Recently the Proprietor has been keeping track of Air America's ups and downs. Here in Charleston, Clear Channel broadcast right-leaning talk radio on WSSC-AM. In December it switched the station over to Air America and changed to call-letters to WLTQ-AM. At the same time it moved WSSC's programming to WSSC-FM, thus positioning Clear Channel on both sides of the political fence.
In the recently released Arbitron Winter 2005 book, covering the months Jan-Feb-Mar, WSSC-FM got a 3.6 share. While that puts it tied for #10 among the 24 stations listed, it's the top talk radio station in the Charleston market.
WLTQ-AM (Air America) did not make the list. It's possible that Arbitron didn't include the station in its surveys for those three months. It's also possible, though, that WLTQ's share wasn't statistically different from 0. (If anyone out there has access to WLTQ's advertising rate card or the Charleston Winter book, fill me in.) I guess we'll know more when the Spring book comes out in late-June.
I haven't seen the local Arbs, since I don't take the local paper except on weekends now.
It would be interesting to see what our local AA affiliate has done since January.
Posted by: Allan | May 12, 2005 at 04:43 PM
Hmmmm. I couldn't remember which local station was affiliated, so I went to the AA web site and searched.
They don't show an affiliate in this market.
Perhaps they dropped it already.
Wouldn't surprise me.
Posted by: Allan | May 12, 2005 at 04:48 PM
I remembered that our 'local' AA outlet is actually WCKY 1530 in Cincinnati.
Here's what I discovered:
"The ratings at WCKY - Air America's outlet in Cincinnati - are lower than they were a year ago. At the time, WCKY was an oldies station.
Total listeners for Winter 2005: WCKY ranked 19th with a 1.0 share. Last year, they got 1.3. Jerry Springer did slightly better than the other AAR shows."
That is from http://boreamerica.com
Posted by: Allan | May 12, 2005 at 04:53 PM
The proper technical term is "hash marks" not 0. If the audience for that time drops betwen one-half of one percent a pound sign appears.
In Portland, OR the AA station just started a local morning show and it seems to be doing well.
Here in Seattle the AA affil is 12th in the market between 10 am and 3pm then goes to hash marks.
Posted by: pops | May 12, 2005 at 04:59 PM