May 19, 2026
If APRIL showers bring MAY flowers, what do APRIL ratings bring? We’ll let that one just hang in the air for a bit and let the radio pundit class debate it. We are merely the humble Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. We embark on this monthly journey through the morass of data with our trusty partners from XTRENDS.
This book ran from APRIL 2nd through APRIL 29th, a rare calendar convergence. It featured the EASTER holiday, the introduction of the ABS system “for real” and, of course, those aforementioned precipitation events. Here’s how it all played out…
SAN FRANCISCO: Spoken Word Rules
As usual. Last month KQED INC. N/T KQED and AUDACY News KCBS (ALL NEWS 106.9FM/740AM) were the 6+ co-leaders. KQED remained on top for the fourth book in a row (8.6-9.2), while KCBS drifted down to second place (8.6-8.7). The music posse was fighting for third place. That went to BONNEVILLE AC KOIT (4.8-4.6). BONNEVILLE Hot AC KMVQ (99.7 NOW) remained at #4 (4.5-4.4) but was paired with iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KIOI (STAR 101.3), which rose from #6 (4.1-4.4). iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE) wafted down to #6 (4.5-4.3). KOIT was still the cume leader despite a 10.7% decline (1,145,600-1,022,900). The market was off at 1.6%.
Last survey KQED and KIOI were #2 and #3, respectively, 25-54. KQED was up slightly while KIOI landed its fifth straight up book. Both stations rose together to #1. KMVQ went from first to third with a small share loss. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) moved from #6 to #4 with its best outing in over a year. SBS Regional Mexican KRZZ (LA RAZA 93.3) also landed its largest share in over a year as it rose from #7 to #5. A couple of stations were forced to exit the top five. AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) and KOIT went from a tie at #4 to #6 and #7, respectively.
There was also sort of movement in the 18-34 ranks. KOIT rebounded from a down book to rise to #1. KRZZ remained behind at #2 and was paired with iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KMEL, which moved up from #4 as it also bounced back from a down book. KMVQ went from first to fourth with its smallest share since the place was lousy with leaping lords. It was joined there by KISQ, up from #5, and KIOI, which advanced from #9 with its best showing in over a year. KYLD and KITS slipped from a tie at #5 into the same situation at #8.
In an odd turn of events the top four 18-49 stations each posted their largest number in over a year. KIOI repeated as the market leader, while KYLD vaulted from #6 to #2. KMVQ remained at #3 and was met there by KRZZ, which advanced from #8. KQED slid from #2 to #5. KITS went from #4 to #6, while KOIT slipped from #5 to #7. All three stations had slight decreases.
ATLANTA: The Majic Is Back
Last month URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5) went from first to third 6+. The station responded with its highest share in over a rear to move back to #1 (6.9-7.5). COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) kept flowing at #2 (7.0-7.4), while the previous leader—COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A—slid to #3 as it returned most of last month’s huge increase (8.5-7.0). AUDACY Urban AC WVEE (V-103) repeated at #4 (6.7-6.7), while COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) was back at #5 (6.4-6.3). COX MEDIA AC WSB-F (B98.5) still had the most listeners (770,600-787,500)—a 2.2% rise. The market grew by 0.4%.
When last we visited, WAMJ and WSB-F were #2 and #3, respectively, 25-54. Each station posted its best score in over a year as they rose as one to #1. WVEE went from #1 to #3 with a modest share loss. WSRV repeated at #4 with a slight decrease. AUDACY Sports WZGC (92.9FM THE GAME) advanced from #8 to #5 as it rebounded from a down book. WSB-A slipped to #6 and was tied with WALR.
WSB-F landed its largest 18-34 share since NOVEMBER as it stepped up to #1. It narrowly edged the former leader as WSRV dipped to second place with a slight decrease. They were well ahead of #3 WVEE, which held steady with a small share loss. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WRDG (96.1 THE BEAT) dipped to #4 with its smallest share since Santa was roaming the streets. It was paired with WALR, which stepped up a spot with a solid increase.
Thanks to its best 18-49 book in over a year, WSB-F moved up to #1. This ended the four-book winning string for WVEE, which stepped down to #2. WSRV dipped to #3 with a slight increase, while WAMJ repeated at #4 with its best showing in exactly a year. WSB-A was back at #5 with a down book.
WASHINGTON, DC: Turn It Up To Eleven
HUBBARD News WTOP was #1 6+ for the eleventh straight survey, all of which have been in double figures (14.3-12.9). AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU was in second place again as it extended its double-digit string to four (10.8-10.4). The leading music station this time was ATLANTIC GATEWAY Contemporary Christian WGTS, which rose from #6 to #3 with its best performance in over a year (4.6-5.7). HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR dipped to #4 with its smallest share in exactly a year (5.8-5.4). iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH stepped down to #5 (5.1-5.0), while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) slipped to #6 (4.8-4.9). WASH padded its cume lead with a 9.1% increase (795,700-868,200). The market was up by 0.5%.
WAMU was #1 25-54 for the fourth straight survey, the last three of which have been in double figures. WTOP remained at #2 and continued to trail the leader by about a share. WWDC rebounded from a down book to step up to #3, while WASH dipped to #4 with a slight decrease. WGTS inched up to #5 as it ended a steep two-book slide. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WIHT (HOT 99.5) slid from #5 to #8 with its lowest score since we were hallucinating about fruit.
WASH had its best Frosty-free 18-34 share in over a year as it rose from #4 to #1. This pushed two-time winner WTOP down to #2. WIHT leapt from #5 to #3 as it halted a two-book slide. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBIG (BIG 100) dipped to #4 with its lowest mark since NOVEMBER. A flat WWDC moved up a spot to #5, while iHEARTMEDIA Country WMZQ fell from #2 to #6. It shed almost half its previous share.
WTOP was #1 18-49 for the fourth straight survey but was unable to extend its double-digit string to three. WAMU remained at #2 with a down book and was a half share off the pace. WASH repeated at #3 with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year, while WWDC was back at #4 with a modest share increase. WGTS rose from #8 to #5, while WHUR fell from #5 to #8.
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PHILADELPHIA: Good Sports
The anticipation of the PHILLIES slow start fueled AUDACY Sports WIP (94WIP SPORTARADIO) to #1 6+ (6.6-7.4). BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR regained most of last month’s large share loss as it moved from #5 to #2 (5.8-6.9). BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK had its two-book winning streak snapped as it slipped to #3 (7.1-6.3). AUDACY AC WBEB (B101) went from a tie at #2 to #4 (6.6-6.1), while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WDAS dipped to #5 (6.5-5.9). WBEB still held the cume lead despite a 0.8% decline (1,168,000-1,158,500). The market increased 1.0%.
The 25-54 space was a tale of two stations. WMMR regained all of last month’s share loss—plus some added value—as it moved back to #1. Meanwhile, WBEB returned most of last month’s large increase as it stepped down to #2. WIP and WDAS also pulled a switcheroo with WIP up to #3 with a solid share gain, while WDAS dipped to #4 with a small share loss. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WUSL (POWER 99) was up a spot to #5 with a slight decrease. This pushed WHYY INC. N/T WHYY down to #6 where it was tied with iHeart Media Pop CHR WIOQ (Q102).
Beasley Country WXTU (92.5 XTU) and WBEB remained #1 and #2, respectively, 18-34 despite the fact that both stations experienced large share losses. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WRFF (ALT 104.5) vaulted from #9 to a very close #3 with its best showing since JULY. BEASLEY Adult Hits WBEN (95.7 BEN FM) rose from #7 to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. WUSL dipped to #5, while WMGK dropped from #3 to #6. Both stations had noticeable share losses. URBAN ONE Urban AC WRNB (100.3 RnB) dropped from #5 to #13 as it returned all of last month’s share increase, plus a little extra.
As with the previous demo, WMMR got back some of last month’s huge share loss to move up to #1 18-49, while WBEB did the opposite as it stepped down to #2. WIP repeated at #3 with a solid increase, while WUSL inched up to #4 with a small share loss. WXTU slipped from #3 to #5 and narrowly defeated WBEN, which rose from #9 to #6.
BOSTON: Wait, Wait…
We’ll tell you. BOSTON UNIVERSITY N/T WBUR moved up to #1 6+ with its best showing in over a year (5.6-6.6). Two stations moved up to forge a tie at #2. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WXKS (KISS 108) rose from #4 with its fourth straight up book (5.2-5.9), while BEASLEY Sports WBZ-F (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) advanced from #5 (5.1-5.9). This ended the two-book winning string for AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7), which drifted down to #4 with its smallest share since JULY (6.2-5.8). BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR went from #3 to #5 (5.3-5.6). WMJX kept the cume crown with a 3.4% increase (832,200-860,900). The market was up 2.1%.
WXKS leapt from #3 to #1 25-54 with its highest mark in over a year. WBZ-F was back at #2 with a small increase and trailed the new leader by a full share. This halted the two-book winning streak for AUDACY Hot AC WBMX (MIX 104.1), which slipped to #3 with a slight decrease. WBUR stepped up to #4 with its fourth straight up book. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX went from #7 to #5 as it bounced back from a down book. WMJX slipped two places to #6 as it returned all of last month’s share increase.
Despite a slight decrease WMJX was #1 18-34 for the sixth straight survey. A flat WXKS repeated at #2 but was joined in that space by WBMX, which rose from #4 as it rebounded from a down book. IHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) dipped to #4 with its second straight down book. It was partnered with a couple of stations that came roaring up the chart. AUDACY Adult Hits WBGB (BIG 103) vaulted from #13 with its highest mark in over a year. WZLX advanced from #16 with its best book since SEPTEMBER. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT 96.9) slid from #5 to #8 thus ending a three-book surge.
WXKS had its best 18-49 book in over a year as it moved up to #1. WBMX was down to #2 and went from a small lead to trailing by more than a share. WBUR leapt from #6 to #3 with its highest score in over a year. WMJX slipped to #4 and met up with the stationary WBZ-F. WZLX rose from #9 to #6, while WJMN dipped from #5 to #7.
Thanks for reading. We have a fresh batch of markets baking in the oven. On tap are MIAMI, SEATTLE, PHOENIX, DETROIT, and MINNEAPOLIS. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog at www.ResearchDirectorInc.com/Hot-Topics. And remember, sharing is caring—spread the word far and wide.
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May 18, 2026
Welcome back my friends to the show that never ends (ear worm alert!). Here we are, about a third of the way through the NIELSEN year and what do we have to show for it? Ratings goulash. Or maybe it’s a callaloo. Whatever you wish to call it The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with the data sous chefs from XTRENDS—are here to dissect the APRIL situation.
The book ran from APRIL 2nd through the 29th. A rare convergence of the ratings and thew Gregorian calendar. It featured the EASTER holiday and our first look at the ABS system in real time (IYKYK). Here’s how the ratings service called it…
NEW YORK: Same As It Ever Was
Oooh, another ear worm. Nothing much to see here as the usual suspects were in their usual positions, for the most part. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) was #1 6+ again with its best Frosty-free share since SEPTEMBER (7.4-8.1). AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) was back at #2 (7.2-7.1), while AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS inched up to #3 (5.4-5.4). IHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) dipped to #4 (5.6-5.2), while NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO N/T WNYC remained at #5 (4.9-4.7). MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS was close behind at #6 (4.8-4.6). WLTW padded its cume lead with a 3.7% increase (3,758,200-3,898,300). The market grew by 0.8%.
Despite a slight decrease WLTW was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row. WHTZ repeated at #2 as it ended a two-book surge. It was about a half share off the lead. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WWPR (POWER 105.1) bounced back from a down book to elevate from #5 to #3. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) stepped down to #4, while WCBS dipped to #5. Both stations had slight decreases.
A flat WLTW was #1 18-34 for the seventh straight survey. WHTZ stood alone at #2 with a slight increase but was about a share and a half off the pace. WNEW went from a tie at #2 to #3 with a slight decrease. WWPR again rebounded from a down book to move from #6 to #4. WCBS accomplished the same feat as it rose from #8 to #5. WBLS halted a strong three-book surge as it slipped from #4 to #6. It was joined there by MEDIACO Rhythmic CHR WQHT (HOT 97), which dipped from #5 with its lowest score since OCTOBER.
WLTW landed its best Frosty-free 18-49 share in exactly a year as it moved back up to #1. WHTZ was forced to step down to #2 as it surrendered some of last month’s share increase. WWPR moved up a spot to #3 as it regained some of last month’s lost share. WNEW dipped to #4, while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU (103.5 KTU) remained at #5. Both stations had small share losses.
LOS ANGELES: KOST Control
For the sixth straight survey iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST was #1 6+. The station also posted its largest Frosty-free share in over a year (6.5-7.1). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MYFM) was back at #2 with its highest mark in over a year (5.9-6.2). AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101.1FM) repeated at #3 (5.0-5.0) (flat Earthers rejoice!), while AUDACY Adult Hits KCBS (93.1 JACK FM) remained at #4 (4.9-4.6). AUDACY News KNX moved from a tie at #6 to #5 (4.1-4.1). SBS Mexican Regional KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9) fell from #5 to #13 with its lowest score since DECEMBER (4.4-3.2). It was partnered with TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary KLVE (K-LOVE 107.5), which was up a slot (3.1-3.2), and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM), which slid from #8 with its smallest share in over a year (3.8-3.2). KOST increased its market leading cume total by 12.5% (2,280,500-2,566,700). The market rose by 0.5%.
Last month KBIG and AUDACY Alternative KROQ were the 25-54 co-leaders. That partnership was dissolved this time. KBIG remained in first place with a slight increase, while KROQ slid to #5 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER. KOST stepped up to #2 with a slight increase, while a flat KCBS moved from #5 to #3. KRTH remained at #4 with a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7) remained at #6 and was a click behind its arch nemesis KROQ.
KOST was #1 18-34 for the sixth straight survey. It held better than a three-share advantage over the two stations nestled in at #2. KRTH moved from #5 to #2 as it bounced back from a down book. It was joined there by iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KRRL (REAL 92.3), which advanced from #11 with its best outing in over a year. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KSCA (LA NUEVA 101.9) slipped two places to #4 with a small decrease and narrowly defeated KYSR, which was back at #5 but also with a small share loss. KIIS and KYSR were last seen at #3. KISS landed at #6, while KROQ ended up at #7 along with KBIG. AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE) ebbed from #5 to #9 with its lowest mark in over a year.
KOST had its best Frosty-free 18-49 share in over a year as it finished at #1 for the third book in a row. Last month a flat KBIG held a share of the demo lead but dipped to #2 this time. A flat KCBS stepped up to #3, while KROQ moved down to #4. It was paired with KRTH, which inched up from #5. Both stations had down books.
CHICAGO: Double A
For the second straight survey AUDACY AAA WXRT (93XRT) was #1 6+ (6.1-6.3). AUDACY News WBBM-A was back at #2 (6.0-5.7) but was forced to share as HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX) moved up from #3 to forge the tie (5.6-5.7). HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 THE DRIVE) motored up to #4 with its best showing since JUNE (4.3-5.1). AUDACY Country WUSN (US 99) remained at #5 (4.4-4.4), while two stations were huddled together at #6. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) slipped from #4 with its lowest score in over a year (5.0-4.0). It was paired with iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103), which moved up a slot (4.0-4.0). WLIT kept cume control despite a 4.1% decline (1,370,200-1,314,100). The market was up 1.0%.
WTMX landed its largest 25-54 share in over a year, which kept the station in first place for the fourth book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) stepped up to #2 with its best outing since JULY but still trailed the leader by about three shares. WXRT dipped to #3 even though it rebounded from a down book. AUDACY Pop CHR WBBM-F (B96) moved from #6 to #4, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI advanced from #7 to #5. Both stations had slight increases. WUSN and WLIT were previously seen at #4. WUSN dropped into a tie at #5, while WLIT slid to #8.
Not only was WKSC #1 18-34 for the fourth straight survey, the station found itself in that rarefied air of double figures. WTMX moved up to #2 with its highest mark in over a year but remained about three plus shares off the lead. A flat WBBM-F stepped down to #3, while WUSN leapt from #7 to #4 as it regained a small portion of last month’s huge share loss. WGCI was back at #5 with a small decrease. WLIT and CRAWFORD Urban Contemporary WPWX (POWER 92) were #4 and #5, respectively. Both stations had down books.
WTMX was #1 18-49 for the fourth straight survey. WKSC stepped up to #2 with its best showing since OCTOBER, while WGCI inched up to #3 with a slight decrease. WXRT slipped from #2 to #4 as it surrendered most of last month’s increase. WBBM-F remained at #5 with a slight decrease.
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DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Everybody Tighten Up
The 6+ leaderboard was being hotly contested. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) stood alone at #1 this month (4.5-4.3) but was closely pursued by iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1), which stepped up to #2 (4.3-4.2). AUDACY Sports KRLD (105.3 THE FAN) vaulted from #9 to #3 with its best offensive performance in over a year (3.6-4.0). NORTH TEXAS PUBLIC BROADCASTING N/T KERA jumped from #7 to #4 (3.8-3.9) with its highest mark since JUNE). TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) and AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) were previously a pair at #4. KLNO dipped to #5 (4.2-3.7), while KJKK landed at #6 (4.2-3.6). Last month K-LOVE, INC. Contemporary Christian KLTY (K-LOVE) was tied with KDMX for the market lead. The station did not fare as well this time as it fell to #11 (4.5-3.2). KDGE was still the cume leader despite a 12.0% decline (1,312,500-1,155,400). The market was off by 2.0%.
Despite landing its smallest share since OCTOBER KLNO was #1 25-54 for the fourth book in a row. KDMX was back at #2 as it ended a robust two-book surge. KRLD rose from #5 to #3 with, again, its best outing in over a year. KDGE dipped to #4 with a slight decrease, while SERVICE Urban Contemporary KKDA (K104) remained at #5 with a slight increase. KJKK slid from #3 to #6, halting a strong three-book surge.
KDGE landed its largest Frosty-free 18-34 share in over a year as it vaulted from #6 to #1. KKDA moved down to #2 with a large share loss but was still within shouting distance of the leader. AUDACY Alternative KVIL (ALT 103.7) leapt from #9 to #3, thus ending a steep two-book slide. URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBFB (97.9 THE BEAT) had its best showing since NOVEMBER as it advanced from #12 to #4. KDMX remained at #5 but with its smallest share in over a year. KLNO fell from #2 into a tie at #6 with KJKK and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM).
For the second book in a row, and third time in the last four surveys, KLNO was #1 18-49. KDMX repeated at #2 as the stations remained a half share apart. KRLD rose from #7 to #3. KKDA was close behind as it was back at #4 but with a down book. KDGE slipped into a tie at #5 with KJKK.
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: Nine Lives
iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) was flat 6+ for the third book in a row (9.0-9.0) but captured the flag for the ninth straight survey. URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) was back at #2 (6.9-7.1), while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) advanced from #7 to #3 with its best outing in over a year (4.4-5.6). URBAN ONE Classic Rock KGLK (106.9/107.5 THE EAGLE) remained nested at #4 (5.4-5.5), while HOPE MEDIA Contemporary Christian KSBJ stepped up to #5 (4.6-5.3). URBAN ONE Country KKBQ (93Q) landed its smallest share since SEPTEMBER as it slipped from #3 to #6 (6.6-5.2). UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON N/T KUHF (NEWS 88.7) moved from #5 to #7 (4.9-4.8). KODA still had the most listeners (1,914,200-1,766,700) – a 7.7% drop. The market was off by 3.4%.
Last month KTBZ and KODA were sharing the 25-54 crown. This month KTBZ stood alone at #1 with its best book in over a year. KODA dipped to #2 with a small increase. KSBJ rebounded from a down book to move from #6 to #3, while KMJQ repeated at #4 with a small share loss. AUDACY Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5) was back at #5 with a slight decrease. KKBQ dropped from #3 to #9.
KTBZ had another buzz worthy 18-34 performance as it was #1 for the fourth book in a row, the last three of which have hit double figures. KODA repeated at #2 and also hit double digits. These two were well clear of KGLK, which rose from #7 to #3 with its best showing in over a year. AUDACY Adult Hits KKHH (95.7 THE SPOT) dipped to #4, while KHMX held steady at #5. KMJQ fell from #4 to #8 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER.
For over a year the 18-49 demo has been the domain of KTBZ and KODA. These two stations have been either #1 or #2 during that span. This month KTBZ claimed the crown with, again, its best book in over a year. KODA dipped to #2 with a slight increase. KSBJ bounced back from a down book to rise from #6 to a distant #3. KHMX maintained its #4 image with a slight increase, while KKHH continued to lay claim to the #5 position, also with a slight increase. KKBQ dropped from #3 to #10 with its smallest share since JUNE.
One down, three to go. Thanks for playing along. Waiting in the queue are SAN FRANCISCO, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA, and BOSTON. They will be in your inbox tomorrow.
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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.
May 11, 2026
Image by Abdellah Benziane of Pexels.
You may have seen the recent announcement that Nielsen will be working with Triton Digital to provide “enhanced visibility, accessibility and utility of podcast data to the industry.”
Good for you, podcasts. Because what radio really needs is better measurement of podcasts.
Snark aside, I’m not against podcasts. They are a valuable source of entertainment and potential revenue. But at its core, podcasts are nothing more than spoken word audio—something radio kind of invented.
You know what would be a boon for radio? If Nielsen partnered with Triton Digital (and every other back end digital measurement firm) to do a better job of measuring digital listening for…radio stations.
Both Jacobs Tech Survey and Edison’s Share of Ear studies show that listeners are increasingly listening to radio stations via their digital outlets. This is great news for radio as it extends our reach and enhances our viability.
If only Nielsen could do a better job of including stream listening in the ratings. The current system is woefully inadequate.
I’ll remind you how this works, at least in a PPM world. IF a meter happens to pick up your stream the actual listening will be greatly, uh, enhanced. Depending on your format and/or the demo involved you’ll be granted a “headphone adjustment,” an ironic term since the meter cannot hear anything that is played through wireless ear buds or headphones.
The technical term for this is “statistical modeling” …or you can just say it’s an educated guess. Nielsen’s headphone adjustment process and the specific value of the factors are patented and proprietary. Either way this ONLY helps your ratings if at least one meter actually “hears” your stream.
I can see the collective eye roll from Programmers around the country who see the exact numbers of unique stream listeners every day. They dream of finding a way to add that volume of listening to what is currently being published. This streaming data is verifiable, precise and, for the most part, ignored. The challenges include attributing demographics to streamed listening, and Nielsen would have to account for duplication between the OTA audience and the streamed audience. They seem to have figured this out for television. Hopefully they can apply those lessons to radio.
I get the importance of podcasts. But for every Joe Rogan and Call Her Daddy, there are—literally—millions of podcasts out there. According to Podcast Statistics, as of early 2026 there were 4.5 to 4.6 MILLION registered podcasts. Of that number, between 342,000 and 391,000 were considered active. (Note to podcast Mafia: this is what Gemini told me.) This is a viable industry that deserves accurate information on how it is consumed.
So does radio.
Digital continues to be the shiny object. Radio is doing a credible job of conforming to that space. Isn’t it time we get full credit for our efforts?
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
PS: Please don’t cross the streams as it will cause a total protonic reversal and end all life as we know it.
April 30, 2026
You’ve probably heard of Roy Williams, aka The Wizard of Ads. You may not know he does a weekly “Monday Morning Memo” that is a must subscribe. This week’s memo, A Line of Standing Dominoes, focused on ratings and the Nielsen/Cumulus skirmish. Here are a few highlights from that memo:
Image by Ron Lach, Pexels.com
There are 6,602 FM radio stations in America, 597 FM stations in Canada, and 234 in Australia on which you can air radio ads for local businesses. These radio stations are producing miraculous results for business owners who hire great ad writers to enchant the audience and savvy media buyers to schedule those ads to air with correct repetition 52 weeks a year.
Sadly, most business owners do exactly the wrong thing. They run short schedules to “test the waters,” and then announce, “I tried radio and it didn’t work.”
Williams applies the same logic to television. Then he zings the digital ecosphere:
Anyone who believes that online media has made mass media obsolete is comically delusional. I never waste time attempting to correct these people.
In the last week we have seen positive news about the state of radio from both Edison Research and Jacobs Media. Is radio in the same position as it was 15 years ago? Absolutely not. Is radio still a viable medium for both entertainment and advertising? Absolutely!
Radio does have its issues. The core audience is aging. The competition for attention continues to expand. And the car—radio’s last big fortress—is under siege.
What radio does have in abundance is credibility. Advertisers do not re-up their schedules because they don’t work. Listeners keep tuning in because radio is free and—when at its best—fills an emotional need.
All of this depends on ratings. Nielsen is our currency. It has its flaws but until there is a better system we need to not only embrace it but tout its viability.
Digital attribution is always the counterweight to this. That system is also flawed but contains one thing radio does not—fraud. Imagine if radio ran spots no one could hear (digital ads count even when they are not actually seen). Imagine if PPM or diaries were filled out by bots (two words: bot farms).
Digital has its place. So does radio. We may be old, but to paraphrase Monty Python—we’re not dead yet.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
PS: Here’s what Roy Williams said about the Cumulus/Nielsen thing:
We will now return to the dominoes.
- Nielsen Audio is the media measurement company that allows savvy media buyers to create miraculous radio schedules. Without Nielsen, they are flying blind without instruments and very likely to crash their flying machines.
- Cumulus owns multiple radio stations in 84 important cities in the U.S. Their current financial difficulties make it impossible for them to pay Nielsen for their measurement services.
- Nielsen has responded by announcing that Cumulus radio stations will no longer be measured or listed in future ratings reports.
- The resulting invisibility of those stations will cripple even the savviest media buyers.
- An emerging measurement system, DTS AutoStage, shows promise but I remain convinced that it will be at least a few more years before it has sufficient breadth of data to replace Nielsen.
The finger of Nielsen is flicking the domino that will knock over the other 6,602 dominoes in the chain that will ultimately result in the demise of Nielsen.
April 28, 2026
Image by Markus Winkler of Pexels.com
The Consultative Radio Seller: A Three-Part Playbook
Part 2: The Consultative Conversation – Asking Better Questions
In Part 1, we talked about the mindset shift from “spot seller” to “marketing resource.” Once you see yourself as a problem solver instead of an inventory pusher, the next step is changing how you talk with clients. That starts with the consultative conversation—a different kind of sales call that is built on questions, listening, and curiosity, not pitches and packages. A traditional seller comes to the call ready to talk. A marketing resource comes to the call ready to learn.
What’s the difference between being a radio seller and a marketing resource to your clients?
Stop leading with schedules. Start with the business.
Most “radio sales” calls still sound the same: a quick check-in, a reminder that it’s time to renew, and then a jump into rates, CPP, and what’s available in this month’s package. That keeps the conversation narrow and transactional.
A consultative conversation flips that script. Before you bring up spots or pricing, you ask about the business:
- “What are the most important goals for your business over the next 6–12 months?”
- “Where are you seeing growth right now, and where are things stuck?”
- “Who is your ideal customer today? Has that changed in the last few years?”
These questions do three important things. First, they signal that you care about more than “closing a buy.” Second, they help you understand the real problem the advertiser is trying to solve. Third, they give you context so you can position radio and digital in a way that makes sense for this specific business, not just in general terms.
Go deeper than “we need more customers.”
Most advertisers will start with something broad: “We just need more customers” or “We need to get our name out there.” A marketing resource doesn’t stop there. You gently go deeper so you can diagnose what kind of marketing help they actually need:
- “When you say ‘more customers,’ do you mean more total volume, more repeat business, or higher-spending customers?”
- “How do new customers usually find you now—search, social, word-of-mouth, drive-by, something else?”
- “What are your busiest times of year and your slowest? What do you do now to smooth that out?”
The answers to these questions tell you whether the main issue is awareness, perception, competition, or something else. That matters, because radio’s role in an awareness problem is different from its role in a perception problem. Once you know the real obstacle, you can recommend radio and digital together in a way that feels tailored, not generic.
Make their digital activity part of the conversation.
In a digital-first world, you build credibility by leaning into what the client is already doing online, not ignoring it or fighting it. A consultative conversation includes questions like:
- “What digital marketing are you doing right now, and how is it performing?”
- “What do you like about your current digital campaigns? What frustrates you?”
- “When you look at your reports or dashboards, what numbers do you actually pay attention to?”
This is where you begin to separate yourself from the average “radio rep.” You’re not there to tear down digital; you’re there to help them make sense of it. When they show you a social dashboard or a search report, you can connect those numbers to real-world outcomes—foot traffic, phone calls, web form fills—and then show how radio can help improve those results by building awareness and trust in the local market.
Instead of “radio vs. digital,” your conversation becomes “radio plus digital, working together.”
Translate what you hear into a simple problem statement.
At some point in the conversation, it helps to repeat back what you’ve heard in a clear, simple way. For example:
- “So, if I’m hearing you right, you’re getting a good response from people who already know you and search for you, but you’re not reaching enough new people who don’t know your name yet.”
- “It sounds like you’re busy on weekends but would really benefit from more weekday business, especially in the afternoons.”
When you do this, the client feels heard and understood. It also sets you up to position radio in a very specific role:
- “That’s exactly where our station can help. We can use radio to reach more people like your best customers and make sure your name is top-of-mind before they go online.”
- “We can build a weekday-focused radio plan that supports your digital offers and invites people in when you need them most.”
Now, you’re not asking them to “buy a schedule.” You are inviting them to invest in a solution tied directly to the problem they just confirmed.
Keep your questions handy.
If you’re used to more traditional sales calls, this may feel like a lot to remember. One simple way to start is to build a short question checklist you bring on every appointment. For example:
- Goals: “What are you trying to accomplish in the next 6–12 months?”
- Customers: “Who do you most want to reach?”
- Challenges: “What’s getting in the way of those goals?”
- Marketing: “What are you doing now, online and offline, and what’s working?”
If you cover those four areas before you talk about schedules, you are already behaving more like a marketing resource than a spot seller. Over time, these questions become second nature—and so does the consultative conversation.
In Part 3, we’ll look at how to turn what you learn in these conversations into smarter campaigns, better follow-up, and long-term relationships that make you an indispensable partner to your advertisers. Marc can be reached at 410-295-6619 x11 or mgreenspan@ResearchDirectorInc.com to begin the conversation.
This article is part two of a three-part series from CEO Marc Greenspan. Part 1 can be found here.
