Stern's ratings falter. Why?

[planetahead]

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001349679

Stern's Ratings Fall in Many Major Markets
October 24, 2005
By Katy Bachman

Howard Stern’s year-long commercial for Sirius Satellite Radio, and continuous rant against traditional radio and the FCC, may be costing him a few of his 6.5 million weekly listeners. Or, it may be that the 50 plus-year-old graying shock jock’s schtick needs to take a new turn.

For whatever reason, since Stern announced a year ago he was leaving traditional radio for an irresistable $500 million, five-year contract with Sirius, his ratings on the whole have slid in nearly every one of his major markets, according to Arbitron ratings for Stern in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston, Detroit and Dallas.

Among Adults 25-54, Stern’s audience share was down in the just-released Summer survey by double digits in 6 of his 9 top markets compared to a year ago. Stern's total number of weekly listeners also took significant hits in 7 of the top 9.

Even more astounding, Stern’s losses were worse among his target 18-34 year-old audience where his audience share was down in 7 of the 9 top markets. Compared to a year ago, the number of weekly listeners decreased in 7 of top 9 markets.

Some of Stern’s biggest audience losses were in perennially strong Stern markets, New York and Philadelphia. Even though Stern retained the No. 1 position among the 25-54 and 18-34 year-old demo, his weekly audiences dropped by double digits. His weekly audience among 18-34 year-olds dipped by 17 percent in New York and 21 percent in Philadelphia.

Stern’s ratings in Washington, D.C., where Stern came to fame early in his career on WWDC-FM, were particularly hard hit. On Infinity Broadcasting’s WJFK-FM, Stern’s share among 25-54 dropped by 37 percent and his weekly audience by 31 percent. Among the 18-34 demo, his audience share was off 19 percent and weekly audience down 17 percent.

Stern’s performance among 25-54 and 18-34 demos was also down in Chicago (which has never been a strong Stern market), Dallas, and Los Angeles.

In San Francisco, Stern managed to increase his audience share and weekly audience on KITS-FM, by 16 and 10 percent among adults 25-54. His ratings among 18-34 was mixed with his share up 8 percent, but weekly audience down 5 percent.

Detroit ratings were also mixed, up among 25-54 year-olds, but down among 18-34. In Boston, another traditionally strong market for Stern, ratings were basically flat.

Stern will probably go on the air and claim the lost listeners have seen the light and already bought Sirius’ radios. Maybe they have. Or maybe they’ve moved on to something else. Stern will have his chance come January to prove it

[soxnationonline]

Stern will probably go on the air and claim the lost listeners have seen the light and already bought Sirius’ radios. Maybe they have. Or maybe they’ve moved on to something else. Stern will have his chance come January to prove it

I cant see why stern fans would not listen to him even if they already have moved to sirius.

perhaps more people are just moving on to other things then thought. I guess we'll find out when q4 04 and q106 announcements are made.

[The Buccaneer]

His listeners are getting long in the tooth and are outlying the demographics and ratings cards. He isn't grabbing as many new listeners in the 18 - 25 demo lately.

[Renaissance Man]

Self-appointed "experts" have been predicting Stern's demise for years now, and they've been wrong every time. His ratings, as well as those of virtually every other radio personality in the country, frequently fluctuate. It's normal and to be expected.

Arbitron ratings are based on polling a very small percentage of the overall radio listeners in the country, so there is a margin of error of several percentage points in their reported results.

Here's a story from over five years ago, saying basically the same thing as the one posted above, and just as worthless:


Howard Stern's Ratings Slip

by Emily Farache
Sep 8, 2000

"Will the self-proclaimed King of All Media be forced to abdicate his throne?

Arbitron, the company that rates who's listening to whom in radio, reports Howard Stern's radio ratings are going down.

According to the spring radio figures compiled by Arbitron, listenership for The Howard Stern Show has fallen in his home base of New York, as well as in Los Angeles over the last two years.

"His audience is growing older, they listen to less radio and tend to change the dial," Nicole Ovadia, an editor at Inside Radio magazine, tells Reuters. "Also he's not recruiting new young listeners at the same rate, he has been copied left and right and there are a lot of shock jocks out there."

Even though he's still number one in the Big Apple, Stern's cumulative audience on WXRK-FM has dropped 12 percent from 1.2 million weekly in 1998 to 1.05 million now. In Los Angeles, where his four-hour daily talk show is broadcast on tape on KLSX-FM, the show is down 20 percent from 451,900 two years ago to 357,800 per week today.

Arbitron's numbers indicate that Stern's usually diehard fans are listening less, as ratings have also slumped in Chicago, San Francisco, Miami and Philadelphia.

Stern, 46, broke the mold of traditional American radio in the last decade by combining raunchy humor with over-the-top antics--a potent combination that lured millions of fans, most of them men. ("He's very much a male phenomenon, I don't even look at the numbers for women," Arbitron's Thomas Mockarsky tells Reuters.)

Since his show took off, Stern and his endless parade of surgically enhanced bimbos have earned a ton of money for Infinity, which is now part of the sprawling Viacom empire. And despite the ratings dip, Stern's show is carried on 50 radio stations and brings in some $20 million annually in advertising revenue and licensing fees for Infinity."

http://www.eonline.com/News/Items/0,1,7062,00.html

[Renaissance Man]

I guess we'll find out when q4 04 and q106 announcements are made.

Exactly.

Rating polls don't mean squat.

The proof is in the pudding: the Q4-05 and Q1-06 Sirius new subscriber numbers will tell the true story.

Until then, everything else is just speculation and opinion.

[Mikey Palmice]

http://www.mediaweek.com/mw/news/recent_display.jsp?vnu_content_id=1001349679

Stern's Ratings Fall in Many Major Markets
October 24, 2005
By Katy Bachman

Howard Stern’s year-long commercial for Sirius Satellite Radio, and continuous rant against traditional radio and the FCC, may be costing him a few of his 6.5 million weekly listeners. Or, it may be that the 50 plus-year-old graying shock jock’s schtick needs to take a new turn.

For whatever reason, since Stern announced a year ago he was leaving traditional radio for an irresistable $500 million, five-year contract with Sirius, his ratings on the whole have slid in nearly every one of his major markets, according to Arbitron ratings for Stern in New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Boston, Detroit and Dallas.

Among Adults 25-54, Stern’s audience share was down in the just-released Summer survey by double digits in 6 of his 9 top markets compared to a year ago. Stern's total number of weekly listeners also took significant hits in 7 of the top 9.

Even more astounding, Stern’s losses were worse among his target 18-34 year-old audience where his audience share was down in 7 of the 9 top markets. Compared to a year ago, the number of weekly listeners decreased in 7 of top 9 markets.

Some of Stern’s biggest audience losses were in perennially strong Stern markets, New York and Philadelphia. Even though Stern retained the No. 1 position among the 25-54 and 18-34 year-old demo, his weekly audiences dropped by double digits. His weekly audience among 18-34 year-olds dipped by 17 percent in New York and 21 percent in Philadelphia.

Stern’s ratings in Washington, D.C., where Stern came to fame early in his career on WWDC-FM, were particularly hard hit. On Infinity Broadcasting’s WJFK-FM, Stern’s share among 25-54 dropped by 37 percent and his weekly audience by 31 percent. Among the 18-34 demo, his audience share was off 19 percent and weekly audience down 17 percent.

Stern’s performance among 25-54 and 18-34 demos was also down in Chicago (which has never been a strong Stern market), Dallas, and Los Angeles.

In San Francisco, Stern managed to increase his audience share and weekly audience on KITS-FM, by 16 and 10 percent among adults 25-54. His ratings among 18-34 was mixed with his share up 8 percent, but weekly audience down 5 percent.

Detroit ratings were also mixed, up among 25-54 year-olds, but down among 18-34. In Boston, another traditionally strong market for Stern, ratings were basically flat.

Stern will probably go on the air and claim the lost listeners have seen the light and already bought Sirius’ radios. Maybe they have. Or maybe they’ve moved on to something else. Stern will have his chance come January to prove it

Because he is nothing more than a hack now, that is just calling it in, collecting his big paycheck, and then his is out. More and more people are seeing through his bullshit everyday now.

[indystorm]

Dude- do you have sirius?? it blows away fm- you can listen to any type of music you want to anytime--- once howard moves to sirius, his ratings will skyrocket..!

Jay


Stern will probably go on the air and claim the lost listeners have seen the light and already bought Sirius’ radios. Maybe they have. Or maybe they’ve moved on to something else. Stern will have his chance come January to prove it

I cant see why stern fans would not listen to him even if they already have moved to sirius.

perhaps more people are just moving on to other things then thought. I guess we'll find out when q4 04 and q106 announcements are made.

[v1ru5]

My feeling is his ratings are falling on FM because his show is so sanitized now that it is not the same Howard.I still listen in the morning just to hear the new bullshit Viacom is pulling.Hang in there...I listen to the BS he has on 101 now,imagine when his contract is up and ppl realize shit is real..no more Howard on FM.then the power of Stern will be realized.If ppl could get past his sophomoric antics and pay attention to what he has to say about the decline of our society they might change their attitude about him.

[SISO]

I think you can attribute it to several things, somewhere I read summer ratings were always flatter, so you can count that in. Two, people are sick of the Sirius stuff. This can be good news, the people who left because of it, more than likely, aren't going to Sirius but there are still millions that do listen and they have a higher chance of going because they obviously still enjoy the show ( I hope that makes sense). Thirdly, and perhaps the most accurate, is that the FCC has hurt the show tremendously.

[Miller]

His ratings often go down in the summer then come back in the fall and winter.

[soxnationonline]

Dude- do you have sirius?? it blows away fm- you can listen to any type of music you want to anytime--- once howard moves to sirius, his ratings will skyrocket..!

Jay


Stern will probably go on the air and claim the lost listeners have seen the light and already bought Sirius’ radios. Maybe they have. Or maybe they’ve moved on to something else. Stern will have his chance come January to prove it

I cant see why stern fans would not listen to him even if they already have moved to sirius.

perhaps more people are just moving on to other things then thought. I guess we'll find out when q4 04 and q106 announcements are made.

I assume you're asking me so I'll say... uhhh yeah. I do have sirius dude. Had it long before stern was announced and i'll have it long after he's off it (god willing).
I do agree with you that sirius does blow away fm radio but that is a matter of opinion. There are going to be people who wont be willing to pay for sat. rad. regardless of the content...

[The Buccaneer]

His ratings often go down in the summer then come back in the fall and winter.

The book was a year to year comparison.

Numbers are down, dude.

[Renaissance Man]

Numbers are down, dude.

Just like they were in the article I posted from five years ago. His ratings have gone up and down several times over the years.

It didn't mean squat then, and it doesn't now.

Like other posters have mentioned, the FCC and Infinity have muzzled him. But when he gets on Sirius totally uncensored, the kid gloves will be off--and Hurricane Howard will take the radio world by storm.

[Renaissance Man]

My feeling is his ratings are falling on FM because his show is so sanitized now that it is not the same Howard. I still listen in the morning just to hear the new bullshit Viacom is pulling. Hang in there...I listen to the BS he has on 101 now,imagine when his contract is up and ppl realize shit is real..no more Howard on FM.then the power of Stern will be realized.

You hit the nail on the head. ;)

[planetahead]

His listeners are getting long in the tooth and are outlying the demographics and ratings cards. He isn't grabbing as many new listeners in the 18 - 25 demo lately.

As long as he keeps putting on hot lesbians I doubt he's in danger of losing the 18-25 demo.. I mean hell Howard himself says the show is a shell of what it could be .. who can blame the audience for tuning out til he gets the show back where he wants it... ON SIRIUS!

[The Buccaneer]

Numbers are down, dude.

Just like they were in the article I posted from five years ago. His ratings have gone up and down several times over the years.

It didn't mean squat then, and it doesn't now.

Like other posters have mentioned, the FCC and Infinity have muzzled him. But when he gets on Sirius totally uncensored, the kid gloves will be off--and Hurricane Howard will take the radio world by storm.

His numbers have steadily declined over the past ten years. Period.

As for his getting to Sirius and lighting it up, I am on your side.

[Renaissance Man]

His numbers have steadily declined over the past ten years. Period.

You're wrong. Period.


Howard Stern's Radio Ratings Up

Posted by George D. Ziemann in Industry News on April 26, 2004 at 11:32 PM

"Federal regulators may have painted a big bull's eye on Howard Stern's back, but the recent government crackdown on indecency over the airwaves has proven a boon to the shock jock's ratings.

In Los Angeles, where he is carried on KLSX-FM, Stern climbed back to No. 1 in the key demographic of listeners aged 25 to 54 for the first time since the summer of 1995. He also rose from sixth place to fourth place in total drive-time audience with a 4.2 share. And in Chicago (WCKG-FM), Stern posted a 23 percent gain in morning drive time, jumping from 15th place to No. 9.

Stern's boost in ratings coincided with his latest conflict with the FCC and a related clash with Clear Channel.

In San Diego, one of the markets where his show was removed by Clear Channel, radio station KIOZ-FM's drive-time ratings dropped from an 8.9 share in February to 0.7 in March, the first month without Stern."

http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/11751

[Renaissance Man]

Life without Stern isn't looking pretty

Radio stations that dropped the ribald radio star a year ago have seen ratings plummet.

January 27, 2005: 6:31 PM EST

By Krysten Crawford, CNN/Money staff writer

"NEW YORK (CNN/Money) - A year ago, Pittsburgh radio station WXDX-FM was near the top of its game on weekday mornings. Today it's fighting hard for listeners.

What changed? Two words: Howard Stern.

A year ago next month, WXDX and five other stations owned by Clear Channel pulled the shock jock off the air in response to a government backlash against smutty programming. For Clear Channel (Research), the country's largest radio operator, the risk of losing valuable licenses to keep Stern on the air wasn't worth it.

But the Clear Channel radio stations have since paid a steep price. All six have lost a significant number of weekday morning listeners, according to new data from Arbitron, the country's top radio ratings service.

Arbitron tracks radio listeners by quarter and its latest available data, released this week, show that WXDX ratings during the morning hours have fallen by more than half from the ratings period before Stern was kicked off the air to mid-December. Third in the market a year ago, the station now ranks No. 11 during Stern's former 6 to 10 a.m. time slot.

Similarly, WTKS-FM in Orlando, Fla. has dropped from No. 2 to No. 8 and WNVE in Rochester, N.Y. has slid from sixth to fourteenth place on a ratings freefall. Once No. 5, San Diego, Calif.'s KIOZ is now tied for 20th place.

The lost market share only shows that Stern, love him or hate him, is "one of the biggest radio attractions in the modern era," said Michael Harrison, the publisher of Talkers, a monthly radio talk show trade magazine. "He's a phenomenon.""

http://money.cnn.com/2005/01/27/news/newsmakers/stern_ratings/

[Renaissance Man]

Howard Stern's radio ratings up amid FCC flap

Reuters, 04.26.04, 6:55 PM ET

By Steve Gorman

"LOS ANGELES, April 26 (Reuters) - Federal regulators may have painted a big bull's eye on Howard Stern's back, but the recent government crackdown on indecency over the airwaves has proven a boon to the shock jock's ratings.

The ribald radio host scored major gains in listenership during the winter quarter ended March 31 in the three biggest U.S. markets -- New York, Los Angeles and Chicago -- according to figures made public on Monday by the Arbitron radio ratings service.

In Stern's home market of New York, where his show is broadcast on WXRK-FM, he topped all morning drive-time competition with a 7.2 share in total audience, up 22 percent from the fall quarter and 18 percent from last winter, Arbitron said.

A radio ratings share is based on the number of people tuned to a particular program and how much time they spend listening for an average quarter hour. Stern's show had dipped slipped to No. 2 in total audience last fall.

Stern also returned to No. 1 during the first quarter among New York listeners aged 18 to 34 and 25 to 54. Overall, it was his best showing in the nation's top market since the fall of 2000, according to Viacom Inc.-owned (nyse: VIAb - news - people) Infinity Broadcasting, which syndicates Stern.

In Los Angeles, where he is carried on KLSX-FM, Stern climbed back to No. 1 in the key demographic of listeners aged 25 to 54 for the first time since the summer of 1995. He also rose from sixth place to fourth place in total drive-time audience with a 4.2 share. And in Chicago (WCKG-FM), Stern posted a 23 percent gain in morning drive time, jumping from 15th place to No. 9."

http://www.forbes.com/infoimaging/newswire/2004/04/26/rtr1347976.html

[smashclash]

i really wish they'd post those arbitron ratins online somewhere.

[v1ru5]

i really wish they'd post those arbitron ratins online somewhere.
I don't know if this will help because I didn`t spend any time there.
http://www.arbitron.com/home/content.stm

[ProperModulation]

I've been listening for over 13 years and it seems that all I've ever read is that Howard's career is winding down and his ratings are falling. The Arbitron ratings fluctuate throughout the year, and sometimes fluctuate from year to year, but the 20 minute commercial breaks and staggering amount of advertising dollars he brings in really speak for themselves.

I think we'll see a second surge of Sirius subscriptions somewhere around March 2006 as all the people who initially didn't feel like paying money to hear the show start to realize just how HORRIBLE the typical FM morning show is.

[v1ru5]

I've been listening for over 13 years and it seems that all I've ever read is that Howard's career is winding down and his ratings are falling. The Arbitron ratings fluctuate throughout the year, and sometimes fluctuate from year to year, but the 20 minute commercial breaks and staggering amount of advertising dollars he brings in really speak for themselves.

I think we'll see a second surge of Sirius subscriptions somewhere around March 2006 as all the people who initially didn't feel like paying money to hear the show start to realize just how HORRIBLE the typical FM morning show is.

I think it will happen sooner...after Jan.1st,06 after ppl get over their hangovers and turn on their radios and realize you can't hear Sterns show anywhere in the country other than Sirius we will see a mass exodus to the stores.

[ProperModulation]

I think it will happen sooner...after Jan.1st,06 after ppl get over their hangovers and turn on their radios and realize you can't hear Sterns show anywhere in the country other than Sirius we will see a mass exodus to the stores.

Very true. I can't wait!

[j3ff]

My small group of about 10 GOOD friends and I are waiting till Xmas, more because we want the best equipment.

[Renaissance Man]

My small group of about 10 GOOD friends and I are waiting till Xmas, more because we want the best equipment.

Good idea.

The S50 will be here soon.

And you never know--perhaps a couple "surprise" releases from other companies.

[Mikey Palmice]

His numbers have steadily declined over the past ten years. Period.

You're wrong. Period.


Howard Stern's Radio Ratings Up

Posted by George D. Ziemann in Industry News on April 26, 2004 at 11:32 PM

"Federal regulators may have painted a big bull's eye on Howard Stern's back, but the recent government crackdown on indecency over the airwaves has proven a boon to the shock jock's ratings.




In Los Angeles, where he is carried on KLSX-FM, Stern climbed back to No. 1 in the key demographic of listeners aged 25 to 54 for the first time since the summer of 1995. He also rose from sixth place to fourth place in total drive-time audience with a 4.2 share. And in Chicago (WCKG-FM), Stern posted a 23 percent gain in morning drive time, jumping from 15th place to No. 9.

Stern's boost in ratings coincided with his latest conflict with the FCC and a related clash with Clear Channel.

In San Diego, one of the markets where his show was removed by Clear Channel, radio station KIOZ-FM's drive-time ratings dropped from an 8.9 share in February to 0.7 in March, the first month without Stern."

http://www.boycott-riaa.com/article/11751


that was an uptick, in a major down trend.

[Renaissance Man]

that was an uptick, in a major down trend.

Keep dreaming, lad.

I notice you provided no documentation whatsoever. Why am I not surprised.

As I documented, naysayers were saying the same crap about five years ago. The chicken little's have been declaring Stern to be doomed for at least the last ten years, and Stern is still alive and kicking--bringing in millions of listeners every day. Still one of the top five radio personalities in the country after all these years.

Be sure to keep a close eye on Sirius subscription figures for the next few months. You will begin to comprehend the power of Stern.