Chicago radio ratings: Steve Cochran bounces back on WGN

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Steve Cochran

Reversing a run of all-time low ratings, Steve Cochran surged back into Chicago radio's top 10 for his morning show on Tribune Broadcasting news/talk WGN 720-AM.

Nielsen Audio figures released Tuesday showed Cochran tied for sixth place in mornings with a 4.0 percent audience share — his best performance all year.

Cochran’s counterparts on the station were less fortunate, with middays languishing in 22nd place and afternoons in 23rd, each with 1.9 shares, and evenings tied for 25th with a 1.3 share. Overall WGN ranked 21st with a 2.4 share in June.

Cumulus Media news/talk WLS 890-AM fell deeper into the doldrums, finishing 25th overall with a 1.5 share. Mornings ranked 21st with a 1.9 share; middays tied for 17th with a 2.8 share; afternoons ranked 27th with a 1.2 share; and evenings tied for 32nd with a 0.7 share.

Controversial talent changes in middays and afternoons at Entercom sports/talk WSCR 670-AM earlier this year — including the departure of Jason Goff and Matt Spiegel and the return of Dan McNeil and Connor McKnight — helped The Score boost its margin over ESPN Radio rival WMVP 1000-AM in both time periods. In the coming weeks, as first reported here, Brian Hanley will be replaced alongside Mike Mulligan in mornings with David Haugh.

“As a station we have to continue to work hard on maintaining growth with Chicago sports fans,” said Mitch Rosen, operations director of The Score.

WVAZ 102.7-FM, the iHeartMedia urban adult-contemporary station, held onto the top spot overall, and was No. 1 in middays and afternoons as well.

The latest Nielsen Audio survey ran from May 24 to June 20.

Here are Chicago’s top 30 radio stations from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, as measured by Nielsen Audio in June, followed by format and average share of listeners age 6 and older (with May share in parentheses):

1. WVAZ 102.7-FM urban adult contemporary, 6.0 (5.9)
2. WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 4.9 (4.7)
3. (tie) WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM all news, 4.8 (4.9); WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 4.8 (4.8)
5. WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 4.3 (4.6)
6. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 4.2 (4.3)
7. WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 3.7 (3.5)
8. WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip hop, 3.6 (3.4)
9. (tie) WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 3.5 (3.6); WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 3.5 (3.4); WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 3.5 (3.6); WUSN 99.5-FM country, 3.5 (3.3)
13. (tie) WGCI 107.5-FM urban contemporary, 3.3 (3.1); WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 3.3 (3.5)
15. (tie) WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 3.0 (3.1); WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 3.0 (2.7)
17. WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.9 (2.4)
18. WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 2.7 (2.5)
19. WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 2.6 (2.6)
20. WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 2.5 (2.8)
21. WGN 720-AM news talk, 2.4 (2.2)
22. WPWX 92.3-FM urban contemporary, 2.1 (2.1)
23. WEBG 95.5-FM country, 1.9 (1.8)
24. WCKL 97.9-FM contemporary Christian, 1.6 (1.5)
25. WLS 890-AM news talk, 1.5 (1.7)
26. (tie) WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.3 (1.3); WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 1.3 (1.2)
28. WERV 95.9-FM classic hits, 1.1 (1.0)
29. WFMT 98.7-FM classical, 1.0 (0.9)
30. (tie) WMBI 90.1-FM Christian ministry, 0.9 (0.9); WSRB 106.3-FM urban adult contemporary, 0.9 (0.7)

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 morning shows from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio in June, followed by host and average share of listeners age 6 and older (with May share in parentheses):

1. WTMX 101.9-FM Eric Ferguson 7.5 (7.7)
2. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Felicia Middlebrooks and Pat Cassidy 6.9 (6.9)
3. WVAZ 102.7-FM Steve Harvey 5.7 (5.4)
4. WOJO 105.1-FM Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado 5.4 (5.2)
5. WDRV 97.1-FM Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle 4.2 (3.9)
6. (tie) WGN 720-AM Steve Cochran 4.0 (2.9); WXRT 93.1-FM Lin Brehmer 4.0 (3.5)
8. WSCR 670-AM Mike Mulligan and Brian Hanley 3.7 (3.3)
9. WLS 94.7-FM Dave Fogel and Kim Berk 3.6 (3.6)
10. WLEY 107.9-FM Alberto Terry “El Terrible” Cortez 3.2 (3.4)

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 midday shows from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio in June, followed by host and average share of listeners age 6 and older (with May share in parentheses):

1. WVAZ 102.7-FM Bioncé Foxx 5.7 (5.4)
2. WDRV 97.1-FM Bob Stroud 5.3 (5.6)
3. WLS 94.7-FM Greg Brown 4.9 (5.3)
4. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Cisco Cotto and Kris Kridel 4.3 (4.2)
5. WTMX 101.9-FM Lisa Allen 4.2 (3.9)
6. WXRT 93.1-FM Terri Hemmert; Marty Lennartz 4.0 (4.4)
7. (tie) WLIT 93.9-FM Robin Rock 3.9 (3.9); WOJO 105.1-FM Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista 3.9 (4.4)
9. WUSN 99.5-FM Drew Walker 3.7 (3.3)
10. WLEY 107.9-FM Diane Fong 3.4 (3.7)

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 afternoon shows from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio in June, followed by host and average share of listeners age 6 and older (with May share in parentheses):

1. WVAZ 102.7-FM Joe Soto 5.7 (5.7)
2. WTMX 101.9-FM Kevin “Koz” Koske and Jennifer Roberts 4.8 (4.5)
3. WOJO 105.1-FM Sylvia del Valle, Jose Gutierrez and Carlos Ivan Paez 4.7 (4.7)
4. WDRV 97.1-FM Steve Seaver 4.6 (4.7)
5. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Kris Kridel and Keith Johnson 4.3 (4.2)
6. (tie) WKSC 103.5-FM Brady Broski 3.8 (3.9); WLS 94.7-FM Ron Parker 3.8 (4.4); WUSN 99.5-FM Mike Kasper 3.8 (3.6)
9. WBMX 104.3-FM Sean “Sonic” Leckie 3.7 (3.4)
10. WLIT 93.9-FM Mick Lee 3.6 (3.7)

Tuesday's comment of the day: Wylma Harmon: As an alumna of Evanston Township High School, I am proud of this young man [Blake Peters].