Chicago radio ratings: Nielsen's top story is WBBM Newsradio

Lisa Fielding

For the seventh consecutive month, WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM took front and center in Chicago's radio ratings during August.

Nielsen Audio figures released Monday showed the Entercom all-news combo boosting its first-place lead among all listeners. WBBM Newsradio also finished first in mornings with Pat Cassidy, middays with Cisco Cotto, and afternoons with Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding.

Syndicated host Keith Sweat topped evenings on iHeartMedia R&B WVAZ 102.7-FM, which ranked second in the market overall.

Entercom adult album alternative WXRT 93.1-FM continued its winning streak, gaining a full share point over the last two months. Biggest downer was Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV 97.1-FM, which dropped 1.7 points in the same time.

The latest survey, which ran from July 16 to August 12, does not reflect daytime programming changes on WMVP 1000-AM, the ESPN Radio sports/talk station managed by Good Karma Brands. They went into effect August 17.

Here are Chicago’s top 30 radio stations from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, as measured by Nielsen Audio from July 16 to August 12, followed by format and average quarter-hour share of listeners age 6 and older (with previous month’s share in parentheses):

1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM all news, 7.3 (7.0)
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM R&B, 6.0 (5.7)
3. WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 5.7 (5.0)
4. WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 5.5 (5.2)
5. WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 4.9 (4.5)
6. WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 4.7 (6.0)
7. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 4.4 (4.6)
8. WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 3.7 (3.1)
9. WGN 720-AM news talk, 3.6 (3.3)
10. WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 3.5 (3.7)
11. WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 3.4 (3.2)
12. WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 2.8 (2.7)
13. (tie) WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.7 (2.7); WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 2.7 (2.4); WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 2.7 (2.3)
16. WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip hop, 2.6 (2.6)
17. (tie) WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 2.5 (1.5); WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 2.5 (2.9)
19. WGCI 107.5-FM hip-hop, 2.4 (2.9)
20. WUSN 99.5-FM country, 2.3 (2.7)
21. WEBG 95.5-FM country, 2.1 (2.1)
22. (tie) WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 1.9 (2.0); WLS 890-AM news talk, 1.9 (2.0)
24. WPWX 92.3-FM hip-hop, 1.5 (1.4)
25. WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 1.2 (1.2)
26. WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.0 (1.0)
27. WFMT 98.7-FM classical 0.9 (0.8)
28. WCKL 97.9-FM contemporary Christian music, 0.8 (1.1)
29. WSRB 106.3-FM R&B, 0.7 (0.8)
30. (tie) WERV 95.9-FM classic hits, 0.5 (0.6); WGRB 1390-AM gospel, 0.5 (0.4)

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 morning shows from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio:

1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Pat Cassidy
2. WTMX 101.9-FM Eric Ferguson, Melissa McGurren and Brian “Whip” Paruch
3. WVAZ 102.7-FM Steve Harvey
4. WLIT 93.9-FM Melissa Forman
5. WBEZ 91.5-FM “Morning Edition”; “BBC Newshour”
6. WGN 720-AM Bob Sirott
7. WDRV 97.1-FM Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle
8. WOJO 105.1-FM Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado
9. WXRT 93.1-FM Richard Milne
10. WLS 94.7-FM Dave Fogel and Kim Berk

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:

1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Cisco Cotto
2. WTMX 101.9-FM Nikki Chuminatto
3. WLIT 93.9-FM Robin Rock
4. WDRV 97.1-FM Bob Stroud
5. WXRT 93.1-FM Lin Brehmer
6. WVAZ 102.7-FM Bioncé Foxx
7. WLS 94.7-FM Greg Brown
8. WOJO 105.1-FM Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista
9. WGN 720-AM John Williams; Anna Davlantes
10. WKSC 103.5-FM Michelle “Showbiz Shelly” Menaker

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 afternoon shows from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio:

1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding
2. WTMX 101.9-FM Chris Petlak and Lisa Allen
3. WXRT 93.1-FM Marty Lennartz
4. WLIT 93.9-FM Mick Lee
5. WVAZ 102.7-FM Joe Soto
6. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM Steve Seaver and Janda Lane; WLS 94.7-FM Erin Carman
8. WOJO 105.1-FM Sylvia del Valle, Jose Gutierrez and Carlos Ivan Paez
9. (tie) WBEZ 91.5-FM “All Things Considered”; “Marketplace”; WKSC 103.5-FM Brady Broski

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 evening shows from 7 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio:

1. WVAZ 102.7-FM Keith Sweat
2. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Bob Conway; Andy Dahn
3. WLIT 93.9-FM Delilah Rene
4. WSCR 670-AM Joe Ostrowski; Cubs baseball
5. WXRT 93.1-FM Ryan Arnold
6. (tie) WLS 94.7-FM; WPPN 106.7-FM César Lozano
8.(tie) WGCI 107.5-FM Zach Boog; WGN 720-AM various hosts, White Sox baseball
10. WBBM 96.3-FM Julia Lepidi

(Copyright © 2020 The Nielsen Company.)

Friday's comment of the day: Bernie Cicirello: Thanks to Marion Brooks and all of Channel 5 for taking the extensive amount of time for their "Race in Chicago" reports. I hope every other news organization in Chicago follows their lead. What a powerful message that would send. It would be a major commitment long overdue.