T Dog’s Grab Bag: TribLocal makes changes after scandal

Notes and news – in this mostly local edition of the Grab Bag: – As mentioned briefly in the Tribune bankruptcy post on Saturday, the Chicago Tribune was recently caught using fake bylines and plagiarizing and fabricating stories in TribLocal, the paper’s hyperlocal network of websites and print properties serving Chicago’s suburbs. On Friday, the Tribune announced it was parting […]

Chicago media just keeps serving up the has-beens

On the old PI Feedback forums at the former Mediaweek.com, a poster named “Twins12” often referred to the hit reality TV series Dancing With The Stars as Dancing With The Has-Beens, noting the program’s inability to land A-list celebrities, but those whose best days were behind them. In Chicago media, being a has-been can be beneficial – even if no […]

T Dog’s Grab Bag: Robin Robinson likely out at WFLD

A bunch of items in this week’s Grab Bag: – Is Robin Robinson on her way out at Fox-owned WFLD? Sure looks like it: According to a report surfacing a little over a week ago at Chicagoland Radio and Media, Robinson is expected to depart when her contract expires later this year. Robinson is the longest-tenured anchor at WFLD, being […]

Arbitron PPMs results for March: WOJO’s En Fuego!

This is based on 6+ numbers; the 18-34 numbers;  the 25-54 numbers: Male, Female, and Adults. Winners: WOJO-FM, WGCI-FM, V103 (WVAZ), The Mix (WTMX), The Drive (WDRV) , WBBM-FM, WKSC-FM (Kiss) Honorable Mention: US 99 (WUSN-FM), In the Top 5 overall, but very old skewing: WGN-AM Loser: WNUA-FM, ESPN 1000 (WMVP-AM) Results: All-news WBBM-AM may have been number one overall, […]

More on Chicago PPM numbers for January

Here some more information on the Arbitron PPM numbers for the month of January, which were released yesterday: – In what could be considered an upset, WLS-AM’s morning duo of Don and Roma Wade won the morning drive race in January, handly defeating WGN-AM’s Greg Jarrett among overall listeners. The duo have been at WLS since 1985 (when it was still […]

Chicago January PPM ratings

The following is based on 6+ numbers only: Winners: WBBM-AM, WLS-AM, WGN-AM, WTMX-FM, WUSN-FM, WSCR-AM, WILV-FM, WNUA-FM, WBEZ-FM (whew!) Honorable mention: WGCI-FM, WDRV-FM, WBBM-FM,WPWX-FM, WLS-FM, WXRT-FMBig drop as expected: WLIT-FM Losers: Nothing. A first! Analysis: January was a very strong month for Chicago’s radio stations as more than 15 radio stations showed period-to-period increases, debunking the myth radio in Chicago […]

Chicago’s August PPM results

Here are the results for the August PPMs for 12+ and for adults 25-54. Among the findings: – Winners include WSCR, WPPN, WXRT, WUSN, and drumroll please…. Q101! Yes, Q101 – or WKQX-FM grew 27% in 12+ month-to-month. – The biggest winner of all is WTMX-FM (The Mix), who dominated the 25-54 ratings and 12+ with Eric & Kathy leading […]

Chicago’s June PPM results

Remember, these are based on are 6+ numbers. Winners: WGN-AM, WTMX-FM (The Mix), WLS-FM, WUSN-FM, WSCR-AM (The Score), WSRB (Soul 106.3), WXRT-FM Not an impressive debut: WNUA-FM (Mega 95.5) Losers: WPPN-FM, Q101 and any music station not in the winner’s circle Analysis: The Cubs may be the lovable losers, but they’re anything but when it comes to local radio in […]

Dan McNeil returns to The Score

He’s back home. Dan McNeil, who was with WSCR-AM from 1991-2000, has returned to the station and assumed the midday shift at the station.McNeil was previously at rival WMVP-AM (ESPN 1000) until last January after the station declined to pick up the last year of his contract. The return of McNeil is good news for the sports talk station, whose […]

Power 92 surges in April PPMs (updated)

Click here to see the results. Keep in mind these are numbers based on Persons 6+. Winners: WBBM-AM, WGN-AM, Power 92 (WPWX-FM), Kiss (WKSC-FM), WVIV-FM, The Score (WSCR-AM) Down, but not out: The Drive (WDRV-FM) Waiting For The Axe to Swing: WNUA-FM Losers: Q101 (WKQX), WIND-AM, WCPT and their repeaters – Because of the focus on the network upfronts this […]

WBBM-AM rides on top in February

Chicago February PPM results (keep in mind this survey is based on the 6+ demo): Winners: WBBM-AM, WDRV-AM, WLIT-FM (The Lite), WKSC-FM (Kiss), WVIV-FM Surprise – they’re moving up! WPWX-FM (Power 92) Losers: WSCR-AM (The Score), WFMT-FM Not much to talk about in this February PPM survey, with all-news WBBM-AM holding on to the top spot, despite a drop of […]

Chicago PPM results for December

Since this survey is an anomaly because of the Holidays (a.k.a. skewed because of Christmas music), we’ll refrain from the listing the winners and losers. But that doesn’t stop yours truly from making a few observations… Remember, this is based on overall 6+ numbers: – WLIT (Lite FM) did gangbusters with Xmas music in December, as it finished first. The […]

Chicago PPM results for November (updated)

The results from November’s PPMs are here, just three days after the radio ratings period ended. Isn’t it great to get results like this so quick? (Just don’t ask WGN-AM…) Borrowing the formula from Marc Berman’s Programming Insider from Mediaweek: Winners: WBBM-AM, WLS (AM and FM), The Drive (WDRV-FM), V103 (WVAZ-FM) Honorable Mention: Lite FM (WLIT-FM), WBEZ-FM, WIND-AM Disappointing (like […]

Chicago PPM numbers for October

Click here to see the PPM numbers for 6+ and here for adults 25-54 for the month of October. Winners: The Drive (WDRV-FM), WBBM-AM, WLS-AM, V103 (WVAZ-FM), Kiss FM (WKSC-FM), WOJO-FM Honorable Mention: The Mix (WTMX), WLS-FM, WLUP-FM (The Loop), US 99 (WUSN-FM) Losers: Fresh 105.9 FM (WCFS-FM), Love FM (WILV-FM), WNUA-FM, Power 92 (WPWX), Jack FM (WJMK), Nine FM […]