Bubba The Love Sponge investigated for ratings tampering?

I can confirm that multiple news sources have reported that Bubba The Love Sponge is currently under investigation for ratings tampering. Back in July yours truly did post “Is this the end of Bubba The Love Sponge” pointing out the various discrepancies in his weekly ratings. I had reached out to Bubba and Tuddle for comment regarding these discrepancies and neither chose to respond.  This is understandable and I didn’t expect either to reply because from what I understand ratings aren’t supposed to be discussed with the general public.

So what now?

Since the investigation is currently active by both Nielsen & Beasley Broadcast Group I think we’ll have to wait and see.  Or do we?  For those that are new to the ratings system, and Bubba, Nielsen is the company that conducts & collects the ratings data and Beasley Broadcast Group is the company that employs Bubba as a contractor.  Bubba is not an employee of Beasley, but rather a contractor that is paid for the service and product he provides.  How big could this accusation possibly be?  HUGE!  Career ending if proven even in the slightest.  Nielsen cannot allow their ratings system to be manipulated and will do everything possible to make sure anyone or company tampering with them is dealt with appropriately.  You’ve probably asked how can Nielsen possibly control the destiny of a company or on air talent?  It’s simple, they remove them from the ratings system.  Beasley is probably working closely with Nielsen, reviewing the evidence, and will essentially do what Nielsen asks rather than face more severe punishment. If any type of ratings tampering is proven, Beasley will have no other choice than to remove Bubba from their airways.  There is no other option.  If Nielsen removes the ratings system from Bubba’s show, he’s no longer a viable source of income for the company.

Monday is D day!

At 6 AM we’ll find out which direction Beasley is going.  Bubba’s on the air, they’re still all-in with him.  He’s off the air, with a ‘slip & fall injury’, they’re holding their cards.  The station is reformatted… they folded.

Feel free to comment below.

The Fat Phoenix Rises Again?

Before we get started, let me address something.

When I posted last weeks graph on Twitter I was told by a loyal Bubba listener that there was no difference in the graph lines between Bubba & Mike.  Their claim was they look exactly the same.  Seriously?  Anyone with half a brain can see the red line looks like the smooth rolling plains of the Midwest and the blue line looks like the Rocky Mountains.  Clearly these lines are different and if you can’t comprehend this you should stop reading now.  They say a picture is worth a thousand words, and if you can’t see the difference in the picture, you certainly aren’t going to understand what is about to be put in words.

Let’s review this weeks ratings.

As you can see by the graph above, Mike pretty much remained the same in the ratings with a 7.7 share and Bubba had a slight up tick to 5.3.  Bubba’s increase is significant over last weeks share of 4.0.  However, this is still way off of his high of 11.7 for year.  It has been three weeks since his high for the year and all of the weeks since have been significantly down (5.8, 4.0, 5.3).  Judging by the last three weeks most would assume this is where his ratings will settle.  But, we still have to question why.  Why have the ratings settled in at such a lower level?  Are the allegations of ratings tampering true?  Were certain PPMs turned off as alleged?  Again, there has been no verifiable evidence of ratings tampering or investigation against Bubba.  With that being said we’ll just have to assume that for some strange reason Bubba’s loyal listeners tuned out and that can be the only reason for the ratings plunge.

How can a fat phoenix fly?

 If my livelihood depended on ratings I’d be terrified of the results from the last three weeks.  However, the Bubba Radio Network is expressing the exact opposite.  Below is a Tweet sent out today by Tuddle.
How could he possibly know changes are coming?  When I questioned him we went back and forth with a little friendly banter.  In the end he didn’t share any information, understandably, and we learned nothing new except for another promise of soon from the BRN.  The good thing is Tuddle said things will change within “the next 2 weeks” so we shouldn’t have to wait long to see if he’s right. But, does these mean an investigation into the alleged ratings tampering has concluded?  I don’t know, but it’s sure interesting that the confidence at the BRN is soaring again.  Let’s see how this plays out over the next few weeks and see if the fat phoenix rises from the ashes.

Feel free to comment below.

Is this the end of Bubba The Love Sponge?

Many people have died trying to climb Mt. Everest.

The problem with climbing Mt. Everest is the patience it takes to reach the top.  Along the way you stop at base camps to adjust to the various altitudes.  It’s a long draw out journey to the top.  Even the most experienced climbers understand the dangers of making the ascent to quickly… you climb too fast, you perish.

You’re too fat to be climbing Mt. Everest!

So what does this have to do with Bubba The Love Sponge?  Well, look at the chart above, it eerily looks like a giant mountain range.  What does this mean?  His ratings shot up and the ascent was quick.  This could mean nothing or it could mean a lot.

There have been many allegations of Bubba cheating the ratings system.  One of the main allegations is that Bubba has control of PPM’s that are tuned into his show at all times and controlled by watch winders to keep them activated through the shaking motion.  Again these are just rumors and no one has ever provided any evidence to prove this allegation.  Considering these allegations, and his recent ratings drop, could this be true?  If true this would be a serious breach of the Nielson ratings system entrusted to Bubba as a broadcaster.  There has been no indication from Nielsen that an investigation is under way.  However, Bubba himself did make a reference, in carny on his show, to ratings tampering.  Again, Bubba’s show is a parody, based on deception, therefore his claim could possibly be “theatre of the mind”.  Why would he make such a claim?  To keep people listening.

But what if it’s true and there is an investigation?

Let me be real honest, I’m in no way a radio insider or expert, I’m just a listener.  With that being said, I’m going to lay out my hypothesis on what may have triggered a potential investigation.  Bubba had an 18 share while employed by the Bone and I would assume this share dropped drastically when he was terminated.  This would be a natural decline and expected given his listeners would tune out after his termination.  That being said, the all important PPM’s would also tune out.  However, we would assume that these PPM’s would now tune into something new.  But, what if they didn’t?  What if they went dark?  Fast forward to the present day… What if these PPM’s suddenly were active again and only tuned into Bubba & the WBRN?  On for Bubba, off when Bubba’s off the air, on again when Bubba’s back on the air.  If the accusations of the PPM’s & watch winders are true, could it be possible Bubba entrapped himself?  Nielsen certainly has the ability to track the activity of the PPM’s, so perhaps they noticed these strange anomalies and shutdown the offending PPM’s.  This would certainly explain the recent ratings drop for Bubba & the WBRN.

Time will tell whether or not an investigation is/was taking place.  In the meantime, Bubba better get a good Sherpa because he’s got a long slow climb to the top of the mountain.

Comments? Feel free to post below.

 

What Happened To Your Ratings, Cuh?

First things first, I never doubted Bubba The Love Sponge would be able to pull substantial ratings in the Tampa Bay area.  When he was terminated from the Bone he had an 18 share and there was no reason to believe, albeit on a less powerful station, he couldn’t pull at least half of that.  Everything seemed normal enough in the beginning, Bubba came out with a reasonable share fluctuating between 6 to 8.  Those type of numbers wouldn’t seem abnormal, in fact, they seemed very reasonable considering Bubba and Mike Calta were competing for the same audience and Mike was pulling very similar numbers.  For almost two months both hosts would post similar numbers and remain in a virtual tie.

Then something strange happened….

Bubba pulls a 10 share.  How does this happen?  How do you cruise along with a 6 to 8 share then suddenly jump to a 10 share?  If this anomaly isn’t strange enough, something really bizarre happens… he pulls an 11.7 share 3 weeks later.  What happened?  Did Bubba suddenly find a new audience on his new station?  Highly unlikely?  Did his old fans from the Bone suddenly find him?  Again, highly unlikely.

Congrats Bubba, you’re the radio king of Tampa again!
Not so fast!

For the past two ratings period Bubba has posted a 5.8 and 4.0 share.  Any reasonable person can see something is wrong.  What has happened, I don’t know.  There have been rumblings of ratings tampering.  Whether this is true or not, I suppose time will tell.  In the meantime, here’s an article from the LA Times about a ratings investigation into a Latin radio station with similar share discrepancies. http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/envelope/cotown/la-et-ct-nielsen-ratings-scandal-univision-executive-fired-20140616-story.html

You can find the complete ratings for the Bubba The Love Sponge-vs-Mike Calta radio war here.

Comments? Feel free to post below.

Bubba The Love Sponge -vs- Mike Calta

Commentary Free Weekly Ratings

Key Demo – Men 25/54

Week of 08/24/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 10.3 (1)
Mike Calta – 7.0 (3)

Week of 08/17/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.1 (2)
Mike Calta – 5.9 (4)

Week of 08/10/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 8.1 (2)
Mike Calta – 6.3 (4)

Week of 08/03/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 9.2 (1)
Mike Calta – 4.8 (8)

Week of 07/27/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 8.1 (2)
Mike Calta – 5.3 (6)

Week of 07/20/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 5.1 (7)
Mike Calta – 6.3 (3)

Week of 07/13/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 5.3 (8)
Mike Calta – 7.7 (2)

Week of 07/06/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 4.0 (10)
Mike Calta – 7.8 (2)

Week of 06/29/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 5.8 (5)
Mike Calta – 8.0 (1)

Week of 06/22/2015
Missing

Week of 06/15/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 11.7 (1)
Mike Calta – 6.7 (3)

Week of 06/08/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 9.3 (1)
Mike Calta – 7.4 (3)

Week of 06/01/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 7.4 (2)
Mike Calta – 7.3 (3)

Week of 05/25/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 10 (?)
Mike Calta – ? (?)

Week of 05/18/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 8.2 (3)
Mike Calta – 8.5 (2)

Week of 5/11/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 8.0 (2)
Mike Calta – 7.3 (4)

Week of 05/04/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.7 (6)
Mike Calta – 7.3 (2)

Week of 04/27/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – ? (2)
Mike Calta – 8.7 (1)

Week of 04/20/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.9 (5)
Mike Calta – 8.4 (2)

Week of 04/13/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 7.0 (3)
Mike Calta – 7.7 (1)

Week of 04/06/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 8.9 (2)
Mike Calta – 7.7 (3)

Week of 03/30/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.9 (5)
Mike Calta – 9.0 (1)

Week of 03/23/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.1 (5)
Mike Calta – 6.8 (2)

Week of 03/16/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 8.5 (2)
Mike Calta – 8.1 (3)

Week of 03/09/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 7.0 (3)
Mike Calta – 7.7 (1)

Week of 03/02/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.4 (3)
Mike Calta – 10.0 (1)

Week of 02/23/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.0 (3)
Mike Calta – 9.5 (1)

Week of 02/16/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.8 (3)
Mike Calta – ? (1)

Week of 02/09/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.8 (3)
Mike Calta – 10.5 (1)

Week of 02/02/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 6.5 (4)
Mike Calta – 9.9 (1)

Week of 01/26/2015
Bubba The Love Sponge – 7.7 (?)
Mike Calta – 8.9 (?)

Celebrities and Twitter; from a fans perspective.

I’ve been on Twitter for about 2 years now and have seen a lot of celebrity & fan interaction.  Some celebrities handle it like a champion boxer while others completely K.O. their own personality.  For example, I completely disagree with Alyssa Milano’s political views, however she has the right to Tweet out her thoughts and support for her candidate during the Presidential debates.  About half of the country will agree with her and the other half will disagree… and so come the nasty Tweets to her.  I didn’t go back a read what was said to her, but this is how she handled it:

Even if you disagree with her politics, how can you disagree with her response to the hate?  She took a sack of sugar and sweetly smacked it against the trolls faces.  I’m sure the trolls continued, but more importantly her fans, whether or not they agree with her politically, are still fans.

Another one of my favorite celebrity follows is Samuel L. Jackson.  Again I don’t like his politics, however he is a fantastic follow.  His approach to the hate is slightly different then Alyssa’s, but equally as effective:

There you go; you hate me, you follow me, life goes on.  That’s winning folks.  He acknowledged the hate, but more importantly, he let you know it doesn’t bother him.  Trust me, this man gets plenty of hate because of the color of skin.  He’s a Twitter champion.

So there’s a couple of examples of celebrities that I can respect because of how they handle the hate they endure while sharing their thoughts for us.  Other celebrities should follow these examples; address the hate in a general terms or not at all.  This method I’ve found to be the most effective, you can get your point across, without attacking any individuals,  and all of your real fans will respect that.  Lastly, never ever block a “fan”, blocking a fan does nothing but convert them into a “troll”.

Q: How do you kill a troll?  A: Stop feeding them.

Here’s a couple of my favorite follows:

• Alyssa Milano What’s not  to like?  She’s real, she’s sweet, oh….. and she likes sports. (Boo LA!)
• Samuel L. Jackson Have you ever wonder what it would sound like if Jules Winnfield did the commentary on a football game?  Wonder no more, hopefully you catch up with Sam while he’s watching one of his favorite teams.
• Jose Canseco A fan once said to him “we don’t follow you because we idolize you, we follow you to laugh at you”. Give this clown a follow.
• The Iron Sheik Former WWF champion.  Either he’s been dropped on his head to much or believes he’s still the champ or both.  Raw un-filtered analysis on everything in life.
• Christine Teigen She’s a supermodel and if you’ve ever wondered what a supermodel is thinking, wonder no more.  Funny, raw commentary.
• Devin O’Sullivan The self proclaimed bike riding convenience store clerk,  his one-liners and art work are phenomenal.

Comment below with your favorite follows

Sometimes 140 characters is not enough.

Let’s get this party started!