Cubs on winning streak for The Score

Cubs Radio

Cubs Radio

Chicago Cubs baseball broadcasts again landed the top spot for CBS Radio sports/talk WSCR AM 670 among men between 25 and 54 in the latest Nielsen Audio ratings.

The previous month saw The Score tied for first place in the key male demo with Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX FM 101.9. This time, The Score was No. 1 all by itself.

Mitch Rosen

Mitch Rosen

Close to 500,000 listeners tuned in to selected Cubs games during the most recent survey period, which ran from June 16 to July 13, according to Mitch Rosen, operations director of The Score.

“It’s safe to say The Score is the No. 1 listening destination when the Cubs are playing,” Rosen said, citing “massive percentage increases” over last year. He said the success of the Cubs and the popularity of the broadcast team of Pat Hughes, Ron Coomer and Mark Grote have had a “halo effect” on the station’s ratings throughout the day and night as well as on weekends.

Under a seven-year deal with CBS Radio, Cubs broadcasts shifted to The Score this season after one year on all-news WBBM AM 780. In simulcast combo with WCFS FM 105.9, WBBM Newsradio continued to lead the market in overall share.

Despite the challenge, ESPN Radio’s competing sports/talk WMVP AM 1000 isn’t ceding anything. Pointing to growth among digital listeners, ESPN 1000 just signed John “Jurko” Jurkovic to a multiyear renewal as midday host with Carmen DeFalco. “Middays is a tough game if you don’t have afternoon Cubs games,” said program director Adam Delevitt.

Here are the top 40 radio stations in the Chicago area followed by average share of listeners age 6 and older from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, as measured by Nielsen Audio from June 16 to July 13 (followed by the previous month’s share in parentheses):

1) WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 (simulcast) 5.8 (5.8)
2) WVAZ FM 102.7 5.6 (6.1)
3) WTMX FM 101.9 4.9 (5.0)
4) WKSC FM 103.5 4.6 (4.4)
5) (tie) WGCI FM 107.5 4.0 (3.5)
5) (tie) WSCR AM 670 4.0 (4.1)
7) WGN AM 720 3.9 (3.6)
8) (tie) WBBM FM 96.3 3.6 (3.4)
8) (tie) WDRV FM 97.1 3.6 (3.4)
8) (tie) WLIT FM 93.9 3.6 (3.7)
11) WLS FM 94.7 3.2 (3.1)
12) WUSN FM 99.5 3.0 (2.6)
13) (tie) WJMK FM 104.3 2.8 (2.9)
13) (tie) WKQX FM 101.1 2.8 (3.0)
15) WOJO FM 105.1 2.7 (2.8)
16) (tie) WSHE FM 100.3 2.5 (2.6)
16) (tie) WXRT FM 93.1 2.5 (2.9)
18) (tie) WBEZ FM 91.5 2.4 (2.4)
18) (tie) WEBG FM 95.5 2.4 (2.3)
18) (tie) WLUP FM 97.9 2.4 (2.4)
21) WPWX FM 92.3 2.2 (2.1)
22) (tie) WLS AM 890 2.0 (1.9)
22) (tie) WPPN FM 106.7 2.0 (1.8)
24) WRME FM 87.7 1.8 (1.8)
25) (tie) WFMT FM 98.7 1.5 (1.4)
25) (tie) WJKL FM 94.3 1.5 (1.6)
25) (tie) WMVP AM 1000 1.5 (1.4)
28) (tie) WIND AM 560 1.4 (1.3)
28) (tie) WLEY FM 107.9 1.4 (1.5)
30) (tie) WSRB FM 106.3 1.0 (0.9)
30) (tie) WVIV FM 93.5 1.0 (1.0)
32) WCPT AM 820 0.9 (1.1)
33) (tie) WERV FM 95.9 0.7 (0.5)
33) (tie) WMBI FM 90.1 0.7 (0.6)
35) (tie) WIIL FM 95.1 0.6 (0.6)
35) (tie) WZSR FM 105.5 0.6 (0.6)
37) (tie) WCCQ FM 98.3 0.5 (0.3)
37) (tie) WSSR FM 96.7 0.5 (0.5)
39) (tie) WFXF FM 103.9 0.4 (0.4)
39) (tie) WLJE FM 105.5 0.4 (0.6)

Morning drive top 10

Here are Chicago’s top 10 morning shows followed by average share of listeners age 6 and older from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio (with previous month’s share in parentheses):

1) WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 (simulcast) Felicia Middlebrooks and Pat Cassidy 8.5 (8.4)
2) WGN AM 720 Steve Cochran 6.6 (5.8)
3) WTMX FM 101.9 Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart 6.3 (6.8)
4) WVAZ FM 102.7 Steve Harvey 4.3 (4.8)
5) WBEZ FM 91.5 Morning Edition; Morning Shift with Tony Sarabia 3.8 (3.7)
6) (tie) WKSC FM 103.5 Christopher “Fred” Frederick and Angi Taylor 3.4 (3.5)
6) (tie) WLIT FM 93.9 Kristina Kage 3.4 (3.2)
6) (tie) WOJO FM 105.1 Raul Molinar, Sylvia del Valle and Andres Maldonado 3.4 (3.5)
9) (tie) WDRV FM 97.1 Pete McMurray 3.2 (3.0)
9) (tie) WSCR AM 670 Mike Mulligan and Brian Hanley 3.2 (3.4)

Afternoon drive top 10

Here are Chicago’s top 10 afternoon shows followed by average share of listeners age 6 and older from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio (with previous month’s share in parentheses):

1) (tie) WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 (simulcast) Kris Kridel and Keith Johnson 5.2 (4.7)
1) (tie) WKSC FM 103.5 Brady Broski 5.2 (5.0)
3) WVAZ FM 102.7 Joe Soto 5.1 (5.8)
4) WTMX FM 101.9 Koz (Kevin Koske) 4.9 (5.1)
5) WBBM FM 96.3 Dougie Stylz and Justin Roman 4.3 (3.7)
6) (tie) WGCI FM 107.5 Tone Kapone 3.8 (3.5)
6) (tie) WLIT FM 93.9 Mick Lee 3.8 (4.1)
6) (tie) WSCR AM 670 Terry Boers and Dan Bernstein; Cubs baseball 3.8 (4.3)
9) WUSN FM 99.5 Mike Kasper 3.4 (2.8)
10) (tie) WGN AM 720 Roe Conn and Anna Davlantes 3.3 (3.1)
10) (tie) WLS FM 94.7 Robert Murphy 3.3 (2.8)