‘Me-TV FM’ hits record-high ratings

Me-TV FM

Me-TV FM

Any doubts about whether Me-TV FM is for real were put to rest Tuesday.

Just shy of a year after signing on as a soft rock/oldies station, Weigel Broadcasting’s WRME LP 87.7 delivered its highest audience share ever in the latest Nielsen Audio ratings.

With 2.2 percent of all listeners (and a cumulative weekly audience of 569,200), Me-TV FM tied for 21st place overall. The station did even better in some demos: Among women between 35 and 64, it posted a 2.5 share, tying for 15th place.

That’s nothing short of remarkable for what essentially is a low-power analog station on VHF television channel 6 that operates as a radio station. Its leased signal at the farthest end of the dial isn’t even accessible by some automobile radios.

Rick O'Dell

Rick O'Dell

Rick O’Dell, the Chicago radio veteran who once programmed the same frequency as Chicago’s Smooth 87.7 FM, returned last October as program director of Me-TV FM.

“The 2.2 we achieved is a new high-water mark for the 87.7 FM frequency in Chicago,” O’Dell told staffers in a memo. “It surpasses the previous high (2.0) set by 87.7 when they were an alternative-formatted station LMA’d by Merlin. Also, if I’m not mistaken, the 2.2 is also a high for any 87.7 station around the country.”

Covering the period from December 31 to January 27, the survey also showed WLIT FM 93.9 falling back down to earth. The iHeartMedia adult contemporary station had its usual stratospheric rise the previous month for its annual Christmas music marathon.

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 December 31 to January 27 (followed by previous month’s share in parentheses):

1) WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 (simulcast) 6.8 (6.8)
2) WVAZ FM 102.7 6.0 (5.8)
3) WTMX FM 101.9 5.2 (4.2)
4) WLIT FM 93.9 4.7 (13.9)
5) WGN AM 720 4.2 (3.3)
6) WKSC FM 103.5 3.7 (3.4)
7) WOJO FM 105.1 3.6 (3.3)
8) WGCI FM 107.5 3.5 (3.5)
9) (tie) WBBM FM 96.3 3.3 (2.8)
9) (tie) WJMK FM 104.3 3.3 (2.3)
11) WUSN FM 99.5 2.8 (2.3)
12) (tie) WDRV FM 97.1 2.6 (2.7)
12) (tie) WKQX FM 101.1 2.6 (2.4)
12) (tie) WLS FM 94.7 2.6 (2.8)
12) (tie) WSCR AM 670 2.6 (2.0)
12) (tie) WXRT FM 93.1 2.6 (2.3)
17) WLUP FM 97.9 2.5 (2.0)
18) (tie) WBEZ FM 91.5 2.4 (2.1)
18) (tie) WPWX FM 92.3 2.4 (2.0)
20) WMVP AM 1000 2.3 (1.9)
21) (tie) WPPN FM 106.7 2.2 (2.0)
21) (tie) WRME FM 87.7 2.2 (1.4)
23) (tie) WLEY FM 107.9 2.0 (1.6)
23) (tie) WSHE FM 100.3 2.0 (2.0)
25) (tie) WEBG FM 95.5 1.8 (1.7)
25) (tie) WLS AM 890 1.8 (1.6)
27) WJKL FM 94.3 1.5 (1.3)
28) WFMT FM 98.7 1.1 (1.1)
29) WVIV FM 93.5 1.0 (0.8)
30) (tie) WIND AM 560 0.9 (0.7)
30) (tie) WMBI FM 90.1 0.9 (1.0)
32) (tie) WIIL FM 95.1 0.8 (0.6)
32) (tie) WSRB FM 106.3 0.8 (0.9)
34) (tie) WCPT AM 820 0.7 (0.6)
34) (tie)WERV FM 95.9 0.7 (0.6)
34) (tie) WZSR FM 105.5 0.7 (0.5)
37) WSSR FM 96.7 0.6 (0.6)
38) (tie) WCCQ FM 98.3 0.5 (0.5)
38) (tie) WFXF FM 103.9 0.5 (0.4)
38) (tie) WXLC FM 102.3 0.5 (0.7)

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 10.0 (10.6)
2) WTMX FM 101.9 Eric Ferguson and Kathy Hart 8.0 (6.0)
3) WGN AM 720 Steve Cochran 6.2 (5.6)
4) WVAZ FM 102.7 Steve Harvey 5.2 (5.8)
5) (tie) WLIT FM 93.9 Kristina Kage 3.9 (9.9)
5) (tie) WOJO FM 105.1 Raul Molinar, Sylvia del Valle and Andres Maldonado 3.9 (3.2)
7) WSCR AM 670 Mike Mulligan and Brian Hanley 3.6 (3.0)
8) WKSC FM 103.5 Christopher “Fred” Frederick and Angi Taylor 3.3 (3.0)
9) WBEZ FM 91.5 NPR Morning Edition; Morning Shift with Tony Sarabia 3.2 (2.7)
10) (tie) WBBM FM 96.3 J. Niice (Jamar McNeil) and Showbiz Shelly Menaker 2.8 (2.3)
10) (tie) WUSN FM 99.5 Lisa Dent and Ramblin’ Ray Stevens 2.8 (2.2)

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) WBBM AM 780/WCFS FM 105.9 (simulcast) Kris Kridel and Keith Johnson 5.6 (5.4)
2) WVAZ FM 102.7 Doug Banks 5.2 (5.2)
3) WLIT FM 93.9 Mick Lee 5.1 (14.5)
4) WTMX FM 101.9 Koz (Kevin Koske) 4.7 (4.2)
5) WKSC FM 103.5 Brady Broski 4.3 (4.0)
6) WGCI FM 107.5 Tone Kapone 3.9 (3.7)
7) WBBM FM 96.3 Dougie Stylz and Justin Roman 3.6 (3.0)
8) WJMK FM 104.3 Gary Spears 3.3 (2.2)
9) WGN AM 720 Roe Conn and Anna Davlantes 3.2 (2.4)
10) WOJO FM 105.1 Oswaldo Diaz 3.1 (3.2)