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Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Discussion pertaining to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, and Michiana
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MWmetalhead
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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat May 28, 2022 2:04 pm

I disagree that their new coverage zone is a big factor in the ratings drop for LAV.

The ratings plunge has occurred within the last 120 days. The move to GVSU occurred many months before that. Coverage across the western half of Kent County is excellent.

Station has seen shares as high as low and mid 5's in ages 12+ from the GVSU site.

Why would Townsquare move the hip hop format to a stronger signal when no other format is likely capable of generating a 3 share at 104.9?



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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by Ben Zonia » Sat May 28, 2022 7:45 pm

I wish we had a Longley Rice Delta map showing the dB difference between the old and new facilities. This is similar to change mapping shown from some types of repeat medical imaging done over time.

There are considerable areas in the Central Grand Rapids Area, mainly near valleys, rivers, and streams, where there is considerable terrain shadowing. This is more due to distance and direction the new site in the DA major lobe, but the DA exacerbates it.

It may be important in certain parts of the service areas, but indeed it may be more due to format recently. The ratings methodology seems to be shrouded in secrecy.

https://www.rabbitears.info/contour.php ... te=1&map=Y


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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat May 28, 2022 9:49 pm

WSNX has a weaker signal than both WLAV and Star 105.7 in most of the highly populated zip codes in Kent County yet has double the AQH share of each station.

WSNX, WHTS, WOOD-FM and WJQK are the stations most affected by signal attenuation in the valley near and just west of downtown. WMRR, WMUS-FM and WVFM - neither of which are legitimate GR market stations - are also affected; the first two of those are virtually unlistenable in the valley.



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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by Ben Zonia » Sat May 28, 2022 11:54 pm

In the 1970s, I noticed observable signal variation on WJFM and WOOD-FM 105.7 within the City of Grand Rapids.


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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun May 29, 2022 8:09 am

By John Ball Park, there are some minor issues. HD lock comes & goes. Analog signal remains crystal clear, based on my experience.

There are likely similar issues along US 131 between Burton and Franklin.



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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by Ben Zonia » Sun May 29, 2022 9:37 am

It was somewhere along the Grand River between Downtown and the VA Hospital, near where as I recall, they had the Raft Race. The rapidly varying signal was on WJFM and WOOD-FM 105.7. I was surprised, since they had such high ERP. The FCC was still in their near flat earth signal prediction phase, where they still are stuck, but radio engineers have moved on to Longley Rice prediction. Near flat is a variation of 50 feet between 2 and 10 miles as I recall, and that's far beyond that prediction distance.


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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun May 29, 2022 10:51 am

That location actually makes some sense. You had downtown high rises between you and the towers. The Belknap Lookout may have been in the way, too.



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Re: Latest Nielsen #'s show radio's diminishing relevance

Post by Ben Zonia » Sun May 29, 2022 2:06 pm

I remember seeing the WJEF tower on top of the Pantlind Hotel, probably right before they moved to the Ann St. location. That was probably the early 1960s, when I started DXing. My grandfather always listened to WJEF. They had Detroit Tiger Baseball for obvious reasons, and WKZO might have filled in the service area at Night in outlying areas. After moving, they dropped down to something like 173 watts because of the higher tower radiation efficiency.

The Pantlind had closed as I recall and had fallen into disrepair, and it seems like they had a fire around that time, which may have disrupted WJEF's operation, which might have been why they decided to move.


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