CBS-owned all-news outlet WBBM-AM was Chicago’s top billing radio station in 2008, according to BIA Financial Network.
WBBM-AM earned $44.9 million in revenue for 2008, according to the report. Tribune’s WGN-AM came in a close second with $44.5 million, no doubt fueled by Cubs baseball. WGN’s huge haul comes despite an older-skewing audience.
The top music station was Bonneville’s WTMX-FM, whose upscale-targeted demo help net them $34.8 million. Rounding out the top five were Urban Contemporary WGCI-FM ($29.7 million) and Spanish-language WOJO-FM ($22.9 million.)
Among the battle of the Top 40 stations, WBBM-FM topped WKSC-FM by a score of $18.5 million to $16.7 million.
Overall, Chicago radio stations were down 6 percent from 2007’s revenue figures.
Despite WBBM-AM’s huge haul, no Chicago radio station made the nation’s top ten billing list for 2008. Topping the national list was Clear Channel-owned KIIS-FM in Los Angeles, with the Top 40 station earning $66.3 million. In fact, Bonneville’s all-news WTOP-AM in Washington, D.C. – a smaller radio market than Chicago (#8) – topped all Windy City stations with a haul of $51.8 million.
To see the complete list of radio stations and their revenue, click here.