*** REVISED INFOR MATION*** NIELSEN: NPR NEWS STATIONS IN THE TOP 4 MARKETS • GREELEY LPFM FINED $15,000

As the results come in from Nielsen Audio’s June PPM ratings station are hoping the “new normal” will see estimated weekly listeners return to pre-Covid levels. But that hasn’t happened yet.

In the June PPM ratings for the nations top four radio markets, all five of the big NPR News/Talk stations remained below February estimated weekly listeners.

Three of the five stations had larger AQH shares in June than they had in February. This pattern indicates that fewer people are listening to the stations, but those who are listening are doing so more often and/or for periods of time.

Most the attention lately has been on AQH shares because stations are focused on their core listeners. But, if the drops in weekly listeners continue, there will be concerns about the shrinking numbers of new listeners.

Estimated weekly listeners (Nielsen calls them “weekly cumulative persons” or “cume”) include fringe listeners and people who are sampling the station for the first time. Patterns of listening behavior are changing month-by-month but out-of-sight is out-of-mind.

Meanwhile, Nielsen has announced that approximately 3,600 workers will be laid off. According to press reports, most of the job losses will be in Nielsen’s international offices.

Domestically, Nielsen will be leaving “underperforming markets.” This typically means a market where there are only one or two broadcasters that subscribe to Nielsen’s ratings. This means that noncommercial stations in “underperforming markets” also will not be measured by Nielsen. The changes will happen during the second half of 2020.

Neither Nielsen nor the Radio Research Consortium (RRC) has said which markets will be cut.

MEET BRETT REESE, THE MANAGER OF KELS-LP IN GREELEY, COLORADO

Perhaps you have heard about the LPFM station in Greeley, Colorado, that was ordered by FCC recently to pay a fine of $15,000. 

KELS-LP, a/k/a Pirate Radio [link], was penalized for airing over 1,400 commercials. KELS noncommercial station.

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Who runs KELS? It is Brett Reese.

He is a well-known and notorious public figure in Greeley. 

In 2011 Reese was featured on national news because of an incident that happened at the station. 

He read a commentary on the air regarding Martin Luther King, Jr. 

He told listeners that he had “moral concerns” about MLK and he provided lurid details.

At the time, Reese was a member of the Greeley School Board. 

The board publically censured him in May 2011. Reese appeared to be “intoxicated” at the board meeting.  

Pirate Radio is a family affair.  Brett’s wife, Chrisann Reese, is President and Director of Plymouth Gathering, Inc., the entity that operates WELS.

According to Plymouth Gathering’s IRS 990 for 2017, they received revenue of $237,056. The expenses for the year were $237,056.

Chrisann Reese, and two other women, Kaylynn Duval and Glenda O’Comor, make up the non-profit's board. They received no compensation.

The only itemized expense listed on the 990 was a $97,000 payment to someone.

The name wasn’t revealed because it fell below $100,000,threshold for divulging that information.