Media

WEEI’s programming finished 4th in afternoon drive.

By Chad Finn, The Boston Globe

October 6, 2021 | 7:23 AM

In the primary sports radio demographic, 98.5 The Sports Hub dominated the summer ratings.

Among men 25-54, The Sports Hub finished first overall in the Nielsen Audio Ratings with a  14.7 share. That more than doubled the runner-up, rock station WZLX, which had a 7.2 share covering the summer period of June 24-Sept. 15 in that demo.

Sports radio station WEEI was sixth (4.2). WEEI’s share includes its online stream (0.2). Its Providence-based affiliate WVEI did not receive any share from Boston-based listeners in the summer. The Sports Hub’s online stream is already built into its share.

The Sports Hub’s morning drive, midday, and afternoon drive programs each finished first in their respective day parts, as did the daily Baseball Hour from 6-7 p.m. Its evening programming finished second.

In morning drive (6-10 a.m.), The Sports Hub’s “Toucher & Rich” show finished first (15.2 share). WEEI’s “The Greg Hill Show” was tied for seventh (4.8, including 0.5 from its stream).

In middays (10 a.m-2 p.m.), the Sports Hub’s “Zolak & Bertrand” finished with a 16.4 share to take first. WEEI’s “Gresh and Keefe” show came in sixth (4.2, including 0.1 for its stream).

In afternoon drive (2-6 p.m.), the Sports Hub’s “Felger & Massarotti” came in first with an 18.9 share. WEEI’s programming – which was rebranded from “OMF” to “Merloni and Fauria” when longtime host Glenn Ordway retired in the last week of August – was fourth (4.4, including 0.1 for its stream).

In the 6-7 p.m. window, The Sports Hub’s Tony Massarotti-hosted “The Baseball Hour” took first (12.7). WEEI, which typically has a lead-in to its Red Sox broadcasts in that hour, was tied for 10th (3.9).

In the 7 p.m.-midnight period, The Sports Hub, which features “The Adam Jones Show” on weeknights, came in second (9.6), trailing only Kiss 108′s evening programming (11.5). WEEI, which has Red Sox game broadcasts and “Mut at Night” show in the window, tied for seventh (4.3, with no streaming).

Last summer, The Sports Hub was first (11.2) while WEEI was tied for eighth (4.3).