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www.INSIDERADIO.com Thursday, January 18, 2007
Country’s Curious: ¿Qué Pasa
Contemplate the list of enormously talented and dedicated people involved in helping guide/steer
Country and it becomes abundantly clear a fluky set of circumstances is not why that format
continues to be such a consistently strong industry player.
Much like his beloved Detroit Tigers, who not long after making the final out in the
2006 World Series, acquired potent OF bat Gary Sheffield from the Yankees,
Country Radio Broadcasters Strategic Planning Committee Chairman Charlie Cook
is never satisfied with simply maintaining the status quo.
Improvement is always his goal.
Edison On-Board
That’s why he and the CRB went to esteemed media pollster/analyst Larry Rosin, who presides
over NJ-based Edison Research, with more than idle curiosity about the actual and potential
influence Hispanics have on Country radio listening. “Edison is doing `Year Three’
of the big listener database project and has been sort of our research partner
through the years,” Cook explains. “I called Larry and [VP] Tom [Webster] and
asked if they would be willing to get onboard with it.”
Of course they’ve done similar studies with Arbitron, and Cook declares, “They were
very enthusiastic in [participating] with this project.”
This endeavor’s objective is to explore the current situation of Hispanics listening to Country
music, and as Cook underscores, to design a game plan that will attempt to increase such
listening habits. “Things may not be good now,” he opines. “But we hope to find ways to
[correct] that and make Country radio more attractive to Hispanics living in the United States.”
An obvious side benefit would be that sales in the Country music genre would improve.
Project findings will be shared In Nashville at the (38th annual) Country Radio Seminar in
about six weeks (Feb. 28-March 2).
Ready To React
Day-to-day logistics for the study are being overseen by Edison Research Director Laura
Villacampa. “She’s a researcher and is also fluent in Spanish; we couldn’t have asked for a better
combination,” Cook notes. “The beauty of Edison is they turn things around quickly. We only
wanted to be 30-40 days out on it.”
A broadcaster sometimes initiates a research study completely devoid of preconceived notions or
expectations, but Cook readily admits to having reservations about this particular outcome. “I
think we are not going to be happy with what we find,” he remarks in complete candor. “We
might [see] we’re currently not doing as well as we’d like but I hope I’m disappointed. [Even so],
that’s not the [intention] of the study. Our goal is to attack the problem and then put together a
plan.”
Especially as part of duties associated with his daytime job as Cumulus Media’s Senior Format
Director, consummate programming professional Cook has studied individual markets where
Hispanic populations are high and comments, “There are a few situations [in metros like] Dallas,
Miami and San Antonio where you get some bounce in and out from Arbitron. But just because
someone has an Hispanic surname – it doesn’t mean [he or she] is Hispanic. If you have an
Hispanic surname, you could very well get an Hispanic diary, be counted as Hispanic – and not be
Hispanic. It will be interesting to see if that has any [importance]. I don’t know if we’ll explore
that on the questionnaire.”
Storytelling Lyrics
It goes without saying that Atlanta-based Cook is acutely aware the Hispanic audience is our
country’s most rapidly-rising population base. “It’s not growing just in states [such as] Texas,
Florida and Arizona,” observes the former WHN/New York PD. “It’s growing in places like Georgia.
There are 400,000 Hispanics here - that’s a lot.”
In fact for some perspective, the statewide Georgia Hispanic number Cook references is roughly
equivalent to the 12+ population of Arbitron’s 119th-largest market - Youngstown, OH (399,100).
Quite clearly, Hispanic is becoming an increasing population influence in nearly every area of the
United States. “As they assimilate into this country, we’re hoping there’s a willingness on their
part to pick up musical alternatives,” Cook states. “We feel Country music is built on values like
patriotism and love. That’s very similar to the cultural values Hispanics hold. We found [at WHN]
that people who didn’t speak the language were comfortable with Country music because the
lyrics are simple and they do tell a story. ”
Good Times
Country is a very important format for Cumulus, and Lew Dickey and John Dickey couldn’t have
made a more logical selection than former Westwood One honcho and onetime McVay Media
consultant Cook to be the company’s Senior Format Director. “We’re doing really well with
Country [in places like] Dallas [on KPLX - `The Wolf’], Indianapolis [on market-leading WFMS],
Nashville [on another `Wolf’ – WSM-FM], Toledo [on market-dominant `K100’ - WKKO], Mobile
[on `Kicks 104’ - WYOK] and Youngstown [on `K105’ - WQXK],” Cook proudly declares. “We are
very fortunate to have a huge investment in Country radio and spend [considerable] time doing
research in these markets. We [strive] to make these the best stations they can be and we
choose to play Country music on them.”
Commenting on the format which he says usually skews 55% Female/45% Male Cook notes, “The
median age has settled pretty comfortably in the mid-30s; I think everyone is pretty happy with
that. Some of our stations have [a little bit older demos] and we’re working to lower them.
You’re in pretty good shape if [your] Country radio station can actually get 35-40 demos.”
Many would concur it’s a good time to be a Country programmer and Cook succinctly states,
“We’re very lucky. You can put the top seven Country acts up against the top seven Pop acts.
Country is selling product and doing [great] concert business. Rascal Flatts played in front of over
a million people in 2006 on their tour and [husband and wife] Tim [McGraw] & Faith [Hill
entertained] over a million people, as well. I don’t know how deep you can go [in Pop] once you
get past Beyonce and Justin Timberlake. [Artists who] play in front of the largest concert
audiences appear to be Country [acts].”
Summer 2006 Country Analysis/Hispanic Overview
Some Country stations may soon explore ways to make themselves even more attractive to
Hispanic audiences.
With that in mind, my latest exclusive Inside Story overview focuses on the Top 100 Markets’
largest Hispanic centers and illustrates how Country stations performed there (12+) this past
Summer.
(Only about one-third of Top 100 Market Fall 2006 books were received by publication time,
preventing us from doing a Fall – Fall comparison).
Seven U. S. metros have Hispanic populations in excess of one million people, with Los Angeles
showing more than 1.1 million more than New York City; 37 of the Top 100 markets have at least
100,000 Hispanics.
A city’s overall 12+ population figure is followed by (my calculated) Hispanic total.
Total 12+
Hispanic
2 Los Angeles
10,790,100
4,391,571
1 New York
15,332,000
3,250,384
12 Miami
3,505,100
1,615,851
3 Chicago
7,698,300
1,339,504
7 Houston
4,353,000
1,310,253
4 San Francisco
5,829,700
1,130,962
5 Dallas
4,730,200
1,130,518
30 San Antonio
1,552,100
788,467
15 Phoenix
2,938,500
781,641
27 Riverside
1,756,800
739,613
59 McAllen
817,500
708,773
17 San Diego
2,484,900
673,408
76 El Paso
573,600
469,778
8 Washington
4,132,800
442,210
22 Denver
2,157,700
407,805
32 Las Vegas
1,438,600
335,194
42 Austin
1,204,800
331,320
34 San Jose
1,413,100
320,774
10 Atlanta
3,861,000
320,463
66 Fresno
711,700
317,418
37 Orlando
1,402,300
304,299
18 Long Island
2,393,800
301,619
19 Tampa
2,262,000
278,226
26 Sacramento
1,758,100
274,264
70 Albuquerque
654,200
272,147
61 Tucson
763,300
231,280
39 Middlesex
1,383,100
226,828
81 Bakersfield
542,500
221,883
6 Philadelphia
4,354,900
217,745
79 Monterey
555,100
216,489
24 Portland
1,963,400
186,523
14 Seattle
3,204,800
179,469
80 Stockton
542,600
169,834
46 West Palm Beach 1,098,000
162,504
31 Salt Lake City
1,485,600
160,445
64 Ft. Myers
744,800
109,486
51 Hartford
1,047,900
102,694
36 Providence
1,404,000
98,280
35 Charlotte
1,409,800
94,457
33 Milwaukee
1,429,200
92,898
29 Kansas City
1,553,300
85,432
82 Springfield, MA
533,700
57,106
97 Colorado Springs
460,400
50,644
98 Lakeland
452,300
45,682
By Percentage (High – Low)
Hispanics account for the majority in three Top 100 markets; more than four of every five people
(12+) living in McAllen and El Paso are Hispanic.
Hispanic
Total 12+
59 McAllen
86.7%
708,773
76 El Paso
81.9%
469,778
30 San Antonio
50.8%
788,467
12 Miami
46.1%
1,615,851
66 Fresno
44.6%
317,418
27 Riverside
42.1%
739,613
70 Albuquerque
41.6%
272,147
81 Bakersfield
40.9%
221,883
2 Los Angeles
40.7%
4,391,571
79 Monterey
39%
216,489
80 Stockton
31.3%
169,834
61 Tucson
30.3%
231,280
7 Houston
30.1%
1,310,253
42 Austin
27.5%
331,320
17 San Diego
27.1%
673,408
15 Phoenix
26.6%
781,641
5 Dallas
23.9%
1,130,518
32 Las Vegas
23.3%
335,194
34 San Jose
22.7%
320,774
37 Orlando
21.7%
304,299
1 New York
21.2%
3,250,384
4 San Francisco
19.4%
1,130,962
22 Denver
18.9%
407,805
3 Chicago
17.4%
1,339,504
39 Middlesex
16.4%
226,828
26 Sacramento
15.6%
274,264
46 West Palm Beach 14.8%
162,504
64 Ft. Myers
14.7%
109,486
18 Long Island
12.6%
301,619
19 Tampa
12.3%
278,226
97 Colorado Springs
11%
50,644
31 Salt Lake City
10.8%
160,445
8 Washington
10.7%
442,210
82 Springfield, MA
10.7%
57,106
98 Lakeland
10.1%
45,682
51 Hartford
9.8%
102,694
24 Portland
9.5%
186,523
10 Atlanta
8.3%
320,463
36 Providence
7%
98,280
35 Charlotte
6.7%
94,457
33 Milwaukee
6.5%
92,898
14 Seattle
5.6%
179,469
29 Kansas City
5.5%
85,432
6 Philadelphia
5%
217,745
Country Performance In Large Hispanic Metros
By looking at the fifth-largest market (Dallas) in the following chart, we notice Hispanics comprise
23.9% of the 12+ population (approximately translating to 1,130,962 people).
Three Country stations there - KPLX, KSCS and KTYS - logged a one-share or higher (12+) this
Summer.
Their combined (12+) total was 8.7, or 0.4 less (-0.4) than it garnered in Summer 2005.
Unless otherwise noted by dual ampersands (&&) which indicate Spring/Fall markets, ratings
comparisons are Summer 2005 – Summer 2006.
Dual asterisks (**) denote below-the-line stations.
“None” indicates no Country station in that market registered at least a one-share (1.0) this
Summer (12+).
1 New York
21.2%
3,250,384
None
2 Los Angeles
40.7%
4,391,571
None
3 Chicago
17.4%
1,339,504
WUSN
3.5
3.6
3.6
+0.1
4 San Francisco
19.4%
1,130,962
KRTY**
1.0
1.0
1.0
Flat
5 Dallas
23.9%
1,130,518
KPLX
3.8
4.4
8.7
-0.4
KSCS
4.0
3.2
KTYS
1.3
1.1
6 Philadelphia
5%
217,745
WXTU
4.3
4.4
4.4
+0.1
7 Houston
30.1%
1,310,253
KKBQ
3.0
3.6
6.9
+0.3
KILT
3.6
3.3
8 Washington
10.7%
442,210
WMZQ
3.5
3.6
4.6
+0.2
WFRE* *
0.9
1.0
10 Atlanta
8.3%
320,463
WKHX
5.8
4.6
6.6
-1.8
WYAY
2.6
2.0
12 Miami
46.1%
1,615,851
WKIS
3.0
3.6
3.6
+0.6
14 Seattle
5.6%
179,469
KMPS
6.1
5.4
10.2
+0.2
KKWF
2.1
3.5
KNBQ**
1.8
1.3
15 Phoenix
26.6%
781,641
KNIX
4.3
4.5
8.5
+1.0
KMLE
3.2
4.0
17 San Diego
27.1%
673,408
KSON & KSOQ
3.8
4.4
7.6
+0.2
KUSS
3.6
3.2
18 Long Island
12.6%
301,619
None
19 Tampa
12.3%
278,226
WQYK
5.9
5.9
9.9
+0.3
WFUS
3.7
4.0
22 Denver
18.9%
407,805
KYGO
6.9
6.0
7.9
-1.4
KWLI
2.4
1.9
24 Portland
9.5%
186,523
KUPL
5.7
6.6
12.0
+1.0
KWJJ
5.3
5.4
26 Sacramento
15.6%
274,264
KNCI
5.5
6.7
8.2
-0.2
KNTY
2.9
1.5
27 Riverside
42.1%
739,613
KFRG
5.7
5.6
5.6
-0.1
29 Kansas City
5.5%
85,432
WDAF
5.6
5.2
14.5
-1.8
KBEQ
6.1
5.0
KFKF
4.6
4.3
30 San Antonio
50.8%
788,467
KCYY
4.7
5.2
10.3
+0.3
KAJA
5.3
5.1
31 Salt Lake City
10.8%
160,445
KUBL
5.7
5.3
11.6
+0.3
KSOP-FM
4.1
4.1
KEGA
1.5
2.2
32 Las Vegas
23.3%
335,194
KWNR
8.6
5.5
9.8
-4.5
KCYE
5.7
4.3
33 Milwaukee
6.5%
92,898
WMIL
7.5
6.8
6.8
-0.7
34 San Jose
22.7%
320,774
KRTY
3.1
3.2
3.2
+0.1
35 Charlotte
6.7%
94,457
WKKT
5.7
5.6
10.3
-0.8
WSOC
5.4
4.7
36 Providence
7%
98,280
WCTK
5.7
7.9
7.9
+2.2
37 Orlando
21.7%
304,299
WWKA
6.4
5.2
5.2
-1.2
39 Middlesex
16.4%
226,828
None
42 Austin
27.5%
331,320
KVET
5.9
7.2
13.8
+1.3
KASE
6.6
6.6
46 West Palm Beach 14.8%
162,504
WIRK
4.6
4.1
5.1
-0.5
WKIS**
1.0
1.0
51 Hartford
9.8%
102,694
WWYZ
7.2
6.6
6.6
-0.6
59 McAllen&&
86.7%
708,773
KTEX
7.6
9.0
11.4
+2.1
KVJY-A & KBUC-F
1.7
2.4
61 Tucson
30.3%
231,280
KIIM
9.9
10.2
10.2
+0.3
64 Ft. Myers&&
14.7%
109,486
WWGR
5.9
5.4
10.9
-0.9
WUSV
3.1
3.3
WCKT
2.8
2.2
66 Fresno
44.6%
317,418
KSKS
6.4
5.0
7.1
+0.7
KHGE
0.0
2.1
70 Albuquerque
41.6%
272,147
KBQI
4.4
4.8
9.6
+1.6
KRST
3.6
4.8
76 El Paso
81.9%
469,778
KHEY
4.1
5.4
5.4
+1.3
79 Monterey
39%
216,489
KTOM
3.9
3.8
3.8
-0.1
80 Stockton&&
31.3%
169,834
KATM
8.1
9.5
9.5
+1.4
81 Bakersfield
40.9%
221,883
KUZZ
8.4
8.2
10.4
-0.8
KBKO
2.8
2.2
82 Springfield, MA
10.7%
57,106
WPKX
6.3
NA
97 Colorado Springs
11%
50,644
KCCY
7.3
7.1
12.8
-1.2
KATC
4.3
4.5
KKCS
2.4
1.2
98 Lakeland&&
10.1%
45,682
WPCV
15.0
16.5
22.6
+2.1
WFUS**
1.6
3.4
WQYK**
2.1
1.5
WWKA**
1.8
1.2
Rank By Total 12+ Country Shares
It’s highly noteworthy that the greatest number of Top 100 Market Country shares in our sample
(from Continuous Measurement Markets) came from Kansas City – which has the second-lowest
Hispanic percentage.
Meanwhile though, highly-concentrated Hispanic markets McAllen and San Antonio also produced
strong Country numbers.
Hispanic
Total 12+ Country Shares
98 Lakeland&&
10.1%
22.6
29 Kansas City
5.5%
14.5
42 Austin
27.5%
13.8
97 Colorado Springs
11%
12.8
24 Portland
9.5%
12.0
31 Salt Lake City
10.8%
11.6
59 McAllen&&
86.7%
11.4
64 Ft. Myers&&
14.7%
10.9
81 Bakersfield
40.9%
10.4
30 San Antonio
50.8%
10.3
35 Charlotte
6.7%
10.3
14 Seattle
5.6%
10.2
61 Tucson
30.3%
10.2
19 Tampa
12.3%
9.9
32 Las Vegas
23.3%
9.8
70 Albuquerque
41.6%
9.6
80 Stockton&&
31.3%
9.5
5 Dallas
23.9%
8.7
15 Phoenix
26.6%
8.5
26 Sacramento
15.6%
8.2
22 Denver
18.9%
7.9
36 Providence
7%
7.9
17 San Diego
27.1%
7.7
66 Fresno
44.6%
7.1
7 Houston
30.1%
6.9
33 Milwaukee
6.5%
6.8
10 Atlanta
8.3%
6.6
51 Hartford
9.8%
6.6
27 Riverside
42.1%
5.6
76 El Paso
81.9%
5.4
37 Orlando
21.7%
5.2
46 West Palm Beach 14.8%
5.1
8 Washington
10.7%
4.6
6 Philadelphia
5%
4.4
79 Monterey
39%
3.8
3 Chicago
17.4%
3.6
12 Miami
46.1%
3.6
34 San Jose
22.7%
3.2
4 San Francisco
19.4
1.0
1 New York
21.2%
None
2 Los Angeles
40.7%
None
18 Long Island
12.6%
None
39 Middlesex
16.4%
None
82 Springfield, MA
10.7%
NA
By 12+ Fluctuation
The 5.7 – 7.9 improvement notched by Hall Communications’ WCTK “Cat Country”/Providence
enabled the 36th-largest market to land in the top spot for best Summer-Summer improvement in
Country markets with at least a 5% Hispanic population.
Conversely, Las Vegas’ KWNR and KYCE combined for a 4.5 share Summer-Summer loss.
36 Providence
+2.2
70 Albuquerque
+1.6
42 Austin
+1.3
76 El Paso
+1.3
15 Phoenix
+1.0
24 Portland
+1.0
66 Fresno
+0.7
12 Miami
+0.6
7 Houston
+0.3
19 Tampa
+0.3
30 San Antonio
+0.3
31 Salt Lake City
+0.3
61 Tucson
+0.3
8 Washington
+0.2
14 Seattle
+0.2
17 San Diego
+0.2
3 Chicago
+0.1
6 Philadelphia
+0.1
34 San Jose
+0.1
4 San Francisco
Flat
27 Riverside
-0.1
79 Monterey
-0.1
26 Sacramento
-0.2
5 Dallas
-0.4
46 West Palm Beach -0.5
51 Hartford
-0.6
33 Milwaukee
-0.7
35 Charlotte
-0.8
81 Bakersfield
-0.8
37 Orlando
-1.2
97 Colorado Springs
-1.2
22 Denver
-1.4
10 Atlanta
-1.8
29 Kansas City
-1.8
32 Las Vegas
-4.5
Not applicable: New York (1); Los Angeles (2); Long Island (18); Middlesex (39); and Springfield,
MA (82).
These fluctuations are from the Spring/Fall-only markets.
98 Lakeland&&
10.1%
22.6
+2.1
59 McAllen&&
86.7%
11.4
+2.1
80 Stockton&&
31.3%
9.5
+1.4
64 Ft. Myers&&
14.7%
10.9
-0.9
By Mike Kinosian
Mike@InsideRadio.com
___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Part Three of our 2007 preview with Dave Van Dyke and Rick Torcasso was the focus of last
week’s (1-11-2007) “Inside Story with Mike Kinosian” archived here.
Charlie Cook (6-1-2004) and more than 230 other industry notables have been profiled in “The
Mike Kinosian Interview” - archived here.
www.INSIDERADIO.com Thursday, January 18, 2007
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