There have been many questions and much concern about the Country format’s rating erosion over the last couple of years. Despite some individual stations remaining strong and showing their durability, the format has, until just recently, been on a four-year eroding trend. There was a time when several Country radio stations in the largest markets in America had a cume over 1 million listeners. No more. We even saw Country radio again leave Manhattan.
The rating erosion led to much fingerpointing. “It’s the music,” “It’s the rating sample size,” “The market makeup has changed,” “Too many choices and more competition for listeners,” “No marketing from corporate,” “The labels push us to change our music too quickly,” “Radio has become boring,” “Country music is too pop,” “Country music is too country,”…
