Pat Cassidy (Photo: Karen Kring)
For the first time since February Audacy all-news WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM was the top-rated radio station in Chicago, according to Nielsen Audio figures released Monday.
WBBM Newsradio bumped iHeartMedia R&B WVAZ 102.7-FM to second place overall and also finished first in mornings with Pat Cassidy, afternoons with Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding, and evenings with Bob Conway and Andy Dahn.
Robin Rock of iHeartMedia adult contemporary WLIT 93.9-FM again led the market in middays.
Chicago Cubs baseball broadcasts appeared to help boost Audacy sports/talk WSCR 670-AM, particularly at night. But White Sox baseball did little to improve Good Karma Brands ESPN sports/talk WMVP 1000-AM, which tied for 25th overall with Cumulus Media news/talk WLS 890-AM.
Among listeners between 25 and 54 — the group most sought by advertisers — it was another winning month for WOJO 105.1-FM. The Univision Spanish-language regional Mexican station was No. 1 in the key adult demographic for the sixth consecutive month.
WOJO also finished first in the demo in mornings with Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado, and afternoons with Sylvia del Valle.
Hispanic listeners comprise 21.5 percent of the Chicago radio market and Black listeners comprise 16.6 percent of the market, according to Nielsen.
Here are Chicago’s top 30 radio stations from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, as measured by Nielsen Audio from June 24 to July 21, followed by format and average quarter-hour share of listeners age 6 and older (with previous month’s share in parentheses):
1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM all news, 6.7 (6.0)
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM R&B, 5.8 (6.5)
3. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 5.2 (5.2); WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 5.2 (5.6)
5. WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 4.4 (4.1)
6. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 4.1 (3.5)
7. WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 3.5 (3.8)
8. WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 3.4 (3.4)
9. WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 3.3 (3.7)
10. WGN 720-AM news talk, 3.1 (3.3)
11. WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 3.0 (2.9)
12. WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 2.9 (2.6)
13. (tie) WUSN 99.5-FM country, 2.8 (2.8); WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 2.8 (3.1); WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 2.8 (2.7)
16. WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip-hop, 2.7 (2.6)
17. WCHI 95.5-FM rock, 2.4 (1.9)
18. WGCI 107.5-FM hip-hop, 2.2 (2.4)
19. (tie) WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.1 (2.3); WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 2.1 (2.1); WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 2.1 (2.8)
22. WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 1.7 (1.8)
23. (tie) WFMT 98.7-FM classical, 1.5 (1.9); WPWX 92.3-FM hip-hop, 1.5 (1.2)
25. (tie) WLS 890-AM news talk, 1.3 (1.4); WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.3 (1.2)
27. WCKL 97.9-FM contemporary Christian music, 1.2 (1.1)
28. WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 1.1 (1.2)
29. WMBI 90.1-FM Christian ministry, 1.0 (1.1)
30. WXLC 102.3-FM hot adult contemporary, 0.8 (1.0)
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 morning shows from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Pat Cassidy
2. (tie) WOJO 105.1-FM Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado; WVAZ 102.7-FM Steve Harvey
4. (tie) WBEZ 91.5-FM “Morning Edition”; “BBC Newshour”; WGN 720-AM Bob Sirott
6. WDRV 97.1-FM Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle
7. WLIT 93.9-FM Melissa Forman
8. WSCR 670-AM Mike Mulligan and David Haugh
9. WKSC 103.5-FM Christopher “Fred” Frederick and Kristie Graybill
10. WTMX 101.9-FM Eric Ferguson, Nikki Chuminatto, Brian “Whip” Paruch and Violeta Podrumedic
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 midday shows from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. WLIT 93.9-FM Robin Rock
2. WDRV 97.1-FM Bob Stroud
3. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Cisco Cotto
4. WVAZ 102.7-FM Bioncé Foxx
5. WOJO 105.1-FM Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista
6. WLS 94.7-FM Erin Carman
7. WGN 720-AM John Williams; Anna Davlantes
8. WTMX 101.9-FM Jenny Valliere
9. (tie) WXRT 93.1-FM Lin Brehmer; WRME 87.7-FM
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 afternoon shows from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding
2. WLIT 93.9-FM Mick Lee
3. WVAZ 102.7-FM Joe Soto
4. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM Steve Seaver and Janda Lane; WOJO 105.1-FM Sylvia del Valle
6. WLS 94.7-FM Tim Virgin
7. WTMX 101.9-FM Chris Petlak and Lisa Allen
8. WPPN 106.7-FM Maria Esther “La Chula” Mendez and Poncho “La Bestia” Mercado
9. (tie) WBEZ 91.5-FM “All Things Considered”; “Marketplace”; WKSC 103.5-FM Brady Broski
Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 evening shows from 7 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen:
1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Bob Conway; Andy Dahn
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM Keith Sweat
3. WLS 94.7-FM Kid Kelly
4. WLIT 93.9-FM Delilah Rene
5. WSCR 670-AM Chicago Cubs baseball; various hosts
6. WDRV 97.1-FM John “Byrd” Kempf
7. WBMX 104.3-FM
8. WGCI 107.5-FM Zach Boog
9. WUSN 99.5-FM Rob Stone and Holly Hutton
10. (tie) WXRT 93.1-FM Ryan Arnold; WKSC 103.5-FM Jordan “JRDN” Foster
(Copyright © 2021 The Nielsen Company.)
Monday's comment of the day: Scott Knitter: I count on Ken Dietz daily for an incorrect assessment of something.