WMVP trounces WSCR in spring ratings
Teddy Greenstein | ON SPORTS MEDIA AND COLLEGES
7:54 PM CDT, July 23, 2008

WMVP-AM 1000 program director Justin Craig refused to gloat about his station's lopsided victory over WSCR-AM 670 in the spring ratings book.

"It's a good day" was as bold a proclamation as Craig would offer.

The same went for WMVP host Marc Silverman, whose "Waddle & Silvy" show bested the Score's 9 a.m.-noon offering (among men 25-54) 4.6 to 2.7.

"I hate to sound like an athlete," Silverman said. "But it's not about doing well in one book."

The "Waddle & Silvy" show has grown nearly every month, and Silverman attributed some of that to having "the best booker in all of Chicago radio."

Executive producer Randy Merkin scored interviews with aspiring Cubs owner Mark Cuban, Bulls disser Mike D'Antoni and Reds broadcaster Marty Brennaman the day after he ripped "obnoxious" Cubs fans.

"We bring you the newsmakers," Silverman said, "and we have fun with it."

Everyone at WMVP could relish the latest numbers from Arbitron.

"Mac, Jurko & Harry" regained the No. 1 spot in the market for men 25-54 with a 5.3 rating, easily defeating the Score's "Boers and Bernstein," which drew a 3.2.

Mike North's final book at the Score was ugly. ESPN's "Mike and Mike" crushed him from 6-9 a.m. (5.0-3.0).

A first-place Cubs team couldn't even rescue the Score's blabbering Mike Murphy, who lost to Mike Tirico (3.3-2. from 12-2 p.m.

The overall spread between the stations was 3.8-2.8, but only because the White Sox were a popular draw at night for the Score. The spread from 6 a.m.-7 p.m. was 4.7 to 2.9.

"People are gravitating to our strong personalities," Craig said.

But that's only part of the story. The other part provided some relief to Score officials.

The spring book marked the end of the "diaries"—Arbitron's outdated method for measuring radio ratings. No longer will listeners be asked to recall their listening habits and record them in a book.

The new system of "Portable People Meters" uses mobile phone-sized devices that some 2,000 Chicago panelists wear that measure their listening habits by picking up radio signals.

"The books are history," Score program director Mitch Rosen said. "The PPM technology gives a true measurement of the audience."

Arbitron has been developing the PPM system since 1992.

"This will be a truer representation," Craig said. "It's what everyone has been waiting for for many, many years."

The spring PPM still gave WMVP a huge edge (5.2 to 3.7) in ratings among men 25-54.

But the Score did have a higher "cume"—306,000 to 289,000. So WSCR had more listeners, but WMVP retained them for far longer.

And that alone was enough to justify the Score's recent lineup shift, "Mully and Hanley" replacing North in the mornings and Laurence Holmes vying for the permanent spot from 10-noon.

"We've changed half the lineup," Rosen said. "We feel the timing is perfect for the new methodology."

I hate to admit that a Mike North-like thought even entered my head, but . . . are these ratings accurate? Can this be true? What happened to mid-days? Didn't Mully & Hanley and Murph regularly thrash ESPN? Now all of a sudden with the Cubs and Sox in first place and the Bulls having the #1 pick, people started abandoning the Score in droves for Mike Tirico? I don't get it.

Also, was that a subtle shot at Jen by Silvy? The best booker in all of Chicago radio! Wow, his rolodex must be worth even more than Jen's.

Don't think so. He mostly competed against Mully and Hanley. Anyway Jenny's hanging out with a guy with a sign reading "talk sports for $$$". How's he going to top that?!?

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Middle Aged Crazy, like Uncle Terry

Mike North's final book at the Score was ugly. ESPN's "Mike and Mike" crushed him from 6-9 a.m. (5.0-3.0).

Wow... I figured North would lose, but not get crushed like that.

Why for the love of God would WLS890 want to remove their morning show (which is drawing HUGE numbers) for North, who is in neutral and rolling backwards down a hill?

I can't believe Murph lost either. Perhaps the White Sox fans that listen to the SCORE punch the dial away from the Cub lovin' Murph (although I'm a Sox fan, and I think if anything, he hammers the Cubs more than heaps praise on them).

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The name's Rockmore. Beef Rockmore

Maybe a shot, but its true...Teddy explanation was spot on.

viewtopic.php?f=100&t=22896&p=342805#p342805

Not a wide margin, but this blows my mind that "Musical Chairs Show" even won:

A first-place Cubs team couldn't even rescue the Score's blabbering Mike Murphy, who lost to Mike Tirico (3.3-2. from 12-2 p.m.

More like "MUSICAL CHAIRS OF DISINTERESTED TV TALKING HEADS"

This bodes poorly for sportsradio imho...

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The name's Rockmore. Beef Rockmore

I dont listen to WLS, but there is no way I can see them replacing those two with North. If there was a offer and if it was for...lets say, 600,000, Mr. Undeniably Unemployed would have taken the offer.

North posted on his site, twice, that he would have a job by now, he is still at home playing playing golden tee, thats pretty sad, but so deserving for the idiot.

Back to the drawing board TEAM NORTH. WROK in Rockford could use Mike! They'd probably pay about 20 G's.

"I am about a week away from making a decision on my next move."

- Mike North July 14th 2008.

Towards the Kennedy with a bottle of Windex...some next move

I would think he could see the light, call Jiggs and see if they could do a comcast show?

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