From the MRCFB news archive: 1985
Switch To Nostalgia Format Boosts CKLW’s Ratings
DETROIT — The rapid rise of CKLW-AM Windsor from a .8 rating to a 5.2 in six months may be perceived by competing stations as an example of the “flash in the pan” syndrome that has affected other nostalgia outlets. However, CKLW operations manager Dave Shafer insists, “We have a lot of plans to ensure it sustains itself.”
Baton Broadcasting sold CKLW-AM-FM to present owner Keith Campbell in January, after the struggling AC outlet had sunk to a .8 in the Fall Arbitron book. “The police radio-band had more action,” jokes Shafer.
Campbell switch formats to Al Ham’s “Music Of Your Life,” and results were immediately apparent in the Winter book 4.0 rating. With the Spring’s book 5.2, Shafer notes, “That’s an increase of over 600% in just six months.”
Shafer attributes some of CKLW’s success to the fact that the 50,000-watt AM reaches 18 states and two provinces. and that its big band format is the first in the market “since WCAR 35 years ago.”
In addition, Shafer credits the station’s somewhat altered approach to “Music Of Your Life,” adding further, “We’ve done some things different than Al Ham,” he notes. “We’ve added more cuts; our repertoire is more varied than normal.”
Another factor contributing to CKLW’s popularity, says Shafer, is a staff of well-know top 40 deejays, among them Jim Davis, formerly of Detroit stations WXYZ, WJR and WOMC: Bob Charleson; previously with Detroit’s WWJ and WCAR; and Dave Prince, who had served on WXYZ as well as Los Angeles outlets KISS and KHJ.
Competing stations such as beautiful music WJOI and all-news WXYT have felt the effect of CKLW’s rise, but their respective program directors, says they’re not concerned. At WJOI, which went from a 9.8 fall rating to 6.1 in the spring, PD Steve VanOort says, “They’re taking some of our older audience, but this isn’t a competitive format. There’s nothing we will do or can do. We’re not going to start programming Big Band music.
“We do go after the same audience,” VanOort continues, “but easy listening, because its more contemporary, has a younger audience. Sure, we’ve been affected in the older demos, but our 25-54 numbers haven’t changed all that much.”
WXYT program director John Harper concurs. “They’ve only affected our 55-plus numbers,” he says. WXYT went from a 4.6 in the fall to a 3.4 in the spring.
“Across the country,” Harper says, “the big band format has a tradition of a meteoric rise and fall.” CKLW’s success, he says, could be considered distressing, “but its only 55-plus numbers.”
CKLW’s Shafer disagrees. “Our listeners average age, according gto our research firm, is 40-49, and I think it’s actually 44. And these people aren’t old or dead. They’re the biggest buying public out there.”
Shafer claims it usually take a year and a half to achieve this kind of growth, but notes that “people are still finding us.” We receive an average of 350 letters a day.” END.
(Information and news source: Billboard; August 10, 1985).
