Spring Numbers + Chicago's WDRV Big Winner in PPM

60° - sunny/wonderful at 8:13am

Spring numbers - along with new PPM data beginning to roll out. Classic rock and classic hits continue to show strength in the money demos. Some of the highlights so far:

Chicago: Bonneville's WDRV up a half point to to hit a 3 share 12+. Very nice! The station performing quite well 25-54 - good #7.

But there's more to the Drive story: This morning, Radio-Info's Tom Taylor reported Chicago's "unofficial early-early PPMs" - and as we've seen in other markets, classic rock/classic hits benefits. WDRV #2 in 12+ PPM rankers.

In LA - KLOS shows its best numbers in recent books. The classic rock station up 4/10 of a point 12+. Saga's WKLH/Milwaukee up nearly a point with its best numbers in recent times; 'KLH ties at #6 12+.

In Allentown, the staff of classic hits WODE (99.9 The Hawk) has to be on a high as the station captures the #1 12+ spot with its best showing in recent history. WBAB on Long Island also scores big...up 3/10 of a point, good for #4 12+.

Congrats to the winners...more props here as the books roll out.

Spring Book, PPM and Special Programming

73° - partly cloudy at 10:20am

Spring Arbitron: Yesterday's New York City numbers showed classic rock WAXQ flat 12+ from winter - but dropping #4 to #6 A25-54 and from #1 to #2 M25-54; likely affected by revived rocker WXRK.

David Martin noted on his blog that the "new" WXRK moved from #14 to #5 A25-54. PPM hits NYC starting with the fall survey - should benefit both WAXQ and WXRK.

Added: Will classic rocker WAXQ soon feel the squeeze from the other side? Tom Taylor rightfully speculates "that the new classic hits/oldies incarnation of CBS-FM will be the most-watched station of the current Summer Arbitron." Read Tom's newsletter here.

Added: (Speaking of CBS-FM) - Sean Ross emails a link to his latest piece - talking 80s with oldies - classic rock - and even AC/Hot AC. Read here.

Back to Monday Arbitrons:

In Allentown - classic hits WODE maintained a solid #2 position 12+. In Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - classic rock combo WEZX/WPZX jumps from #4 to #2 12+. More markets released today include Chicago, Milwaukee, LA - after 5pm in the usual places.

More special programming: Fred Jacobs writes today about PPM and programming - and why things like "Top 500" countdowns continue to pull for radio - even though "many programmers have come to dislike these "evergreen events" because they often sound essentially the same year after year."

Fred offers some thoughts on keeping them fresh.

Yours truly has been (and continues to be) a fan of these programming staples. They seldom fail - and I believe the audience comes to expect them as part of the "classic rock experience".

Not long ago I stumbled across an on-line discussion room - archived from Memorial Day Weekend 2006 - where listeners were discussing the countdown that was on my station - arguing over the rankings of various songs. They were so into it. Very cool to read - even a year later!

Fred also notes that "people love lists" and "A look at VH-1 shows you the importance of "List Programming". Fred's entire piece is a great read - here.

Meanwhile - a few months back I compiled a "list of lists" from various CR outlets; perhaps this can be the start of some brainstorming at your station. Find that here.

Bonding With The Workforce

Last Friday - we wrote here about a couple of classic rock stations getting their morning drive shows out to meet listeners. Excellent!

There's a lot more mileage in meeting and bonding with listeners at their workplace as opposed to inviting them to a bar or some other client-sponsored remote appearance.

With workplace visits, the station is invited by listeners - who are already on-site ; and its a great opportunity to convert non-listeners at the workplace into fans. They can't run when you're feeding them!

From around the dial:

KKPT/Little Rock gets out with "The Point 94.1 Office Patrol" - lunch and prizes. I just love the above graphic on their website!

In Hampton Roads, WAFX sends their morning team out to visit a listener workplace once a week with "The Fox Office Of The Week"...food, t-shirts, free music downloads cards - and $100 cash to the person submitting the entry.

KMGN/Flagstaff morning man Eddie Miller goes by the local BK each week and then delivers the "Mid Week Lunch Stop". WMMQ/Lansing rotates airstaff each week for the "Office Ambush"; delivering lunch from Qdoba Mexican Grill each week to an area business. Also teaming up with Qdoba is WNRQ/Nashville with the "Workforce Invasion".

In Knoxville - WIMZ has lunch from Wendy's delivered by an air talent plus a WIMZ Rock Babe! Photos here. Babes rock. WNNJ/Newton, NJ does the "Workforce Pizza Invasion" with food and freebies.

WODE/Easton, PA does a fully-catered lunch/live broadcast each week from an area workplace as part of their "1 O'Clock Back To Work Perk" promotion.

San Diego's 101/KGB targets construction sites (not everyone works inside) with "Free Lunch Fridays".

And this is cool: WEKL/Augusta visits area workplaces with a "Mayfield Dairy Ice Cream Break". Very nice! I scream for ice cream!

These things are so easy to do - food likely not much more than a trade for mentions - or your sales department can use as programming-friendly "added value". Help them help you.

Workplace appearances can do much to help loyalty listening to the 6a-7p daypart; where adult targeted radio stations get the bulk of their revenue. As PPM is introduced in the top 50 markets, the battle for workplace listening becomes even more critical.

I've read through the years that winning is 50 to 90 percent "just showing up".

The Weekend Classic Rock FM

left: looking east from my home 8:30 this morning.

Here Comes The Sun. Perhaps spring is finally arriving here in Mid-Michigan.

Its Friday the 13th. What, me worry?

Promotions: WNCX/Cleveland kicks off its spring book workforce promotion on Monday with listeners winning a "20th Anniversary Work Shirt" and a chance at a $5000 each week for 4 weeks. The Work Shirt - a great idea!

WODE/Easton, PA kicks off their Workforce Payroll next Thursday with $99/an hour - plus a shot at an insurance-backed Million Dollar jackpot. Looks like they picked up some NTR revenue with the contest too!

WDVE/Pittsburgh conducted a "Hairband Idol" contest at local clubs. And they've got video on their website.

Out & About: The other day this blog mentioned a few stations getting out shaking hands and kissing babies. I see that WKLH/Milwaukee's Dave and Carole are doing their morning drive show live once a week at "their favorite businesses around town". A great way to kick off the book! Today they're at the "Crew Operations Center" of Midwest Airlines.

Thank You. To Lee Arnold and his kind words about this blog.

I-Man: On Wednesday I wrote: "I don't feel its going to be quite that easy for Imus this time".

But I never imagined it going this far.

Fred Jacobs sums up Don Imus this morning on his blog: "terrestrial radio has just lost another star it cannot replace".

Great words. I've always lived by this - and its nice to see in print: "Tell the truth, tell it completely, and tell it immediately." - Dan Edelman (via Dave Martin).

More here Sunday Morning. Have a great weekend.