PressFresh start for WWFSJune 24, 2007By Matthew Flamm, Crain's New York BusinessFresh start for WWFSBy: Matthew Flamm Published: June 24, 2007 - 6:59 am Each weekday on WPLJ, listeners can tune in to Scott & Todd in-the-Morning. At WLTW, they can hear Karen & Christine in the Morning. But on WWFS, the newest station targeting suburban women, the morning host is virtually anonymous. A low-key approach and soft music mix aimed at younger listeners have finally given WWFS what years of fumbling and a series of format shifts could not: a ratings winner. The CBS Radio station, which was once known as WNEW and is now called Fresh 102.7, jumped into the top 10 among its key audience--women listeners--in its first Arbitron survey this winter. Its share of that audience more than doubled from the fall. Competitors are taking notice. "It sounds like a station you might hear in an elevator," snipes Scott Shannon, WPLJ program director and half of Scott and Todd. Nevertheless, he says, "it seems to be affecting LTW and PLJ." Aggressive marketing Fresh is doing more than affecting WPLJ. An aggressive marketing campaign when 102.7 launched in January helped it blow past WPLJ--owned by Citadel Broadcasting--in the target audience. WPLJ's share of women aged 18 to 49 held even at a 3.4 in the winter. But 102.7's share climbed to a 3.9 from a 1.8 in the fall, when it was playing dance music under the old Mix format. Fresh ranked ninth in the target demographic, up seven spots. WPLJ slipped to No. 11. Fresh has now set its sights on powerhouse WLTW, which recently dropped its longtime Lite FM moniker in favor of 106.7--a move that some observers think was made in response to competition from Fresh. Long-suffering CBS Radio executives are delighted to see their problem station turn the corner. "To land in the top 10 on a launch was fabulous," says Fresh General Manager Maire Mason. "We have a very suburban, upscale audience, and advertisers love it." Monthly ad revenue for 102.7 has doubled since the launch, and nearly 50 new accounts have signed on, Ms. Mason says. Fresh still has catching up to do. Last year, it posted ad revenues of $17 million, according to BIA Financial Network. WPLJ billed $37.2 million and WLTW $65.6 million. But Fresh is making progress. "Its share of ad dollars is growing at a faster rate" than that of its two competitors, says Mark Lefkowitz, media director at Furman Roth Advertising Inc. "It's still not a giant number, but if [102.7's] ratings continue to improve, I think both of those stations will take a hit." Even so, Fresh has to prove its staying power. New formats often draw listeners eager to sample something different, but they don't necessarily stick around. "They've done a good launch, and you have to see how it plays out," says Rob Williams, market manager of Clear Channel New York, WLTW's operator. "There are plenty of stations that can launch well." Ad growth questioned There's also some question about how much 102.7's advertising revenue can grow. Fresh is far from topping the ranks of stations targeting suburban women. 106.7's No. 1 position in that category makes that station a must-buy for many advertisers. And WWFS doesn't have the selling power of star personalities. Morning hosts Scott Shannon and Todd Pettengill have long helped WPLJ bill far beyond its modest ratings by promoting products and events. Having popular pitchmen helps stations charge higher rates for ads. "Fresh doesn't have all the tools in the toolbox that WPLJ has," says radio consultant Robert Unmacht. Ms. Mason argues that the Fresh Web site is a great promotional tool and that advertisers are happy with the results. Reasonably priced option For marketers, Fresh is a welcome addition, largely because it gives them an alternative to 106.7, the top-billing signal in the country and an expensive station to buy. "The more competition, the better for my clients," says Tricia Pickering, a senior media buyer at Carat USA. "Fresh may not be No. 1, but when you break into the top 10, that's a big deal." RADIO DAYS Latest rating comparisons (average quarter-hour share of female audience aged 25 to 54, Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to midnight). Winter 2007; Fall 2006; % change WWFS 4.3; 2.1; +105% WPLJ 3.4; 3.7; -8% WLTW 9.4; 9.8; -4% Source: Arbitron Inc. |