WFAN's 'Carton and Roberts' extends ratings lead over ESPN's 'Michael Kay Show' in February
Craig Carton on air on the first "Carton & Roberts" afternoon drive show on WFAN in the station's Manhattan studios on Nov. 9, 2020. Credit: Entercom/WFAN 101.9 FM/660 AM
WFAN’s Craig Carton and Evan Roberts extended their afternoon drive time lead over ESPN New York’s "The Michael Kay Show" in February, the second of three months that constitute the winter ratings book.
From Feb. 4 through March 3, "Carton and Roberts" finished third overall in the New York market among men ages 25-54 from 3 to 7 p.m. — the hours during which the shows go head-to-head — compared to seventh for Kay.
WFAN averaged 4.8% of those listening in the key demographic compared to 4.4% for ESPN. Both station’s numbers for the month were unusually low. February always is a slow time for sports news, which perhaps was a factor, but WFAN’s morning rating was significantly higher.
Carton and Roberts edged Kay in January, 5.6-5.5, and after eight weeks lead, 5.2-4.9, according to Nielsen Audio data obtained by Newsday from an industry source. The numbers include both over-the-air and streaming listening.
Radio ratings customarily are judged by full quarterly books, so WFAN’s lead is akin to the second intermission of a hockey game, not a final result. But Carton’s return in November clearly has made a difference.
In other WFAN news, a source confirmed that John Jastremski will leave the station after next week to join the "The Ringer," the website founded by former ESPN star Bill Simmons. The New York Post first reported that news.
Jastremski had been under contract through the end of this year, but WFAN let him out of his deal to join the website, for which he is expected to do podcasts on sports in general and gambling in particular — and get a significant raise from his WFAN salary.
He declined to pursue a midday gig at WFAN in late 2019 and has worked primarily on overnights and evenings at the station.
Elsewhere in February ratings, WFAN continued to lead ESPN New York by wide margins from 6 to 10 a.m. (7.5%-2.5%) and from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. (5.4% to 2.1%).
Neil Best first worked at Newsday in 1982, returned in 1985 after a detour to Alaska and has been here since, specializing in high schools, college basketball, the NFL and most recently sports media and business.
