RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, Holiday 2024, Part I

January 28, 2025

Welcome to the roundup. In this issue we will see how much carnage Santa wrought on the radio landscape. However, there are three things that are worth noting for this survey.

First, it was five weeks long. This was so Nielsen could realign its metaverse.

Second, of the five weeks surveyed, only three were covered by the holiday music scam.

Third, this is the last time we will be encumbered by the five-minute rule (which is not to be confused with the five-second rule, which is the law of the land).

The HOLIDAY book ran from DECEMBER 5^TH through JANUARY 8^TH and featured, oddly enough, a few holidays. Imagine that. Here is the reality of the situation:

NEW YORK: Santa Rides Into Town

As expected, iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) continued as the 6+ leader (9.7-13.1). The station posted a 14.3 share last year. Three stations were massed together at #2. MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS remained in place but with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER (6.0-5.1). SBS Spanish Tropical WSKQ (MEGA 97.9FM) moved up from #4 (5.1-5.1). It was also granted a 0.6 share for its stream. AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) advanced from #7 with its best book in over a year (4.8-5.1). It also gained a 0.5 share from its online presence. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) stood alone at #5 (4.9-4.7), while its former partner in that space – AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) slipped to #7 (4.9-4.3). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3) had its lowest score in over a year as it fell from #3 to #6 (5.5-4.5). And, of course, WLTW remained the cume leader with a 13.3% increase (3,642,900-4,127,900). The market was off by 2.1%.

The top five on the 25-54 chart were unchanged from the last survey. WLTW was #1 for the third book in a row and, shocker, in double figures. WHTZ repeated at #2 with a slight decrease, while a flat WSKQ was back at #3. WNEW remained at #4 with a small share decrease, while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU (103.5 KTU) settled back in at #5 but with its lowest mark in over a year.

It was quite the show of 18-34 power for WLTW. The station extended its long, uninterrupted string of #1 books and hit double digits for the sixth straight survey. It also has as much share as the next four stations – combined! WSKQ was up three slots to #2, while AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS rose from a tie at #7 to #3. Both stations bounced back from down books. WNEW dipped to #4 with its smallest share since JULY, while WKTU moved from the tie at #7 to #5 with a slight increase. WBLS dropped four places to #8 as it gave back most of last survey’s large share increase. It was paired there with SBS Spanish Contemporary WPAT (93.1 AMOR). WAXQ fell from #2 to #10 with its lowest total in over a year.

WLTW was both #18-49 and in double figures for the fifth straight survey. WSKQ and WHTZ remained #2 and #3, respectively, as both stations were flat. WNEW inched up to #4 but with its third down book in a row. WKTU also had a down book but moved up to claim its share of the #4 position. WAXQ slid to #6 and was in league with WCBS and MEDIACO Rhythmic CHR WQHT (HOT 97).

LOS ANGELES: Not So Little St. Nick

All of our hearts go out to the residents of LOS ANGELES as they continue to recover from the devastating wildfires. For the purposes of this column, the fires only affected the last two days of the survey. We’ll examine the power of radio in disseminating vital and timely information in next month’s roundup. For now, we focus on the sounds of the season. iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST was again #1 6+ (8.3-12.4). That almost matched last year’s 12.6 share. The rest of the top five lost share to Santa’s minions. AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101) had its lowest number in a year as it remained at #2 (5.5-4.7). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM) was back at #3 but with its lowest mark since MAY (4.8-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MYFM) also landed its lowest share in over a year (4.8-4.2) as it dipped to #4. TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary KLVE (K-LOVE 107.5) repeated at #5 (4.1-3.9). KOST padded its cume lead with a 29.7% increase (2,440,200-3,165,300). The market lost 0.1%.

KOST returned as #1 25-54 and broke through the double-digit fence line. The station also eclipsed last year’s number. KIIS remained as #2 with its smallest share since MARCH, while KBIG stepped up to #3 with only a slight decrease. It was tied with SBS Mexican Regional KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9), which advanced from #5 with its best book in over a year. KRTH slipped to #5 with its lowest score since MAY.

In NOVEMBER KOST was #7 18-34. The station has come close to tripling its share since then and was #1 for the second straight survey. KIIS held steady at #2 with a small share increase. KRTH repeated at #3. It was #1 in AUGUST and has lost about half its share since then. KBIG stepped up to #4 with a small decrease. AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE) leapt from #11 to #5 with a solid share gain. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KSCA (LA NUEVA 101.9) slipped to #6 as it ended a five-book surge. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7) fell from #5 to #14 with its smallest share in over a year.

The theme of this month’s puzzle is that the Santa station sweeps the four demos. KOST did just that 18-49 and was easily in double-digit land. KIIS repeated at #2, while KBIG stepped up to #3. Both stations had slight share losses. KLAX was up two slots to #4 with its highest score since MAY. KRTH slipped to #5, while KSCA dipped to #6. Both stations had noticeable share declines.

CHICAGO: Jingling All The Way

iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) was Santa’s darling again as the station was #1 6+ for the second straight survey (9.8-12.5). It landed a 16.0 share a year ago. AUDACY News WBBM-A remained at #2 but with its lowest score since AUGUST (6.2-5.7). It did add on a 0.4 share from its stream. iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103) stepped up to #3 (5.0-5.2). while HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 THE DRIVE) backed up to #4 with its least productive outing in over a year (5.6-5.1). CUMULUS Classic Hits WLS-F was back at #5 but with its lowest total since FEBRUARY (4.7-3.7). WLIT was still the cume leader with a 30.9% increase (1,501,600-1,965,400). The market fell by 3.7%.

WLIT was #1 25-54 for the second straight survey as it crashed through the double-digit ceiling. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI moved up to #2 with a slight increase, while WVAZ vaulted from #8 to #3 with a modest share increase. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional WOJO (QUÉ BUENA 105.1) dipped to #4 with its lowest number in over a year. It was joined in that space by HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX), which rose from #12 as it rebounded from a down book. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) slipped to #6 with a small share loss. Its former partner at #5 was AUDACY Country WUSN (US99). It slid to #7. It was then tied with WLS-F, which fell from #2.

For the second book in a row, WLIT was #1 and in double figures 18-34. It also had more share than the next three stations – combined. WKSC was back at #2 with a slight decrease. WGCI leapt from #8 to #3 as it regained a portion of last survey’s huge share loss. WUSN held steady at #4 but with its lowest mark in exactly a year. It was paired with WOJO, which stepped up from #5 with a small decrease. WLS-F fell from #2 into a tie at #6 with WVAZ.

In a result that everyone saw coming, WLIT was #1 and in double digits 18-49. WGCI stepped up to #2 with its best outing in over a year, while WOJO was up to #3 with a small decrease. WUSN slid to #4 and just edged out WKSC, which repeated at #5. WTMX regained most of last survey’s lost share as it jumped from #12 to #6.

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DALLAS-FT. WORTH: The Merry Bells Were Ringing

The preferred choice for holiday tunage was iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1). It was #1 6+ for the second book in a row (7.1-10.1). Last year’s final score was a 10.3 share. CUMULUS Sports KTCK (96.7 & 1310 THE TICKET) was back at #2 (5.7-5.7), while CUMULUS Country KSCS (NEW COUNTRY 96.3) repeated at #3 (5.5-4.6). AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) stepped up to #4 (4.4-4.4), while NORTH TEXAS PUBLIC BROADCASTING N/T KERA dipped to #5 with its smallest share since JULY (4.5-4.0). It was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM), which rose from #7 (4.3-4.0). TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) dropped from #5 to #8 with its lowest total in exactly one year (4.4-3.7). A few other stations also jumped on the polar express. Most notably was SALEM AC KLTY, which dipped to #9 (3.7-3.6). It was tied with CUMULUS Country KPLX (99.5 THE WOLF) (3.6-3.6). KDGE retained the cume lead with a 30.9% increase (1,237,900-1,620,600). The market declined by 1.0%.

KDGE retained the 25-54 crown but did not quite get to double figures. A flat KTCK repeated at #2, while KHKS was up two places to #3 with a small share increase. KLNO dipped to #4, again with its lowest score in a year. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) worked it from #9 to #5 with its best book in over a year. KSCS slid from #4 into a tie at #9 with KJKK.

As is often the case, the 18-34 demo flocks to the home of the holiday hits. KDGE was #1 and in double digits with that crowd for the second straight survey. KDMX moved up two spaces to #2 with, once again, its best outing in over a year. KSCS advanced from #7 to #3 with its best showing since SEPTEMBER. KLNO slipped to #4 with a huge share loss and was tied with KHKS. EMF Contemporary Christian KYDA (AIR1) slid to #6. It was tied with SERVICE Urban AC KRNB (SMOOTH R&B 105.7), which vaulted from #17, more than doubling its previous number.

Completing the demo sweep, KDGE was #1 18-49 and in double-digit territory. KHKS stepped up to #2 with a slight increase, while KLNO dipped to #3 with another large share loss. KTCK held steady at #4 with a slight decrease. It was partnered with KDMX, which advanced from #6 with a small share increase. AUDACY Mexican Regional KMVK (LA GRANDE 107.5) dipped to #6 with a slight decrease.

SAN FRANCISCO: Santa Slays

For the first time in seven books, KQED INC N/T KQED was not #1 6+. That honor was bestowed upon BONNEVILLE AC KOIT, which used the power of the Claus to move up to #1 (7.2-11.6). Last year it scored a 14.1 share. KQED also saw its two-book double-digit streak come to an end as it dipped to #2 (10.1-9.5). AUDACY News KCBS-A moved up to #3 (6.1-6.4). The station’s stream also produced a 0.4 share. USC Classical KDFC (CLASSICAL CALIFORNIA) dipped to #4 as it ended a four-book surge (6.3-5.4). BONNEVILLE Pop CHR KMVQ (99.7 NOW) remained at #5 (4.4-4.5). KOIT added to its cume lead with a 24.6% increase (1,075,200-1,339,600). The market was up 0.3%.

KOIT held serve 25-54 and landed a double-digit share. KMVQ stepped up to #2 with its best showing in over a year. KQED dipped to #3 with a large share loss, while AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) was back at #4 but with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) repeated at #5 and was paired with cluster brother iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KMEL, which rose from #9 as it rebounded from a down book.

To no one’s surprise, KOIT was back at #1 18-34 and in double figures. KMVQ had its best outing since FEBRUARY as it stepped up to #2. KITS dipped to #3 with a slight increase, while KMEL remained at #4 but with its third down book in a row. SBS Mexican Regional KRZZ (93.3 LA RAZA) advanced to #5 as it regained most of last survey’s share loss. iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE) wafted down to #6 with its lowest total since MAY.

KOIT moved up to #1 18-49 with a strong double-digit performance. KMVQ was up to #2 as it halted a two-book slide. This ended the two-book winning streak for KQED, which landed in a tie at #2. KITS repeated at #4 with a small share loss, while KRZZ stepped up to #5 with a slight decrease. KYLD slipped to #6 and was tied with KMEL.

That wraps our first dose of HOLIDAY cheer. We’ll return shortly to see how Santa imposed his will upon HOUSTON, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA and BOSTON in that order.

If someone in your circle of friends or colleagues might also enjoy our radio ratings reporting blended with a healthy dose of snark and industry know-how, send them this link.

-Steve Allan, Programming Research Consultant

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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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