU and WTOP since March 2019.

WBEZ ANNOUNCES “RESET” NEW DAILY NEWS/TALK PROGRAM & NEW WEEKDAY SCHEDULE

Jenn White

Earlier this week, WBEZ in Chicago announced a new midday show, Reset, hosted by Jenn White.  Reset will air from 11am – 1pm, Monday – Friday beginning October 14^th.

White joined WBEZ in 2016. Previously at WBEZ she had been a local host for NPR News news magazines. Prior to moving to WBEZ, White worked at Michigan Radio as Director of Media Outreach and Community Relations and was the local host for ATC.

Her impressive resume also includes several years as the Executive Producer and host of the television program Out of the Blue: The Michigan Difference. The program aired nationally on the Big Ten Network.

According to a press release written by Steve Edwards [link], WBEZ’s Chief Content Officer, guests set to appear on Reset during the program’s first week include former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power; historian and Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution Lonnie Bunch; poet Saeed Jones; and A Game of Thrones author, George R.R. Martin.

Reset is part of a “schedule reset” of weekday shows on WBEZ. Beginning October 14^th this will be the weekday schedule for WBEZ:

5am – 9am Morning Edition

9am – 10am BBC Newshour

10am – 11am 1A with Joshua Johnson

11am – 1pm Reset with Jenn White

1pm – 2pm Fresh Air with Terry Gross (Monday – Thursday)

1pm – 2pm Science Friday (Friday)

2pm – 3pm Here and Now

3pm – 7pm All Things Considered

Marketplace airs 4:30pm – 5pm

In the September Nielsen Audio PPM ratings for Chicago, WBEZ edged up to a 2.9 AQH share. 

The September book was conducted between August 15^th and September 11^th. 

The majority of the data is actually from August.

According to Nielsen, there are 13 “months” in a year.

Jazz & Blues WDCB’s estimated weekly listeners were up a bit.

Urban Alternative Vocalo is still looking for an audience.

Also in the September sweeps, commercial AAA WXRT had a 3.5 AQH and 1,072,800 weekly listeners.

In New York, WNYC-FM became the number two source of radio news beating legendary commercial station WCBS in AQH share.

Classical WQXR went down in estimated weekly listeners but went up in AQH share from previous months.

In the NYC Contemporary Christian (CCM) race, live and local WAWZ (AQH share: 1.0) beat K-Love repeater WPLJ (AQH share: 0.4).

K-Love repeater KKLQ in Los Angeles remained the top noncommercial station in the September Nielsen Audio PPM ratings.

NPR News/Talk KPCC remained the top noncom station in AQH share.

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.

NPR PROGRAM FEES ON THE AGENDA AT “SUPER TRGIONAL MEETING” • SMALLER STATION MANAGERS DISCUSS COMMON CHALLENGES

According to a promotional email from organizers of the upcoming Super Regional Meeting [link], the contentious issue of fees paid by NPR member stations for NPR programs is on the agenda.

There has been increasing friction between large and small stations over fees paid for Morning Edition and All Things Considered. 

Some proposals call for large stations pay more and small stations pay less for NPR programs.  

Spark News examined this issue in May [link]. 

For an in depth discussion of the issues from a big station point-of view, check out the commentary –  Who Is The Boss? NPR Or Member Stations? – by  WAMC CEO Alan Chartock [link]

l

At the Super Regional, NPR officials will discuss recommendations from NPR member stations voiced at a series of regional meeting earlier this year. Here is how NPR describes the upcoming sessions:

• “NPR-Member Station Compact Conversation: The conversation around the next NPR fee model will continue at the Super-Regional. NPR will share an update on the latest changes to the draft fee model in response to feedback from station leaders.”  

Other topics NPR will be discussing at the Super Regional include:

• Setting the Rules of the Road for Collaborative Fundraising with NPR

• NPR: Owning the Digital Future

NPR Chief Digital Officer Tom Hjelm will discuss new frontiers and challenges in audio distribution, strategies and tools for deeper engagement across platforms, approaches to digital membership, and the rollout of the new NPR-Member station content management system.

The Super Regional Meeting is set for October 15 – 17 in New Orleans at the Jung Hotel on Canal Street in the spicy heart of NOLA.

More information and registration is available here.

SMALLER STATION MANAGERS ARE DISCUSSING COLLABORATIONS TO ADDRESS COMMON ISSUES

Issues such as NPR program fees are being discussed by an informal group of smaller station managers. According to an off-the-record conversation by Spark News with one of managers involved, around 30 stations are participating in the discussions.

Our source said the discussions might lead to a formal association, or continue the be a conversation between smaller station managers about common issues. Also our source said if a more formal association is pursued, the intent is not to compete with other organizations.

KNPR BOARD DIDN’T KNOW ANOUT DEFICIT UNTIL IT WAS TOO LATE • RICK LEWIS “GROKED” THE WORLD FROM A MOUNTAIN TOP

Jerry Nadal

According to an interview with KNPR's interim CEO Jerry Nadal on Nevada Public Radio daily interview program State of Nevada, the Board of Directors was apparently asleep at the wheel as debt mounted and revenue stalled.

During the program on Thursday (9/26) Nadal, a longtime member of the Board, told independent journalist John L. Smith:

“[Board members] got financial statements every month but it was very high-level consolidated statements. The board didn't get into the nitty-gritty, day-to-day running of the station.”

Audio and a transcript of the interview can be heard and read here.

The tripwire that led to revealing the financial crisis and the resignation of former CEO Flo Rogers, apparently happened in early August.  Members of the Board saw that KNPR’s “rainy day fund” was out of money and there were no other revenue sources to pay the bills. The number KNPR’s donors had stalled at around 11,000 members.

Now Nadal and the board are still trying to figure out what happened. They have hired forensic accountants to review past audits and other financial documents. Also they are conducting an internal fact-finding effort.

Smith asked Nadal if he now knows the amount of the debt KNPR has:

Nadal: “[We] still don't know that accurate number...I can tell you the status of our finances is pretty dire right now.”

Perhaps board members were lulled to sleep by KNPR’s performance in the Nielsen PPM ratings. According to Nadal, KNPR is now one of the top five stations in the Las Vegas market and Morning Edition is the number one station in morning drive. (Spark News also has reported that KNPR is the top radio news source in the market.)

Smith asked Nadal if there would be changes in KNPR’s programming because of the financial shortfall:

Nadal: “I don't think that, from an audience member standpoint, you'll notice anything different. I think we want to maintain all the programming that we have.”

However the future of KNPR’s Classical music station KNCV is under review. Nadal told Smith “[KNCV] has not been where we think it probably should be, to be [self] supporting.

RICK LEWIS DIES AT 71 & “SAILS INTO THE MYSTIC”

Rick Lewis at Minnesota Public Radio

Another member of Public Radio Greatest Generation – the men and women who laid the foundation for today’s public radio – has died. 

Reportedly, Rick Lewis died from a heart attack in Ecuador on September 7^th.

In Current’s wonderful obituary of Lewis, written by Karen Everhart [link], at the time of his death, Lewis was living in a village in northern Ecuador, where he had retired in 2012.

We won’t repeat Current’s fine tribute to Lewis, but we will provide our own history with him.

We first met Lewis in the early 1990’s just after he was part of the team that created Marketplace. 

American Public Radio (which became Public Radio in 1995) had a major financial stake in Marketplace. At the time we were APR’s Director of News and had considerable contact with Lewis.

We were impressed by Lewis’ foresight and analytical mind. We saw Lewis’ guts and perseverance needed to establish Marketplace.

Most all, we liked Lewis’ often humorous observations about the ironies of life. Lewis cared deeply about his work but he never took it too seriously. He added laughter and good will to whatever he was doing.

Lewis became the GM of WOI AM/FM in Ames, Iowa in the mid 1990’s. His impish humor was on display in his email signature, where he said:

“Greetings from Iowa – Gateway to the Large Rectangular States.”

The last time we talked with Lewis was when he was working at WLRN in Miami, maybe 15 years ago. After that, we lost contact.

Lewis moved to Ecuador where he could “grok” the mysteries of the Andes Mountains and the meaning of life.

Some readers might not be familiar with the term “grok.” It was introduced by author Robert Heinlein in his 1961 sci-fi novel Stranger in a Strange Land. Grok means to understand so thoroughly that the observer becomes a part of the observed—to merge, blend, intermarry and lose one’s identity.

While in Ecuador, Lewis began blogging. In his blog – BrokeDownPalette [link] – Lewis brought his keen observational skills to new heights. 

As a tribute to our friend Rick Lewis, here are his words and photographs from his blog.

  

From Rick’s final post, published August 7, 2019.

“When I came to Ecuador in 2012, I left the American fascination with weather behind, along with its extremes on the North American continent. I can still find and pay a visit to hot or cold weather if I’m in the mood—but that’s Celsius on the cell phone, so not that intense—and I can also leave it quickly behind.”

“I didn’t want to become one of those elderly retirees who keep a careful and pointless journal of daily highs and lows and rainfall.”

“That said, I am more than interested in the unobstructed march of climate change and its impact on everything from crops to world hunger to the disappearance of entire species—ultimately, we humans. These are things that matter. Still, here among the peaks of the Andes, we’ll be around long after Miami has gone the way of the Lost City of Atlantis, and Hawaii is a mildly interesting coral reef.”

“The most rock-solid weather prediction is still George Carlin’s, in his classic comic role as the Hippy-Dippy Weatherman: “Tonight’s forecast: Dark.”

The origin of the blog’s name “BrokeDownPalette.”

“Around 1990 or so, when I became the last person in the world to learn of the Grateful Dead, I was enamored of a song the band often used as an encore: ‘Brokedown Palace.’”

“ It was a wistful, introspective sort of number about birds and a river and farewells that stuck with me over the years, and so when I decided to paint some word pictures—well, you can see where the title came from.”

Rick Lewis reflects on NPR.

“I clearly remember the day I first visited the offices of NPR in Washington, D.C., in the early 1970s, long before I would return one day to work there.  I was invited to sit in on the daily story meeting for All Things Considered, the network’s only news program at the time, where staff members brought ideas to the table.  Suggestions were offered, batted around, challenged and improved upon as the evening’s show began to take shape.”

“Richie Adams, a producer and newscaster, suggested an interview with the editor of a collection of the year’s political cartoons that had just been published.  His colleagues fell on him, as was traditional:

Cartoons are visual!  This is radio!  Why should we do this story?

Adams said evenly.  “They’re not funny.”

“What’s past is prologue.  More than forty years later, just take a look.”

Rick Lewis uses radio towers as a metaphor about human nature.

“Radio towers, often located in remote areas under the watchful eye of no one, are a magnet for both children and childish adults who can’t resist climbing them. That’s the reason for the tall fences. If someone climbs the tower anyway, or gets electrocuted, it just means the fence wasn’t high enough.”

“In the eyes of the law, the tower owner is likely to be liable for possessing a nuisance that was irresistibly attractive. The climbers are off the hook – if they live. By the same token, if children trespass on a farmer’s land and are injured, it’s likely that the farmer, not the trespassers, will be prosecuted.”