BREAKING NEWS: Washington’s WTOP is radio’s highest-billing station.

story by Inside Radio

For the first time in radio history, an all news station on FM is radio’s top billing station. Bonneville’s WTOP, Washington was 2010’s largest revenue generator.

The folks at Hubbard Broadcasting have to be happy as they anticipate taking control of all-news WTOP, Washington, DC, after bringing in $57 million in revenue.

The hard work and creativity of the Bonneville station’s staff and management notwithstanding, the success of the all-newser in market #9 outbilling stations in much larger markets such as Los Angeles, New York and Chicago is indicative of what many believe is the PPM-friendliness of the all-news format.

The ability to spread spots out and not cluster them in big spot sets is endemic to the news format and many radio managers and PPM analysts believe this, along with the public’s desire for the day’s news, traffic and weather in big commuter markets like DC, make all-news a format conducive to ratings success in big PPM markets.

Still, there are all-news stations in other major markets and WTOP outbilled them all. Moving to FM played a key role in WTOP's 2010 success.

Top 10 Radio Station Billers for 2010 Ranked by BIA/Kelsey 

01 - Bonneville all-newser WTOP, Washington, D.C. - $57,225,000, out of a market total of $255,000,000. That means WTOP is now hauling in more than 22% of the market’s total radio revenue.

02 - Clear Channel CHR KIIS-FM, Los Angeles - $54,000,000.
03 - CBS Radio’s all-news WCBS-AM, New York - $49,000,000.
04 - Clear Channel’s talk KFI, Los Angeles - $46,000,000.
05 - Clear Channel’s AC “Lite” WLTW, New York - $44,300,000.
06 - Clear Channel CHR “Z100″ WHTZ, New York - $43,000,000.
07 - CBS all-news WBBM-AM, Chicago - $42,500,000.
08 - CBS all-news “1010 WINS”, New York - $41,000,000.
09 - CBS all-sports “Fan” WFAN, New York - $40,500,000.
10 - CBS alternative KROQ-FM, Los Angeles - $39,000,000.