The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Latest Buffalo Radio Ratings

RadioActive · March 27, 2024 5:28 pm

The usual suspects are in their usual places in the latest Buffalo radio ratings. But I remember when WYRK was #1 book after book. Not anymore. Now the country station is being consistently beaten by both WBLK and WGRF.

Also it looks like WBEN-AM has lost some of its former lustre in the book. And the resurrected WTSS-FM has earned its place on the list.

I'm always fascinated how well oldies do in Buffalo. WHTT is in fourth place, which is pretty good for a station that plays hits from a long time ago, even if it is a bit less than the last book.

Buffalo Radio Ratings

RadioAaron · March 27, 2024 5:50 pm

It’s still displaying last month’s update for me. They seem to tweet it out before the website is fully updated for everyone

Saul · March 27, 2024 7:09 pm

... except that WTSS isn't adult contemporary...

RadioAaron · March 27, 2024 8:14 pm

Saul wrote:
... except that WTSS isn't adult contemporary...

Sure they are.
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RadioActive · March 27, 2024 8:17 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
It’s still displaying last month’s update for me. They seem to tweet it out before the website is fully updated for everyone

I'm not sure what you're seeing but it indicates at the top of the page that these were released on March 27th - i.e. today.

RadioAaron · March 27, 2024 8:19 pm

Yes, I see that too, but the actual numbers aren't. They should be Jan-Mar, but they're still Dec-Jan.

Edit: nevermind, you're correct. Think I had a bad browser cache.

Last edited by RadioAaron (March 27, 2024 8:21 pm)

mace · March 28, 2024 7:28 am

Interesting that WBBF is attempting to compete with KISS98.5 for the Top 40 market. Using a 1000 watt AM daytimer and a 250 watt FM Translator that, judging by their contours, doesn't even reach Niagara Falls. Anything is possible. 1000 watt WYSL gave 50,000 watt KB some stiff competition in the 60's and 70's.

RadioAaron · March 28, 2024 8:31 am

mace wrote:
Interesting that WBBF is attempting to compete with KISS98.5 for the Top 40 market. Using a 1000 watt AM daytimer and a 250 watt FM Translator that, judging by their contours, doesn't even reach Niagara Falls. Anything is possible. 1000 watt WYSL gave 50,000 watt KB some stiff competition in the 60's and 70's.

It's a flanker for Cumulus, who don't have a pop station in the market. Anything is shaves off competitors could cause another Cumulus station to rank higher in the ratings, and therefore get on more buys.

Tomas Barlow · March 28, 2024 9:25 am

Saul wrote:
... except that WTSS isn't adult contemporary...

Remember that 102.5 no longer has the old Star call letters. Those were snapped up right away by the AC station that briefly rebranded its self to Star before it got a cease and desist because the original Star still exists as an online station.

paterson1 · March 28, 2024 10:41 am

WGRF must get a large male audience. Listened to Shredd & Ragan this morning for almost an hour and these two guys with their relatable on air style would be popular. Mind you when I listened there was no music at all, from 9:05 until 10am. After 10 it was one hour commercial free music. Shredd & Ragan are very local and likeable so they must be a big reason why WGRF does well in the ratings.

In the hour, one short and one long commercial break, but didn't hear any national ads, just local and mostly small businesses.

Saul · March 28, 2024 11:25 am

RadioAaron wrote:
Saul wrote:
... except that WTSS isn't adult contemporary...
Sure they are.

Thanks, RadioAaron - and Tomas as well. That makes much more sense to me now. Correction appreciated.

Last edited by Saul (March 28, 2024 11:27 am)

mace · March 29, 2024 8:43 am

paterson1 wrote:
WGRF must get a large male audience. Listened to Shredd & Ragan this morning for almost an hour and these two guys with their relatable on air style would be popular. Mind you when I listened there was no music at all, from 9:05 until 10am. After 10 it was one hour commercial free music. Shredd & Ragan are very local and likeable so they must be a big reason why WGRF does well in the ratings.

In the hour, one short and one long commercial break, but didn't hear any national ads, just local and mostly small businesses.

Did you listen online? Kitchener is a fair distance from Buffalo and WGRF has a much weaker signal [24000 watts] plus the splatter from 96.7. Their signal is iffy in Toronto but great east and west of the city.

DeepTracks · March 29, 2024 9:40 am

Listening online is almost unlistenable because of the subbed-out advertisements in overly repetitious insertion. I miss hearing the local ads when I was able to tune in to the actual station.I wasn't pleased when Humber College started their broadcasting that kept me from doing so.

Last edited by DeepTracks (March 29, 2024 9:41 am)

RadioActive · March 29, 2024 9:44 am

I remember when WGRF (it was WGRQ then) came into Toronto like a local station. Same with WBUF, WHTT, WJYE (now WTSS) and WEDG, which at the time was WYSL. I'm not sure if they changed their power or transmitter locations or have been wiped out by interference from since added local signals (or all three), but the days of listening to Buffalo FM, at least from my location in Northern North York, are long over.

It's too bad. Yes, they're online, but I really miss being able to tune them in on a conventional radio.

paterson1 · March 29, 2024 10:50 am

mace wrote:
paterson1 wrote:
WGRF must get a large male audience. Listened to Shredd & Ragan this morning for almost an hour and these two guys with their relatable on air style would be popular. Mind you when I listened there was no music at all, from 9:05 until 10am. After 10 it was one hour commercial free music. Shredd & Ragan are very local and likeable so they must be a big reason why WGRF does well in the ratings.

In the hour, one short and one long commercial break, but didn't hear any national ads, just local and mostly small businesses.
Did you listen online? Kitchener is a fair distance from Buffalo and WGRF has a much weaker signal [24000 watts] plus the splatter from 96.7. Their signal is iffy in Toronto but great east and west of the city.

Yes on line. The only Buffalo station I get in Kitchener would be WGR AM 55. It comes in clear but I don't listen to it. Buffalo radio even back in the 70's and 80's was marginal where I was living. Rock 102 came in and WYRK and one or two AM stations and that was about it. There may have been others but I don't remember any.

Yes K/W's CHYM at 96.7 has a pattern from about Mississauga/Etobicoke to London, Durham in the North to around Port Dover. I don't listen to CHYM either.

deLaat · March 29, 2024 10:14 pm

When I lived in Burlington in the eighties my go-to station was WGRQ (then) and Carl 'Blood-n-Guts' Russo.

Life happened then a couple of years ago I flew into Buffalo, rented a car and tuned in WGRF. By the time I got to St. Catharines the signal was gone.

mace · March 30, 2024 7:22 am

DeepTracks wrote:
Listening online is almost unlistenable because of the subbed-out advertisements in overly repetitious insertion. I miss hearing the local ads when I was able to tune in to the actual station.I wasn't pleased when Humber College started their broadcasting that kept me from doing so.

Yes the Humber signal blocks out WGRF until you at least get to Scarborough. Signal is also pretty good in south Mississauga and Oakville.