Cubs' high tide sends listeners to flagship
They say a high tide floats all boats, but I believe the Cubs' run to the playoffs actually washed away listeners at the all-sports stations over the summer.
The Cubs generated all sorts of interest, and they lifted WGN 720-AM to an easy victory in the quarterly Arbitron book with a 6.6 percent share of all listeners 12 and older. So how come, even as they were talking about the Cubs, WSCR 670-AM dipped from a 1.9 share in the spring to a 1.6, while WMVP 1000-AM remained level at 1.3?
The answer was obvious, and I knew it as soon as I actually stopped to think about how Mike Murphy's ratings at the Score had dropped this spring while the Cubs were just beginning their resurgence. How could that be?
As good as Murphy is doing Cubs talk -- and it's his area of expertise as the Score's midday-afternoon host -- the Cubs also just happen to be on much of the time on spring and summer afternoons. What would you rather listen to: Murphy talking about the Cubs, or Pat Hughes and Ron Santo doing an actual Cubs game? (Santo-phobes, don't answer that; the ratings show you're in the vast minority.)
Good as the competition is in afternoon drive -- and both shows have been excellent lately -- Dan Bernstein and Terry Boers at the Score and Dan McNeil, John Jurkovic and Harry Teinowitz at WMVP notice the effect as well.
"The Cubs' audience, rightfully so, went to the flagship," said Mitch Rosen, the Score's program director.
When the Bears do well, they truly do raise all boats at the all-sports stations, because their games are on the weekends and it gives everyone a week to talk about them in between. Yet the Cubs are more problematic. With all their afternoon games, they're much more likely to disrupt the competition.
That said, WMVP did better holding up in the demographic of men age 25-54 both stations aim for. In so-called radio prime time from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., WMVP was sixth in the market with a 3.2 share, just ahead of the Score at 3.1. But in drive time WMVP dominated, with Mac's afternoon show doing a third-place 4.2 from 3-6 p.m. to Boers & Bernsy's 2.9, although they were tied at 3.0 from 2-6 p.m. in men 18 and older.
In mornings, it was even more one-sided, with Mike Greenberg and Mike Golic doing at 5.0 from 5-9 a.m. in men 25-54, while the Score and Mike North were doing the same 2.9. From 6-10 a.m., North posted a 3.2, up from a year ago, but WMVP did a 5.3.
Morning hosts Tom Waddle and Marc Silverman tied the Score in men 25-54 from 9 a.m. to noon at 3.0. "We did manage to hold listeners over," said WMVP program director Justin Craig. "We've got some good growth here, but there's still a long way to go. … It's getting back in stride again."
It's still too early to judge Mike Tirico's midday-afternoon show on WMVP, as it debuted with only a couple of weeks left in the summer book. The fall book will give a better idea, especially with the Cubs gone, although the Bears need to rally and more to lift anybody's boat.
In the air
Remotely interesting: Ready or not where David Beckham is concerned, WPWR Channel 50 airs the soccer game between the Chicago Fire and the Los Angeles Galaxy at 2 p.m. Sunday.
ESPN Classic reruns Sultan Ibragimov's decision over Evander Holyfield at 7 p.m. Saturday. … ESPN Deportes plans to carry more than 60 winter-league baseball games this off-season. Bravos is at Caracas in Venezuela at 3 a.m. Wednesday. … SRO Sports is releasing a series of Wimbledon DVDs, including "The 2007 Official Film," the 2001 Pat Rafter-Goran Ivanisevic final and even the 1975 final between Arthur Ashe and Jimmy Connors, all out Oct. 30.
End of the dial: WGN 720-AM Cubs play-by-play man Pat Hughes is putting out a companion book for his Harry Caray Hall of Fame CD, co-written by the Daily Herald's Bruce Miles. It's out Nov. 13.
Channel 50 will air the IHSA football playoffs again this fall and gets started by presenting a pairings selection show online at 8 p.m. Saturday on the foxhiliteschicago.com Web site.
-- Ted Cox