Wheeler stations top spring Roanoke-Lynchburg Arbitron ratings

Arbitron is sending good vibrations to Electric Road.

Not only is Star Country (WDLC-FM, 94.9) still the top-rated radio station in the Roanoke-Lynchburg market, one of its sister stations posted its best-ever showing in the spring survey.

Urban contemporary station the Vibe (WVBE-FM, 97.7/100.1) has taken over the number-two spot on the radio charts — its highest ranking ever.

Star Country and the Vibe are both owned by Mel Wheeler Inc., which houses five stations under one roof on Electric Road in Southwest Roanoke County. In fact, Wheeler stations took four of the top five spots in the spring survey. Adult contemporary Q99 (WSLQ-FM, 99.1) was third, and contemporary hit radio K92 (WXLK-FM, 92.3) was fifth.

Clear Channel-owned rock station WROV-FM (96.3) was fourth in the survey.

Several factors have helped the Vibe climb five spots in four years. The station added the Montgomery County-based 97.7 frequency in 2011, which boosted its coverage in Roanoke and Roanoke County. The station gave away more cash, concert tickets and prizes than ever during the ratings period, a promotional lure that most stations use to attract listeners. The station gave away $10,000 in cash alone.

And, according to programming director Kianna Price Wade, the station introduced newer music to its playlist to appeal to a younger audience sought by advertisers.

For years, the Vibe — which was known as Vibe 100 when 100.1 was its only FM frequency — combined soul hits from the 1970s and ’80s with current R&B hits. Now, under Wade, who has been P.D. for about a year, the station is playing fewer hits from the disco era and more from the hip-hop age.

“The needle has moved,” Wade said. “We still play old-school R&B, but for young listeners, old school might be the early 2000s. We’re more contemporary, with sprinkles of safe hip-hop.”

By “safe” hip-hop, Wade means artists such as Rihanna, Drake, Fabolous and others who mix rap with pop. The Vibe also plays lots of collaborations, such as Jay-Z and Justin Timberlake’s hit, “Suit & Tie.”

“As P.D., it’s still my intent to be family-friendly,” Wade said.

The playlist did the trick during the spring. The Vibe more than doubled its share of women listeners between 18 and 34, from 5.4 to 12.5. Listenership among all listeners ages 18 to 34 nearly tripled to a 10.4 share.

Wade said she knows ratings numbers are volatile and are prone to wide swings from book to book. Still, the Vibe has consistently ranked among the top five stations for the last three years.

“I ain’t complaining,” she said.

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