The Virginian-Pilot Archives (original) (raw)

103-JAMZ IS NO.1 IN SPRING ARBITRON RATINGS

Published: Sunday, July 29, 1990
Section: DAILY BREAK , page G3
Type of story: Column

Source: Cynthia Hanson

WHEN RAGAN HENRY Broadcasting took over WOWI, 103-JAMZ, last fall, station brass predicted that the urban contemporary operation would rise to No. 1.

Their thinking?

With the rock 'n' roll audience split between FM-99 and The Fox, neither station would remain a shoo-in in the Arbitrons. Other stations would be poised to move into the top slot, as easy-listening WFOG did in the fall survey.

Besides, 103-JAMZ had been a consistent ratings grabber, usually finishing among the top five.

As a result of doubling its teen audience, 103-JAMZ became the most popular radio station in Hampton Roads for the first time in at least a decade, according to the spring Arbitrons released this week.

But it wasn't a runaway victory: FM-99 was one-tenth of an audience share point out of first place. Top 40 Z-104 and WFOG shared fourth place, while The Fox slipped to fifth and country music WCMS fell to sixth.

In the overall contest, which measured listeners ages 12 and older from March 29 to June 20, FM-99 won every daytime segment but not evenings. That period traditionally belongs to 103-JAMZ, whose hybrid show lured a whopping 18.3 percent of all radio listeners. Rick Party hosts the rap and dance program from 7 to 10 p.m.; he's followed by Phil Nelson and the romantic ``Quiet Storm.''

General manager Ernest Jackson Jr. said he never expected 103-JAMZ to achieve its goal so soon.

``We have endured a series of catastrophes,'' he said, noting problems with the station's transmitter, staff turnover and general disruption caused by opening new studios. ``I've got too much work to do to be excited about the results. But I am happy for my staff.''

Program director Steve Crumbley attributed 103-JAMZ's success to ``the loyalty factor and word of mouth within the (black) community.'' Unlike some of its competitors, 103-JAMZ did not promote itself through TV commercials or on billboards.

That FM-99 was inched out of first place overall shouldn't faze station officials. The album rocker was up in the big-money demographics (18- to 49-year-olds and 25- to 54-year-olds) during a ratings period that businesses use to set advertising schedules. And the station handily defeated The Fox, which remained flat.

``Our focus was to have fun on the air,'' said FM-99 program director Bryan Jeffries. ``Over the past year, there was a lot of curiosity brought on by new radio stations. But when listeners came back to check us out, we knew they'd stay if they liked what they heard.''

So how well did your favorite morning shows fare? FM-99's ``Tommy & The Bull'' was the top-rated morning show (9.6), followed by WFOG (9.0), Z-104's ``Z Morning Zoo'' (7.8), 103-JAMZ (6.8) and WCMS (6.4). The afternoon drive crown also went to FM-99 (9.3), followed by 103-JAMZ and The Fox (8.7), Z-104 (7.5) and WCMS (7.2).

Among Arbitron's other findings:

The Top 40 contest remained status quo, with Z-104 trouncing underdog 97 Star. In recording its highest numbers overall in several years, Z-104 became an easy winner in every time slot, thanks to a revamped music mix that is heavy on uptempo tunes and light on ballads. Surely the station's $10,000 shopping spree contest with Zsa Zsa Gabor helped attract an audience. . . .

Adult-contemporary 2WD - victimized by a harsh discrepancy in audience sampling in the winter survey - catapulted back into the battle, finishing only three-tenths behind Joy 95 for ninth place. But 2WD was champ among listeners ages 25 to 54 (the stations' target group). And the day contest saw a split decision as 2WD won morning and afternoon drive and Joy 95 claimed middays and nights.

Urban listening on the FM dial has increased 1.3 audience share points since spring 1989, when Hot 103 (now 103-JAMZ) and Power 94 (now WMYK-94 FM) were slugging it out with virtually identical play lists.

That's precisely what WMYK owner Paul Lucci predicted after he stripped his station of rap music and implemented an urban adult format to appeal to black baby boomers. The strategy worked: This time, WMYK finished ahead of 103-JAMZ in the 25 to 54 competition, and its evening show, ``Night Moods with Chester B.,'' posted the station's best numbers.

The swan song for progressive music WOFM shaped up this way: The Chesapeake-based station, which recently switched to heavy metal, garnered its best ratings among listeners ages 18 to 34. In that demographic contest, WOFM's 2.9 audience share was good enough for 11th place.

An unseasonably warm spring didn't benefit the oldies stations, which undoubtedly sound better under sunny skies. Although WLTY-Oldies 95.7 retained the format trophy, neither that station nor rival Cool 105.3 posted significant gains. So the grapevine continues to sizzle about a possible format change. . . .

After netting its best ratings ever in the winter book, WNIS (850-AM) tumbled 1 1/2 rating points and slipped to 12th place overall. The all news-talk station earned its highest numbers at midday, a time slot shared by several hosts, including local talkie Pat Murphy, syndicated right-winger Rush Limbaugh and liberal rookie Karen Grace, who was axed before the end of the survey.

HOPE FOR ROCKERS
Radio may be dead for loyalists of the old WOFM, but progressive rockers haven't lost hope that their preferred format will find another life on the FM dial.

Since launching Friends of Progressive and Alternative Radio (FOPAR) two weeks ago, organizer Mike Rau said he's collected 700 signatures from listeners and businesses on petitions he intends to deliver to parent companies of Hampton Roads radio stations.

The group's first fund-raiser is a car wash from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. today at the Shell service station at Virginia Beach Boulevard and Constitution Drive, Virginia Beach. Rau said the money would be spent on advertising, and he invited interested folks to join his grass-roots effort by contacting him via P.O. Box 3582, Norfolk, Va. 23514.

You can find petitions at these area music stores: in Virginia Beach, Tracks and Birdland Records; in Norfolk, The Music Man, Offbeat Records and Skinnies Records.

. . . And finally, WOFM's new heavy metal format has found at least one listener in John Tewell, a 25-year-old Norfolk man who was incensed because he thought I ``badgered'' Z-Rock in last week's Airwaves.

``I don't worship the Devil, do drugs or contemplate suicide,'' he wrote, referring to society's stereotype of heavy metalists.

``I simply enjoy blasting my head off with something a little more heavy than Don Henley. . . . Don't get me wrong: I respect the talent and perseverance of the classic rockers, but just the same, heavy metal is here to stay.''

We'll see. . . .

Description of illustration(s):
Chart
Radio ratings
Source: Arbitron spring survey