RADIO RATINGS ROUNDUP, Holiday 2024, Part II

January 29, 2025

Welcome back for another exciting round of ‘How the Ratings Turned.’ Once again, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the computational crafters from XTRENDS – are here to see how the holiday hostilities panned out. If our previous edition is any indication, then we are in for another wild sleigh ride.

The HOLIDAY book ran from DECEMBER 5^TH through JANUARY 8^TH. As a result, 40% of the survey was not tainted by the stench of BURL IVES and his ilk.

One other note – this also marks the end of the era: from now until the end of time, we will no longer have to abide by the five-minute rule. I’m thinking we should put up one of those roadside historical markers to commemorate the event.

Now, on with the countdown…

HOUSTON-GALVESTON: Deep In The Heart Of The Holiday

For the fifth straight survey, iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) gathered in the most 6+ share (11.2-14.7). It performed even better than last year’s 13.7 number. HOPE MEDIA Contemporary Christian KSBJ also made the CHRISTMAS commitment. It kept the station at #2, also for the fifth book in a row (5.9-6.3). If you’re keeping score at home that’s better than a 20-share devoted to all things holy and jolly. URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) moved up to #3 (5.8-5.5). It was partnered with RADIO ONE Classic Rock KGLK (THE EAGLE 106.9 & 107.5), which descended from #2 (5.9-5.5). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) was back at #5 (5.3-4.9). KODA continued to crush it in the cume category with a 7.6% increase (1,975,500-2,126,200). The market dropped by 0.8%.

KODA made it back-to-back double-digit 25-54 wins. The station has more than doubled its NOVEMBER share. KTBZ remained at #2 but with its smallest share since JULY. This allowed URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBXX (97.9 THE BOX) to move up from #9 and forge a tie. KBXX was also up for the fourth book in a row. RADIO ONE Country KKBQ (93Q COUNTRY) dipped to #4, while KSBJ rose from #7 to #5. Both stations had slight decreases. AUDACY Spanish Contemporary KLOL (MEGA 101 FM) and TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLTN (QUÉ BUENA 102.9) were last seen at #3. KLOL scored its lowest share since JULY and fell into a sixth-place tie with KGLK. KLTN landed at #8.

This marked the fifth consecutive 18-34 win for KODA, the last three of which have been in double figures. KTBZ repeated at #2 with a small decrease. KBXX leapt from #6 to #3 with a small increase. KGLK stepped down to #4 as it halted a robust two-book surge. It was tied with KLOL, which remained in place but with its smallest share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KQBT (93.7 THE BEAT) dipped to #6, also with its lowest total in over a year. It was joined there by KSBJ, which arrived from #14.

As with the previous demo, KODA was #1 18-49 for the fifth book in a row, the last two of which were in double digits. KTBZ returned most of last month’s huge share increase but had enough left in the tank to remain at #2. KBXX landed its largest share in over a year as it leapt from #6 to #3. KSBJ advanced five spaces to #4 with a modest share increase. KLOL slipped to #5, ending a strong three-book surge. Two stations were excused from the top five. KKBQ fell from #4 to #7, while KGLK dropped from #5 to #9.

ATLANTA: Santa Denied

It’s not often the big guy is not able to throw his considerable weight around, but the 6+ winner – for the seventh book in a row – was COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A (9.1-8.1). It was the station’s lowest share since before the streak began. SALEM AC WFSH (104.7 THE FISH) was the holiday hitmaker and rose from #5 to #2 (6.5-6.9). Last year it was #1 with a 10.5 share. URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5) stepped up to #3 (6.7-6.5), while COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) ebbed to #4 with its lowest number in over a year (7.1-6.3). COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1 FM) fell from #2 to #5 as it gave back most of last survey’s huge increase (7.8-5.9). COX MEDIA AC WSB-F (B98.5) still had the most cume (731,300-703,800) – a 3.8% decrease. The market was off by 3.6%.

The top three slots on the 25-54 leaderboard continued to be held by the same-formatted stations. However, there were some changes. AUDACY Urban Contemporary WVEE (V-103) stepped up to #1 for the third time in the last four books. WAMJ inched up to #2 with a slight increase but was better than a share off the lead. WALR dropped from #1 to #3 with its lowest mark since AUGUST. WFSH swam from #9 to #4 with its best book since it last played that performance-enhancing music. A flat WSB-A dipped to #5. Last survey iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WRDG (96.1 THE BEAT) vaulted from #13 to #5. This time it fell to #11 as it surrendered most of that massive share increase. It was tied with AUDACY Rhythmic AC WSTR (STAR 94).

Though WVEE gave back a large chunk of last survey’s huge increase, the station was still #1 18-34 for the third book in a row. WSB-A moved up to #2 with a slight decrease. RADIO TRAINING Contemporary Christian WVFJ (THE JOY FM) more than doubled its previous number as it rocketed from #13 to #3. It was paired with URBAN ONE Urban Contemporary WHTA (HOT 107.9), which arrived from #5 with a slight decrease. WFSH slipped from #2 to #5 as it returned all of last month’s increase, plus a little extra. It was tied with WSRV, which levelled up from #6. WALR dropped from #3 to #8 with its lowest mark since MARCH and was tied with WRDG.

Thanks to a slight share increase, WVEE was back at #1 18-49 for the third time in the last four books. WAMJ was up to #2 with a slight decrease, while WALR went from first to third with its smallest share since JUNE. Three stations moved up to form an arrangement at #4. A flat WHTA was up from #6, while WSB-A rose from #5 with a slight decrease. WFSH advanced from #7 with a slight increase. WRDG dropped four places to #8.

WASHINGTON, D.C.: Santa Overruled

The holiday merriment was subdued as the top five 6+ stations were as we last left them. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU kept its long string of #1 double-digit books alive (12.1-12.3), while HUBBARD News WTOP strengthened its grip on the #2 position with its best book since JULY (9.0-10.1). Santa’s favorite station is always iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH. It repeated at #3 (7.3-8.7). Last year it was #2 with an 11.0 share. HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR was back at #4 but with its lowest score in over a year (7.0-6.2). WETA Classical WETA again rounded out the top five with its third up book in a row (5.0-5.2). WASH continued to reign supreme in the cume wars with a 10.3% increase (818,200-902,600). The market was down 2.6%.

WASH was #1 25-54 for the third straight survey but was actually off slightly. Last year it did hit double figures. WAMU was back at #2 with its third up book in a row and was dangerously close to taking the lead. WTOP stepped up to #3 with its best outing in over a year. WHUR dipped to #4 as it ended a four-book surge. AUDACY Classic Hits WIAD (94.7 THE DRIVE) jumped from #8 to #5 with a strong share increase. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) stepped down to #6 as it surrendered some of last month’s solid increase.

WASH was #1 and in double figures 18-34 for the second book in a row. It also exceeded last year’s share. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WIHT (HOT 99.5) remained at #2 but with its smallest share since MAY. iHEARTMEDIA Country WMZQ stood alone at #3 with a modest share loss. ATLANTIC GATEWAY Contemporary Christian WGTS dipped to #4 with its lowest mark since AUGUST. It was partnered with two other stations. WWDC moved up from #6 with its third straight up book, while AUDACY Rhythmic CHR WPGC advanced from #10 as it halted a four-book slide. WHUR fell from #3 into a tie at #7 with WAMU.

For the third book in a row, WASH was the leading 18-49 station and it finally hit double digits. WAMU was still at #2 with a small increase but trailed the leader by about three shares. WWDC stepped up to #3 despite a share loss and was paired with WTOP, which rose from #5 with a small share gain. URBAN ONE Urban Contemporary WKYS ended a three-book slide as it vaulted from #10 to #5. WIHT slid to #6 with its smallest share since APRIL.

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PHILADELPHIA: Rudolph Reigns

While this market may have booed Santa in person, he is revered on the radio. The sounds of the season worked wonders for AUDACY AC WBEB (B101), which moved up to #1 6+ (7.8-15.7). Last year the station was #1 with a 16.8 share. iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WDAS was back at #2 (8.1-8.0), while AUDACY Sports WIP (SPORTSRADIO 94WIP) moved up to #3 (7.3-7.3). The station also profited from its stream with a 1.7 share. BEASLEY Album Oriented Rock WMMR had its first down book since SEPTEMBER as it fell from first to fourth (8.3-7.2). BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK repeated at #5 (7.0-6.7). WBEB added an astounding 55.3% to its already-market-leading cume total (1,064,600-1,653,500). The market grew by 0.7%.

WBEB doubled its previous 25-54 share as it stepped up to #1. This ended the twelve-book winning streak for WMMR, which dipped to #2 with its smallest share since, well, this time a year ago. WDAS was back at #3, while WIP maintained its presence at #4. WMGK repeated at #5. All three stations had slight decreases.

WBEB came this close to doubling its previous 18-34 share as it repeated as the demo champ. WMMR stepped up to #2 with a small increase. The gap between the two stations was about ten shares! WMGK held on at #3 with a small share loss and was joined there by WDAS, which rose from #5 with a slight increase. BEASLEY Country WXTU (92.5 XTU) dropped three places to #5 with its lowest score since AUGUST.

In NOVEMBER, WBEB was #5 18-49. The station has more than tripled its share since then and moved up to #1 this survey. This ended the two-book winning streak for WMMR, which dipped to #2 with its smallest share since last year. That said, the station came through the holiday hostilities in far better condition than last year. WDAS repeated at #3 with a small share loss, while WIP remained at #4 but with its least productive outing since AUGUST. WMGK moved up to #5 with a slight increase. WXTU stepped down to #6 with a noticeable loss of share.

BOSTON: Some Elfin Magic

AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) rode Santa’s sleigh to another #1 6+ finish (8.3-15.4). It also found something nice in its internet stocking with a 1.6 share from the stream. Last year it posted a 14.2 share. BEASLEY Sports WBZ-F (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) was back at #2 (8.2-7.8), while iHEARTMEDIA N/T WBZ-A repeated at #3 as it halted a three-book surge (6.0-5.5) BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR landed its lowest share in exactly a year (5.9-4.5) but held on at #4. BOSTON UNIVERSITY N/T WBUR leapt from #9 to #5 (4.0-3.9). AUDACY Hot AC WWBX (MIX 104.1) was given its lowest grade in exactly a year (5.4-3.4) as it dropped from #5 to #9. The station did add a 0.6 share from its online presence. It was tied with WGBH FOUNDATION N/T WGBH (3.6-3.4). WMJX increased its #1 cume total by 39.8% (759,100-1,061,300). The market was off by 0.1%.

WMJX more than doubled its DECEMBER 25-54 share as it vaulted from #4 to #1. This stopped the three-book, double-digit winning string for WBZ-F. It dipped to #2 and narrowly missed hitting double figures again. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WXKS (KISS 108) was up two places to #3 with a slight increase. WWBX landed its lowest number since JANUARY as it slipped from #2 to #4. WROR moved up to #5, despite scoring its smallest share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX dropped from #3 to #5 with a massive share loss.

We cannot tell you the exact 18-34 share WMJX landed, but suffice it to say that if you are in that group, one finger on your hand was punching the MAGIC button. WBZ-F stepped up to #2 with a small share loss. Two stations were farther back at #3. Despite hitting double figures 12 times in the last 14 surveys, WWBX whiffed it this round and dropped from #2. It was paired with iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR WJMN (JAM’N 94.5), which was up from #4 with a slight increase. WXKS stepped up to #5 with a small share gain. The WMJX STREAM rose from #13 to #6 and was tied with BEASLEY Country WKLB (COUNTRY 102.5), WROR, and iHEARTMEDIA N/T WRKO-A.

WMJX advanced to the #1 spot 18-49 with a huge double-digit share. WBZ-F was in double figures for the second book in a row but was pushed down to #2. WXKS was up to #3 with a slight decrease, while WWBX dipped to #4 with its smallest share in a year. WJMN moved up two slots to #5 with a slight decrease, while WROR slid to #6 as it paid the holiday tariff.

There are still a few presents to open.  We are currently preparing HOLIDAY round three featuring SEATTLE, MIAMI, PHOENIX, DETROIT and MINNEAPOLIS.

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-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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