New Arbitron PPM ratings system continues to help WTOP gain more Advertising Agency revenue

story by Washington Business Journal

Washington’s top-rated radio station, WTOP, ranks No. 2 in the nation among individual stations, based on 2009 revenue, topped only by Los Angeles giant KIIS.

WTOP also posted the smallest year-over-year revenue decline among the top 10 stations, with 2009 billings down less than 1.5 percent from 2008.

KIIS, home to Ryan Seacrest, had $55 million in 2009 revenue, down from $66.3 million in 2008, a 17 percent decline, according to preliminary figures as calculated by BIA Advisory Services. WTOP had $51.03 million in 2009 revenue, down from $51.75 million.

WTOP contributes part of its ability to hold steady through the downturn in advertiser dollars being spent to the presence of the federal government, and government-related contracting advertising it generates.

“Certainly, it is a category that no one else in the country has on the scale that we have here in Washington,” said Joel Oxley, Bonneville International senior regional vice president.

“The recent switch from a diary-based Arbitron ratings system to the electronic portable people meters has also benefited us, showing a more accurate count of our audience and helping sales we receive through advertising agencies.”

Among the top 10 billing radio stations in the country, WTOP was the only station not in New York, Los Angeles or Chicago, the nation’s three largest radio markets.

There are no other Washington-area radio stations in the top 50 for 2009 billings. CBS-owned WPGC was the next-highest local radio station, at No. 59 with 2009 revenue of $18 million, down from $23.725 million in 2008.

New York all-news stations WCBS and WINS ranked third and fourth behind WTOP, with 2009 revenue of $43.6 million and $42.9, down from 2008 billings of $46.7 million and $51.8 million, respectively.

The rest of the top 10 billing radio stations in 2009 were KROQ in Los Angeles, WLTW in New York, KFI in Los Angeles, WBBM in Chicago, WHTZ in New York and WGN in Chicago.

Washington’s 55 radio stations had total 2009 sales of $251.9 million.

In the Washington DC market CBS's WPGC was the 2nd highest biller in the DC market with $18 million. Citadel's WRQX was 3rd at $15.7 million, Howard U's WHUR 4th with $15.3 million, and Radio One's WKYS was 5th with $14.3 million. The top Baltimore station was Radio One's WERQ, which placed 113th nationally, at $12.9 million. More local stations: WTEM $12.6 million, WLIF $12.2 million, WMMJ $11.6 million, WASH $11.5 million, WPOC $11.4 million, WWIN-FM $10.6 million, WJFK $10.2 million, WMZQ $10.1 million, WIHT $10.0 million, WWDC $9.7 million, WBIG $9.2 million, WLZL $9.0 million, WWMX $9.0 million, WBAL-AM $8.9 million, WMAL $8.8 million, WIYY $8.3 million, WQSR $7.0 million, WAVA-FM $6.9 million, WVRX $6.5 million, WIAD $6.2 million.