Why do stations resort to stunts like playing nothing but Christmas music from Thanksgiving to the big day?
Because they often work.
Just ask KRWM-FM (106.9), which rode its all-Christmas format to first place in the fall quarter ratings book for Seattle-Tacoma, according to Arbitron Inc. It had been fourth in the summer-quarter book.
Interestingly, the all-Christmas format doesn’t always pay off, as demonstrated by contemporary Christian station KCMS-FM (105.3), the other station in the market to try it. Its fall-quarter ranking and audience-share rating was down from summer.
KRWM was followed by KUBE-FM (93.3) and KIRO-AM (710). Reflecting the stiff competition between the market’s two major country stations, longtime ratings leader KMPS-FM (94.1) and newcomer KKWF-FM (100.7) finished in a tie for fourth.
The ratings reflect listeners 12 and older tuned in 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday. They do not include non-commercial stations such as KUOW-FM (94.9) and KPLU-FM (88.5), which rank among the market’s top stations. Arbitron had earlier said it planned to merge the commercial and non-commercial stations on one list but has delayed doing so.
Radio managers and advertisers also say they pay more attention to station performance in specific target audience rather than the overall market.
Aside from Christmas music, listeners apparently had a strong appetite for news, with KIRO-AM and KOMO-AM finishing first and second in the 6-10 a.m. weekday segment. KTTH-AM, with Rush Limbaugh and Michael Medved, placed first 10 a.m.-3 p.m., while KUBE-FM was first for 3-7 p.m. and 7 p.m.-midnight weekdays.
With: seattlepi.nwsource.com
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