August 10, 2026
There is reality and then there is radio ratings reality. The glorious disconnect between the two is spurious at best. Out in the wild, people are slapping mosquitoes, screaming over jet skis, and arguing about who forgot the bag of ice. Meanwhile, inside the spreadsheet, that very same chaotic chaos is translated into neat little decimal points representing cumulative reach and listener loyalty. It is a world where an extra three minutes of air conditioning in a grocery store parking lot can rewrite the fortune of a morning drive show. We do, however, applaud NIELSEN for their steadfast dedication to order, quietly quantifying the unquantifiable while the rest of humanity is just trying not to get sunburned.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with the tall, tanned and lovely numbers crunchers from XTRENDS—bring you the JULY book. It ran from JUNE 25TH through JULY 22ND and it was hot, damned hot.
NEW YORK: Summer In The City
The heat on the street led to stagnation atop the 6+ leaderboard as the top five was unchanged from last month. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) was #1 for the fifth book in a row (7.5-7.9). AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) was back at #2 with its best showing since FEBRUARY (7.1-7.4). AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS repeated at #3 (5.8-5.7), while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) remained at #4 (5.6-5.2). Rounding out the top five again was iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3) (4.9-4.8). MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS ended a three-book slide as it rose from #11 to #6 (3.7-4.5). WLTW was still in cume control (3,801,500-3,791,300)—a 0.3% decline. The market fell by 2.6%.
After a two-book hiatus, WLTW was back at #1 25-54 with its best Frosty-free share since NOVEMBER. WHTZ dipped to #2 with its smallest share since FEBRUARY. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU (103.5 KTU) remained at #3, while WINS advanced from #7 to #4. Both stations landed their largest shares in over a year. WCBS stepped down to #5 with a slight decrease, while a flat iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WWPR (POWER 105.1) slipped to #6.
Not only was WLTW #1 18-34 for the tenth book in a row, the station also cracked double figures. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) rebounded from a down book as it leapt from #8 to #2. WHTZ moved down to #3 with a slight increase, while WAXQ stepped up to #4 with its best outing in over a year. WBLS turned it up from #11 to #5 ending another three-book skid. Three stations dropped out of the top five. MEDIACO Rhythmic CHR WQHT (HOT 97) went from #4 to #7 as it returned most of last month’s increase. SBS Spanish Contemporary WPAT (93.1 AMOR) went from #3 to #8, while WCBS fell from #5 to #10 with its smallest share in over a year.
WLTW was back at #1 18-49 with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. WHTZ remained at #2 and was about two shares off the lead. WKTU repeated at #3 and was paired with WNEW, which moved up from #5. WINS vaulted from #11 to #5 with its highest score in over a year. WQHT slid from #4 to #8.
LOS ANGELES: Big Time
As a wise basketball coach said, luck is when preparation meets opportunity. iHEARTMEDIA Hot KBIG (104.3 MYFM) was ready for its closeup as it moved up to #1 6+ (6.2-6.2). AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101.1) stepped up to #2 (5.8-5.9). This ended the eight-book winning string for iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST, which drifted down to #3 with its smallest share since OCTOBER (6.5-5.8). AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE) rose to #4 with its highest water mark since SEPTEMBER (4.3-4.8). AUDACY Adult Hits KCBS (93.1 JACK FM) dipped to #5 (4.6-4.7), while iHEARTMEDIA N/T KFI-A stepped down to #6 (4.5-4.4). KOST still had the most listeners despite a 9.3% drop (2,371,100-2,150,400). The market was down 2.2%.
Despite a down book, KBIG was #1 25-54 for the fifth straight survey. However, its lead over #2 KRTH shrank to a half share. Last month the #5 position was the Alternative battleground as both AUDACY Alternative KROQ and iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7) occupied that space. KROQ was up to #3 with a solid increase, while KYSR inched up to #4 with a slight decrease. KOST and KCBS were last seen at #3 and #4, respectively. Both stations had down books as they landed together at #5.
KRTH got some major ratings love as it stepped up to #1 18-34 with its best book since NOVEMBER. KTWV was up to #2 with its highest mark in over a year. This ended another eight-book winning string for KOST, which slipped to #3. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KRRL (REAL 92.3) and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM) were previously partners at #7. KRRL rose to #4, while KIIS was up to #5. Both stations had up books. KYSR fell from #4 to #9 with its lowest total since the swans were swanning. MOUNT WILSON Country KKGO (GO COUNTRY 105 FM) dropped from #5 to #14 as it ended a robust three-book surge. It was tied with ENTRAVISION Spanish Adult Hits KLYY (JOSÉ FM 97.5/107.1).
KBIG returned a good portion of last month’s increase but had enough left in the tank to remain #1 18-49. KRTH moved up to #2 with its best book since NOVEMBER. A flat KCBS was up to #3, while KOST slid from #2 to #4. KROQ repeated at #5 with a slight increase.
CHICAGO: A Media Mix
This month the top of the 6+ chart became much more contested. HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX) was #1 for the third straight survey (6.0-6.0). AUDACY News WBBM-A moved up to #2 with its first up book since MARCH (5.5-5.8). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103) jumped from #6 to #3 with its best book in over a year (4.4-5.5). AUDACY AAA WXRT (93XRT) slipped to #4 with its smallest share since JANUARY (5.6-5.4). AUDACY Country WUSN (US99) dipped to #5 (5.4-4.9). It was tied with the stationary iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) (5.1-4.9). The station was still the cume leader with a 4.6% rise (1,253,000-1,310,900). The market was down 1.4%.
WTMX dominated the 25-54 space for the seventh book in a row. WXRT moved up to #2 with a slight decrease and was more than three shares off the pace. WUSN stood alone at #3. It narrowly edged iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI, which inched up to #4 with its highest grade in over a year. A small step behind was iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM), which slid from #2 with its lowest mark since JANUARY.
That said, WKSC was the 18-34 leader for the seventh straight survey. The station was unable to extend its three-book double-digit streak but held nearly a two-share lead over WLIT. It vaulted from #10 to #2, more than doubling its previous number in the process. AUDACY Pop CHR WBBM-F (B96) dipped to #3, while WVAZ rose from #8 to #4 with its third up book in a row. WUSN went from #3 to #5 as it halted a three-book surge. WTMX slipped to #6 and was tied with HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 THE DRIVE).
This month’s column is sponsored by the number seven. That’s how many consecutive #1 18-49 books WTMX has posted. It held a very small advantage over two stations at #2. WKSC remained in place with a noticeable share loss, while WGCI moved up a slot with a slight increase. WLIT advanced from #12 to #4 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. WXRT dipped to #5, while WUSN stepped down to #6. Both stations had small share losses.
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DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Shining Star
For the second book in a row iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1) was the 6+ leader. The station also posted its largest Frosty-free share in over a year (5.4-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) stepped up to #2 (4.4-4.8), while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM) jumped from #7 to #3 (3.6-4.1). TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) vaulted from #9 to #4 as it stopped a three-book slide (3.3-4.0). AUDACY Classic Hits KSPF (98.7 THE SPOT) remained at #5 (3.9-3.9). EMF Contemporary Christian KYDA (AIR1) surrendered most of last month’s massive increase as it fell from #2 to #9(5.2-3.6). KDGE retained the cume crown with a 2.9% increase (1,192,500-1,227,200). The market was off by 0.4%.
KDGE was back at #1 25-54 with its third up book in a row. KLNO repeated at #2 with its best outing since MARCH. KDMX stepped up to #3 as it bounced back from a down book. AUDACY Sports KRLD (105.3 THE FAN) jumped from #8 to #4, while KHKS moved from #7 to #5. Both stations had strong share increases. AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) slipped three places to #6 thus ending its two-book surge.
KDMX regained most of last survey’s share loss, which propelled the station to #1 18-34. KDGE and KHKS were previously an item at #3. A flat KDGE inched up to #2, while KHKS remained behind at #3 with a noticeable share loss. AUDACY Alternative KVIL (ALT 103.7) was up two slots to #4 and got back about half of last month’s rather large share loss. URBAN ONE Urban AC KKDA (K104) fell from #1 to #5 with its smallest share since JANUARY. It was paired with KYDA, which dropped down from #4.
KDMX landed its largest 18-49 share in over a year as it stepped up to #1. This pushed KDGE, which had a slight increase, down to #2. KLNO remained at #3 with a solid increase, while KHKS was up two places to #4 with its highest score since SEPTEMBER. KRLD worked it from #9 to #5 with its best offensive performance in over a year. KKDA and KYDA were last seen at #4. KKDA slipped into a tie at #6 with KJKK, while KYDA dropped to #8.
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: Spot Remover
It’s a radio cliché that the last book for a station changing formats is often its best one. We’re going to bury the lead here and tell you that iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) was #1 6+ for the twelfth straight survey (9.4-9.6). Moving up to a distant #2 was URBAN ONE Classic Rock KGLK (THE EAGLE 106.9/107.5), which ended a four-book surge (6.9-6.8). URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) dipped to #3 with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER (7.3-6.6). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) was back at #4 (5.6-5.5), while URBAN ONE Country KKBQ (93Q COUNTRY) remained at #5 (5.0-5.4). Now to our top story. This was the final full survey for AUDACY Adult Hits KKHH (95.7 THE SPOT) before it disappears into the ether. The station was still at #6 but, naturally, with its best book in over a year (4.7-5.3). Despite a 8.5% drop, KODA still found the most meters (1,969,800-1,802,600). The market was down 0.8%
KTBZ continued to run roughshod over the 25-54 field as the station notched its sixth straight win. KKHH jumped from #5 to #2 with—you guessed it—the station’s best outing in over a year. KODA dipped to #3 with a slight decrease, while HOPE MEDIA Contemporary Christian KSBJ moved from #6 to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. KMJQ slipped to #5, while AUDACY Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5) repeated at #6 but with its highest mark since FEBRUARY. KGLK slid from #4 to #7.
KTBZ continued to be the station of choice with the 18-34 crowd. It was #1 for the seventh straight survey, though its double-digit streak ended at five. KKHH held steady at #2, again with its highest share in over a year. KODA was back at #3 with a solid increase, while KGLK moved from #6 to #4 with a slight increase. AUDACY Spanish Contemporary KLOL (MEGA 101 fm) was up two slots to #5 despite a slight decrease. KHMX dipped to #6. It was partnered with KMJQ—up from #8—and KSBJ—up from #10. URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBXX (97.9 THE BOX) slid from #4 to #9 as it ended a strong three-book surge.
KTBZ continued to hold sway with the 18-49 situation, capturing their attention for the fourth book in a row. KODA returned at #2 as it cut the lead in half. KKHH stepped up to #3 with—surprise!—its best book in over a year. KSBJ rose from #9 to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. KGLK slipped to #5 and was tied with the stationary KHMX. KBXX went from #5 to #7.
Thanks for listening. Up after the break are SAN FRANCISCO, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA, and BOSTON. They will be in your inbox tomorrow.
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August 6, 2026
Image by deeznutz1 from Pixabay.
Contesting on the radio is almost as old as the medium itself. Recently, Paige Nienaber mentioned that only 4% of your audience will participate in your contest.
I think he is optimistic.
Most stations today are stuck with the nationwide cash contest. Most of the winners come from somewhere else. Nothing screams local like hearing a winner with a thick Boston accent on a promo in Louisville. That said, this is a lemons/lemonade situation. Paige had some great ideas on re-skinning these generic contests to sound more fun. Or to at least stand out from the ground clutter.
But will that increase participation? This is all about perception. Your P-1 listener can walk into 7-11 today, plunk down a buck, and have a chance to win one million dollars! The perceived odds of winning the local state lottery are about as low as winning your national contest.
We also know from years of research that being known as “the station with the best contests” is not a high priority for most listeners. Still, I am not anti-contesting. I think it has a place…when done with thought and purpose.
First, your contesting and prizes are a part of your station’s image. How you package and present it is part of the overall emotional experience you are generating with your product. In a perfect world you are doing a locally based contest with a prize that has a perceived value to your listeners. I know, we live in anything but a perfect world.
Second, ANY contesting should be fun. It should have a level of vicarious participation. 99.99% of Americans will never appear as a contestant on Wheel of Fortune. Yet, millions watch it every night. There is nothing participatory about listening for the key word at :10 past the hour. That may appeal to the prize swine, but it is audio wallpaper to your average listener.
There was a time when stations did contests like “Secret Sound” or song scrambles. They had a “play along” element that text-to-win games lack. These types of games flow directly into radio’s theater-of-the-mind strengths. They also provide solid social media content.
I’d be curious to hear how many stations have seen a spike in their TSL (or AWTE) caused by tuning in five times a day to enter a key word that COULD win you $1000. Even if that trick does work, it creates a sugar high that evaporates when the game is done (unless you give them a reason to listen more often because of a compelling product). It certainly is not a cume builder because who markets contesting anymore?
Finally, great contesting can be a boon to your culture. Your on-air performers get juiced by being a game show host. They get to be, well, performers. Your sales department gets psyched because you are (hopefully) including sponsors in the game who will come back for more.
Focusing on increasing contest participation from, say, four to five percent may feel good, but it still means 95% of your audience is unmoved. Creating a show will increase engagement and make your brand more memorable. That’s entertainment!
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
July 30, 2026
There has been a lot of buzz around the industry lately about the future of radio ratings. The rise of DTS Auto Stage has provided stations with a different look into how their stations are performing. The Cumulus-Nielsen dust up has caused broadcasters to wonder if there is a better way to quantify (and monetize) their performance.
However, back here in the present day, Nielsen remains our industry’s currency, especially in PPM markets. Most stations still rely on that data to monitor their brand’s performance and generate the lion’s share of their revenue.
At Research Director, Inc. we have been analyzing Nielsen née Arbitron data for over 30 years. The one question we continually ask is: are you maximizing your Nielsen investment?
Here’s a quick rundown on how you can save time and dig more deeply into your numbers:
- Our Instant Answer report breaks down each survey into bite sized parts that spotlight you and your competition. Best of all—it lands in your inbox within minutes of your data release. A true time saver.
- Our Exact Age Report for PPM markets breaks down listening by age, gender, and ethnicity. You see where you (and your competitor’s) AQH is coming from. Unlike the CPR reports, our Exact Age Report shows the entire market AND uses weighted data.
- The Hot Zip Report is similar to the Exact Age Report, except it breaks everything down by your market’s zip codes.
- Format Tracker shows you which format groups are winning or losing. And it tells you how well Nielsen is doing in sampling every available cell. Do you depend on Hispanic Women 35-44? You’ll see if Nielsen is delivering the sample you are paying for.
These reports also come with the kind of seasoned analysis and insight only The Ratings Experts (that’s us) can provide. This is not a one-size-fits-all approach. We are part of your team and help you make more informed strategic and tactical decisions.
Ratings matter. What you do with that information is even more important.
Let us show you how to get ahead…and stay ahead.
Ping me at: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
The first one’s free…
July 23, 2026
Image by Shubham Jana from Pexels.
One of my guilty viewing pleasures is the History Channel’s series, “The Food That Built America.” The production values are a bit cheesy, but the underlying stories can be compelling. They focus on those individuals who have had the inspiration and the passion to create foods and systems that have become an integral part of our culture.
A recent episode focused on bottled iced tea. There was a time in the not-too-distant past where iced tea, especially the pre-made variety, was not a thing. Lipton made the first foray into this space with limited success. Then a bottled juice company in New York decided to enter the game. While Snapple is a household name today, it was an unknown upstart back then.
What does this have to do with radio? The reason Snapple went from nowhere to the #1 brand in that category comes down to two words: Howard Stern.
Snapple chose Howard’s show as the fulcrum of its advertising efforts. They piggybacked on his deep relationship with his audience to create an affinity for their product. The rest, as they say, is history.
Today’s radio environment is not the same as it was in the early 90’s. The attention space is much more crowded. And, let’s face it, are there any current radio personalities that have the reach that Howard did back then? Are there any that are as entertaining AND polarizing as he was? Rush was. Maybe Stephen A is.
That said, personality endorsements continue to be a valuable—and successful—tool for radio advertising. You can’t get through a break at a Sports station without hearing at least one.
But what about the vast majority of stations that are not built upon a cult of personality? This is not to say the rank and file of radio personalities don’t have a following. They do. But do they have a product propelling fan base? Can they take a local or regional product to #1 in its category?
There are national figures like Bobby Bones or Charlamagne tha God that have both the following and the reach to move product. They are also likely too expensive for many brands.
The radio pros who have developed that level of relationship on a smaller scale tend to share a few metrics:
- Their ratings outperform the rest of the radio station. They draw in listeners for the content, not the format.
- They draw a crowd. If they do an event, people will show up.
- They influence behavior. They can stuff a truck, raise tons of money for a worthy cause, or get people involved with an issue.
These stars generate both ratings and revenue. They form lasting relationships with both listeners and advertisers. They are radio’s not so secret weapon.
As an industry, are we doing everything we can to nurture these people? Do we show them how much we appreciate their art? Do we invest in their continued success?
And, finally, are we developing the revenue generators of the future?
Personalities are radio’s great differentiator. That human connection cannot be replaced by an algorithm. Or a generic network feed.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
July 16, 2026
Welcome to our final foray into the JUNE survey. It’s truly a magical time of year when a single fractional point can mean the difference between executive genius and a frantic, sweaty, mid-summer programming format tweak.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—with a healthy assist from the wizards of XTRENDS—are here to break it all down. Besides the usual suspects, were there any stations that were granted a NIELSEN kiss or the back of a meter keepers’ hand.
This survey ran from MAY 28th through JUNE 24th. It featured the MEMORIAL DAY weekend, the longest day of the year, and a celebration of the dad mafia. Here goes…
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER: Fits Like A Dove
For the fifth book in a row COX MEDIA Soft AC WDUV (105.5 THE DOVE) was #1 6+. The station also matched its Santa enhanced number from the HOLIDAY survey (9.0-11.0). iHEARTMEDIA AC WMTX (MIX 100.7) rose from #6 to #2 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year (5.3-6.0). RADIO TRAINING NETWORK Contemporary Christian WCIE (THE JOY FM) dipped to #3 with its smallest share in over a year (7.3-5.8). COX MEDIA Classic Hits WXGL (107.3 THE EAGLE) stepped down to #4 (6.4-5.6) and was tied with BEASLEY Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105), which moved up a slot (5.4-5.6). COX MEDIA AC WWRM (MAGIC 94.9) slipped to #6 with its lowest score since OCTOBER (6.3-5.0). Despite a 2.7% decline WDUV still had the most listeners (643,600-626,200). The market was down 2.5%.
As with the previous demo, WDUV was #1 25-54 for the fifth straight survey. WMTX advanced from #5 to #2 and was about a half share off the lead. WRBQ was down to #3 with a down book, while iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock WXTB (98 ROCK) moved up a couple of spaces to #4 with a solid increase. WWRM slid from #2 to #5 and was paired with WCIE. Both stations had down books.
WDUV was #1 18-34 again but for only the fourth book in a row. The station also saw its double-digit streak end at three. WXTB vaulted from #9 to #2, nearly doubling its previous number. WMTX inched up to #3 with its best outing since JANUARY, while WCIE dipped to #4 as it ended a three-book surge. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WFLZ (93.3 FLZ) was back at #5 as it regained some of last month’s share loss. WWRM fell from #2 to #6 with its lowest mark since JULY.
WMTX leapt from #4 to #1 18-49 and narrowly defeated WDUV, which was up to #2. WCIE stepped down to #3 with its smallest share since AUGUST, while WWRM went from first to fourth. It was paired with WXTB, which rose from #6. BEASLEY Country WQYK (99.5 QYK) moved from #10 to #6 with its best showing since AUGUST. WRBQ slid from #5 to #8.
DENVER-BOULDER: More Of The Same
The 6+ leaderboard was populated by the same five stations as last month. BONNEVILLE AC KOSI (KOSI 101.1) was back at #1 (6.7-6.9), while AUDACY Classic Rock KQMT (99.5 THE MOUNTAIN) remained resolute at #2 (5.9-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTCL (CHANNEL 93.3) repeated at #3 with its highest score in over a year (5.2-5.7). BONNEVILLE Country KYGO dipped to #4 (5.2-5.3) and was paired with KSE MEDIA Classic Hits KXKL (KOOL 105), which moved up a spot (5.0-5.3). KOSI padded its cume lead with a 1.3% increase (481,800-488,200). The market was off by 2.0%.
For the sixth straight survey KTCL was #1 25-54. KOSI stepped up to #2 but was still nearly two shares off the pace. AUDACY Modern AC KALC (ALICE 105.9) dipped to #3, while two stations moved up and into a tie at #4. KQMT was up a spot but with its fourth down book in a row, while KXKL rose from #6 as it bounced back from a down book. KKSE MEDIA Sports KKSE (ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO 92.5FM) shed more than half its previous share as it plunged from #3 to #16. It was tied with iHEARTMEDIA N/T KOA-A and AUDACY Rhythmic CHR KQKS (KS 107.5).
KTCL was both #1 and in double figures 18-34 for the third book in a row. KXKL stepped up to #2 but was more than six shares behind the leader. ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KXPK (LA TRICOLOR 96.5) dipped to #3 as it surrendered most of last month’s increase. Four stations were in league with one another at #4. KOSI was up a spot while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDHT (HITS 95.7) and KSE MEDIA Hot AC KIMN (MIX 100) advanced from a tie at #7. KQMT vaulted from #10. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KRFX (103.5 THE FOX) slid from #5 to #8. It was tied with IHEARTMEDIA AAA KBCO and COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO N/T KCFR. KYGO dropped from #4 into a tie at #11 with COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO Classical KVOD.
KTCL landed its largest 18-49 share in over a year to capture the demo for the third straight survey. KOSI inched up to #2 with a slight decrease, while KXKL jumped from #6 to #3 as it bounced back from a down book. KXPK was up to #4, while KALC stepped down to #5 with its lowest total in a year. It was paired with KDHT. KKSE fell from #2 into a tie at #18 with KVOD.
SAN DIEGO: It’s Always Sunny In…
AUDACY Classic Hits KXSN (SUNNY 98.1) was #1 6+ for the third book in a row (7.7-7.5). SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY N/T KPBS was back at #2 but with its smallest share since the big guy was in town (7.6-6.5). LOCAL MEDIA Rhythmic AC XHRM (MAGIC 92.5) stepped up to #3 as it ended a steep two-book slide (4.9-5.3). AUDACY AC KYXY also made it up to #3 as it rebounded from a down book (4.7-5.3). GRUPO IMAGEN Spanish Hot AC XLTN (RADIO LATINA 104.5FM) was up to #5 with its best book in over a year (4.6-5.0). It was joined there by iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMYI (STAR 94.1), which rose from #6 as it also bounced back from a down book (4.4-5.0). AUDACY Sports KWFN (97.3FM THE FAN) slid from #3 to #7 (5.4-4.9). KXSN remained in cume control with a 1.8% decline (608,100-597,200). The market fell by 0.7%.
There was some serious movement in the 25-54 realm. KXSN stepped up to #1 with a slight decrease and was paired with LOCAL MEDIA Alternative XTRA (91X), which advanced from #7 with its highest mark in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KIOZ (ROCK 105.3) went from first to third as it returned most of last month’s huge increase. It was joined there by XHRM, which vaulted from #10 as it regained most of last survey’s huge share loss. KMYI worked it from #9 to #5 as it also bounced back from a down book. KWFN slipped from #3 to #6 and was tied with KYXY and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHTS (CHANNEL 93.3). KPBS fell from #4 to #10 and was tied with LOCAL MEDIA Pop CHR XHTZ (Z90.3).
For the fourth book in a row, KXSN was #1 18-34. The station just missed hitting double figures. XTRA stood alone at #2 but with its best outing in over a year. KMYI was up to #3 with a huge share increase, while KYXY slipped to #4 despite an up book. KWFN and XLTN dropped into a tie at #5, while TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNV (QUÉ BUENA 106.5) dipped to #6.
KXSN repeated as the 18-49 leader but was hearing footsteps from XTRA, which advanced from #9 to #2. XHRM rose from #10 to #3 and KMYI moved from #8 to #4. Both stations rebounded from down books. KLNV dipped into a tie at #5 with KYXY. KIOZ fell from #2 to #8, while KPBS dropped from #3 to #11.
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CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL: On The Lake Front
iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits WLKO (102.9 THE LAKE) moved back up to #1 6+ (6.9-6.7). PACIFIC BROADCASTING GROUP Classic Hits WXRC (95.7FM THE RIDE) cruised from #4 to #2 with its highest score since JULY (5.7-6.6). UNIVERSITY RADIO FOUNDATION N/T WFAE went from first to third as it halted a three-book surge (7.6-5.9). It was met headlong by iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WEND (106.5 THE END), which rose from #5 with its third straight up book (5.6-5.9). iHEARTMEDIA Country WKKT (96.9 THE KAT) slipped to #5 (5.8-5.8). I narrowly edged its competition as BEASLEY Country WSOC (COUNTRY 103.7) advanced from #11 to #6 (4.6-5.7). WLKO added 9.3% to its leading cume total (507,700-554,700). The market was up 1.6%.
WEND was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row and this time it landed in double figures. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WRFX (99.7 THE FOX) rose from #5 to #2 with its best showing in over a year. It was still more than two shares off the lead. WLKO was back at #3, while WFAE slipped to #4. Both stations returned a lot of last month’s share increases. BEASLEY Urban Contemporary WPEG (POWER 98) stepped down to #5, while WKKT was down to #6. Both stations had small decreases. URBAN ONE Urban Oldies WOSF (105.3 RnB) dropped to #9 with its smallest share in exactly a year.
WEND stepped up to #1 18-34 and hit double digits. Making the leap o’ the month was NORSAN MEDIA Mexican Regional WOLS (LA RAZA 106.1), which advanced from #15 to #2. The station increased its previous number by about nine-fold. Amazing. BEASLEY Pop CHR WNKS (KISS 95.1) ended its two-book run at #1 and double figures as it landed at #3 with its lowest score since OCTOBER. WRFX moved up to forge a tie at #3 as it rebounded from a down book. WLKO slipped from #3 to #5 and was paired with BEASLEY Urban AC WBAV (V101.9), which rose from #8 as it ended a steep three-book slide. BEASLEY Classic Hits WKQC (K104.7FM) dropped three places to #7, while WFAE fell from #5 to #10.
WEND was back at #1 18-49 with a slight increase. WRFX jumped from #6 to #2 as it regained a good portion of last month’s huge share loss. WNKS dipped to #3 with a huge share loss, while WFAE stepped down to #4 as it gave back most of last month’s rather large increase. WPEG was up to #5 with a modest increase. WLKO and WKQC slipped from #4 and #5, respectively, into a tie at #6.
NASSAU-SUFFOLK (LONG ISLAND): News You Can Use
For the sixth book in a row, AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) was #1 6+ (8.3-7.7). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) was back at #2 (7.3-6.8), while AUDACY Sports WFAN (SPORTS RADIO 101.9FM/66AM) repeated at #3 (5.5-5.7). COX MEDIA Pop CHR WBLI (106.1 BLI) stepped up to #4 with its highest score since JANUARY (4.8-5.3). RED APPLE MEDIA N/T WABC-A rose from #7 to #5 (4.4-5.2), while CONNOISSEUR Hot AC WALK (WALK FM) slipped from #4 to #6 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER (5.1-4.8). WHTZ was still the cume commander despite a 3.4% decline (417,900-403,600). The market was down 1.2%.
WHTZ was #1 25-54 for the fourth straight survey, the last two of which have been in double digits. WALK repeated at #2 as it returned all of last month’s increase, plus a bit extra. WBLI was back at #3 with a small increase, while iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) remained at #4 with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. A flat WFAN stepped up to #5, while AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS dropped two places to #6.
WBLI was #1 18-34 for the third book in a row and was close to hitting double digits. WHTZ remained at #2 and was joined there by a flat WALK, which moved up from #4. CONNOISSEUR AC WKJY (K-JOY 98.3) dipped to #4 with a down book. Last time there were five stations sitting at #5. WLTW and WCBS remained in place with modest increases. COX MEDIA Classic Rock WBAB slipped to #7 as it returned all of last month’s increase. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) slid to #8 and was partnered with WABC-A and CONNOISSEUR Country WWWF (103.1 THE WOLF). WINS dropped to #11 and was sharing that moment with iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU (103.5 KTU), MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS and iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WWPR (POWER 105.1).
As with the 25-54 situation, WHTZ was #1 18-49 for the fourth book in a row, the last two of which were in double digits. WBLI stepped up to #2 with a slight increase and narrowly defeated WALK, which dipped to #3 with its lowest score since DECEMBER. WLTW rose from #8 to #4, again with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. WFAN stepped up to #5 with a small increase. WKJY slipped two slots to #7 and was joined there by WBAB and WCBS. WNEW fell from #4 to #10. It was #2 just two books ago.
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