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WRAL-FM Takes Over the Airwaves with Fall Ratings Boost
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WRAL-FM recently received the Fall Ratings book from Arbitron and has some great numbers to celebrate. MIX 101.5 Is now #1 in a variety of slots including morning, midday and afternoon among Women 25-54, the station’s target audience.
A mainstream adult contemporary music station, MIX 101.5 has been ramping up for the past 9 to 10 months. The effort has worked in spades as the station has achieved many of their goals in the fall ratings, much sooner than expected.
| The Ratings Tell The Story |
| |
Rank |
Rank |
Share |
Share |
| |
Winter 07 |
Fall 07 |
Winter 07 |
Fall 07 |
| Persons 12+ |
|
|
|
|
| M-Su 6a-mid |
9 |
3 |
3.5 |
6.9 |
| 6-10a |
7 |
2 |
4.6 |
7.6 |
| 10-3p |
9 |
1 |
3.4 |
9.2 |
| 3-7p |
8 |
2(t) |
4.1 |
7.3 |
| 7-mid |
9 |
7 |
2.3 |
3.8 |
| Persons 25-54 |
|
|
|
|
| M-Su 6a-mid |
8(t) |
2(t) |
3.6 |
7.1 |
| 6-10a |
7(t) |
1 |
4.6 |
8 |
| 10-3p |
10 |
1 |
3.2 |
9.3 |
| 3-7p |
8 |
3 |
4.2 |
6.8 |
| 7-mid |
9(t) |
5 |
2.4 |
5.6 |
| Women 25-54 |
|
|
|
|
| M-Su 6a-mid |
6 |
1 |
5.1 |
11.1 |
| 6-10a |
5 |
1 |
6.2 |
13 |
| 10-3p |
6 |
1 |
5.4 |
15.8 |
| 3-7p |
5 |
1(t) |
6.2 |
11.2 |
| 7-mid |
8(t) |
4 |
2.8 |
7.1 |
“I’m a big believer in the team concept, and we’ve got a great one here,” said WRAL-FM Program Director Barry Fox. “There’ve been a lot of adjustments internally and on the air, and it starts with a very sound staff and product already in place and someone coming in and giving attention to some of the detail that had gone neglected.”
Ratings increased dramatically in many areas. In Persons 25-54, WRAL-FM went from a tie for 7th to 1st place for the 6-10am daypart, from 10th to 1st in the 10-3pm midday slot, and from 8th to 3rd in the 3-7pm slot.
The daytime on-air staff has remained the same. The night-side personality Ray Thomas left the station in November, and the nationally syndicated ratings winner Delilah show now takes his place.
“When I got here it became very obvious to me the tweaks that were necessary,” said Fox, who came on board at WRAL-FM in April of last year. “It was not a broken radio station by any means. It’s amazing what a little attention to a lot of detail will get you.”
The songs in the MIX library didn’t change much, but Fox concentrated on how the music was being rotated. And MIX changed its marketing to “The Best MIX while you work,” concentrating on capturing its super core target of 35-44 year old women during the work day.
Fox feels that one of the biggest factors in the ratings turnaround is the professional attitude of the staff at MIX, largely unchanged since he joined the group.
WRAL-FM Program Director Barry Fox raves about the work of the MIX staff in turning the station’s ratings around. |
“It was important that we had everybody buy into the plan and they did,” said FOX. “All departments are very professional and believed in the changes.
The result? Fox says the ratings turnaround was accomplished in much quicker time than it should’ve been in realistic terms. “It could’ve taken a few years to do this,” he said.
The other dynamic Fox credits for the strength of the station is its news image, “thanks to our friends at WRAL-TV.” He said, “It doesn’t hurt to have the main anchor from WRAL-TV on our morning show doing news.” And the other cast of WRAL-TV news & weather personalities, including the fact that MIX broadcasts the 6pm newscast live, helps solidify the position of WRAL-FM as a source for news on the radio in the Triangle.
POSTED: February 11, 2008
