Chicago radio ratings: Pat Cassidy helps put WBBM Newsradio back on top

PatCassidy

With veteran morning news anchor Pat Cassidy leading the way, WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM bounced back to first place in the latest survey of Chicago radio listenership.

In addition to ranking No. 1 overall, the Audacy all-news combo won in mornings with Cassidy, middays with Cisco Cotto and afternoons with Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding, according to Nielsen Audio figures released Monday.

WVAZ 102.7-FM, the iHeartMedia R&B station, retained its audience share but fell to second place behind WBBM Newsradio. V103 again led in evenings with syndicated host Keith Sweat.

All eyes this week are on WTMX 101.9-FM, the Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary station, where longtime morning host Eric Ferguson is off the air while battling accusations of sexual misconduct by two former employees. Ferguson's morning show saw an uptick in the ratings, rising from ninth place to a tie for fifth.

The monthlong survey period concluded on September 15, which was 12 days before news of the initial lawsuit against Ferguson was reported.

For the eighth consecutive month Univision Spanish-language regional Mexican WOJO 105.1-FM was No. 1 among listeners between 25 and 54 — the group most sought by advertisers. WOJO also finished first in the key adult demographic in mornings with Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado, middays with Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista 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 August 19 to September 15, 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, 6.6 (5.7)
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM R&B, 6.3 (6.3)
3. WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 4.8 (5.4)
4. WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 4.3 (3.9)
5. WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 4.2 (4.2)
6. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 4.1 (4.3); WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 4.1 (3.8)
8. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 3.8 (4.5)
9. (tie) WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 3.6 (3.1); WGN 720-AM news talk, 3.6 (3.4)
11. WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 3.3 (3.2)
12. WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 2.8 (2.5)
13. (tie) WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip-hop, 2.7 (2.7); WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 2.7 (3.1)
15. WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 2.6 (2.2)
16. (tie) WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.5 (2.5); WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 2.5 (2.9)
18. WGCI 107.5-FM hip-hop, 2.4 (2.5)
19. WUSN 99.5-FM country, 2.3 (2.4)
20. WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 2.2 (1.9)
21. WFMT 98.7-FM classical, 2.1 (1.9)
22. (tie) WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 1.9 (2.0); WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.9 (1.8)
24. (tie) WCHI 95.5-FM rock, 1.7 (1.8); WLS 890-AM news talk, 1.7 (1.4)
26. (tie) WCKL 97.9-FM contemporary Christian music, 1.2 (1.7); WPWX 92.3-FM hip-hop, 1.2 (1.3); WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 1.2 (1.0)
29. WXLC 102.3-FM hot adult contemporary, 1.0 (0.9)
30. WSRB 106.3-FM R&B, 0.9 (0.8)

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. WVAZ 102.7-FM Steve Harvey
3. WBEZ 91.5-FM “Morning Edition”; “BBC Newshour”
4. WGN 720-AM Bob Sirott
5. (tie) WOJO 105.1-FM Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado; WTMX 101.9-FM Eric Ferguson, Nikki Chuminatto, Brian “Whip” Paruch and Violeta Podrumedic
7. WLIT 93.9-FM Melissa Forman
8. WKSC 103.5-FM Christopher “Fred” Frederick and Kristie Graybill
9. WDRV 97.1-FM Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle
10. WSCR 670-AM Mike Mulligan and David Haugh

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. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Cisco Cotto
2. WLIT 93.9-FM Robin Rock
3. WGN 720-AM John Williams; Anna Davlantes
4. WOJO 105.1-FM Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista
5. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM Bob Stroud; WRME 87.7-FM; WVAZ 102.7-FM Bioncé Foxx
8. WLS 94.7-FM Erin Carman
9. WXRT 93.1-FM Lin Brehmer
10. (tie) WBEZ 91.5-FM “1A”; “Reset”; “Fresh Air”; WLEY 107.9-FM Diane Fong; WLS 890-AM Chris Plante; Dan Bongino

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. WVAZ 102.7-FM Joe Soto
3. WBEZ 91.5-FM “All Things Considered”; “Marketplace”
4. WLIT 93.9-FM Mick Lee
5. WTMX 101.9-FM Chris Petlak and Lisa Allen
6. (tie) WLS 94.7-FM Tim Virgin; WOJO 105.1-FM Sylvia del Valle
8. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM Steve Seaver and Janda Lane; WPPN 106.7-FM Maria Esther “La Chula” Mendez and Poncho “La Bestia” Mercado
10. 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. WVAZ 102.7-FM Keith Sweat
2. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Bob Conway; Andy Dahn
3. WLIT 93.9-FM Delilah Rene
4. WFMT 98.7-FM
5. WGCI 107.5-FM Zach Boog
6. WLS 94.7-FM Kid Kelly
7. (tie) WBEZ 91.5-FM "Marketplace"; "The Daily"; "Fresh Air"; "1A"; "BBC World Service"; WTMX 101.9-FM Jordan “Dash” Orman-Weiss
9. WBMX 104.3-FM
10. WXRT 93.1-FM Ryan Arnold

(Copyright © 2021 The Nielsen Company.)