Think of it as a barstool rush to judgement…
So eager were some commenters to dismiss 610 Sports surprising ratings win in April over sports talk powerhouse WHB 810, they threw everything at the wall. Happens every year when the Royals season starts, they clamored. Nick Wright sucks.
But does it happen every year? Did it happen last year?
Let’s take a good, hard look…
As reported here, 610 with a 3.2 share beat WHB’s 3.1 share in April for listeners 12-plus, 6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday.
Exact same thing that happened last year, right? Wrong.
In April 2010, 610 Sports had a 3.1 share in 16th place versus WHB’s 3.9 share in the No. 10 slot.
I’d give you the 2009 numbers but they weren’t using PPMs then.
Now let’s take a look at how Nick Wright and Kevin Kietzman fared.
In the Winter book this year – Jan. Feb. March – men 25 to 54, Monday thru Friday, 2 p.m. to 6 WHB logged a 10.3 share to 610 Sports 4.1. Kietzman clobbered Wright.
For that same slot in April WHB had a 9.1 share versus 610 Sports 7.3.
But while Wright narrowed the gap dramatically, some have suggested the day games could have skewed the results. But out of 10 day games in April only 3 games went down during Wright’s show. Most were nights or weekends.
So let’s look at the 7 p.m. to midnight digits for men 25/54, Monday thru Sunday in April.
610 Sports garnered a 9.1 share – good for the No. 2 slot in the market – with WHB in 18th with a 2.0 share. In WHB’s winter book it garnered a 3.9 share to 610 Sports 1.7 share.
So clearly the Royals give 610 a nighttime boost
But giving 610 a day boost is another matter.
The winter book for WHB’s morning drive placed it 3rd with an 8.1 share to 610 Sports 3.8, 8th place. However for April WHB’s morning drive continued strong at 8.4 in 3rd place to 610 Sports 3.2 share in 9th place. In other words, the Royals didn’t do squat for 610’s morning show.
The bottom line: The Royals are kicking butt on 610 Sports at night, but the game is still fully afoot during the day. Except – make no mistake – Nick Wright narrowed the gap on Kietzman and WHB.
Numb-Burrs
You should go into ad sales for 610. Maybe Jim McDonald could teach you the ropes.
Talk to media buyers and the numbers don’t mean shit if they are not attached to consumers with money to spend. I’ll wager my Hank Moody penis, (did you catch that Maria), against your Fiat that KK’s listeners have far more discretionary income to burn than Nicks.
Nicks audience may be younger and hipper but they are also “poorer” than KK’s.
Any idea what the ad rates are for Nick versus Kevin. That would be an interesting topic to explore.
Hearne, why do you and Glazer slobber all over Nick Wright’s
proboscis all the time? Did his daddy get you out of trouble and it’s payback time? Hearne, if you knew anything about sports you would see why Nick Wright is always trailing in the ratings. Now that you’ve shown the April book, how about committing to showing the next couple books as well. Or will you only do that if your buddy’s kid continues to climb in the ratings?
810’s problem is that they have TOO MANY commercials and their commercial breaks go on too long. I’ll listen to 3-4 ads but not 5-6 minutes of ads. I’ve listened to 810 since the old 1510 days but their ad blocks are so long now that I almost always go up or down the dial during commercial breaks – either to 980 for news or to 610 to see if they’re not on a commercial break.
The conundrum
I enjoy sports talk, but on afternoon drive I’m a ‘Tweener, and not in the sense that I’m a “Between the Lines” fan.
I just happen to be too old to be amused by much of Nick Wright’s show, and am generally put off by 25-year-olds who try to come across like they know everything about everything. (I was once guilty of this, but I wouldn’t want to listen to me on the radio either).
I’m also too young to enjoy Kietzman’s faux self-righteous fuddy-duddy act (and his infomercial-length reacharounds to his sponsors).
My commute is less than 20 minutes, but I rarely make it halfway home before I put on some music.
This is all silly…
Isn’t it logical to see that the Royals nighttime ratings are what helped 610 beat 810 in April. They did a 9.1 share at night compared to WHB’s 2.0. That 9.1 is going to bring their overall share up tremendously. When you factor in the day games, and the early start times for games against the Indians at the end of the month it is going to bring Wright’s share up as well (pregame started at 5 p.m.).
This is all about the Royals’ hot start. Last year they finished the month of April 9-14, this year they were 14-13. Let’s revisit this during the summer when the Royals are in the tank and Keitzman’s grilling segments are pounding Wright into submission. It’s sad I even get to write that.
Still wrong.
The only thing easier to dismiss than Nick Wrights show is your opinions on Nicks show. Just admit you were wrong and were obviously misled. Obviously someone has given you numbers, just ask to see them on days when there were no day games. Stop being ignorant. It’ll take the person that gave you the numbers 5 minutes. This is a joke.
Where are last April’s numbers?
Most of the respondents to yesterday’s column suggested that Wright got the same kind of ratings bump last April as happened this year. Yet in his refutation, Hearne doesn’t post last April’s numbers for the time period, instead preferring to comment on all day numbers, evening numbers, winter numbers – anything but addressing the specific month and time period from last year that numerous readers brought up.
Thinking cap ON.. I think?
I admit I’m not an expert on the ratings, however, in looking at your numbers 810 went from a 3.9 share in 2010 to a 3.1 in 2011 (down .8 share). 610 went from a 3.1 in 2010 to a 3.2 in 2011 (up only .1 share). Again, I don’t know exactly how the ratings system is figured but it doesn’t appear that 610 is getting very many of the listeners that 810’s is losing.
Yeah, Nick’s “daddy” got me out of trouble. Where do some of you guys come up with this shit? Geez!
Of course I know he’s trailing, that he’s the underdog. Why do you think his closing the gap – if only for a month – is somewhat remarkable?
Look, I’m not carving out a career documenting Nick’s each and every move. No matter what (you think) his daddy did for me. Just trying to inform and entertain.
Now this is a good comment. Too old for Nick, too young (and possibly too hip) for Kietzman.
Got anything you can pass along about Nick’s daddy?
Clearly the Royals helped the 12-plus numbers I reported.
However, my point was in the 25-54 male demo, the gap remained far wider in morning drive while Nick was able to close it quite a bit.
Happy to provide you with such amusement!
I’ll have to re-screw my cap on for that one
Wow someone hit a nerve!
Reply From: Hearne Christopher
12:56:40 PM – Fri. May 20. 2011
Yeah, Nick’s “daddy” got me out of trouble. Where do some of you guys come up with this shit? Geez!
Of course I know he’s trailing, that he’s the underdog. Why do you think his closing the gap – if only for a month – is somewhat remarkable?
Look, I’m not carving out a career documenting Nick’s each and every move. No matter what (you think) his daddy did for me. Just trying to inform and entertain.
HCJ and the Elder Wright….
C’mon Hearne, there’s no reason to be defensive about it, but there is a reason to be honest. When it comes to you and Glazer pumping up Nick Wright on KCC it’s only fair to also share with readers your relationship with Nick Wright’s father. Craig can speak to his relationship with Louie Wright in his column but you should at least acknowledge the extent of yours. Some of us have been around Local 42 for a LONG time and seen and heard more than the average Joe.
My demographic
I am a 44 year old father of three with a six fig income and I do not give a crap about “Smoke and Fire.” We are in a recession and that Jim Cotty (sp?) is talking about Japanese convection cookers and grape seed oil being a MUST for the barbeque. What? Grape Seed Oil? This is Kansas F%$ing City. Cookie diet? What? Joslin Jewelers? Whatever. If I drop 4 figures on anything I am going to the best. Not a jeweler who did his own store construction.
Now the Kevin Harlan spot that KK does is pretty good stuff. I used to like KK’s monologue. But he is in a lazy streak again. I am finding my way down the dial more. Wright’s interview with Bill Self was terrific. KK asks three minute questions. Wright almost had Self cussing about his Selby critics… I will be listening to Wright more.
It is not about age as much as it is relating to people. I think KK doesn’t want to “get” diversity. And it is evident. I think he has peaked. I think a shake-up at 810 is inevitable… and soon.
HARLEY IS ON TARGET AGAIN…
lasst year i noted this coming…but everyone said no no no…
so this momentum for the kid with continue…for a short time.
WHB has to make some changes because their prices for spots
are going down…down….down….almost one half what they were
one year ago…..last year spots were $150-$200 ….this year…$75
a holler.
so that means whb needs some new blood. But kk is part owner of the
place and he’s going nowhere. Put someone new and fresh in to the show
with kk and bring some more big stories.
pROBLEM is with no football…and the royals playing 500 ball…not much to
talk about except the fiew splinters of info that is out there in sportsland.
But don’t hold you r breath waiting for big changes…they re not coming…
and besides…kc is so boring right now that noones going to do anything.
again….i predicted this to happen….i ws right again.
I have liked Nick Wright ever since he was on Saturdays. He was a fresh voice, that tried to take a contrarian point of view, but not to an extreme, like Whitlock would. He is refreshing and talks about relevant topic, unlike Keitzdouche, who can spend an entire segment talking about his own golf game. I mean really who gives a fuck about someone elese’s golf game. Bad Radio. Or he can rail on about how the young people are so addicted to their cell phones, or lament about the existence of the internet and how it is ruining our youth. Anyway Nick Wright is the clear thinking man’s choice for sports talk in KC, no matter what your age is.
Think for a moment HC
Someone explain to Hearne that 3 day games with a share near double digits can totally skew the ratings. Also, of course the Royals have done nothing for the 610 morning show….last time I checked Royals days games are at 1:00 to 4:30…during Wrights show. Ive never heard of a Royals day game starting at 8am so how would it help the morning show.
Hearne wrote…..
So clearly the Royals give 610 a nighttime boost
But giving 610 a day boost is another matter.
The winter book for WHB’s morning drive placed it 3rd with an 8.1 share to 610 Sports 3.8, 8th place. However for April WHB’s morning drive continued strong at 8.4 in 3rd place to 610 Sports 3.2 share in 9th place. In other words, the Royals didn’t do squat for 610’s morning show.
The bottom line: The Royals are kicking butt on 610 Sports at night, but the game is still fully afoot during the day. Except – make no mistake – Nick Wright narrowed the gap on Kietzman and WHB.