April 21, 2026
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with our committed partners from XTRENDS—bring you another round of the madness of MARCH ratings. We were going to call it MARCH madness but our legal eagles frowned upon that. Which means we also cannot refer to the four weeks of the survey as “the final four.” If we add this book to the previous three it would be a “sweet 16,” but we cannot legally say that. Heaven forbid we cross the monarchs at the NCAA.
What we can tell you is this survey ran from MARCH 5th through APRIL 1st. The clocks inexplicably fell forward, the seasons went through their annual change, and we saw the beginnings of PASSOVER. There was probably some basketball in there somewhere, but we are legally prohibited from mentioning that.
Now, back to the countdown…
SAN FRANCISCO: A Two For One Split
The top of the 6+ leaderboard is usually dominated by two spoken word formats. This time they decided to share market leading responsibilities. KQED INC. N/T KQED was #1 for the third book in a row but with its smallest share in over a year (9.9-8.6). This paved the way for AUDACY News KCBS to move up and forge a tie for the lead (8.8-8.6). BONNEVILLE AC KOIT was back as the leading music station at #3 (5.0-4.8), while two stations were sharing the spotlight at #4. BONNEVILLE Hot AC KMVQ (99.7 NOW) moved up a slot (4.6-4.5), while iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE) wafted in from #7 with its highest score since NOVEMBER (3.7-4.5). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) slipped to #6 (4.7-4.1). KOIT padded its cume lead with a 12.7% increase (1,016,200-1,145,600). The market grew by 2.7%.
A flat KMVQ moved up to #1 25-54 for the first time since AUGUST. KQED dipped down to a very close #2 to end a two-book surge. KIOI was back at #3 with a slight increase, while we had a jump ball at #4. KOIT remained in place with a small share loss, while a flat AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) rose from #6. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) slipped to #6 with a slight decrease.
Despite a down book KMVQ was #1 18-34 for the third straight survey. KOIT repeated at #2 but with its smallest share in over a year. It was paired with SBS Mexican Regional KRZZ (LA RAZA 93.3), which moved up from a three-way tie at #4 with its best showing since DECEMBER. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KMEL dipped to #4 as it ended a two-book surge. KISQ and KYLD were last spotted at #7 and #8, respectively. Both stations had up books as they advanced to a tie at #4. They were joined there by KITS, which vaulted from #11 with its best book since NOVEMBER. KIOI dropped from a tie at #4 to #9, while TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KBRG (AMOR 100.3) vacated the #4 position and took up residence at #12. It shared that space with KQED, BONNEVILLE Urban AC KBLX and AUDACY Hot AC KLLC (ALICE @ 97.3).
KIOI experienced a small share loss but still rose to #1 18-49. It defeated KQED, which dipped to #2, by the narrowest of possible margins. KMVQ stepped up to #3, while KITS moved up two spots to #4. Both stations were flat. KOIT slipped to #5 with its lowest total since OCTOBER, while KYLD moved down to #6 as it returned most of last month’s share increase.
ATLANTA: Back On Top
Last month COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A saw its six-survey 6+ winning streak stopped by URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5). WSB-A came roaring back this month to become the market leader once again (6.6-8.5). The battle for second place was being hotly contested. COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) was back at #2 (6.8-7.0), while WAMJ slipped to #3 (7.2-6.9). AUDACY Urban AC WVEE (V-103) repeated at #4 (6.0-6.7). COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) stepped up to #5 (5.7-6.4). COX MEDIA AC WSB-F (B98.5) dipped to #6 (5.9-5.8). The station remained in cume command with a 1.1% increase (762,100-770,600). The market was up 0.3%.
Last month WVEE and WAMJ were the 25-54 co-leaders. WVEE rebounded from a down book to capture the demo flag for the seventh straight survey. WAMJ stepped down to #2 with a slight decrease. WSB-F remained at #3 with a small share gain, while WSRV moved up to #4 with its fourth up book in a row. WSB-A posted its largest number since NOVEMBER as it advanced two spaces to #5. AUDACY Sports WZGC (92.9 THE GAME) dropped four slots to #8 with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER.
WSRV made it back-to-back 18-34 wins and landed its largest share in over a year. WSB-F remained at #2 but with a down book and now trailed the leader by better than two shares. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WRDG (96.1 THE BEAT) held steady at #3 with a modest share loss. It was paired with WVEE, which moved up a slot with a slight increase. WALR stepped up to #5 with a slight increase.
WVEE had its best 18-49 book in exactly a year as it finished in first place for the fourth book in a row. WSB-F maintained its #2 presence with a solid increase but was forced to share as WSRV advanced from #4 with its highest score in over a year. WAMJ slid from 3 to 4 with a small share loss. WSB-A vaulted from #10 to #5 with a huge share increase, while WRDG slid three places to #8 as it ended a strong two-book surge.
WASHINGTON, DC: Stuff’s Happening
You may have noticed there’s a lot of news right now and this is the city where the news cycle is on a constant loop. HUBBARD News WTOP was #1 6+ for the tenth book in a row (15.2-14.3). AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU was back at #2 (11.8-10.8). Despite both stations having “down” books they continue to rake in about a quarter of all the 6+ shares of listening. Astounding. HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR was the leading music station again at #3 but with its smallest share since JULY (7.0-5.8). iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH stepped up to #4 with its best Frosty-free share since JUNE (4.6-5.1). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) dipped to #5 (5.4-4.8) and was being closely pursued by ATLANTIC GATEWAY Contemporary Christian WGTS, which remained at #6 as it bounced back from a down book (4.3-4.6). WTOP still had the most listeners (922,600-927,200) – a 0.5% increase. The market grew by 3.1%.
WAMU was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row, the last two of which were in double figures. WTOP repeated at #2 though it could not quite duplicate last month’s double-digit feat. WASH stepped up to #3 with a strong share increase, while WWDC dipped to #4 with a modest share loss. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WIHT (HOT 99.5) advanced two spaces to #5 with a slight increase. WHUR stepped down to #6 with its smallest share in over a year. It was tied with WGTS.
WTOP repeated as the 18-34 leader but did exit double-digit territory. iHEARTMEDIA Country WMZQ was back at #2 with its second straight down book. It trailed the leader by a full share. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBIG (BIG 100) inched up to #3 with its best performance in over a year. Close behind was WASH, which rose to #4 as it rebounded from a down book. WIHT stepped up to #5 despite a small share loss. WHUR slipped from #3 into a tie at #6 with WWDC.
WTOP was #1 18-49 for the third straight survey, the last two of which were in double figures. WAMU remained at #2 with a slight decrease. The stations were separated by a very thin margin. WASH moved up a spot to #3 with its highest Frosty-free share in exactly one year. WWDC inched up to #4 with a slight decrease, while WHUR slipped to #5 with its lowest total since OCTOBER.
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PHILADELPHIA: Its Lonely At The Top
In FEBRUARY BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK and BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR were the 6+ co-leaders. WMGK remained in place (7.1-7.1), while WMMR drifted down to #5 with its least productive outing since AUGUST (7.1-5.8). AUDACY AC WBEB (B101) and AUDACY Sports WIP (94WIP SPORTSRADIO) were tied at #3. They remained an item as they stepped up to #2 with the exact same 6.5-6.6 shares. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WDAS rose two places to #4 with its third up book in a row (6.1-6.5). AUDACY News KYW dipped to #6 (6.3-5.4). WBEB increased its #1 cume total by 6.1% (1,101,300-1,168,000). The market rose by 4.8%.
WBEB stepped up to #1 25-54 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. This ended the two-book run at #1 for WMMR, which dipped to #2. It was less than a half share off the pace. WDAS repeated at #3 with a slight increase, while WIP moved up a spot to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. WHYY INC. N/T WHYY inched up to #5 despite a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WUSL (POWER 99) had its best outing since SEPTEMBER as it leapt from #10 to #6. EMF Contemporary Christian WKVP (106.9 K-LOVE) dropped from #4 to #8 with its lowest score since AUGUST. It was tied with BEASLEY Country WXTU (92.5 XTU).
WXTU fared far better with the 18-34 crowd as it moved up to #1 with its highest mark in over a year. The station was dangerously close to hitting double figures. WBEB was up to #2 with its best Frosty-free outing since SEPTEMBER. WMGK rose two places to #3 as it rebounded from a down book. WUSL repeated at #4 with a modest share loss, while URBAN ONE Urban AC WRNB (100.3 RnB) advanced from #11 to #5 with its best book in over a year. WMMR fell from #1 to #6 with its least productive outing since APRIL. BEASLEY Adult Hits WBEN (95.7 BEN FM) slipped to #7 as it surrendered a good portion of last month’s massive increase. It was tied with UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AAA WXPN.
WBEB copped its best Frosty-free 18-49 share in over a year as it stepped up to #1. WMMR dipped to #2 as its two-book winning double-digit string came to an end. WIP and WXTU were #5 and #6, respectively, last month. Both stations had solid share gains as they moved up into a tie at #3. WUSL moved from #7 to #5 with its highest score since SEPTEMBER. WMGK slid three places to #6, while WDAS dropped from #4 to #7. Both stations had modest share losses.
BOSTON: This Magic Moment
AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) was flat 6+ for the second straight survey but was #1 for the fourth time in the last five books (6.2-6.2). There were six other stations within a share and a half of the leader. BOSTON UNIVERSITY N/T WBUR leapt from #5 to #2 with its best outing in over a year (5.2-5.6). BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR dipped to #3 as it ended a two-book surge (5.7-5.3). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WXKS (KISS 108) stepped up to #4 as it rebounded from a down book (4.9-5.2). BEASLEY Sports WBZ-F (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) slipped to #5 (5.3-5.1), while WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION Classical WCRB (CLASSICAL 98.5) vaulted from #12 to #6 with its highest score in over a year (3.6-4.9). AUDACY Hot AC WBMX (MIX 104.1) fell from #3 to #7 as it returned most of last month’s share increase (5.3-4.7). WMJX was still the cume leader with a 0.6% increase (827,000-832,200). The market was up 0.5%.
The top three 25-54 stations were within a half share of one another. WBMX made it back-to-back wins with a slight decrease, while a flat WBZ-F was back at #2. WXKS bounced back from a down book to repeat at #3. WMJX held steady at #4 with its highest Frosty-free number in over a year. WBUR leapt from #8 to #5 with its best outing since MAY. AUDACY Adult Hits WBGB (BIG 103) inched up to #6 with a small increase. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX and WROR were tied at #5. Both stations experienced large share losses as they fell in tandem to #7.
A flat WMJX was #1 18-34 for the fifth straight survey. WXKS was up two slots to #2 with its best book since AUGUST but still trailed the leader by about a share and a half. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) dipped to #3 as it surrendered some of last month’s huge share increase. WBMX stepped down to #4 with its lowest mark since DECEMBER. In FEBRUARY there was a threesome at #4. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT 96.9) cooled off to #5 despite landing its largest share since NOVEMBER. WBUR fell into a tie at #11 with WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION N/T WGBH, while WROR landed alone at #15 with its lowest total since AUGUST.
Three stations were closely huddled together atop the 18-49 chart. WBMX was back at #1 but with a down book. WXKS remained at #2 but was paired with WMJX, which moved up a spot. Both stations had solid increases. WBZ-F stepped up to #4 with a small share gain, while WJMN was up to #5 with a slight increase. WROR fell from #4 to #8, again with its smallest share since AUGUST.
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April 20, 2026
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in lock step with the data diviners from XTRENDS—are marching to the tune of our inner drummers as we present the MARCH survey. We go boldly forward into the breach, dear friends, to examine the ratings fates and fortunes that span the continent. The highs! The lows! The drama! The pathos! It’s all right here.
The MARCH survey ran from MARCH 5th through APRIL 1st. It spanned the period from the absurd clock adjustment through the changing of the season and culminated on the first day of PASSOVER. Here is what NIELSEN declared was truth…
NEW YORK: Being Present
Wasn’t it WOODY ALLEN who said “80% of success is showing up?” That worked for iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM), which moved back to #1 6+ by maintaining the status quo (7.4-7.4). This ended the two-book winning string for AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS), which dipped to #2 (7.8-7.2). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) inched up to #3 with its best outing since NOVEMBER (5.0-5.6). AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS stepped down to #4 (5.3-5.4), while NEW YORK PUBLIC RADIO N/T WNYC slipped to #5 (5.0-4.9). MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS popped up to #6 with its highest mark since DECEMBER (4.4-4.8). SBS Spanish Tropical WSKQ (MEGA 97.9) slid from #4 to #9 with its smallest share in over a year (5.0-4.2). It did add a 1.4 share from the interwebs. WLTW added 3.2% to its #1 cume total (3,642,300-3,758,200). The market grew by 4.8%.
WLTW was #1 25-54 for the second book in a row. WHTZ moved up to #2 and had closed the gap between the two stations to less than a half share. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) leapt from #9 to #3 with its best showing in over a year. WCBS advanced two places to #4 with a slight increase, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WWPR (POWER 105.1) dipped to #5 with a noticeable share loss. WSKQ fell from #2 to #7. It was paired with MEDIACO Rhythmic CHR WQHT (HOT 97), which slipped from #5 as it ended a two-book surge.
Despite a down book WLTW was #1 18-34 for the sixth straight survey. WHTZ was back at #2, also with a down book. However, it was forced to share that space with WNEW, which vaulted from #10 with its highest score since JULY. WBLS rose two slots to #4 with a slight increase, while WQHT slid two places to #5 with its lowest total since OCTOBER. It held the narrowest of margins over WWPR, which dipped to #6. WCBS fell four spots to #8 as it halted a strong three-book surge.
WHTZ stepped up to #1 18-49 with its best book since NOVEMBER. This pushed WLTW, which had a slight increase, down to #2. WNEW moved from a tie at #6 to #3, again with its highest share in over a year. WWPR moved down to #4, while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU inched up to #5 with its best book in exactly a year. WQHT was down to #6, while WSKQ slid from #4 to #7. Its stream came in at #18.
LOS ANGELES: KOSTing Along
For the fifth book in a row iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST was #1 6+ (6.2-6.5). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MY FM) moved up to #2 with its best showing in over a year (5.3-5.9). Conversely, AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101) dipped to #3 with its least productive outing in over a year (5.8-5.0). Audacy Adult Hits KCBS (93.1 JACK FM) repeated at #4 (4.5-4.9), while SBS Mexican Regional KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9) stepped up to #5 (4.2-4.4). AUDACY News KNX slid from #4 to #6 (4.5-4.1) and was tied with AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE), which moved up a spot (3.9-4.1). KOST kept its cume lead with a 2.8% increase (2,218,400-2,280,500). The market rose by 2.6%.
Last month AUDACY Alternative KROQ and KBIG were #2 and #3, respectively, 25-54. This time KBIG had its best book since SEPTEMBER, while KROQ scored its largest number in over a year. When the dust settled, they were tied at #1. KOST moved up to #3 with its best Frosty-free share in exactly one year. KRTH went from first to fourth as it surrendered most of last survey’s solid increase. KCBS dipped to #5 with a small share gain as it narrowly edged iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7), which held steady at #6 as it rebounded from a down book.
KOST repeated as the 18-34 leader for the fifth straight survey. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KSCA (LA NUEVA 101.9) jumped three spaces to #2 as it regained some of last month’s lost share. KROQ dipped to #3 as it returned a good portion of last month’s share increase. It was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM), which advanced from a tie at #5 with a small increase. KRTH and KYSR went from #3 and #4, respectively, to a tie at #5. KYSR experienced a slight increase, while KRTH had a larger decrease. They were joined there by KTWV, which rose from #8 as it bounced back from a down book.
There is a lot to unpack in the 18-49 sphere of influence. Last month KOST, KROQ and KRTH were tied at #1. KOST remained in place with a solid increase. It was paired with KBIG, which advanced from #4 with its highest mark since SEPTEMBER. KROQ slipped to #3 with its first down book since NOVEMBER. KCBS stepped up to #4 with a slight increase, while KRTH landed at #5.
CHICAGO: Triple A One
Say hello to your new 6+ leader. AUDACY AAA WXRT (93 XRT) rose to the top spot with its best showing in over a year (5.6-6.1). This ended the two-book run at #1 for AUDACY News WBBM-A, which stepped down to #2 (5.9-6.0). HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX) repeated at #3 (5.4-5.6), while iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) was back at #4 (5.0-5.0). AUDACY Country WUSN (US99) rounded out the top five once again (4.8-4.4). WLIT padded its cume lead with a 9.8% increase (1,247,700-1,370,200). The market was up 0.3%.
WTMX was not only #1 25-54 for the third book in a row, the station landed its largest share in over a year. WXRT stepped up to #2 with its third up book in a row and still trailed the leader by better than three shares. A flat iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) dipped to #3, while WLIT was down a spot to #4 with a slight decrease. It found company there as a flat WUSN rose from #7.
WKSC was a dominant #1 18-34 for the third straight survey. AUDACY Pop CHR WBBM-F (B96) inched up to #2 with a slight decrease and was almost two shares off the pace. WTMX vaulted from #7 to #3 with its fourth up book in a row. WLIT stepped down to #4 with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI remained at #5 and was paired with CRAWFORD Urban Contemporary WPWX (POWER 92), which moved up a slot with its highest score in over a year. WUSN slid from #2 to #7 as it surrendered all of last month’s massive increase.
For the third book in a row WTMX was #1 18-49. WXRT rose from #5 to #2 with its best outing in over a year but remained about a share off the lead. WKSC dipped to #3 with a slight decrease, while WGCI advanced two squares to #4 with its best book since MAY. WBBM-F slipped to #5 with a slight decrease, while WUSN fell from #3 to #7 as it, again, ceded all of last month’s huge increase.
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DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Adding To The Mix
Though it surrendered all of last month’s solid share increase, iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) was again #1 6+ (5.2-4.5). Alas, it had a partner as K-LOVE INC Contemporary Christian KLTY (K-LOVE) moved up to forge the tie (4.4-4.5). iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1) moved up two places to #3 (4.2-4.3), while two stations moved up and into a tie at #4. AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) rose from #6 with its best outing since OCTOBER (3.8-4.2), while TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) advanced from #8 with its highest share since NOVEMBER (3.6-4.2). IHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM) dropped from a tie at #2 to #6 (4.4-4.1). As you can see these six stations are all within a half share of one another. KDGE remained in cume control with a 6.4% increase (1,233,100-1,312,500). The market was up 1.0%.
KLNO was #1 25-54 for the third straight survey. KDMX was back at #2 with a slight increase but still trailed the leader by about a share. KJKK remained at #3 with a slight increase and was partnered with KDGE, which moved up a slot with its best Frosty-free share since OCTOBER. Was it the anticipation of the RANGERS season or did JERRY say something eye rolling again? Either way it was a great book for AUDACY Sports KRLD (105.3 THE FAN), which advanced from #10 to #5 with its highest offensive output in over a year. KHKS slipped to #6 with a modest share loss and was tied with SERVICE Urban Contemporary KKDA (K104), which arrived from #8 with a slight increase.
KKDA moved up to #1 18-34 despite a down book. A flat KLNO was up to #2, while KDMX went from first to third with its smallest share since OCTOBER. It was joined there by KHKS, which stepped up from #4 with a slight increase. KDGE inched up to #5 with its highest Frost-free share since OCTOBER.
KLNO rebounded back from a down book to move back up to #1 18-49. KDMX had to move down to #2 with a large share loss. KDGE was up to #3 with a slight increase, while KKDA dipped to #4 with a modest share loss. KJKK rose to #5 with its best book in over a year, while KHKS stepped down to #6 with a small decrease.
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: The Great Eight
iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) was #1 6+ for the eighth straight survey (9.0-9.0). The next three slots belonged to the same cluster. URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) repeated at #2 (6.7-6.9), while URBAN ONE Country KKBQ (93Q) was back at #3 (6.6-6.6). URBAN ONE classic Rock KGLK (THE EAGLE 106.9/107.5) moved up to #4 with its highest flying survey since OCTOBER (4.7-5.4). UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON N/T KUHF advanced from #10 to #5 with its best performance in over a year (4.3-4.9). Both HOPE MEDIA Contemporary Christian KSBJ and AUDACY Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5) landed their smallest shares since NOVEMBER. KSBJ slipped from #4 to #6 (6.0-4.6), while KHMX went from #5 to #7 (5.1-4.4). It was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ), which remained in place (4.5-4.4). KODA increased its #1 cume total by 1.3% (1,890,100-1,914,200). The market was down 0.9%.
KTBZ and KODA were #1 and #2, respectively, 25-54 last survey. Both stations had slight share losses and ended up tied atop the leaderboard. KKBQ repeated at #3, also with a slight decrease. KMJQ rose from #7 to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. KHMX was back at #5, while KSBJ slipped three slots to #6 as it ended a strong four-book surge.
KTBZ was #1 18-34 for the third book in a row, the last two of which have been in double figures. KODA stepped up to #2 and was also dangerously close to hitting double digits. AUDACY Adult Hits KKHH (95.7 THE SPOT) moved up to #3 despite a down book. KMJQ advanced from #7 to #4 with its highest mark in over a year. KHMX fell from #2 to #5 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER. URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBXX (97.9 THE BOX) had its least productive outing in over a year as it dropped from #5 to #11.
KODA ended its three-book slide as it moved up to #1 18-49. KTBZ stepped down to #2 and was now about a share behind the leader. KKBQ returned all of last month’s share gain—plus a little extra—as it held steady at #3. KHMX was back at #4 but with its lowest total since OCTOBER. A flat KKHH stepped up, which pushed KSBJ down to #6.
We will continue our MARCH march tomorrow. Waiting in the queue are SAN FRANCISCO, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA, and BOSTON. Don’t touch that dial (you never know where it has been).
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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.
April 16, 2026
I was listening to a sports radio morning show the other day. It was the seven o’clock hour. As the hosts meandered towards their break, they invited me to “stick around” because they had a guest coming up at…wait for it…9:15.
Image by congerdesign of Pixabay.
I listen from home so, if motivated, I could wait for two hours for that guest to come on. However, I’m willing to wager that the vast majority of their audience was in their cars. Likely commuting to work. The chances of them “tuning in” at 9:15 were probably somewhere between slim and none.
If you are an on-air performer, you control a very important component of your show’s ratings—Time Spent Listening (Average Weekly Time Exposed to you Nielsen nerds).
As a reminder, TSL (AWTE) is composed of two elements:
Occasions: This is how many times a listener (or diary keeper or meter) tunes in to your station. If someone listens to you two days a week, getting them to come back one more time during the week can dramatically affect your AQH share.
This type of recycling can be horizontal or vertical. Vertically, you might try to get a morning listener to return in the afternoon. There is a logical flow to that as their commuting pattern is usually the same every day.
In Horizontal recycling, your goal is getting them to tune in during the same time tomorrow. That has a higher potential success rate as it fits THEIR listening habits.
Durations: This is how long someone listens to you in a given occasion. In PPM world that has to be at least three minutes inside a given quarter hour (it’s five minutes for you diary players). We know that the average duration in PPM is somewhere between eight and twelve minutes.
Durations can be determined by two factors: what you are doing on the radio and a listener’s real life. Great content could extend a duration. A 17 unit stop set will diminish it. Regardless, if your listener gets to their destination (or receives a call from their kids), the duration ends.
Every time on-air performers key the mic, they are in complete control of the product. You may not control the music or the spot load, but what you do between those elements can make a huge difference in how successful you (and your station) are. Make the most out of those moments.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
PS—In the above sports radio scenario, the hosts could help their ratings by inviting their listeners to listen to a podcast version of that interview. If the “get” is big or newsworthy enough, people might actually make the effort to find the content and click on it.
April 3, 2026
If you’ve been around the radio business for any length of time, you’ve likely built up quite the archive. Rubbermaid containers full of tapes, CDs, pictures, memos, staff phone lists, etc. I recently went through my archives in an attempt to reduce clutter. I found this from The Radio Consultants, Inc., a Minneapolis-based radio consulting firm. The article, “A Great Program Director,” was previously published in Radio Ink (October 30, 1995). It is reproduced here for historical and educational purposes.
A Great Program Director understands that radio is a ratings driven business and delivers winning numbers to the sales department. A Great Program Director is an advocate for target listeners, a champion for P-1 listener wants and needs. A Great Program Director puts research to work to stay in touch with his/her target. A Great Program Director understands the incredible powers of imagination, knowledge, creativity, attitude and focus. “The play’s the thing” so said Shakespeare, and A Great Program Director knows that great radio is great theater. A Great Program Director is a leader, a coach, a director, a business person. A Great Program Director values “people skills” and is devoted to being a good and fair person with a reputation for creating a stimulating, positive and challenging environment for creative individuals. A Great Program Director knows building a great radio station is a marathon with no finish line; the price of success is always more competition. A Great Program Director is decisive, a strategic thinker, an excellent listener, a person who “hears” ideal radio playing in his/her head and strives to put that station on the air every set, every quarter-hour, every day. A Great Program Director is a competent fiduciary and accepts responsibility for diligent planning and prudent allocation and care of the company’s most precious resources — talent, time, and cash. A Great Program Director demands, and works to sustain, a “no surprises” environment, keeping the GM and GSM aware of what’s happening — on the air, in the programming department and in the market. A Great Program Director understands that every programmer has the same sixty minutes to “program” each hour and uses every minute to full advantage in the battle for listener’s time, mind, loyalty and recall. A Great Program Director keeps his/her station fresh, compelling, entertaining, informative, topical, local, relatable, memorable and “on strategy” every hour of every day. A Great Program Director knows where his/her time goes. A Great Program Director is focused on taking positive, pro-active action to change the reality in which they live and work. A Great Program Director puts integrity first and always under-promises and over-delivers, especially when the GM, clients, and listeners are involved. A Great Program Director knows he/she can never execute a plan alone and must inspire, motivate, direct, and lead a team to consistently win. A Great Program Director realizes that the studio is a stage and not an office. The single most important activity in the entire radio station (where every hope, wish, plan, promise, strategy and tactic come into sharp focus) happens in a room where performers talk to themselves and push buttons. A Great Program Director focuses his/her efforts on results rather than on his/her work. A Great Program Director builds on strengths — his/her own strengths, the strengths of his/her superiors, colleagues, and subordinates. A Great Program Director “under-programs” his/her radio station always knowing what he/she keeps off the air is often of more strategic value than what is put on. A Great Program Director constantly stays in touch with cutting-edge developments and concepts in his/her format and has developed a network of gifted minds; a speed dial of world-class thinkers. A Great Program Director ensures that the most effective, best written, best produced, most engaging and entertaining creative on his/her air is the latest station promo involving a client. A Great Program Director protects the license because without it there is no radio station. A Great Program Director is always giving listeners reasons to listen longer and to listen again. A Great Program Director knows there is never an excuse for bad manners and understands the most effective way to deal with vendors, record people, and others who are paid to get their attention is to let them do their jobs (always aware that some day these folks may be of value to the radio station). A Great Program Director realizes that jingles, promotions, contesting, promos, and station advertising are first, tools to get and keep the staff excited and enthusiastic; and secondly, tools to accomplish the station’s audience goals. A Great Program Director welcomes objective, outside opinions and counsel because he/she is always open to new ideas. A Great Program Director never underestimates the competition. A Great Program Director genuinely enjoys what he/she is doing, has fun doing it, and customarily wins as a result. A Great Program Director is enthusiastic about sharing what he/she knows and is committed to a lifetime of learning, reading, observing, and growing. A Great Program Director possesses boundless curiosity and an almost childlike, contagious exuberance: he/she dares to be naive. A Great Program Director stays impassioned about creating, reinventing, and staging great radio every day.
Whether you’re a Program Director, Operations Manager, Content Director, or whatever new titles have been ginned up, these words still ring true today. Yes, we have more competition, responsibilities, and pressures than ever before. But the above piece still remains a useful roadmap to creating great radio. Regardless of the platforms, the magic always begins in the studio.
I used to have this posted in my office to remind me of my responsibilities, requirements, and opportunities. I urge you to do the same. Creating radio is a gift. Cherish the process.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
PS: Does anyone remember who The Radio Consultants were?
March 26, 2026
Appropriately enough for MLB’s opening weekend, we’re rounding third and heading for home with the FEBRUARY survey. We do not need any robot umps to call the balls and strikes of these final five markets. The numbers will always speak for themselves. Well, not entirely as they have yet mastered how to use a keyboard.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in a committed relationship with the wizards of XTRENDS—present FEBRUARY. A survey that began on FEBRUARY 5th and ended its tenure on MARCH 4th. There was a three-day holiday, some severe winter weather and a SUNDAY commercial extravaganza. Here’s how we see it:
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER: A Wild Ride
Chaos was the word of the month for this market. We begin with 6+. COX MEDIA Soft AC WDUV (105.5 THE DOVE) flew back to #1 (8.4-8.6). RADIO TRAINING NETWORK Contemporary Christian WCIE (THE JOY FM) landed its lowest share since OCTOBER as it stepped down to #2 (8.8-7.3). Last month there was a threesome at #5. COX MEDIA Classic Hits WXGL (107.3 THE EAGLE) landed at #3 as it ended a three-book slide (5.3-6.5). BEASLEY Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105) inched up to #4 (5.3-5.5), while iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock WXTB (98 ROCK) slid to #8 (5.3-4.9). COX MEDIA AC WWRM (MAGIC 94.9) dipped to #5 (5.7-5.3), while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WFLZ rose from #10 to #6 with its best outing in over a year (4.0-5.1). iHEARTMEDIA AC WMTX (MIX 100.7) fell from #3 to #7 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER (5.9-5.0). WDUV remained the cume leader with a 3.1% increase (633,800-653,500). The market was down 0.7%.
WDUV rebounded from a down 25-54 book to post its best Frosty-free share in over a year. This drove the station from #4 to #1. WRBQ advanced from #6 to #2 with its third up book in a row. WFLZ vaulted from #7 to #3 with its fifth straight up book. Last month WCIE and WMTX were the demo co-leaders. Both stations experienced large share losses as they slipped to #4 and #5, respectively. WWRM dropped three slots to #6 with its first down book since SEPTEMBER. It was paired with WXTB, which had a slight decrease.
WFLZ went from second place to first 18-34 as it smashed through the double-digit barrier. WDUV was up two slots to #2 with a slight increase but was more than four shares off the lead. WWRM repeated at #3 but with its lowest score since AUGUST. WMTX went from first to fourth, which ended its two-book double-digit run. WXGL leapt from #11 to #5. The station has more than doubled its share over the last two surveys. WCIE dipped to #6 with a small share loss. WXTB halted a four-book surge as it slid from a tie at #5 into one at #8 with WRBQ. BEASLEY Rhythmic CHR WLLD (WiLD 94.1) lost more than half its previous share is it dropped from a tie at #5 into a situation at #13 with Q BROADCASTING Mexican Regional WAMA (LA LEY 107.7FM/1550AM).
WDUV rebounded from a down book to leap from #4 to #1 18-49. WFLZ rose from #6 to #2 with, again, its best showing in over a year. WCIE and WMTX were last seen at #1. Both had down books as they landed at #3 and #4, respectively. WWRM was also at #4, slipping a spot with its lowest total since JUNE. WXTB went from #4 to #6 as it returned most of last month’s share increase.
DENVER-BOULDER: Rocky Mountain High
Sometimes, the headlines just write themselves. AUDACY Classic Rock KQMT (99.5 THE MOUNTAIN) moved up to #1 6+ with its highest score in over a year (5.7-7.0). This halted the twelve-book winning string of BONNEVILLE AC KOSI (KOSI 101.1), which dipped to #2 (7.0-6.7). BONNEVILLE Country KYGO repeated at #3 (5.6-5.3), while AUDACY Modern AC KALC (ALICE 105.9) remained at #4 (5.2-5.1). KSE MEDIA VENTURES Classic Hits KXKL (KOOL 105) was up two slots to #5 with its best book since JULY (4.6-5.0). With the BRONCOS riding off into the sunset BONNEVILLE Sports KKFN (104.3 THE FAN) dropped from #5 to #13 (5.0-2.9). KOSI still had the most cume despite a 6.0% decline (521,800-490,500). The market was off 0.3%.
For the second book in a row iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTCL (CHANNEL 93.3) was #1 25-54. The station also had its best showing since JUNE. KQMT went from #4 to #2, again with its largest share in over a year. It was about a half share off the lead. KALC and KOSI were previously seen at #2. Both stations experienced a down book as they landed at #3 and #4, respectively. KXKL was up from #7 to #5 with its highest total in a year. KYGO advanced from #14 to #6 with its best book since SEPTEMBER. KKFN dropped from #5 to #18 where it was hanging with two other stations.
Last month KXKL and ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KXPK (LA TRICOLOR 96.5) were tied at #4 18-34. KXKL landed at #1, while KXPK ended up at #2. It was sharing that moment with two other stations. AUDACY Rhythmic CHR KQKS (KS 107.5) stepped down from #1, while KSE MEDIA VENTURES Hot AC KIMN (MIX 100) rose up from #3. Both of those stations had down books. KOSI was also in first place last month. It drifted down to #5 this time with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER. It was partnered with KTCL, up from #6, and KQMT, which advanced from #7.
KTCL landed its largest 18-49 share since JUNE as it went from third to first. KALC and KOSI were last month’s co-leaders. They moved down together to #2 and were a half share off the pace. KQMT vaulted from #10 to #4 with, yup, its best book in over a year. KQKS slipped two places to #5 and was tied with KIMN, which advanced from #8 with its best performance in over a year. KSE MEDIA VENTURES Sports KKSE (ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO 92.5FM) fell from #5 to #12.
SAN DIEGO: Wait, Wait…
…don’t tell me, but who is the new 6+ leader? Why it was SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY N/T KPBS, which posted its largest share in over a year (7.6-8.1). This pushed AUDACY Classic Hits KXSN (SUNNY 98.1) down to #2 (7.7-7.7). LOCAL MEDIA Rhythmic AC XHRM (MAGIC 92.5) was back at #3 (6.8-6.7), while AUDACY AC KYXY remained at #4 (6.7-6.3). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHTS (CHANNEL 93.3) vaulted from #11 to #5 with its highest score in over a year (3.4-4.9). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMYI (STAR 94.1) fell from #5 to #7 as it returned most of last month’s large share increase (5.2-4.5). KXSN continued as the cume commander with a 5.4% increase (572,400-603,500). The market was off 1.0%.
Despite a slight decrease KXSN was #1 25-54 for the second book in a row. KHTS advanced from #10 to #2 with, again, its best book in over a year. It still trailed the leader by nearly a share. A flat XHRM dipped to #3, where it was paired with the stationary LOCAL MEDIA Alternative XTRA (91X), which had a small increase. KYXY and iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KIOZ (ROCK 105.3) were tied at #4. Both stations were flat as they drifted down to #5.
KYXY was #1 18-34 for the fourth book in a row and hit double figures for the third time during this run. KXSN remained at #2, while KMYI stepped up to #3. Both stations had down books. XTRA rose two places to #4. The station has more than tripled its share from the HOLIDAY survey. XHRM repeated at #5 with a slight increase, while AUDACY Country KSON fell from #2 to #6 as it surrendered most of last month’s massive increase.
KXSN was #1 18-49 for the second straight survey with a slight increase. KYXY stood alone at #2, while XHRM dipped to #3. It was paired with KHTS, which advanced from #9. Those four stations were separated by less than a half share. XTRA rose from #8 to #5 with its best showing since MAY. It was tied with the stationary KIOZ, which scored its largest number since JULY. KMYI fell from #4 to #9 as it returned most of last month’s large increase.
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CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL: mmmm…K
BEASLEY Classic Hits WKQC (K104.7) moved back to #1 6+ with its best Frosty-free share since JULY (7.4-7.9). Two stations raced up the chart to meet up at #2. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits WLKO (102.9 THE LAKE) rose from #4 (6.2-6.3), while BEASLEY Urban Contemporary WPEG (POWER 98) advanced from #6 with its best performance in over a year (5.0-6.3). URBAN ONE Urban Oldies WOSF (105.3 RnB) went from first to fourth with its smallest share since JULY (7.7-6.1). iHEARTMEDIA Country WKKT (96.9 THE KAT) repeated at #5, also with its highest score in over a year (5.4-6.0). UNIVERSITY RADIO FOUNDATION N/T WFAE slipped from #3 to #6 (6.3-5.7). It was tied with BEASLEY Country WSOC (COUNTRY 103.7), which remained in place (5.0-5.7). WLKO padded its cume lead with a 12.0% increase (419,600-470,000). The market grew by 6.0%.
WPEG stepped up to #1 25-54 and was dangerously close to hitting double figures. WOSF dipped to #2 with its lowest mark since SEPTEMBER, while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WEND (106.5 THE END) inched up to #3 with its best book since OCTOBER. A flat WKQC dipped to #4, while WKKT stood alone at #5 with a slight increase. Its former partner in that space—WLKO—was down to #6 with a slight decrease.
BEASLEY Urban AC WBAV (V 101.9) jumped from #4 to #1 18-34. The station landed in double digits with its best showing in over a year. WPEG rose from #6 to #2. The station was also in double figures as it more than doubled last month’s share. As strong as both these stations were, the gap between them was a bit over three shares. BEASLEY Pop CHR WNKS (KISS 95.1FM) dipped to #3 with its third down book in a row. WOSF went from #1 to #4 as its two-book double-digit string came to an end. WLKO slipped to #5 with its lowest total since AUGUST. It was joined there by WKQC, which turned it up from #11 as it regained all of last month’s lost share. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHQC (HITS 96.1) also moved up to #5 as it rebounded from a down book. WFAE fell from #5 into a tie at #11 with WKKT.
WPEG hit double figures 18-49 as it rose from #3 to #1. WNKS repeated at #2 but with a down book. It was paired with WBAV, which rose from #5 with its first up book since NOVEMBER. This halted the seven-book winning string for WOSF, which slid to #4 and out of double digits. WEND was up two places to #5 with a solid increase. WLKO and WFAE were #4 and #5, respectively. They fell together to #7 and were joined by WKKT and iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WRFX (99.7 THE FOX), which arrived from #11.
NASSAU-SUFFOLK (LONG ISLAND): Double Talk
AUDACY News WINS was again #1 6+ with its best outing in over a year (9.2-10.6). RED APPLE MEDIA N/T WABC-A was back at #2 but with its fourth down book in a row (6.3-6.0). CONNOISSEUR Hot AC WALK (WALK FM) was up two places to #3 (5.6-5.7), while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) dipped to #4 (5.8-5.5). COX MEDIA Pop CHR WBLI stepped down to #5 as it returned a good portion of last month’s share increase (5.7-4.8). WINS still had the most listeners (441,200-424,300)—a 3.8% decline. The market was off 2.3%.
WALK was #1 25-54 for the third straight survey. The station was up slightly. WHTZ remained at #2 with a modest decrease. The gap between the two stations went from very small to about a share. WINS stood alone at #3 with its third up book in a row. AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS stepped up to #4 with its largest number in over a year. WBLI slipped to #5 despite a small increase.
There was a first-place tie 18-34. WBLI stepped up from #2 with a small increase, while WCBS advanced from #4 with its fourth straight up book. This ended the two-book winning streak for WALK, which slipped to #3 with its lowest score since NOVEMBER. Three stations moved up and into a tie at #4. WHTZ rose from #6 as it bounced back from a down book. WINS advanced from #8 with its best outing in over a year. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) vaulted from #15 as it more than doubled last month’s number. WABC-A fell from #4 to #10 with its lowest total since MARCH.
WALK rebounded from a down book as it moved back up to #1 18-49. This pushed WHTZ down to #2 as it landed its lowest share since MARCH. WBLI held firm at #3 with its fourth up book in a row. WNEW leapt from #7 to #4 with its best performance in over a year. WINS dipped to #5, while WCBS stepped down to #6. Both stations had solid share increases. WABC-A fell from a tie at #5 to #9.
Thank you for slogging through this with us. We hope you were at least mildly entertained. We’ll be back in about 28 days with the MARCH results. In the meantime, be kind.
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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
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