Radio Ratings Roundup, November 2023, Part II

November 29, 2023

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., with incredible backroom support from the numbers crunchers from XTRENDS, return refreshed and anew, ready to tackle another slate of radio ratings results. Doesn’t it seem that once you’ve parsed a book and reacted to its results, you’re smacked in the face by a new set of numbers? This one is called NOVEMBER, though it actually began on OCTOBER 12^TH and ended on NOVEMBER 8^TH. It featured a lot of people dressing like TAYLOR SWIFT, the absurd turning back the hands of time, and an election day. We will now reveal the details…

HOUSTON-GALVESTON: The Eagle Flies Alone

Sounds deep, doesn’t it? It’s not. Last month RADIO ONE Classic Rock KGLK (THE EAGLE 106.9 & 107.5) and RADIO ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) were the 6+ co-leaders. KGLK remained in place (7.2-7.2), while KMJQ drifted down to #3 as it ended a four-book surge (7.2-6.1). Between those cluster mates was iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1), which stepped up to #2 (6.9-6.8). KSBJ EDUCATIONAL Christian Contemporary KSBJ repeated at #4 (5.8-5.7), while AUDACY Adult Hits KKHH (95.7 THE SPOT) was back at #5 but with its smallest share in over a year (5.5-4.9). Threatening to rejoin the top five was RADIO ONE Country KKBQ (93Q), which rose to #6 (4.1-4.7). KODA still corralled the most cume (1,634,100-1,644,100) – a 0.6% increase. The market was off by 0.4%.

There was a tight race atop the 25-54 leaderboard. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) won the day for the second book in a row. However, KODA moved up to #2 and the two stations were separated by a very slim margin. KGLK stepped up to #3 with a slight decrease. Also moving up to #3 was AUDACY Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5), which advanced from #8 with its best showing in over a year. KKBQ moved up two slots to #5, while two stations exited the top five and were huddled together at #6. KSBJ slipped from #5 with its lowest score since JULY, while KKHH fell from #2 with its smallest share in over a year.

KODA bounced back from its lowest 18-34 book of the year to rise from #4 to #1. KTBZ remained at #2 but with its lowest mark since DECEMBER. URBAN ONE Top 40/R KBXX (97.9 THE BOX) went from first to a tie at second with its least productive outing since MAY. KKHH dipped to #4 with a noticeable share loss, while a flat KGLK was back at #5. KKBQ was not far behind as it moved up to #6 with its best book in over a year.

The top five 18-49 stations are all within a share of one another. KTBZ was #1 for the third book in a row but with the lowest share of the streak. KGLK was back at #2 with a small decrease, while a flat KODA remained at #3. KHMX landed its largest share in over a year to vault from #11 to #4. KKBQ was up four slots to #5 with its highest mark since JUNE. KKHH fell from #5 into a tie at #10 with ESTRELLA Regional Mexican KQQK (EL NORTE 107.9).

ATLANTA: Talkin’ The Talk

COX MEDIA Talk WSB-A once dominated the 6+ arena. Those times could be returning as the station moved up to #1 with its best book in over a year (8.1-8.8). This ended the ten-book winning streak for COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER), which moved downstream to #2 (8.5-8.2). The station did gain an additional 1.3 share from its stream. URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5) repeated at #3 (6.9-6.5). SALEM Christian Contemporary WFSH (104.7 THE FISH) had its best book since all the merry gentlemen were taking a break as it moved up to #4 (4.9-5.7). COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) slipped to #5 with its lowest score in over a year (5.4-5.1). AUDACY Urban WVEE (V-103) had its lowest total since MAY (5.0-4.4) as it dropped down to #7. WSRV was the still the cume controller, despite a 1.1% decrease (888,500-878,500). The market grew by 2.5%.

Last month WSRV and WVEE shared the top spot with the 25-54 crowd. WSRV remained in place for the sixth time in the last eight surveys. WVEE slipped to #2 as it ended a strong three-book surge. CUMULUS Alternative WNNX (99X) repeated at #3 with a modest share loss. WSB-A was not far behind as it stepped up to #4 with its highest share in exactly a year. WAMJ slipped to #5 with its lowest mark in over a year. It was hearing footsteps from AUDACY Rhythmic AC WSTR (STAR 94), which was up to #6 with its best book since APRIL.

In the previous survey, WVEE ended WSRV’s seven-book 18-34 winning streak. WVEE made it two #1 books in a row but had to share the title with WSRV. Those two stations were well clear of the rest of the field. CUMULUS Top 40/M WWWQ (Q99.7) jumped from #8 to #3 with its best outing since JULY. WSB-A remained in place at #4 with a slight decrease. WFSH more than tripled its previous share as it rocketed from #18 to #5. WALR slid from #3 into a tie at #6 with WAMJ. JDJ COMMUNICATIONS Urban WWSZ-A (STREETZ 94.5) returned all of last month’s large share increase as it fell from #5 to #12.

The 18-49 top five was unchanged from last month. WSRV finished in first place for the eighth straight survey. It maintained about a share lead over WVEE, which finished at #2 for the sixth book in a row. WNNX was back at #3, while WAMJ repeated at #4. WWWQ stood alone at an extremely close #5. Its former partner in that space – WSB-A – was flat but dropped to #8.

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WASHINGTON, DC: The Road Goes On Forever…

…but the party never ends. At least it doesn’t for AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU. The station extended its long-running string of double-digit #1 6+ books with its largest share since JANUARY (11.9-12.7). iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH regained all of last month’s lost share to step up to #2 (7.1-7.9). HUBBARD News WTOP slipped to #3 with its smallest share in over a year (8.1-7.4). HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR strengthened its grip on the #4 position by getting its best book in over a year (5.9-6.6). URBAN ONE Urban AC WMMJ (MAJIC 102.3/92.7) repeated at #5 (5.6-5.8). WASH continued to have the most cume (949,500-911,400) – a 4.0% decrease. The market was up 0.3%.

WASH did it again. The station was #1 25-54 for the fifth straight survey, the last four of which have been in double digits. WHUR was up for the third book in a row as it leapt from #5 to #2. Still, it was five shares behind the leader. WAMU dipped to a very close #3 with its smallest share in over a year. A flat URBAN ONE Urban WKYS stepped down to #4, while ATLANTIC GATEWAY Christian Contemporary WGTS was relegated to #5 with a slight decrease. It narrowly defeated WMMJ, which was up to #6 as it bounced back from a down book.

The 18-34 competition turned into a slugfest – or maybe it was a donnybrook. Both WAMU and WASH were in double digits. Last month WASH ended the nine-book winning streak for WAMU. This time WAMU returned to the top spot while WASH moved down to #2. Combined, the two stations took about a quarter of the available share in this demo. WMMJ repeated at #3 as it halted a robust five-book surge. WKYS advanced two spaces to #4 with a solid increase, while WGTS slipped one rung to #5 with a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WIHT (HOT 99.5) dropped from that tie at #4 to #6 as it returned all of last month’s large share increase.

This may seem familiar. WASH was #1 18-49 for the fifth straight survey, the last four of which have been in double digits. WAMU remained at #2 as it bounced back from a down book but was more than four shares off the pace. WKYS was back at #3 with a slight increase but it had company as WHUR moved up a slot with its best showing in over a year. WMMJ stood alone at #5 as it got back most of last month’s lost share. WGTS fell from a tie at #5 into a tie at #7 with AUDACY Classic Hits WIAD (94.7 THE DRIVE).

PHILADELPHIA: It’s A Barn Burner

For the second book in a row, iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WDAS was #1 6+. The station had its largest share in over a year (8.6-8.7). Coming in at a close #2 was AUDACY Sports WIP had its highest offensive output in exactly a year (8.2-8.5). The station also garnered an additional 1.7 share from its stream. BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK stepped down to #3 with its smallest share since APRIL (8.2-7.9). BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR repeated at #4 (6.9-6.1), while BEASLEY Country WXTU was back at #5 (5.9-5.9). The combination of a PHILLIES postseason run and the EAGLES fast start made WIP the cume leader (864,200-971,400) – a 12.4% increase. The market was down by 1.2%.

Though WMMR posted its lowest 25-54 share since MARCH, the station was #1 for the eleventh book in a row. WIP was back at #2 with its best outing since JANUARY. The gap between the two stations was under a half-share. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WUSL (POWER 99) repeated at #3 with a modest share increase. WXTU stepped up to #4 as it rebounded from a down book. A flat WDAS slid two places to #5.

WXTU repeated as the 18-34 champion with its best book in over a year. AUDACY AC WBEB (B101.1) was back at #2 with its highest mark since JULY. The stations were a full share distant. WUSL held steady at #3 and was joined there by a flat WMMR, which stepped up from #4. BEASLEY Adult Hits WBEN (95.7 BEN FM) inched up to #5 despite a small share loss. WDAS dropped two places to #7 with its smallest share since DECEMBER.

Last month WXTU and WIP were tied at #2 in the 18-49 arena. WXTU was up for the fourth book in a row to capture the flag. WIP stayed behind at #2 but trailed by the smallest of possible margins. This ended the two-book winning streak for WMMR, which landed at #3 but was extremely close to the leaders. A flat WUSL repeated at #4, while WBEB moved forward three spaces to #5 with its highest score since JULY. WDAS and WBEN had been tied at #5. Both stations had down books and ended up at #6 and #7, respectively.

BOSTON: Game Time

An entire generation of PATRIOTS fans are shocked to see their team stink so badly. Perhaps that is part of the jet fuel propelling BEASLEY Sports WBZ (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB). The station was #1 6+ for the third book in a row (10.9-10.7). BOSTON UNIVERSITY Public Radio WBUR had its best outing in over a year (5.4-6.4) as it stepped up to #2. AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7 FM) dipped to #3 (5.7-5.5), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX moved back up to #4 with its best book since JANUARY (4.6-5.4). BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR dipped to #5 (5.3-5.2) and was feeling some heat from iHEARTMEDIA News WBZ-A, which was up two places to #6 with its highest mark since JANUARY (4.5-5.0). WMJX was still the cume leader (772,200-800,600) – a 3.7% increase. The market rose by 0.7%.

WBZ made it back-to-back double-digit 25-54 books as the station finished in first place for the eleventh straight survey. WBUR was back at #2 with its third up book in a row. Not far behind at #3 was WZLX, which landed its largest share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WXKS (KISS 108) dipped to #4 despite a slight increase. AUDACY Hot AC WWBX (MIX 104.1) remained in place at #5 with a slight decrease. It was hearing footsteps from WROR, which moved up to #6.

Two books ago WWBX was the ninth-ranked 25-54 station. Since then, the station has come close to tripling its share. It moved up to #1 in this survey and was in double digits. WBZ left double-digit territory as it drifted down to #2. WXKS dipped to #3 despite a solid share increase. AUDACY Adult Hits WBGB (BIG 103) almost doubled its previous share as it vaulted from #8 to #4. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT 96.9) slid to #5 as it returned all of last month’s large increase, while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) moved down to #6.

Stop me if you’ve heard this before. WBZ made it back-to-back double-digit 18-49 books as the station notched its third win in a row. WWBX moved up to #2 with its highest score in over a year, while a flat WXKS slipped to #3. WBUR stepped up to #4, also with its best showing in over a year. WZLX moved up one slot to #5 with its highest share since JANUARY. WBQT dropped three places to #7 with its lowest total in over a year.

Halfway through our monthly ratings slog. Don’t miss our next exciting episode. Subscribe to our blog right now. And if you don’t mind, share this here missive with your radio brethren.

As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. stand ready to help you grow your ratings and revenue. Stay tuned for part three featuring SEATTLE, MIAMI, PHOENIX, DETROIT and MINNEAPOLIS.

-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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