Tag: "MLB"
September 2020 PPM Analysis:
Sports Talk
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — Sports talk is the focus of the second in our three-part series of detailed September 2020 PPM overviews.
The following scoreboards are comprised of sports talk facilities that rank in the top 20 (6+) in any of the 48 PPM-markets during the September 2020 ratings period, which covered August 13 – September 9.
After a lengthy coronavirus-related absence, Major League Baseball, the NBA, and NHL resumed their respective seasons in various abbreviated fashions, with all three leagues successfully progressing to the post-season.
The Tampa Bay Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars four games to two to win the Stanley Cup (9/28), while the Los Angeles Lakers clinched the NBA title this past Sunday night (10/11) by besting the Miami Heat in a series that went six games as well.
Thus, franchises in Tampa and Los Angeles already have one 2020 title each and could add at least one more, as MLB’s two Championship Series find the Tampa Bay Rays pitted against the Houston Astros and the Los Angeles Dodgers squaring off against the Atlanta Braves.
As far as the NFL is concerned, the first regular season game was (Thursday) September 10, the day after the September 2020 sweep concluded. Fourteen (14) more contests were played (Sunday) September 13, followed by two Monday night affairs (9/14).
Ratings information in this exclusive analysis is limited to sports talk properties that subscribe to Nielsen Audio’s audience estimates.
August 2020 PPM Analysis: News/Talk
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — A comprehensive news/talk recap – including a complete section of cume data – concludes our three-part series of August 2020 ratings summaries.
Posted last week were full reviews of the news format (Thursday, 9/10) and MLB flagships (Friday, 9/11).
This detailed synopsis highlights all commercial, English-language news/talk outlets (including online streams, if applicable) that appeared with at least a .5 (6+) in any of Nielsen Audio’s 48 PPM-markets during the August 2020 ratings period (July 16 – August 12).
Unless otherwise noted, information for each news/talk station and stream was factored into all of our highlighted charts.
The percentage of news/talkers recording August 2019 – August 2020 growth (64%) remains remarkably consistent with July 2019 – July 2020’s 65% and June 2019 – June 2020’s 68%.
Nielsen Audio only releases audience estimates for facilities that subscribe to its services.
Owing to that reason, ratings stats in this exclusive analysis are limited to stations that pay Nielsen Audio for its data.
June 2020 PPM Analysis: Cume & Coronavirus (Part Two, Sports Talk)
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — The second of our multi-part series addressing cume results in the COVID-19/coronavirus-era deals with sports talk.
In order for a sports talk station to appear in any of the below-listed charts, it needed to score a top 20 ranking in any PPM-market (June 2020, 6+).
Keep in mind that, owing to the coronavirus outbreak, all MLB, NBA, and NHL teams have been out of action for several months.
Nielsen Audio only releases audience estimates for stations subscribing to its services. For that reason, ratings stats in this analysis are limited to outlets paying that company for its information.
June 2020 PPM Analysis: Sports Talk
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — A comprehensive summary of the sports talk format is the centerpiece of the second in our four-part series of June 2020 PPM overviews.
Coronavirus-related challenges affecting sports talk facilities include the fact that the MLB; NBA; and NHL seasons were put on hold several months ago.
After starting exhibition contests on schedule, MLB pulled the plug in mid-March. The official season is slated to begin next Thursday (7/23) in Washington, DC (Yankees versus National), and Los Angeles (Giants versus Dodgers); the NBA season is set to resume one week later (7/30).
Meanwhile, the NHL plans to return August 1 with 24 teams competing for the Stanley Cup in a best-of-five series of round-robin games.
The following scoreboards are comprised of sports talk facilities that rank in the top 20 (6+) in any of the 48 PPM-markets during the June 2020 ratings period, which covered May 21 – June 17.
Ratings information in this exclusive analysis is limited to sports talk properties that subscribe to Nielsen Audio’s audience estimates.
May 2020 PPM Analysis: Sports Talk
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — The second in our four-part series of May 2020 PPM overviews is an all-encompassing examination of the sports talk format.
The following scoreboards are comprised of sports talk facilities that rank in the top 20 (6+) in any of the 48 PPM-markets during the May 2020 ratings period, which covered April 23 – May 20.
Ratings information in this exclusive analysis is limited to sports talk properties that subscribe to Nielsen Audio’s audience estimates.
Coronavirus-related challenges affecting sports talk facilities include the fact that the NBA and NHL seasons were put on hold several months ago. After starting exhibition contests on schedule, MLB pulled the plug in mid-March and the official season has yet to get underway.
April 2020 PPM Analysis: Sports Talk
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — This past Tuesday (5/19), TALKERS posted 2020’s “100 Most Important Sports Talk Radio Hosts in America” and, as executive editor Kevin Casey points out, “The publication of this year’s list was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic. Although we were prepared to publish the list in March, we delayed publication in order to focus on the pandemic’s effect on the radio industry.”
Owing to COVID-19, the NBA and NHL seasons were put on hold roughly two months ago.
After starting exhibition contests on schedule, MLB pulled the plug in mid-March and the official season has yet to get underway.
Only time will tell when – or if – we will see any MLB, NBA, NHL, and/or NFL games this calendar year.
Sports talk stations with pro (or college) play-by-play commitments have been scrambling to air longform replacement content.
Never has the creativity for sports talk hosts been so challenged for such a prolonged period; they continue earning well-deserved high-mark industry acknowledgement.
Associated in further recognition of important sports talk hosts, we present the second in our four-part series of April 2020 PPM overviews – an examination of the sports talk format.
The following scoreboards are comprised of sports talk facilities that rank in the top 20 (6+) in any of the 48 PPM-markets during the April 2020 ratings period, which covered March 26 – April 22.
Ratings information in this exclusive analysis is limited to sports talk properties that subscribe to Nielsen Audio’s audience estimates.
Sports Radio and the Coronavirus Pandemic – Now What?
By Andy Bloom
Andy Bloom Communications
President
MINNEAPOLIS — In the days leading up to MLB’s Opening Day, I advised sports radio clients regarding ideas to keep listeners interested in their stations and teams while live sports remains on hiatus due to the coronavirus.
The ideas require franchises and leagues to work with local broadcast rights holders. I didn’t have contact with any of the teams or leagues. I thought, however, it would be logical for these organizations and their local broadcast partners to help keep their brands pertinent during the pandemic. A Wall Street Journal article I read convinced me the teams and leagues will listen to the idea.
October 2019 PPM Analysis: Country
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — Following extensive October 2019 overviews of Major League Baseball flagships and public radio news/talk, we turn our attention to stations in the country format; waiting on deck is our thorough examination of (commercial) news/talk.
Breakouts shown here consist of data from country-formatted properties that rank in the top 20 in any PPM-market (October 2019, 6+).
Over and above that particular ratings caveat, Nielsen Audio only releases audience estimates for stations that subscribe to its services. Thus, ratings stats in this analysis are limited to facilities that pay Nielsen Audio for its data.
July 2019 PPM Analysis: Adult Hits
By Mike Kinosian
Managing Editor
TALKERS
LOS ANGELES — Having already addressed all-news and Major League Baseball flagships, we continue our four-part series of July 2019 ratings overviews with an in-depth examination of adult hits.
This analysis is comprised of PPM-market facilities that rank in the top 20 (6+) in the July 2019 sweep, a ratings period that covered June 20 through July 17.
Nielsen Audio only releases audience estimates for facilities that subscribe to its services. For that reason, ratings stats and information in the following charts are limited to stations that pay Nielsen Audio for its data.
Bottom-line: When indexed against aforementioned all-news and MLB flagships, the qualifying PPM-market adult hits properties in our sample claim the strongest 6+-share (5.65) and best average 6+-rank (#5.57), easily outdistancing all-news (3.63/#10.75) and MLB flagships (3.72/#12.75).