WFAN continues to dominate ESPN New York in ratings
Craig Carton co-hosts WFAN's morning show with Boomer and Carton on Wednesday, October 15, 2014. Credit: Charles Eckert
WFAN remained firmly in control of the local sports talk radio market during the winter ratings book released Monday and covering the period from Jan. 1 through March 25.
All three of the station's signature programs -- morning, midday and afternoon -- finished second to music stations among men ages 25 to 54, and all three were well ahead of the competition at ESPN New York.
Boomer Esiason and Craig Carton averaged 7.8 percent of the audience from 6 to 10 a.m. in the key demographic, more than doubling "Mike and Mike" on ESPN at 3.3.
Joe Benigno and Evan Roberts averaged 6.5 percent from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. compared with ESPN's 2.1.
Mike Francesa averaged a 6.9 share from 1 to 6:30 p.m., nearly doubling ESPN's 3.5. ESPN was hurt in that time slot by a lackluster ratings book for Mike Lupica between 1 and 3 p.m.
From 1 to 3, WFAN more than tripled ESPN's share, 7.0 to 2.3. From 3 to 6:30 p.m., when Michael Kay goes head-to-head against Francesa, the gap was 6.9 to 4.2. During that time slot, Francesa was No. 1 overall.
Kay was asked by a follower on Twitter Monday whether he is considering ending his run at ESPN in September, when his contract apparently expires.
"We are talking," he wrote back. "I have to eventually make a quality-of-life decision. Going to be a tough call either way."
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.
