Monday, January 20, 2014

The most-liked radio stations on Facebook in Michigan


MICHIGAN RADIO FACEBOOK LIKES AND PREDICTIONS
Top 40 hot in northern Michigan and Detroit; Country's cool in Grand Rapids

With Nielsen not releasing radio ratings for northern Michigan, I decided, why not create a Facebook like system for northern Michigan, Grand Rapids and Detroit?

And since I don't have a girlfriend, so here it is.

First, northern Michigan:

rank/number of Facebook likes/call letters/(station name, dial position, format, etc)/age group of the majority of Facebook likes

1) 29767 WKHQ (106 KHQ - CHR) 18-24
2) 10566 WJZQ (Z93 - CHR) 18-34
3)  6331 WLXT (Lite 96.3 - AC) 35-44
4)  6086 WMKC (Big Country 102.9) 18-34
5)  5477 WTCM-FM (103.5/93.5 - Country) 25-44
6)  5021 WZTC (104.5 Bob FM - Adult Hits) 45-54
7)  3062 WLDR (Sunny Country 102.9) 25-34
8)  2963 WKLT (97.5/98.9 The Rock Station) 35-54
9)  2064 WCDY (107.9 - Adult CHR) 25-34
10)  1745 WGFM (Rock 105) 25-34
11)  1465 WTCM-AM (NewsTalk 580) 45-54
12)  1031 WFCX (94.3/92.5 The Fox FM - Classic Hits) 45-54
13)    974 WUPS (Classic Hits)45-54
14)    691 WDEE (Sunny 97.3 - Classic Hits) 45-54
15)    611 WCCW-FM (Classic Hits 107.5) 45-64
16)    499 WSRT (106.7/105.5 ESPN) 35-44
17)    469 WLXV (Mix 96 - Hot AC) 35-44
18)    460 WGFN (98.1/107.1/97.7 The Bear - Classic Rock) 35-54
19)    414 WQON (Q100 - Rock) 45-54
20)    405 WTWS  (92.1 The Twister - Country) 45-54
21)    348 WMJZ (101.5 The Eagle - Classic Hits) 45-54
22)    315  WYPV  (94.5 Patriot Voice - Conservative Talk) 35-44/55-64
23)    256 WMKT (1270 - Talk) 45-54
24)    152 WMBN (1340 - CBS Sports) 35-44
25)    143 WJML (1110/1210 - Talk) 45-54
26)    105 WQEZ (EZ 95-5/106-3) 25-34
27)      84 WCCW-AM (1310 The Score - Sports) 35-44

My thoughts....

*Since a chunk of Facebook's users are teens and young adults, it doesn't surprise me that KHQ and Z93 are on top. Lite 96 brightened their sound some time ago, which has made them easily compatible with KHQ and it's working in terms of Facebook likes.
*A lousy 105 likes for EZ 95-5/106-3 is proof that bringing another soft AC to the region was a bad idea, and an even worse idea that Del Reynolds killed rock on 95.5 to bring it to the Grand Traverse area. Real Rock 105/95-5 was Reynolds' best-performing station but he gut it out to please the wealthy but seasonal audience that only lives up north part time. The Bear, on the other hand has been damaged goods for a long, long time since the Ted Cramer era and it's time to put it out of its misery.
*The fact that WCCW 1310 The Score is TC's home for all of the major Detroit teams ain't helping them. With 84 likes, they're the lowest-rated station up north in terms of Facebook likes. Since 106.7/105.5 does a better job on the FM, they should do something else.
*Northern Michigan is too middle of the road for FOUR conservative talkers. WJML is dead last because they don't have any local talk shows, IMO. The fact that they've picked up some of WYPV's shows won't help them.
*All three major northern Michigan country stations are in the top ten. WLDR's in last place because of their lack of localism.
*The fact that tiny WDEE 97.3 in Reed City has more Facebook fans that WCCW 107.5 is somewhat laughable.
*Rock 105's Facebook likes could have outdone WKLT's if 95.5 was still simulcasting.

My predictions for 2014:

-105.1, 98.1 and 107.1 will return to simulcasting each other as The Bear, but their format will be adjusted to a mainstream rock format. Bob and Tom will be gone and since The Bear and Rock 105 already share most of their jocks as-is, Cartman will remain in mornings, Tim Logan will be on middays, Smitty will be in afternoons and NASCAR Steve will remain in nights with the voicetracked Jay Roberts sent packing. As for 97.7, Reynolds will sell it to a non-profit.
-The currently-silent 99.3 and 92.3 in Benzie County will be sold to non-profits or the Patriot Voice folks.
-Everybody at WKLT, save for Terri Ray and Omelette will be canned. (Current lineup: Omelette - mornings, Terri Ray - middays, The Afternoon Trainwreck with Racin' Jacin and Tom Dipshit afternoons and California Girl - nights)
-Somebody up north will give an all-90's format a try
-1310 will become an 'up north' WTKG, carrying liberal and conservative talk
-WTCM will can Sean Hannity

---

Grand Rapids:

1) 72858 WBCT (B93 - Country) 18-24
2) 35761 WGRD (97.9 - Active Rock) 18-24
3) 33814 WSNX (104.5 - CHR) 18-24
4) 29710 WHTS (105.3 Hot FM - CHR) 18-24
5) 14842 WLHT (Channel 95-7 - Hot AC) 18-24
6) 14748 WTNR (Thunder 94.5 - Country) 18-34
7) 7887 WJQK (JQ99 - Christian Contemporary) 35-44
8) 7029 WSRW (Star 105.7 - AC) 35-44
9)  6174 WLAV (96.9 - Classic Rock) 45-54
10)  5873 WMAX (96.1 ESPN) 25-34
11)  4740 WBFX (101.3 The Brew - Classic Rock) 25-44
12)  4007  WOOD (1300/106.9 - Talk) 35-54
13)  3528 WFGR (98.7 - Classic Hits) 45-54
14)  3139 WBBL (107.3 - Sports) 35-44
15)  2200 WTRV (100.5 The River - Soft AC) 25-34/45-54
16)   976 WMJH (Super Hits 8-1-0 - Classic Hits) 25-34/45-54
17)    795 WJRW (1340 - Talk) 45-54
18)    588 WGLM (M106.3 - Classic Hits) 35-44
19)    546 WHTC (1450 - Talk) 45-54
20)    446 WPNW (1260 The Pledge - Conservative Talk) 35-54
21)    370 WYGR (GR1530/94.9 - Urban) 25-34
22)    335  WLAW (92.5 The Outlaw - Country/Rock) 35-44
23)    324 WFUR (102.9 - Christian) 45-54
24)    247 WION (I1430 - Adult Hits) 35-44
25)    236 WMPA (Country 93.1) 25-34
26)    169 WTKG (1230 - Talk) 25-34
27)      92 WGHN (92.1 - AC) 25-34
28)      55 WNWZ (1410 The Touch - Urban AC) 25-34/45-54

My thoughts:

*B93 is the top country station in Michigan pretty much by default. Doesn't surprise me.
*The top five stations in town all have a strong 18-24 showing. That's Facebook for ya.
*JQ99 just might be the most-popular commercial Christian station in Michigan. It's also got one of the oldest audiences in the top 10 chart.
*WFUR only has 324 followers. Pitiful for a 50,000-watt station in Grand Rapids.
*WNWZ will never be good for anything unless they have a format that has a strong following. Shockingly enough, GR is down to just one Spanish station, and it's 640 AM (which doesn't have a Facebook page).

My predictions:

-WGRD will get a new PD in 2014,
-Huge will stay on 107.3,
-WTRV will flip to alternative or AAA,
-WTKG will remain a throwaway talker
-WFUR will still attract old people
-WFGR will add more jocks but will play less of the 60's and more 90's

---

DETROIT:

1) 135178 WKQI (Channel 9-5-5 - CHR) 18-24
2)   88384 CIMX (89X - Alternative) 18-24
3)  85844 WDZH (Amp 98.7 - CHR) 18-24
4)  74609 WJLB (FM 98 - Urban) 25-34
5)  73808 WRIF (101.1 - Rock) 35-44
6)  35402 WYCD (99.5 - Country) 25-34
7)  32061 WXYT (97.1 The Ticket - Sports) 25-34
8)  26085 WCSX (94.7- Classic Rock) 45-54
9)  19096 WDTW (106.7 The D - Classic Rock) 35-44
10) 18247 WMXD (Mix 92.3 - Urban) 35-44
11) 17133 WNIC (100.3 - AC) 35-44
12) 16547 WDVD (96.3 - Hot AC) 35-44
13)  15559 WJR (760 - Talk) 18-24
14)  12691 WMUZ (103.5 - Christian) 35-54
15)  12174 WPZR (Praise 102.7 - Gospel) 35-44
16)    9633 CHYR (Mix 96.7 - Hot AC) 25-44
17)    8301 CIDR (93.9 The River - AAA) 35-44
18)   7862 CKLW (800 - Talk) 35-44
19)    6600 WGPR (Hot 107.5 - Urban)
20)    6591 WOMC (104.3 - Classic Hits) 45-54
21)   5809 WWJ/WXYT (950/1270 - News/Sports) 35-54 *both stations share their Facebook page
22)    4539 WMGC (Detroit Sports 105.1) 35-44
23)    3400 WDMK (Kiss 105.9 - Urban AC)
24)       862 WLQV (FaithTalk 1500) 35-54
25)       823 CKWW (580 - Oldies) 45-54
26)      739 WDTK (1400 The Patriot - Conservative Talk) 45-54
27)       306 WDRQ (93.1 NASH FM - Country) 25-34
28)         91 WRDT (560 The Word - Religious) 35-44

My thoughts:

*It almost doesn't surprise me that Channel 9-5-5 has a humongous lead, especially with their Facebook crowd.
*The gap between 89X and Riff's age brackets speaks some volumes.
*Detroit seems to have a TON of urban stations, but only two made the top 10.
*It's too early to tell how Nash will do in the Motor City, but if they make it into the top 10, I'll be shocked.
*WJR's audience is 18-24? You learn something every day.

My predictions:

-WDTK's Facebook likes will explode now that they have Sean Hannity
-WMGC won't make it into the top 10 by year's end
-AMP might overtake 89X's likes by year's end
-WNIC will re-enter the top 10
-WOMC might add more 90's to increase their likes

1 comment:

  1. If not for the crazy market definition in TC which results in Biederman, Gokey, Reynolds, and MacDonald-Garber being at ownership caps, all of Henderson's stations would be owned by one of those four.
    99.3 would make a good FM simulcast with 580, while 92.3 would pair well with 105.1 and 101.9/102.9 would make a good simulcast pair.

    Some predictions for Northern Michigan
    - Roy Henderson sells all of his stations, with 92.3/99.3 going to a non-profit (EMF, Smile FM, CMU, GVSU, Promise FM, Strong Tower all possibilities for one or both), 100.1 going to Pat Lopeman (WMOM owner) as 100.1 puts a better signal into Manistee than 102.7 WMOM, and 101.9 going to Del Reynolds and becoming a simulcast of 102.9.
    - 101.5 Manistee returns to the air as a simulcast of Rock 105. It still won't improve Rock 105's signal in TC, as 101.5 is Class A and 100kW Sunny Country is two doors down at 101.9 in TC. If Smile FM were to get a hold of 92.3 or 99.3, maybe they'd silence their 104.9 translator in TC, which also interferes with their full-power 104.9 in Cadillac, which would slightly improve Rock 105's signal in TC

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