Posts in "Hot Topics"
December 12, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Photo by m. on Unsplash
Coaches and athletes always talk about what it takes to perform at your best. Ability, heart, desire—these are all traits that lead to winning. But the one thing you hear them stress over and over is mastering the fundamentals. Things like footwork, spatial awareness, arm slot—these techniques lead to successful outcomes.
With that in mind, we thought we’d go back to basics in this column. We have talked about this before but there are four things that can (and will) have an impact on your station’s ratings. Here they are:
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December 8, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
As we head into our final roundup (hope that’s not an omen) we are here to tally up how many markets left the NORTH POLE early. In this last batch of five markets, we see that two of them were on the polar express. So, of the top 20 radio markets, a total of five flipped the switch during this survey. Were these wise decisions? We’ll let you be the judge of that. More importantly, the listeners are the judges.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – with a healthy assist from the number’s crunchers from XTRENDS – are back for another excursion into the NOVEMBER data. The survey ran from OCTOBER 16TH through NOVEMBER 12TH. The clocks rolled back for some inexplicable reason, there was an election, and our veterans received their well-deserved due. Let’s dive in:
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December 5, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
If you’re keeping score (and since you’re in radio you always keep score), of the first ten markets we have examined, only one had a station that dove into the holiday fray. As we prepped round three, we discovered that two of the next five markets had an early adopter. Which begs the question: Do listeners really want to hear BRENDA LEE that early? We could also ask if Costco shoppers want to buy Disney displays in SEPTEMBER. It’s all about expectations. Or is it?
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR INC.—along with the right jolly old data elves from XTRENDS—bring you back into the NOVEMBER state of mind. This survey ran from OCTOBER 16TH through NOVEMBER 12TH. The time it was a-changing, there was an election, and we honored our Veterans. Here’s how that all played out:
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December 4, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
In our previous episode we went on a bit of a rant about how the NOVEMBER survey was “sus,” as the kids say, because of the early arrival of the elfin horde. Well, as it turned out, only one of the five markets we dissected had an early adopter. (To be fair, it went very well for that station.) As we were preparing this batch of markets, we thought it would be prudent to see if any stations jumped the shark, as it were. The answer is—none did. So, the NOVEMBER book is completely legit, only subject to the whims of the audience. Which is how things normally are.
This book ran from OCTOBER 16TH through NOVEMBER 12TH. The times changed (don’t they always), there were elections, and we honored our Veterans. Let’s dive in…
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December 3, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Welcome to the first survey of the dystopian nightmare known as the holiday season. While you are recovering from your food coma and pouring through hundreds of unopened e-mails, your listeners have become zombies, lured by the siren songs of BURL IVES and his evil minions. They have flocked to the one station in your market that flipped the Frosty switch. Some may say this is a premature capitulation to our elfin overlords, but who are we to decide? The data will tell the story.
As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in a close-quarters formation with the numbers nerds from XTRENDS—bring you the NOVEMBER book. This one ran from OCTOBER 16TH through NOVEMBER 12TH. There was a time change, a few elections, and a federal holiday. Here’s how it all unfolded:
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November 27, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Happy Thanksgiving from all of us here at Research Director, Inc.! Wishing you and your family a wonderful day filled with warmth, laughter, some pie, and your favorite radio station playing in the background. Our offices are closed until Monday. We will see you next week!
November 21, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Once again, The Ratings Experts from Research Director, Inc., in cooperation with the data aggregators from XTRENDS, are here with the latest quarterly comparison of how the three-minute qualifier boosted listening levels. This time we are comparing Summer 2024 with Summer 2025. This is as close to an “apples to apples” comparison as we can get. Keep in mind the differences in survey dates, real world effects, and panel composition.
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November 14, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
When was the last time you surprised your listeners. I’m not talking about contests, or promotions, or celebrity interviews. I’m talking about your music.
Work with me here.
For the longest time, radio dominated the music space. Even as formats fragmented, listeners discovered and heard the music they loved on the radio.
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November 7, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
Wrapping up the OCTOBER survey with style and some sort of substance, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in a committed relationship with the numbers crunchers at XTRENDS—bring you our final foray into the most recent PPM numbers. We understand this may cause you to feel a sense of loss—or perhaps ennui. But that is radio life. You are now free to go back to scheduling music and working on next year’s budget.
The OCTOBER survey ran from SEPTEMBER 18TH through OCTOBER 15TH. Notable occurrences included ROSH HASHANAH, YOM KIPPUR, and the autumnal equinox, not necessarily in that order. Here’s how it unfolded:
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November 6, 2025
Filed Under: Hot Topics
The siren song of OCTOBER—when radio programmers everywhere are faced with the daunting decision of how often to spin Thriller and Monster Mash. Do we treat this like CHRISTMAS music and play them beginning eight weeks out, or do we just bombard listeners with spooky tunes all day on HALLOWEEN? Fortunately, the OCTOBER survey does not reflect that. This one ran from SEPTEMBER 18TH through OCTOBER 15TH. It featured ROSH HASHANAH, YOM KIPPUR, the changing of the seasons and the beginning of a government shutdown.
As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—with a significant tush push from the data diviners from XTRENDS—are here to make sense of it all. Or not.
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