An American Radio Trilogy, 1975 to 2004

Duncan's American Radio

Indianapolis - Billings

INDIANAPOLIS
HIGHEST BILLING STATIONS HIGHEST BILLING RADIO ENTITIES
1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989
1 WIBC 7.5 WIBC 8.0 WIBC 8.4 WIBC 9.2 WIBC 9.3 WFBQ-F 9.0 1994 1995 1996
2 WZPL-F 4.0 WFBQ-F 5.0 WFBQ-F 5.5 WFBQ-F 8.2 WFBQ-F 8.2 WIBC 8.3 1 Emmis $ 15.8 (28.0) 1 Emmis $ 18.5 (30.0) 1 SFX $ 18.9 (29.0)
3 WENS-F 3.3 WZPL-F 4.2 WFMS-F 4.4 WFMS-F 5.2 WFMS-F 5.6 WFMS-F 6.0 2 Secret 14.8 (27.0) 2 Secret 17.9 (29.0) 2 Emmis 18.4 (28.0)
4 WFBQ-F 3.1 WENS-F 4.0 WENS-F 4.0 WENS-F 4.8 WENS-F 4.9 WKLR-F 5.1 3 Susquehanna 12.5 (22.0) 3 Susquehanna 13.5 (22.0) 3 Susquehanna 13.7 (21.0)
5 WXTZ-F 2.6 WXTZ-F 3.4 WZPL-F 3.5 WZPL-F 3.7 WZPL-F 3.9 WENS-F 4.8 4 Mystar 7.1 (13.0) 4 Mystar 7.2 (12.0) 4 Mystar 7.5 (11.0)
6 WFMS-F 2.5 WFMS-F 3.1 WXTZ-F 2.8 WXTZ-F 2.9 WXTZ-F 3.1 WZPL-F 3.7 5 Panache 3.5 (6.0) 5 Panache 3.5 (5.0)
7 WIRE 2.3 WNAP-F 2.7 WEAG-F 2.5 WTLC-F 2.7 WKLR-F 3.0 WTLC-F 2.9 6 WHHH/WGGR 2.5 (4.0)
8 WNAP-F 2.1 WTLC-F 2.3 WTLC-F 2.4 WKLR-F 2.1 WTLC-F 2.8 WMJC-F 2.6
9 WTLC-F 2.0 WTPI-F 1.3 WTPI-F 1.5 WTPI-F 2.1 WTPI-F 2.4 1997 1998 1999
10 WNDE 1.2 WIRE 1.0 WXTZ 1.0 1 Emmis $ 23.6 (33.0) 1 Emmis $ 22.9 (29.0) 1 Emmis $ 24.4 (29.0)
2 Capstar 19.6 (28.0) 2 Capstar 20.8 (27.0) 2 Clear Channel 22.8 (27.0)
1990 1991 1992 1993 1994 1995 3 Susquehanna 14 (20.0) 3 Susquehanna 18.8 (24.0) 3 Susquehanna 20.5 (24.0)
1 WFBQ-F 10.2 WFBQ-F 10.0 WFBQ-F 10.9 WFBQ-F 11.1 WFBQ-F 12.5 WFBQ-F 14.0 4 Mystar 8.8 (12.0) 4 Mystar 9.9 (13.0) 4 Mystar 10.8 (13.0)
2 WIBC 8.5 WIBC 8.2 WFMS-F 6.9 WFMS-F 8.7 WFMS-F 10.7 WFMS-F 10.9 5 WHHH-F et.al 3.5 (5.0) 5 WHHH-F et.al 4.1 (5.0) 5 Radio One 4.9 (6.0)
3 WFMS-F 5.8 WFMS-F 5.4 WIBC 6.3 WIBC 5.7 WIBC 6.3 WIBC 7.4
4 WKLR-F 5.0 WZPL-F 4.5 WENS-F 4.6 WENS-F 5.3 WENS-F 6.0 WENS-F 6.1 2000 2001 2002
5 WZPL-F 4.7 WENS-F 4.4 WZPL-F 4.5 WTPI-F 3.5 WTPI-F 4.4 WNAP-F 5.0 1 Emmis $ 24.0 (26.7) 1 Clear Channel $ 23.5 (27.0) 1 Clear Channel 24.8
6 WENS-F 4.0 WKLR-F 3.7 WTPI-F 3.2 WZPL-F 3.4 WNAP-F 3.5 WTPI-F 4.2 2 Clear Channel 23.8 (26.5) 2 Susquehanna 20.6 (23.0) 2 Emmis 23.6
7 WTLC-F 3.2 WTPI-F 3.0 WXLR-F 3.2 WXLR-F 3.0 WTLC-A/F 3.1 WTLC-A/F 3.5 3 Susquehanna 21.2 (24.0) 3 Emmis 19.6 (22.0) 3 Susquehanna 22.1
8 WTPI-F 2.3 WTLC-F 3.0 WTLC-A/F 2.9 WTLC-F 2.8 WZPL-F 2.7 WRZX-F 3.4 4 Mystar 13.4 (15.0) 4 Mystar 11.3 (13.0) 4 Radio One 11.7
9 WFXF-F 2.0 WFXF-A/F 2.3 WRZX-F 1.6 WHHH-F 1.7 WRZX-F 2.5 WZPL-F 2.7 5 Radio One 6.2 (7.0) 5 Radio One 10.9 (12.0) 5 Entercom 10.2
10 WTUX 0.7 WTUX 0.7 WHHH-F 0.7 WRZX-F 1.5 WHHH-F 1.8 WGRL-F 2.6
11 WGRL-F 1.8 WHHH-F 1.9 2003
1 Clear Channel 24.8 All 2002 and 2003 financial data is provided by BIA Financial.
1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2 Emmis 23.6
1 WFBQ-F 14.6 WFBQ-F 15.0 WFBQ-F 15.7 WFBQ-F 16.5 WFBQ-F 15.7 WFBQ-F 14.9 3 Susquehanna 22.9
2 WFMS-F 10.2 WFMS-F 10.1 WFMS-F 12.6 WFMS-F 13.2 WFMS-F 14.0 WFMS-F 13.4 4 Radio One 14.2
3 WIBC 8.2 WIBC 9.4 WIBC 7.9 WIBC 8.5 WIBC 9.1 WIBC 8.6 5 Entercom 10.9
4 WENS-F 6.4 WENS-F 6.7 WENS-F 7.1 WENS-F 7.3 WZPL-F 6.7 WRZX-F 6.8
5 WTPI-F 4.7 WTPI-F 5.1 WTPI-F 5.0 WGLD-F 5.6 WENS-F 6.4 WENS-F 6.3
6 WNAP-F 3.8 WNAP-F 4.4 WRZX-F 4.3 WZPL-F 5.5 WRZX-F 6.2 WGLD-F 6.2
7 WRZX-F 3.7 WRZX-F 4.0 WGLD-F 4.3 WRZX-F 5.2 WGLD-F 6.0 WTLC-F 5.7
8 WGRL-F 3.5 WGRL-F 3.3 WZPL-F 4.2 WTLC-F 5.0 WTLC-F 5.8 WZPL-F 5.5
9 WTLC-A/F 3.4 WTLC-A/F 3.1 WNAP-F 4.1 WTPI-F 4.7 WTPI-F 5.7 WTPI-F 5.1
10 WZPL-F 2.3 WHHH-F 3.1 WTLC-F 3.5 WHHH-F 3.9 WHHH-F 4.4 WHHH-F 4.0
11 WHHH-F 2.3 WZPL-F 3.0 WHHH-F 3.2 WNAP-F 3.3 WNOU-F 2.4 WNOU-F 2.9
2002 2003 DUNCAN'S COMMENTS:
1 WFBQ-F 15.7 WFBQ-F 16.7 At one time I thought Indianapolis would be one of the premier large radio markets.  
2 WFMS-F 13.1 WFMS-F 14.0 Instead it has been a good radio market. During the 1990's the markets growth  
3 WIBC 9.5 WIBC 9.7 rate was well below that of many other markets. The most attractive feature of the  
4 WRZX-F 7.2 WGLD-F 6.9 market is a comparatively low number of viable stations.  
5 WGLD-F 7.0 WTLC-F 6.4    
6 WTLC-F 5.5 WRZX-F 6.3 WFBQ has been one of the most successful stations in the US. There are two  
7 WTPI-F 5.3 WYXB-F 5.1 reasons for this success: Bob and Tom. Besides this wonderful morning team  
8 WENS-F 5.0 WHHH-F 5.1 WFBQ is a rather ordinary station. I estimate that Bob and Tom generate about 65%  
9 WYXB-F 4.9 WTPI-F 5.0 of WFBQ's total revenue.  
10 WHHH-F 4.5 WZPL-F 4.9    
11 WNOU-F 4.2 WENS-F 4.6 WFMS has been a fine Country station. If Bob and Tom ever retire WFMS would  
12 WZPL-F 4.2 WNOU-F 4.2 immediately become the highest billing station. Emmis did a good job bringing  
WIBC back to life during the mid-1990's. Finally, WHHH was an "80-90" drop-in.  
It has become a very successful station; one of the most successful 80-90 stations.