Hot Topics
RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, May 2024, Part III
June 12, 2024
Welcome back to another episode of that popular radio game show: What’s up with the numbers? We have a new batch of contestants ready to confront their demons or celebrate their victories. The stakes are high but so are the rewards. As always, your hosts are The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. (or, as spell-check suggested, the “ravings” experts) as well as those spreadsheet superstars from XTRENDS.
The MAY survey ran from APRIL 25TH through MAY 22ND. There were no official three-day weekends, but we celebrated Mom, nerded out on STAR WARS, and saluted our Armed Forces.
Let the games begin….
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: More Or Less The Same
This is one of those markets that remains relatively static, especially when it comes to the 6+ section. As usual, COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) was on fire and ran away with the demo (9.0-9.2). TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR 107.5) finished in second place for the eighth straight survey (6.8-6.4). COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) moved up to #3 with its best outing since OCTOBER (5.9-6.3). This forced AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) to step down to #4 (6.5-6.2). iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Adult Hits WMIA (MAGIC 93.9) inched up to #5 (5.1-5.0), while MIAMI-DADE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOLS N/T WLRN dipped to #6 (5.3-4.3). Despite an 8.1% decrease, WLYF was the cume leader for the fourth book in a row (837,300-769,300). The market was off by 1.1%.
Things were more in flux when it came to the 25-54 crowd. WFEZ posted its largest share in over a year to advance from #3 to #1. It held a sizeable advantage over the next five stations, all of which were huddled within a half share of each other. WMIA ended its two-book run at #1 and stepped down to #2 with its lowest mark since DECEMBER. SBS Spanish Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7 FM) jumped from #6 to #3 with a small increase. It was tied with WLYF, which moved down from second place with its lowest score since NOVEMBER. A flat WAMR dipped to #5, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) soared from #12 to #6 with its best book in over a year. WHQT slid from #4 to #7 with a small share loss.
For the third straight survey, COX MEDIA Urban WEDR (99 JAMZ) was the clear 18-34 winner. Back in MARCH, AUDACY Country WKIS (KISS COUNTRY 99.9) and WLYF were stalled together at #10. Their fortunes have certainly changed over the last two books. WKIS moved from #7 to #2, while WLYF stepped up to #3. Each station posted its best number in over a year. Also coming in at #3 was WHQT, which slipped from #2 with a slight increase. WMIB dipped to #5, despite landing its largest share in over a year. SBS Latino Urban WRMA (RITMO 95.7) slid three places to #6, while WXDJ dropped from #4 to #9. It was tied with WAMR and TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WRTO (MIX 98.3).
WFEZ popped its best 18-49 number in over a year, which allowed the station to rise from #3 to #1. WMIB accomplished the same feat as it vaulted from #7 to #2. It was paired with WHQT, which remained in place with a modest decrease. WKIS rocketed from #10 to #4 and was tied with WEDR, which was stationary with slight increase. For the last five books, WMIA was #1 in this category. The station dropped to #6 with a rather large share loss. WLYF slid from #4 to #7.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: Meet The Old Boss…
For the third book in a row, iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK was the preferred station with the 6+ crowd (8.2-8.0). UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW stepped up to #2 (7.3-7.3), while AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) dipped to #3 with its smallest share since we were conspiring by the fire (7.5-6.2). AUDACY Active Rock KISW held steady at #4 (5.4-5.2), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits WJEB (95.7 THE JET) landed its best book since DECEMBER as it ascended from #8 to #5 (4.1-4.8). HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) had its smallest share since AUGUST (4.8-3.9) as it slid from #5 to #11. Last month iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KBKS (HITS 106.1) dropped from #2 in cume to #8. The station got most of that back as it moved up to #1 (477,100-529,400) – an 11.0% increase. The market grew by 1.3%.
KKWF was #1 25-54 for the fourth book in a row but saw its four-book surge come to an end. KISW moved up to #2, despite its fourth down book in a row. HUBBARD Pop CHR KQMV (MOViN’ 92.5) dipped to #3 as it returned a good portion of last month’s big share increase. AUDACY Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT 103.7) and KBKS had been tied at #7. KHTP bounced back from a down book to land at #4, while KBKS ended up at #5 with a rather large share gain. FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP dipped to #6 with a slight decrease, while KZOK dropped three places to #7 as it ended a robust three-book surge.
The 18-34 race was anything but stagnant. KQMV received a massive infusion of share as it moved up from a three-way tie at #2 to #1. It had a half-share lead over KHTP, which rose from #5 to #2, while KBKS advanced from #8 to #3. Both stations posted their largest shares in over a year. KZOK slid from #1 to #4, while KJEB soared from #11 to #5 with its best outing since AUGUST. AUDACY Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) and KISW had been the other two partners in that #2 tie. The duo kept the arrangement in place as they dropped in unison to #6. KKWF made it a threesome as it landed its lowest total in exactly a year. KRWM dropped from a tie at #5 into an arrangement at #9 with iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KJAQ (96.5 JACK FM).
Despite a small share loss, KQMV made it back-to-back 18-49 wins. KKWF repeated at #2 but with its smallest share in over a year. KISW was back at #3 with a noticeable loss of share. It was partnered with KBKS, which advanced from #6 with a solid share gain. KEXP was motionless at #5, while KZOK dropped from #4 into a tie at #6 with KHTP.
Shameless plug: You know we break down ratings books for our clients, right? We save them time and help them gain greater insight into this whole numbers game. Why not schedule a free demo?
PHOENIX: A Perfect Ten
This was the tenth straight survey that saw iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (KEZ 99.9) as the #1 6+ station (9.2-9.5). HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX was back at #2 but with its smallest share in over a year (7.1-5.9). iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) was rock solid at #3 though it ended a four-book surge (6.0-5.7). DESERT VALLEY Adult Hits KOAI (95.1/94.9 THE WOW FACTOR) stepped up to #4 (4.6-4.9), while HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD dipped to #5 (4.7-4.6). As expected, KESZ still had the most listeners (868,700-813,600) – a 6.3% decrease. The market fell by 0.6%.
KESZ extended its 25-54 winning streak to eight as it regained some of last month’s large share loss. KUPD was back at #2 with a slight increase and was a bit more than a share off the pace. KYOT repeated at #3 and was joined there by HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3), which rose from #5 with its best book since JANUARY. TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KOMR (AMOR 106.3) jumped from #8 to #5 with its highest mark in over a year. KSLX slipped to #6 with its smallest number in over a year.
KDKB had its best 18-34 book since JANUARY, which also happens to be the last time the station was #1. This ended the three-book winning streak for KESZ, which stepped down to #2. It was met there by AUDACY Classic Hits KOOL (BIG 94.5), which arrived from #6 with its best performance in over a year. KUPD dipped to #4 and was tied with KSLX, which landed its fourth up book in a row. KYOT dropped four places to #6 and was paired with SIERRA H Rhythmic AC KZCE (101.1 THE BOUNCE).
KESZ was the 18-49 leader for the tenth straight survey, though it was unable to extend its three-book double-digit streak. KDKB vaulted from #5 to #2 with its best outing since JANUARY but trailed the leader by nearly three shares. KUPD stepped up to #3 with a slight decrease, while KYOT slid to #4 as it gave back most of last month’s huge increase. KSLX was down to #5 as it halted a four-book surge.
DETROIT: Bouncing Back
iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC regained a bit of last month’s huge share loss, which enabled the station to head back up to the #1 spot in the 6+ arena (7.8-8.3). AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) moved down to a very close #2 (9.2-8.2). The station did get a 1.6 share from its stream. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKQI (CHANNEL 955) ended a modest two-book slide (6.3-7.2) as it moved up two places to #3. BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX had its best book since OCTOBER (6.1-6.9) as it motored up to #4. AUDACY Country WYCD returned most of last month’s large increase as it slid from #2 to #5 (7.8-6.8). BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF dropped down to #6 (6.5-6.2). WNIC continued to have the most cume (1,004,900-1,012,300) – a 0.7% rise. The market gained 0.5%.
It was a slugfest atop the 25-54 leaderboard as the top four stations were separated by less than a share. WKQI moved up to #1 with the exact same number it had in FEBRUARY, which is when it was last in first place. WNIC was close behind, moving up to #2 as it rebounded from a down book. WRIF was just a click behind as it dipped to #3 with a slight increase. WXYT fell from first to fourth as it ended a strong two-book surge. WYCD repeated at #5 with its first down book since there were a bunch of pipers incessantly piping.
This was the fifth book in a row that WKQI was both #1 and in double figures 18-34. The station also landed its largest number in over a year. WRIF stood along at #2, also with its highest share in over a year. The gap between the two stations was better than four shares. WXYT stepped down to #3 with a rather large share loss. WNIC inched up to #4 with a slight decrease, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) moved up to #5 with a solid share gain. WYCD returned all of last month’s massive increase as it dropped from #4 to #6.
WKQI and WNIC both hit double digits 18-49. For WKQI, it was the station’s second win in a row. For WNIC, it pushed the station from #4 to #2. This was a bounce-back book for WNIC as it had also been in double digits back in MARCH. WRIF and WXYT had been tied at #2. WRIF dipped to #3 with a slight decrease, while WXYT landed at #4 with a much larger share loss. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (105.1 THE BOUNCE) stepped up to #5 with a solid increase, while WYCD slipped to #6 as it – again – returned all of last survey’s huge increase.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: A Six Pack
Numerical symmetry here as the top six 6+ stations were in the exact same order as last month. UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST. PAUL Contemporary Christian KTIS was #1 for the fifth book in a row and 12th time in the last 14 surveys (8.7-11.0). iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN FM 100.3) repeated at #2 with its highest score since NOVEMBER (8.0-8.4). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) was back at #3 with its third up book in a row (6.9-7.3). HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) held steady at #4 (6.7-6.8), while iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) was still #5 (6.5-6.3). Rounding out this sextet was MPR N/T KNOW (6.4-6.0). The station also gained a 0.9 share from its stream. KQQL still led the cume category with a 0.1% decrease (723,200-722,800). The market was up by 0.4%.
KFXN landed its largest 25-54 share since DECEMBER as it advanced from #3 to #1. KTIS jumped from #5 to #2 with its best outing since JULY. KSTP was the demo co-leader last month. It dropped to #3 with a slight increase. AUDACY AC KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) repeated at #4 with a small increase, while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDWB remained at #5 with a slight decrease. The other co-leader from last month, CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X), landed at #6 with its smallest share in over a year.
Though KEEY was unable to replicate last month’s double-digit 18-34 share, the station had enough left in the tank to remain #1. KDWB was back at #2 as it ended a three-book surge. KSTP stepped up to #3 with its highest score since AUGUST. A flat KQQL repeated at #4 and was paired with KZJK, which advanced from #6 with its best book in over a year. CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS fell from #3 to #6 as it gave back most of last month’s large share increase.
There was a battle royal in the 18-49 space. KSTP was #1 for the fourth book in a row. Meanwhile, KTIS was up three places to #2 with its best outing since the dairy case was full of eggnog. The stations were separated by less than a half-share. KFXN vaulted from #8 to #3 as it halted a three-book slide. KXXR and KZJK were #2 and #3, respectively, last month. Both had down books and ended up together at #4. KDWB and KEEY dropped out of the top five and were hanging at #6.
Thank you for playing along.
As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. stand ready to help you grow your ratings and revenue. Click the link below to get the gruesome details.
Still to come: our final attempt at insight as we dive into TAMPA, SAN DIEGO, DENVER, NASSAU-SUFFOLK and CHARLOTTE.
-Steve Allan, Programming Research Consultant
About XTrends: XTrends reveals the trends and stories buried in your ratings data. To maximize your investment in Nielsen, learn more here.
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.
Comments