Channel Surfing
by Laura Nachman
Bucks County Courier Times
May 2, 2006

 

It’s official.  The four month David Lee Roth era was a complete disaster for 94.1-FM.  In the Winter 2006 Arbitron ratings from January through April, Free FM had a 1.7 share of the audience 12 and above, down from a 4.3 share last year.  Since WYSP changed its format from Active Rock to Talk at the end of October, the two main beneficiaries were WMMR 93.3-FM and WMGK 102.9-FM.  ‘MMR jumped from a 2.6 share last year to a 4.0 share this year.  WMGK jumped from a 3.1 share to a 4.2 share.  Another station on the rise is BEN 95.7-FM, jumping from a 1.5 share to a 3.0 share this year.  Here is the top twenty: 

  1. KYW 1060-AM (6.2)
  2. WBEB 101.1-FM (6.0)
  3. WDAS 105.3-FM (5.8)
  4. WOGL 98.1-FM (4.7)
  5. WUSL 98.9-FM (4.6)
  6. WMGK 102.9-FM (4.2)
  7. WMMR 93.3-FM (4.0)
  8. WXTU 92.5-FM (3.9)
  9. WRNB 107.9-FM (3.6)
  10. WIOQ 102.1-FM (3.3)
  11. WIP 610-AM (3.3)
  12. WJJZ 106.1-FM (3.3)
  13. WPHT 1210-AM (3.2)
  14. WPPZ 103.9-FM (3.1)
  15. WBEN 95.7-FM (3.0)
  16. WRDW 96.5-FM (2.9)
  17. WPHI 100.3-FM (2.8)
  18. WSNI 104.5-FM (2.8)
  19. WYSP 94.1-FM (1.7)
  20. WEMG-AM (1.4)

Also of note, Sports Talk 950-AM is in 26th place with a 0.6 share.

 

America’s number one show “American Idol” airs tonight.  The winner will get a million dollar recording contract.  However, with 30-million people watching the show every week, it seems like “the winner” has nowhere to go but down after the season is over. 

 

Maybe for next season, there should be an “American Idol All Stars” with the winners and runners-up from the last five seasons competing for the “Ultimate American Idol.”  Bring back Kelly Clarkson and Justin Guarini from season one, Ruben Studdard and Clay Aiken from season two, Fantasia and Diana DeGarmo from season three, and Carrie Underwood and Bo Bice from season four to compete with this year’s winner and runner-up.

 

If “Today Show” bound Meredith Vieira doesn’t return to the daytime version of “Who Wants to be a Millionaire,” ABC every man Tom Bergeron (“Dancing with the Stars,” “America’s Funniest Home Videos”) would be a good replacement.

 

Broadcasters Don’t Retire, They Go Into PR

Longtime Philadelphia radio personality Lorraine Ranalli is taking a break from the microphone to devote more time to her business, www.prcoordinates.com.

 

Castmates Think Flo is a “Little Stinker”

“Surreal Life” members Andrea Lowell and Tawny Kitaen don’t seem to be fans of “Dr. Flo,” Florence Henderson.  They are treating her worse than when the kids gave Alice the cold shoulder for being a “squealer” on “The Brady Bunch.”

 

Jones on VH1

Fox29 reporter Sheinelle Jones was on VH1’s “Most Embarrassing Moments 2” this weekend.  The actual embarrassing moment happened when she interviewed “American Idol” contestant Constantine Maroulis, who fell while doing a kick.  At the time, Jones was a reporter for a Fox station in Tulsa, OK.