RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, JANUARY 2024, Part I

February 20, 2024

Let us be the first to wish you a Happy New Year!  We know, we know, it’s FEBRUARY. However, we are about to embark on a mystical journey through the leavings of the JANUARY survey.  The book where hope springs anew, where we celebrate the fact that the airwaves are no longer lousy with holly-infused tunes and (hopefully) when our temporarily former listeners return to their more familiar haunts. Yes, it is the annual winter migration of the quarter hours.

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the data diviners from XTRENDS – are back to regale you with folklore and fantasy for the period from JANUARY 4^TH through JANUARY 31^ST.  This featured a return to school, a federally-mandated three-day weekend and playoff football! Our story begins here:

NEW YORK: Dim All The Lites, Baby

There was a massive redistribution of share from the bourgeoisie to the proletariat as iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) ceded a good chunk of its previous 6+ share (14.3-7.7). The station was still #1 and beat last year’s 6.5 share. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3) rebounded from that down book (5.9-6.6) to repeat at #2, while AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS had its best outing since FEBRUARY (4.4-6.2) to rise three places to #3. iHEARTMEDIA CHR WHTZ (Z100) was back at #4 with its highest mark since MAY (4.6-5.5). MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS dropped two slots to #5 (4.7-4.8), while AUDACY News WINS moved from #9 to #6 (3.9-4.7) and pocketed a 0.5 share from its stream. SBS Tropical WSKQ (MEGA 97.9) slid four places to #8 (4.6-4.3). However, it did gain an additional 1.2 share from its stream. Though WLTW lost 27.9% of its cume, the station was still #1 in that category (4,750,600-3,423,200). The market fell by 4.3%.

WLTW kept its long-running #1 25-54 streak alive, but it was not alone. WHTZ posted its largest share in over a year to rise up and forge a tie for the lead. WCBS had its best book in over a year as it leapt from #7 to #3. The next three stations took a step down in the standings despite increases. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic AC WKTU dipped to #4 with a small addition, WSKQ was up slightly but slipped to #5, and WAXQ ended up at #6 with a solid share increase.

In the 18-34 arena, WAXQ posted its biggest number in over a year to move from #3 to #1. WLTW stepped down to #2 as it shed more than half its previous share. WKTU had its best showing since SEPTEMBER to move up to #3. Despite landing its best book in over a year, WHTZ slid to #4. WCBS stood alone at #5 but with its highest score since JULY. WSKQ dipped to #6, while WBLS fell six places to #11 with its smallest share in over a year.

There was a changing of the guard in the 18-49 ranks as WLTW was not #1 for the first time in over a year. That honor was handed to WCBS, which vaulted from #7 to claim the title. WHTZ repeated at #2 as it ended a two-book slide, while WLTW alit at #3 after losing more than half its previous share. WSKQ was back at #4 with its highest mark since MARCH, while WAXQ held firm at #5 with its best book in over a year. WKTU slid from #3 to #6.

LOS ANGELES: KOSTing

iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST extended its 6+ winning streak to three but suffered the expected loss of that extra holiday-induced weight (12.6-7.0). Last year it posted a 6.8 share. AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101) had its best book since OCTOBER to remain the #2 station (5.8-6.2). iHEARTMEDIA N/T KFI-A landed its largest share in over a year (4.6-5.5) as it moved up to #3. AUDACY Rhythmic AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE) advanced to #4 with its highest score since JULY (4.1-5.0). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MYFM) held steady at #5 (4.5-4.6), while iHEARTMEDIA CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM) slid three places to #6 (4.7-4.3). KOST still had the most cume, despite a 34.1% decrease (3,407-000-2,245,000). The market was down 1.9%.

KOST retained enough of the holiday spirit to sit at #1 25-54 for the third straight survey. KRTH stepped up to #2 with its best outing since MARCH, while KIIS dipped to #3 with its third down book in a row. KBIG repeated at #4 with a slight increase. AUDACY Adult Hits KCBS (93.1 JACK FM) and TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary KLVE (K-LOVE 107.5) had been tied at #5. KCBS remained in place with its highest mark since AUGUST, while KLVE slipped to #6 despite its first up book since SEPTEMBER.

The 18-34 race suddenly got very interesting. KOST was on top for the third book in a row but maintained the narrowest of possible margins over #2 KIIS, which had its sixth up survey in a row. KBIG repeated at #3 with a slight share gain, while its former partner in that space – KRTH – stepped down to #4 with a slight decrease. KCBS was up a slot to #5 with a rather large share increase. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7) dropped to #7 despite a slight increase.

KRTH had its best 18-49 score in over a year as it rose from #3 to #1. KIIS was back at #2 with a small share loss, while KOST gave up more than half its previous share as it drifted to #3. KBIG was back at #4 with a slight increase, while KCBS stepped up to #5 from a tie at #6 with KLVE. A flat SBS Mexican Regional KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9) slid four places to #9.

CHICAGO: Less Wattage To Your Cottage

Yes, iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) was #1 for the fourth straight survey. However, the station was down some share (16.0-6.9). It posted a 7.3 last year. AUDACY News WBBM-A had its best book in over a year (4.9-6.2) as it rose to #2. It gained an additional 0.2 share from its stream. HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1FM THE DRIVE) was idling at #3 (5.7-5.8), while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103) had its first down book since JUNE (6.1-5.1) to slide to #4. AUDACY Adult Alternative WXRT had its best performance since AUGUST (3.2-5.0) as it stepped up to #5. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional WOJO (QUÉ BUENA 105.1) dipped to #6, despite bouncing back from a down book (4.0-4.6). WLIT lost an incredible 44.5% of its cume but was still residing at #1 (2,469,500-1,375,500). The market was off by 3.9%.

There was quite a shake-up in the 25-54 power structure. WOJO stepped up to #1 with a strong increase, while WLIT slipped to #2 as it lost more than half its previous share. The next two stations came charging in from outside the top five. WXRT jumped from #10 to #3 with its best book in over a year, while AUDACY Country WUSN (US99) rose from #12 to #4. WDRV scored its best number since APRIL to advance four spaces to #5. HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX) dipped to #6 with a slight increase. WVAZ and AUDACY Urban AC WBMX (104.3 JAMS) had been #3 and #4, respectively. They ended up in a tie at #7. A flat CUMULUS Classic Hits WLS fell four places to #9.

Though WOJO saw its four-book double-digit 18-34 streak come to an end, the station did step up to #1. WLIT dropped down to #2, again surrendering more than half its previous share. It was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI, which rose from #4 with its best outing in over a year. WUSN rebounded from a down book to move up three slots to #4. iHEARTMEDIA CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) dipped to #5, though it halted a three-book slide. WVAZ fell four places to #7, while WDRV went from #4 to #10 with its smallest share in over a year.

It was moving day on the 18-49 leaderboard. WOJO ascended the throne after a two-book layoff, while WLIT stepped down to #2. iHEARTMEDIA Album-Oriented Rock WCHI posted its largest share in over a year to vault from #6 to #3. WGCI also had its best performance in over a year as it leapt from #10 to #4. WUSN and WXRT were previously tied at #11. The stations advanced to #5 and #6, respectively. WBMX slid three places into a tie at #7 with WDRV. A slight decrease caused CUMULUS Alternative WKQX (Q101) to fall from #5 to #11. WVAZ ended a five-book surge as it slumped from #3 to #12.

SAN FRANCISCO: Towering Above The Rest

How’s that for live and local? BONNEVILLE AC KOIT continued to lead the 6+ pack (14.1-8.6). Last year’s share was an 8.1. KQED INC. N/T KQED had its best book in over a year (6.9-7.9) to repeat at #2. AUDACY News KCBS-A landed its first up book since AUGUST (5.7-6.6) to remain in third place. BONNEVILLE CHR KMVQ (99.7 NOW) was at #4 for the fifth book in a row (4.7-6.2). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) scored its best number since JULY (3.3-4.2) as it vaulted from #10 to #5. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KMEL dropped from #5 to #9 (3.9-3.5). KOIT maintained cume control, despite a 23.5% decrease (1,605,900-1,227,900). The market was off a meager 0.2%.

Another survey, another #1 25-54 book for KOIT. Yes, the station lost a lot of share but still led cluster mate KMVQ – which bounced back from a down book – by two and a half shares. KQED moved up to #3 with a significant increase. KMEL dipped to #4 with a small decrease, while KIOI was up two slots to #5 with its highest score since MAY. A flat AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) slipped to #6.

KOIT was #1 18-34 for the seventh straight survey and extended its double-digit streak to six books in a row. KMEL repeated at #2 though it returned a lot of last survey’s huge share increase. KMVQ was back at #3 with its highest mark in over a year. SBS Mexican Regional KRZZ (93.3 LA RAZA) more than doubled its previous share as it was launched from #10 to #4. KITS dipped to #5 with a slight decrease, while iHEARTMEDIA CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) slipped to #7, despite a small share gain.

KOIT narrowly missed hitting double figures for the third straight survey but still captured the 18-49 flag. KMVQ remained at #2 as it recovered from the holiday-induced malaise. KIOI had its best showing in over a year to rise from #5 to #3. KMEL landed its first down book since OCTOBER as it slipped to #4. KRZZ had its best book in over a year as it jumped from #9 to #5. KITS slid to #6 with a slight decrease.

DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Three’s A Crowd

Last survey, three stations were huddled together at #3. That partnership did not endure. CUMULUS Sports KTCK (1310 & 96.7 THE TICKET) rose to #1 for the first time since NOVEMBER (4.2-5.6). The other two properties moved up in tandem to #2. AUDACY Classic Hits KSPF (98.7 THE SPOT) regained all of last survey’s lost share (4.2-4.7), while SERVICE Urban AC KRNB (SMOOTH R&B 105.7) posted its largest share in over a year (4.2-4.7). Santa’s favorite elf was iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1). It dropped to #4 (10.3-4.5). Last year it had a 3.9 share. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) ended a three-book slide (3.2-4.3) as it advanced from #10 to #5. The other purveyor of the holiday tuneage was SALEM AC KLTY. It slid from #2 to #8 (4.6-3.8). Last year it posted a 3.4 share. KDGE had 38.4% of its cume removed but remained the leader in that category (1,658,000-1,020,600). The market fell by 3.2%.

For the first time since JUNE, KTCK was #1 25-54. It held a better-than-a-share lead over KLNO, which rose from #6 to #2. CUMULUS Country KSCS stepped up to #3 as it ended a three-book slide. AUDACY Alternative KVIL (ALT 103.7) rose two places to #4 with its highest mark since JUNE. KRNB advanced from #8 to #5 with its third up book in a row. Keep an eye on AUDACY Mexican Regional KMVK (LA GRANDE 107.5). The station zoomed from #15 to #6 with its best outing in exactly a year. AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) fell four slots to #7, despite a slight increase. KDGE dropped from #1 to #9 and was tied with NORTH TEXAS PUBLIC RADIO N/T KERA. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) had a small share loss as it fell from #5 to #12.

KVIL landed its largest 18-34 share in over a year as it advanced from #4 to #1 for the first time since AUGUST. It held a narrow lead over the two stations at #2. KDGE stepped down from #1, while KLNO inched up from #3. iHEARTMEDIA CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM) moved up to #4 with a strong share gain, while KSCS was up to #5, also with a solid increase. KDMX halted its three-book surge as it slid from #2 to #6. KMVK jumped from #16 to #7, more than doubling its previous number.

After taking the last two books off, KLNO was back at #1 18-49. KDGE drifted down to #2 where it was partnered with KMVK, which arrived from #9. KVIL and KSCS moved up and into a tie at #4. KVIL had its best showing since SEPTEMBER, while KSCS halted a three-book slide. KDMX and KJKK had tied at #3 but landed at #6 and #7, respectively.

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Of course, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. also stand ready to help you grow your ratings and revenue. Stay tuned for round two featuring HOUSTON, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA and BOSTON.

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About Research Director, Inc.: Research Director, Inc. is based in Annapolis, Maryland. We help radio stations’ programming and sales departments maximize the value of their research. For more information, visit  www.ResearchDirectorInc.com, call 410-295-6619, or e-mail info@ResearchDirectorInc.com or sallan@ResearchDirectorInc.com.

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