Harford County (January 16, 2003) -- Radio's fall ratings were released January 13th, and it seems reasonable to suggest that a few local program directors may or should be watching their backs. The top spot, to no one's surprise, was retained by country giant WPOC-FM (93.1), who's rating increased from a 7.8 last summer to a strong 9.0. Hip-hop station WERQ-FM (92.3) slipped a bit from 7.3 to 6.7 but held on to second place. Moving into third was the adult contemporary WLIF-FM (101.9), jumping from a 5.3 to a 6.1. Urban adult WWIN-FM (95.9) also moved up a bit, from a 5.3 to a 5.8, good enough to take over fourth place. Then came WBAL-AM in fifth with a 5.0, down from their 6.1 rating of last summer, and off significantly from the 7.3 rating they achieved in fall 2001. Some may blame the Orioles' lackluster season for WBAL's poor performance in the ratings. However, a 2.3-point drop in the ratings represents the loss of nearly 9,000 listeners per quarter-hour in just 15 months, which could be devastating, and should be raising some eyebrows down at 3800 Hooper Avenue.
WBAL recently abandoned its longtime "Radio 11" image and now calls itself "AM 1090." Their objective may be to clear up any confusion about what station listeners are tuned to, especially those who are filling out crucial ratings diaries. One has to wonder, are local listeners tiring of conservative talk? Was Rush a better Clinton basher than Bush backer? Have the endless commentaries on terror, the Democrats and Iraq gotten stale? The answer could very well be yes to one or more of the above, although WCBM-AM (680), which offers both local and national programming similar to WBAL, experienced a modest ratings gain this time around, from 2.2 to 2.4, giving it a tie for 12th place. The winter rating period has traditionally been WBAL's poorest each year, with the absence of Orioles baseball coverage. WBAL is in danger of dropping out of the top five for the first time in recent memory. Sister station WIYY-FM finished sixth, just four-tenths of a point behind at 4.6. Should this come to pass, look for heads to roll, since The Hearst Corporation has been shopping both stations for more than five years, and lower ratings may mean a lower sale price. Longtime manager Jeff Beauchamp, who was one of my earliest bosses in radio some 30 years ago, has to be counting the days until baseball season begins.
Rounding out the top ten were WWMX-FM (106.5) in 7th with a 4.2, WQSR-FM (102.7) in 8th with a 4.1, WXYV-FM (105.7) 9th at 3.8, and WXFB-FM (104.3) 10th with a 3.1. Each rating point represents approximately 3,900 listeners per quarter-hour.
WWLG-AM (1370) took a pretty good tumble too, falling from 2.5 last summer to 1.4. The pop and nostalgia station seems to have gotten all the bugs out of its new transmitter, which is located in Joppa. But losing 4,000 listeners so fast has to be disheartening for program director Niles Seaberg, one of radio's truly nice guys. WWLG's recent switch from 1360 and boost in power has it reaching all of metro Baltimore and the upper Eastern Shore, much to the chagrin of Chestertown's WCTR-AM (1530), a daytimer that plays similar music. But WWLG's signal at night doesn't even reach Bel Air clearly, about 10 miles north of the tower site. Unless the numbers rebound, the Mangione family, owners of WWLG (along with WCBM), may soon be asking themselves if expenses involved with the power upgrades at both stations were worth it.
Another station that could use a creative transfusion is WQSR. Since fall 2001, their number has dropped from a healthy 5.7 to its current 4.1, representing the departure of more than 6,200 listeners—this despite the fact that WQSR is the Ravens' flagship station. For years, area listeners have complained that 'QSR's playlist is too limited and ignores all but the most popular songs of the 1950's and early '60's. And while the station may be targeting affluent middle-aged listeners, their presentation is often juvenile and self-indulgent. The station is clearly in a rut, but don't look for any major changes, at least until WQSR slips out of the top ten, which, at the rate they're faltering, could be by April, when the winter ratings come out.
Here at home, WAMD-AM (970) has ended its long relationship with the Orioles and will become the new flagship station of the Aberdeen Ironbirds. While the association seems like a natural one, Havre de Grace station WJSS-AM (1330) has to be feeling like a bride left at the alter. If memory serves me correctly, the Ironbirds signed a five-year contract with WJSS less than a year ago.
Longtime announcer Wayne Gruen has called it a career. Gruen, who'd been the afternoon guy at WWLG-AM (1370) since the station came into existence in 1993, signed off for the last time on December 31. Yours truly had a chance to chat with Wayne last June at the WFBR 80th anniversary party and reunion, where he presented an excellent tribute tape featuring some of that station's most magical and outrageous moments. Gruen was part of that great WFBR lineup of the 1970's, which included The Flying Dutchman, Johnny Walker, Commander Jim Morton, Larry Walton and Bob Moke, just to name a few. His voice was also heard on WITH-AM, WBKZ-FM (now WWIN-FM), and on Channels 2 and 13. We wish him well in his retirement.
Jenny Atwater has resigned from the news staff at WBFF-TV (45). Atwater, whose husband works as a videographer for WTTG-TV (5) in Washington, plans to return to academia. She's already an adjunct at Harford Community College and Towson University, teaching mass communications classes.
And finally, WHFC-FM's (91.1) "Native Winds" program has returned to the air following an absence of five months. Original host Tim Lonewolf, a cousin of singing superstar Cher, left the area, presumably for his old digs in Maine. Hosting duties have been taken over by radio newcomer Rob Magness, who is part American Indian. The program, which features contemporary music by Native American artists, can now be heard Saturdays from 4-6 pm. By the way, 2003 marks WHFC's 20th year on the air.
Have a question or comment? Email me at gwhelton@yahoo.com.
GH
