The Jibguy's ratings

[Aaron Read]

Eli Polonsky wrote:
> You're asking if the WJIB programming could work on WBOS
> WITHOUT commercials? How would Greater Media make money
> from the station without commercials? Major commercial
> broadcasting companies like Greater Media are all about
> making money! I doubt they would ever want to conduct an
> on-air fund drive like Bob did, and they're not about
> providing a community service and just raising the funds
> to cover expenses without making a significant profit.
> 

I probably shouldn't have said "WBOS" - too easy to focus on it.  I was 
thinking in a more general sense...any owner of a medium to large FM signal.

Obviously that doesn't really help much...WFNX and WXRV are NOT going to 
change to WJIB's format, nor will any of the NCE FM signals, and the 
rest of the FM's in the area are either more successful than WJIB is or 
could be, or are in the same boat as WBOS; there's more profitable ways 
to run a station besides WJIB.

However, don't dismiss WJIB's fundraising method out of hand.  Remember 
that WCRB 102.5 ran several highly-successful fundraisers over the 
years.  And did quite well in the ratings, too.  OTOH, I suppose that 
proves my point: didn't WCRB 102.5 have a bitch of a time getting decent 
ad dollars despite respectable ratings every quarter?  Something about 
having a hard time "selling" a classical format, wasn't it?

After a fashion, it would almost make sense for a station like WMBR or 
WZBC to put in an HD Radio rig and rebroadcast WJIB on an HD2 or HD3 
signal.  They wouldn't care so much about making money as just doing a 
"community service", which few could argue that WJIB doesn't provide! 
And it's getting the ratings to prove it!  Anyways, take advantage of 
the listener base to increase fundraising potential; have some kind of 
revenue sharing deal with Bob or something like that.

Probably wouldn't work just yet because the HD Radios themselves are a 
little pricey for WJIB's prime demo.  But hell, Radiosophy has a $99 
radio coming out and there's a $40 rebate program going on.  They're 
getting cheaper every month...

--------------------------
Aaron Read
readaaron@friedbagels.com
Boston, MA 02446-2204