As we approach the second month of an unprecedented three classic hip-hop stations in Atlanta, the first full month of ratings are in and the winner is... Cumulus-owned OG 97.9.
The station (OG stands for "Original Gangsta" yo!) arguably has the best signal, which helped it draw a 1.2 share, a very strong number for a translator that doesn't have much power outside the Perimeter. It also offers a mix that includes more pop crossover hits than the other two stations, perhaps bringing broader appeal. The station released ethnic composition of its listeners: only 25.6 percent black, 11.2 percent Hispanic and 63.2 percent Asian or white or other. Its cumulative weekly audience was about 227,000.
Boom 102.9, the Radio One offering, came in second with a 0.5 share.
Steve Hegwood's Old School 99.3/1010 lagged behind with a 0.3, which may reflect the fact it has what seems to be the weakest signal.
Radio One seems committed to the format in cities across the country. Hegwood, a solo owner in town, pairs Old School with Streetz 94.5 and has no plans to change direction.
And given how well Cumulus is doing, that Atlanta-based company may have little incentive to change either.
So we may have three stations for longer than I ever imagined - maybe six months? I have no idea who will ultimately blink first.
The audience that migrated to the three classic hip-hop stations came from multiple sources. Hot 107.9 was impacted the most, dropping from a 4.3 share the previous month to a 3.5, which was below its 12-month average of 4.1. V-103 slipped a bit from an 8.1 to a 7.6 but that was still far above their 2014 average of 6.8. Streetz 94.5 held firm at a 1.4. Kiss rose from a 6 to a 6.7 while Majic fell slightly from a 5.1 to a 4.8.
Nielsen Audio collects the data using meters attached to volunteers.
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The holiday four-week period in December tends to be unusual, with news/talk stations taking a typical hit and the one metro area wide station playing all Christmas Fish 104.7 having its best month ever: a 7.6 share, tied with V-103. Fish averaged a 5 share this year with its regular format. And it was better than the 6.4 share it got last Christmas.
This is the third year Fish has had Christmas largely to itself and it has seen better numbers each year as more people realize they are the best place to go on the FM dial. B98.5 dropped all Christmas in 2012 and has largely kept its ratings steady in December with no drop off in January.
The two other local stations that went Christmas included a modest translator signal at 98.9 Nash Icon, which played a country version and garnered a 0.5 share, its best month since it launched over the summer. Christian pop station Joy 93.3 on the Southside also did Christmas, pulling in its best month of the year with a 1.4, up from an average of 1.
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In sports land, 92.9/The Game had its best month ever with a 2.3 share, up from 2.1 the previous three months. It also enjoyed its widest gap over 680/The Fan. I can't release the Fan's ratings because they are not subscribers but they have been slipping markedly in recent months.
The Game has seen a pick up due to three factors: the arrival of Mike Bell, the pick up of the Falcons (despite a disappointing season) and the rise of the Atlanta Hawks.
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This final month of 2014 covered two weeks with Larry Wachs still at Rock 100.5 and two weeks without so it's hard to interpret anything from the monthly numbers. Plus, the holidays tend to skew matters in ways that are hard to interpret sometimes. So I am withholding judgment on the fact the morning show saw major dips in ratings across the board. Let's see how things play out this month.
Top 20 stations during the December time period
1. (tie) V-103, Fish 104.7
3. Kiss
4. B98.5
5. WSB
6. Power
7. (tie) Majic/River/Bull
10. (tie) Q100/Kicks
12. (tie) Star/Hot
14. Praise
15. WABE
16. Radio
17. Game
18. Rock
19. El Patron
20. (tie) Joy 93.3, News/Talk 106.7
SOURCE: Nielsen Audio, covering Dec. 2 to Dec. 31, 2014
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