March 2020 PPM Analysis:
The All-News Format
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — An overview of all-news stations initiates our extensive four-part series of ratings summaries for March 2020, a truly noteworthy ratings sweep (February 27 – March 25).
“Noteworthy” because this marks our first real opportunity to witness how the coronavirus conversation impacted radio listening.
What happened in terms of the all-news format is rather monumental, as every station meeting our ratings criteria of a top-20 March 2020 finish logs a 6+ improvement versus February2020.
Moreover, nearly half do so by a magnitude of at least one full-share.
Ironically though, as strong as the March 2020 results are for all-news, one of every three of our panelists (33%) was either down (22%) or flat (11%) from this time last year (March 2019, 6+).
Entercom owns all but three stations listed in this format analysis.
Non-Entercom all-news operations in this report are iHeartMedia’s WBZ-AM, Boston (also listed in Providence); Hubbard Broadcasting Washington, DC’s WTOP-FM; and Sinclair Broadcast Group Seattle’s KOMO.
Ratings stats in this exclusive analysis are limited to stations paying Nielsen Audio for its data.
Up next: March 2020 results for rock; public radio news/talk; and then, the comprehensive news/talk overview; email managing editor Mike Kinosian at Kinosian@TALKERS.com.
Category: Analysis
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