(White Plains, NY) July 8, 2013 – According to Arbitron, Charleston, South Carolina is the 82nd largest radio market with a population of 589,800.

• Founded and settled by English colonists in 1670, Charleston grew from a colonial seaport to a wealthy city by the mid-eighteenth century. Through the mid-nineteenth century, Charleston’s economy prospered due to its busy seaport and the cultivation of rice, cotton, and indigo.

• In April of 1861, Confederate soldiers fired on Union-occupied Fort Sumter in Charleston Harbor, thus signaling the beginning of the Civil War. Charleston was slow to recover from the devastation of the war. However, its pace of recovery became the foundation of the City’s greatest asset – its vast inventory of historically significant architecture. Short on capital after the war, Charleston was forced to repair its existing damaged buildings instead of replacing them.

• During the first few decades of the 1900’s, industrial and port activities increased dramatically. Later, major sources of capital came from the Charleston Naval Base, the area’s medical industry and the tourism industry. Today approximately 4.51 million people visit this city annually generating an estimated economic impact of $3.22 billion.

• Known for its rich history, well-preserved architecture, restaurant community, and mannerly people, Charleston has received a large number of accolades, including "America's Most Friendly [City]" by Travel + Leisure in 2011 and "the most polite and hospitable city in America" by Southern Living magazine.

• The Notebook, 2004, starring Rachel McAdams and Ryan Gosling, was filmed in Charleston. The American Theatre on King Street was Allie and Noah's first date spot. Dear John, 2010, starring Amanda Seyfried and Channing Tatum was also filmed in Charleston.

CHARLESTON SPOT TEN

In Charleston last week the #1 radio advertiser was STOKES KIA with 927 spots. Coming in #2 was THE HOME DEPOT with 904 ads, while STOKES HONDA dropped from #1 to #3 with 780 spots. GEICO soared from #2 to #4 with 607 spots and MIDAS moved into #5 with 387 spots. CASHCALL claimed #6 with 351 spots, while IHEARTRADIO reversed from #4 down to #7 with 326 ads. PROACTIV SOLUTION slid into #8 with 323 commercials and STOKES VOLKSWAGEN took #9 with 316 spots. And in at #10 was KIA COUNTRY (Lee Motor Group) with 316 spots as well.

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE SPOT TEN

NATIONAL STATISTICS -

#1 in the nation in this category was COORS LIGHT with 5,727 spots. BUDWEISER was solid at #2 airing 5,152 commercials. BUD LIGHT stayed at #3 with 3,392 and CORONA EXTRA-CORONA LIGHT landed at #4 with 3,126 spots. MILLER LITE was #5 running 2,942 spots, while SAMUEL ADAMS BOSTON LAGER poured out 2,490 spots making them #6. DOS EQUIS was #7 with 1,863 spots and TECATE stayed at #8 with 1,487 ads. SAMUEL ADAMS SUMMER ALE maintained at #9 with 1,381 spots, while America’s oldest beer, YUENGLING was #10 with 1,244 spots.

NATIONAL SPOT TEN

NATIONAL STATISTICS -

THE HOME DEPOT dominated again holding #1 with 58,334 spots. GEICO, regained #2 (up from #8) with 47,315 ads, while LOWE’S appears at #3 with 35,228 commercials. IHEARTRADIO dipped from #2 to #4 with 34,967 spots and MACY’S moved up from #10 to #5 with 30,699 ads.

Posted: July 8, 2013