Audacy Chicago boss Kevin Cassidy says that the score is positioned from turbulence

Kevin Cassidy has been responsible for the six Chicago radio stations from Audacy for just over 18 months. In this period of time, one station needed more attention than the others.

The number of points works on a turbulent period in which hosts have gone, switched and fired. But Cassidy believes that the station is positioned to recover.

“The brand is strong enough to survive and thrive absolutely to be honest,” said Cassidy, who was promoted in December 2023 after working as a market manager for Audacys New Orleans in New Orleans for six years. “People don't know what they like or what they love until they are confronted with it.”

What they are confronted is a new lunch show with Leila Rahimi and Marshall Harris. Only eight and a half months ago were Dan Bernstein and Laurence Holmes at this point, with Rahimi being occupied every week. Then the Bernstein-Barstool Tiff and Holmes changed to afternoons to replace Danny Parkins, who had gone to FS1.

Harris came to amber, with Rahimi performing twice a week, and for Nielsen's autumn and winter rating books, the best rated score in the most important demography of men between the ages of 25 and 54 was at noon. Then Bernstein showed a Northern Pike, which he caught, went after an X user who questioned his ethics and finally lost his job. This permanently brought Rahimi into the show.

In April, the first full month of the point without amber, the midday slot pulled a share of 6.3 in the demo, good for second place on the market, but in the winter book of 7.7. The afternoon show with Holmes and Matt Spiegel became the highest rating of the station with a 6.8, which has first place on the market, although in winter it went back from 7.2, which is also the top priority.

“It is obviously a bit early for Leila and Marshall,” said Cassidy. “I am excited to see what we have. What we have. What we have is very different from everything we have done before. The commitment is very high at first what is great. It is another show, but I like that. If we do the same all the time, people would get bored with it.

“I would rather not have a change if you were in the success position we had, but it is part of the reality of our world. Therefore, you can continue to see the talent bank aggressively. Leila was switched on two days a week with the previous lunch show and now Mark Grote is two days a week with the current middle day show with the current middle day show.

Cassidy grew up on the radio. When he was in kindergarten in 1967, his father Paul Wind ran. The family lived near the old Sara Lee plant in Deerfield for a year. Then we went back to Los Angeles, San Francisco and Los Angeles and lived the life of a “radio gör”.

“You just went wherever you said to you that you told you that you should go,” said Cassidy, who is now living in Rogers Park. “But I love being here. It's a big challenge, but our brands are phenomenal. I love the fact that a brand like the score attracts attention.”

For a long time, the score had only fought against ESPN 1000 on the market. But in the past 10 years, platforms such as Barstool Chicago and CHGO have become competitors, not to mention the numerous podcasts that cover local sports. ESPN 1000 is no longer emerging for Nielsen's ratings, and with content in so many places it is difficult to know where everyone is borne by.

“We are the dominant sports radio,” said Cassidy. “We are number 1 in almost all male demos from 25 and older. But I don't see it that way.

In fact, the video of the medium of choice is spoken for audio. YouTube is the most popular platform for eating podcasts. The score and the ESPN 1000 appear there live and on Twitch, so you can see your audience in real time. The stations also receive streaming audio, e.g. B. in intelligent speakers and televisions and in connected cars.

According to Cassidy, there have been several weeks in recent years in which the digital audience of the score has exceeded its Broadcast audience, especially among listeners under 40 who feel more convenient with technology.

“Our Broadcast audience is not what it was 20 years ago,” said Cassidy. “But we expand our digital assets and continue to engage a large audience through digital assets. There are a lot of income opportunities there, so it is important that we are in this room.”

Stations can sell advertising based on digital impressions, which adds Cassidy to a number for the score that “contains two commas, so it is important.” He also said Chicago was one of Audacy's more successful markets. All six stations – the score, 93xRT, B96, US99, 104.3 Jams and WBBM Newsradio – are profitable, while Audacy emerged from bankruptcy in January.

In the meantime, the score appears to be created from the turbulence – to which the afternoon producer Shane Riordan also included the same day as Rahimi's official start and finds smooth currents.

“I think it is in an incredibly good position because the engagement level is not in the table,” said Cassidy. “It is this 24-hour cycle of engagement that exists. In a city with 9 million people and every big sport there is no shortage of things you can talk about.”