NEPR increases news presence in New York and the Berkshires

The Berkshire Eagle reports that New England Public Radio is adding WNNU-FM to its group of stations.

New England all-news network will now be heard at night in South County

WNNU will broadcast NEPR's all news and information service currently airing in the same area on NEPR's WNNZ. WNNZ is required to reduce power at night limiting its coverage. It is hoped that the 270 watt FM will help fill-in some of the nighttime holes.

It will do more than that. Baby Boomers, the primary market for NPR news and information, prefers to listen FM signals. WNNZ is an AM station.

WAMC already broadcasts in that area which will set up competition for the NPR news audience in the Berkshires and a portion of New York State. NEPR's Executive Director of Broadcasting, Richard Malawista defended in an interview with the Berkshire Eagles. Malawista says his station's presence in the market by saying there's room for both in the Berkshires.

According to Census data this is what the two station will be sharing.

• The Berkshires has been losing population over the past decade...about 1%. 
• There are about 130,000 full-time residents.
• NPR's audience is highly educated. 30% of the population of the Berkshires has a college degree. That compares with about 39% for the rest of Massachusetts.
• About 12% of the population lives below the poverty level compared with 11% for the rest of Massachusetts.
• 19% of the population is over 65. That compares with 14% for the rest of the state.

Hartford Metro Drops Rank

This and That

According to the Arbitron Ratings Service, the Hartford Metro is no longer in the top 50 markets. Recent ratings releases show the Hartford Metro has fallen to number 52. In the 2010 Census Hartford County actually had a population increase of 4.3%. The increase was  not enough to increase the growth in other markets. The Hartford New Haven DMA is still ranked 30th. Market rank and population help determine the rates commercial radio and television stations use for advertising. Public broadcasters also use the market designations as a benchmark for hiring staff.

WNPR is the top ranked public radio station in the Hartford Metro. Nobody else is coming close.
According to Arbitron and RRC (Hartford Metro PPM Person's 6+ October 2011):

WNPR     4.1% Share

WJMJ      1.4% Share

WFCR     0.9% Share

WYBC     0.9% Share

WQTQ     0.7% Share

Everybody else is listed as having a 0.1% share. WNPR may be benefiting from the way PPM collects information. PPM picks up actual listening among those chosen to be in the sample. The diary method used recalled listening. Under the diary system, WNPR used to run neck and neck with WJMJ and WFCR in the Hartford Metro. WNPR's decision to focus its format on Public Radio News and Information from a split format also has helped improve its share. WFCR's numbers in the Hartford Metro are skewed by it's signal. WFCR's signal covers the northern half of the Hartford Metro. Signal strength also skews WNPR's coverage. WNPR effectively covers the southern two-thirds of the Hartford Metro. 

WNPR recently reached an agreement with WAIC and American International College to broadcast on their frequency out of the Springfield area. The added frequency fills in some of the holes in the northern part of the Hartford Metro for WNPR.

A Market Opportunity
The region's only full-time AAA station, WRNX, Amherst recently switched formats to Country Music. WRNX has a weak signal into the Hartford Metro, but could be heard in the northern portions of the Market. A full-time AAA station might be an opportunity for a non-commercial station in the Hartford and Springfield markets. WRNX used to pull in between a 1.5 and 2.0. WRNX is owned by Clear Channel.