Sports Hub first, WEEI second in summer Nielsen Audio ratings
The summer is typically the slowest season for sports talk radio, but apparently not in Boston.
In the three-month Nielsen Audio Ratings for the period of June 16-September 7, 98.5 The Sports Hub finished first in the men 25-54 demographic with a 9.8 share, while WEEI was second with a 7.6.
Sports talk continued its dominance of Boston radio in the summer as The Sports Hub finished first and WEEI second during the three-month Nielsen Audio Ratings period.
The Sports Hub has been the highest-rated Boston station in that demo for the past eight three-month periods.
Surprisingly, every weekday program on both sports stations ranked in the same spot in its particular day part as it did in the spring.
In morning drive (6-10 a.m.), The Sports Hub’s Marconi Award-winning Toucher and Rich program was first with a 13.0 share. WEEI’s Kirk and Callahan program took second with a 10.1. That program changed its name in August with the departure of longtime host John Dennis.
In middays (10 a.m.-2 p.m.), the Sports Hub’s Zo and Bertrand program, hosted by Scott Zolak and Marc Bertrand, took first with a 10.1 share. WEEI’s OMF program, featuring hosts Glenn Ordway, Lou Merloni, and Christian Fauria, was fourth (6.4).
In afternoon drive (2-6 p.m.), the Sports Hub’s Felger and Massarotti remained in the top spot with a 12.6 share. WEEI’s Dale and Holley program, which includes third host Jerry Thornton, was second with an 8.1.
In the 6-7 p.m. window, The Sports Hub’s The Baseball Reporters program, hosted by Tony Massarotti, was first (11.4). WEEI was fourth (5.8) in a window in which it usually has the Red Sox pregame show.
In the 7 p.m.-midnight period, WEEI, which primarily carries Red Sox broadcasts in that window, was first (8.8). The Sports Hub’s Adam Jones Show was second (7.5).
WEEI (850-AM), which carries ESPN programming, with tied for 43rd with a 0.1 share.
The Sports Hub’s live stream registered a 0.6 share, tied for 31st. The Toucher and Rich program had an additional 1.1 share from streaming. WEEI says its stream comes from a different method and is not measured separately by Nielsen.
As usual, the Sports Hub dominated the younger demos, while WEEI did the same with the older listeners. For example, among men 25-44, the Sports Hub tops WEEI by significant margin (14.8-6.2). But among men 45-54, the share falls heavily in WEEI’s favor (9.5-3.7).
Perhaps most remarkably, Boston’s sports radio listenership is roughly three times the national average in major cities.
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