SYRACUSE -- The latest Nielsen radio ratings for Syracuse are out today, and iHeart Radio's country B104.7 (WBBS) once again claims bragging rights to having the market's largest estimated audience, among stations that subscribe to the ratings company's data.
The latest "top line" ratings data from Nielsen provides an overall snapshot of radio listening habits in the continuously-rated Syracuse market. Each month, the company provides the average quarter hour (AQH) Share among all listeners ages 12 and up, Monday through Sunday from 6am to midnight. Each month's report represents the average listenership over the previous 3 months, so the data released today represents the average audience size from September through November.
The data available to the press and the general public only includes stations that hold subscriptions to Nielsen's full ratings reports. Data regarding specific dayparts or audience demographics are only available to subscribers. Nielsen also tracks ratings for non-subscriber stations, but that data is also only released to subscribers and it is not made available for public release.
B104.7 chalked-up an 8.8 share, which is not its best book ever, but still a full point ahead of the next-closest competitor, which happens to be another iHeart property. The lead-up to the presidential elections appeared to benefit the 570 and 106.9 WSYR, whose AM and FM signals combined to bring in a 7.7 share, the news/talker's best book out of the past three.
Just a little over a half a point behind is Cumulus top 40 fixture 93Q (WNTQ), boasting more than twice the audience as direct competitor Hot 107.9 (WWHT). The iHeart station ended up with a 3.5, its lowest book out of the past three.
Fourth among subscribing stations is locally-owned The Dinosaur (WSEN). The classic hits station scored a 6.1 share in the latest report, half a point lower than last month, but a bit higher than the month before. From there, it's a nearly two-point drop to iHeart's Y94 (WYYY), which brought in a 4.3 share, comparable to the past two reports. The AC station's annual temporary flip to all-Christmas music took place in mid-November; we'll have to wait for next month's Nielsens to see if it makes a difference.
Meantime, was it a mistake for Cumulus to layoff 95X (WAQX) "Morning Mess" co-host Shannon last month? The alternative rocker's 3.3 share was its best out of the past three books.
Locally-owned New Country WOLF(-FM) 92.5 loses a little over a point since September, checking-in with a 2.9 share. Sister station 96.5 The Beat (WMVN) is next with a 2.4 share.
Rounding out the bottom of the list, Syracuse University's student-run Z89 (WJPZ), locally-owned Fox Sports (WOLF-AM) and Cumulus Owned The Score 1260 (WSKO) barely make the survey, each getting a fraction of a share point.
Notably absent from the list are the locally-owned Galaxy Media stations, including modern rock K-Rock (WKRL/WKRH), classic rock TK99/105 (WTKW/WTKV), classic hits Sunny 102 (WZUN), and ESPN Radio (WTLA/WSGO). Because Galaxy does not subscribe to the Nielsen ratings reports, Nielsen does not publicly release the ratings for Galaxy-owned stations. Non-commercial stations are also often (but not always) excluded.