September 11, 2026
By this point in the recaps, we’re kinda toast. So, I asked Gemini to write something about radio listening in August. Here’s what it offered:
The Car Radio Experience: “August radio tuning is basically an Olympic sport: speedrunning through five presets in under two seconds to avoid hearing another commercial for a local car dealership’s ‘End of Summer Clearance Event.'”
Not totally off base, y’know?
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with the guaranteed humans from XTRENDS—bring you the final installment of the AUGUST survey. It ran from JULY 23RD through AUGUST 19TH and worked out something like this:
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER: Seven Up
For the seventh straight survey, COX MEDIA Soft AC WDUV (105.5 THE DOVE) was nested atop the 6+ leaderboard (9.9-10.0). RADIO TRAINING NETWORK Contemporary Christian WCIE (THE JOY FM) moved up to #2 (5.9-6.8), while COX MEDIA Classic Hits WXGL (107.3 THE EAGLE) dipped to #3 (6.1-5.9). BEASLEY Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105) stepped up to #4 (5.2-5.4), while two stations moved up and into a tie at #5. COX MEDIA Urban AC WTBV (101.5 THE VIBE) rose from #7 with its best book in over a year (4.8-5.2), while iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock WXTB (98 ROCK) advanced from #9 (4.6-5.2). iHEARTMEDIA AC WMTX (MIX 100.7) slid from #4 to #7 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER (5.4-4.9). It was tied with COX MEDIA AC WWRM (MAGIC 94.9), which was down a spot (4.9-4.9). Also landing at #7 was BEASLEY Country WQYK (99.5 QYK), which moved up from #11 as it bounced back from a down book (3.9-4.9). WDUV added 6.3% to its #1 cume total (592,300-629,500). The market grew by 2.3%.
Last month WRBQ and WXTB were the 25-54 co-leaders. WRBQ remained on top with a slight increase, while WXTB dipped to #2 with a slight decrease. WDUV and WWRM were tied at #3. WDUV remained in that space with a slight increase, while a flat WWRM was down to #4. It was joined there by WCIE, which rose from #6 as it ended a two-book slide. WMTX was down to #6 with its smallest share since MARCH.
The 18-34 scene was a wild west show. WTBV and WDUV were last spotted at #5. WTBV advanced to #1 with its best outing in over a year, while WDUV landed at #2 as it regained some of last survey’s huge share loss. WXTB vaulted from #7 to #3 as it recovered from a down book. WWRM slipped to #4 with a modest share loss. In July WXGL rocketed from #14 to #1. This time it settled in at #5. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WFLZ (93.3 FLZ) and WCIE were part of a three-way tie at #2. WFLZ fell to #6 and was partnered with WQYK and BEASLEY Rhythmic CHR WLLD (WiLD 94.1), both of which moved up from #11. WCIE dropped to #9 and was tied with WMTX and iHEARTMEDIA Sports WDAE.
The 18-49 space was both topsy and turvy. WXTB advanced from #7 to #1 as it rebounded from a down book. WCIE and WDUV went from #4 and #5, respectively, to a tie at #2. They also recovered from down books. WWRM slipped to #4 with a slight decrease. This ended the two-book winning streak for WMTX, which wended its way down to #5. WRBQ dipped to #6 and was partnered with two stations. WTBV rose from #9, while WQYK advanced from #10. WFLZ fell from a tie at #2 to #9.
DENVER-BOULDER: We’re #2!
The 6+ battle was for second place as BONNEVILLE AC KOSI (KOSI 101.1) cruised to its fourth win in a row with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year (6.9-8.3). The next six stations were within a half share of one another. BONNEVILLE Country KYGO was back at #2 as it halted a four-book surge (6.0-5.5). It was paired with AUDACY Modern AC KALC (ALICE 105.9), which moved up a spot (5.2-5.5). AUDACY Classic Rock KQMT (99.5 THE MOUNTAIN) dipped to #4 (5.2-5.3), while two stations moved up and into a tie at #5. iHEARTMEDIA AAA KBCO was up from #6 (5.1-5.2), while KSE MEDIA VENTURES Classic Hits KXKL (KOOL 105) arrived from #7 (4.9-5.2). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTCL (CHANNEL 93.3) slid from #3 to #7 (5.2-5.0). KOSI was granted a whopping 19.6% cume increase to remain #1 in that category (455,100-544,100). The market was up by 2.9%.
KTCL was #1 25-54 for the eighth book in a row, the last two of which were flat. KOSI stepped up to #2, while KALC dipped to #3 despite landing its largest share in over a year. Three stations were massed together at #4. ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KXPK (LA TRICOLOR 96.5) remained in place and was partnered with KYGO and KXKL, which rose from #6 and #8, respectively. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDHT (HITS 95.7) slid from a tie at #4 to #7 as it surrendered some of last month’s share increase. It was paired with KQMT.
There was some serious share swapping in the 18-34 space. KOSI went from #3 to #1 and hit double figures. KXPK went from #1 to #2, while KTCL dipped to #3. Both of those stations exited double-digit territory. KSE MEDIA VENTURES Hot AC KIMN (MIX 100) rose from #9 to #4 with its highest mark since FEBRUARY. KDHT slipped from #3 to #5 as it ended a strong five book surge. It was joined there by AUDACY Rhythmic CHR KQKS (KS107.5), which vaulted from #17, more than doubling its previous share. KXKL and COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO N/T KCFR were previously an item at #5. KXKL drifted down to #7, while KCFR fell to #13. It was tied with COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO Classical KVOD and iHEARTMEDIA Country KWBL (106.7 THE BULL).
KOSI went from #3 to #1 18-49 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. It narrowly defeated KTCL, which remained at # 2, but with its highest mark in over a year. KXPK went from first to third as it returned a good portion of last month’s massive increase. KALC repeated at #4 with a small increase. KQKS advanced from a tie at #13 to #5 with a huge increase. KDHT slipped to #6 and was tied with KXKL and KIMN, which also moved up from a tie at #13.
SAN DIEGO: Sun Run
As with the previous market, the 6+ battle was all about second place. That’s because AUDACY Classic Hits KXSN (SUNNY 98.1) was the runaway leader for the fifth book in a row (7.8-8.1). AUDACY AC KYXY moved from #4 to #2 with its best outing since APRIL (5.3-5.9). AUDACY Sports KWFN (97.3 THE FAN) rose from #6 to #3 with its best performance in over a year (4.8-5.8). SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY N/T KPBS dipped to #4 (6.4-5.7), while TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNV (QUÉ BUENA 106.5) rose from #7 to #5, also with its highest mark in over a year (4.3-5.5). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMYI (STAR 94.1) stepped down to #6 (5.0-4.9), while GRUPO IMAGEN Spanish Hot AC XLTN (RADIO LATINA 104.5FM) slid from #3 to #7 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER (5.6-4.3). KXSN remained the cume leader with a 4.4% increase (596,300-622,500). The market was down by 1.0%.
KXSN was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row, while KLNV was back at #2. Both stations posted their best numbers in over a year. KYXY vaulted from #7 to #3 with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. LOCAL MEDIA Alternative XTRA (91X) dipped to #4 with a small increase, while iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KIOZ (ROCK 105.3) was down to #5. KMYI dropped from a tie at #4 into one at #7 with LOCAL MEDIA Rhythmic AC XHRM (MAGIC 92.5).
For the sixth straight survey, KXSN was #1 18-34. The last two of which were in double digits. XTRA and KYXY rose from a tie at #5 to the same situation at #2. Both stations also rebounded from down books. KMYI stepped down to #4 with a slight increase, while KLNV repeated at #5 but with its highest score in over a year. KPBS and XLTN were last seen at #4. KPBS slipped to #6, while XLTN landed at #7 along with AUDACY Country KSON.
It was a four-peat 18-49 for KXSN, which had its best showing since SEPTEMBER. KLNV remained at #2 with a slight increase. It was paired with KYXY, which advanced from #6 with, again, its best Frosty-free share in over a year. XTRA stepped up to #4 with a slight decrease, while KMYI slipped to #5. XHRM dropped from #4 to #9 with its lowest total in over a year. It was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHTS (CHANNEL 93.3).
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CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL: Fire Lake
I wonder if iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits WLKO (102.9 THE LAKE) plays that song? The station moved up to #1 6+ (6.6-8.0), while PACIFIC BROADCASTING Classic Hits WXRC (95.7FM THE RIDE) motored up to #2 (6.0-7.5). Both stations landed their largest shares in over a year. UNIVERSITY RADIO FOUNDATION N/T WFAE went from first to a tie for second (7.0-7.5), while BEASLEY Country WSOC (COUNTRY 103.7) went from #6 to #4 with its highest score since NOVEMBER (5.5-6.6). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WRFX (99.7 THE FOX) slipped to #5 (6.0-6.4), while iHEARTMEDIA Country WKKT (96.9 THE KAT) fell from #5 to #8 (5.7-5.1). Despite a 5.4% decline WLKO was still in cume command (525,100-496,800). The market was down 0.6%.
WRFX moved up to #1 25-54 with its third up book in a row. WLKO moved up to a very close #2, while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WEND (106.5 THE END) saw its four-book winning streak come to an end as it slipped to #3. WFAE was back at #4 with a small increase, while BEASLEY Urban Contemporary WPEG (POWER 98) inched up to #5 as it halted a steep four-book slide. WKKT went from #5 to #7 with its lowest score since MARIAH CAREY was charting.
WRFX stepped up to #1 18-34 and landed in double figures. It was two and a half shares clear of the two stations at #2. WEND moved up a spot as it recovered from a down book, while WLKO advanced from #5. That duo was two shares ahead of the pair of stations at #4. WFAE moved up a spot with its highest total since OCTOBER, while BEASLEY Urban AC WBAV (V101.9) arrived from #7 with its best book since FEBRUARY. BEASLEY Classic Hits WKQC (K104.7) slipped to #6 and was tied with BEASLEY Pop CHR WNKS (KISS 95.1).
WRFX was back at #1 18-49 and dangerously close to hitting double digits. WFAE moved up to #2 with a strong increase, which pushed WEND down to #3. WLKO moved up to #4 and finished just ahead of WPEG, which rose from #7 to #5. WKQC dipped to #6 despite a small increase.
NASSAU-SUFFOLK (LONG ISLAND): News Travels Fast
For the eighth book in a row, AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) was #1 6+ (7.0-8.1). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) moved up to #2 as it bounced back from a down book (5.9-6.6). AUDACY Sports WFAN (SPORTS RADIO 101.9FM/66AM) stepped up to #3 with its highest score in over a year (5.7-6.5). RED APPLE MEDIA N/T WABC-A inched up to #4 (5.5-5.4), while CONNOISSEUR Hot AC WALK (WALK FM) was up to #5 (5.4-5.0). iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) fell from #2 to #8 as it returned all of last month’s large increase (6.0-4.2). Despite an 8.5% decline, WALK moved up to #1 in the cume wars (394,000-360,500). The market was up 1.9%.
WHTZ landed its lowest 25-54 share since FEBRUARY, but the station was still #1 for the sixth straight survey. WALK repeated at #2 with a small share loss. WLTW remained at #3 but with a large share loss. It was paired with WFAN, which moved up a spot with its highest mark since OCTOBER. A flat COX MEDIA Pop CHR WBLI (106.1 BLI) dipped to #5. It was paired with WINS, which rose from #8 with its best book since FEBRUARY. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) slid from a tie at #4 to #7 and was tied with COX MEDIA Classic Rock WBAB.
WLTW was back at #1 18-34 but did not duplicate last month’s double-digit feat. WHTZ advanced from #5 to #2 as it recovered from a down book. WALK stepped down to #3 with its first down book since MARCH. It was tied with the stationary WBLI, which landed its lowest number since DECEMBER. A flat CONNOISSEUR AC WKJY (K-J0Y 98.3) moved up to #5, while MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS dropped from #4 into a four-way tie at #12.
WHTZ was back to #1 18-49 despite a slight decrease. It held a solid advantage over WALK, which stepped up to #2. WLTW went from first to third as it surrendered a good portion of last month’s massive share increase. WFAN stepped up to #4, which forced WBLI down to #5. WNEW dipped to #6.
We appreciate your support. See you in SEPTEMBER. We’re always open to your thoughts, suggestions, critiques and complaints about this here missive. A real human will answer this e-mail: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com.
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September 10, 2026
AUGUST is usually a sleepy survey time. Real humans (our listeners) are wedging in their last bit of PTO, the weather was brutally hot, and county fairs were all the rage. However, so far we have seen some dramatic changes in the ratings hierarchy in several markets. Will that trend continue? Enquiring minds want to know.
And that’s what The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—with a healthy assist from the data wizards from XTRENDS—are here to figure out. This particular survey ran from JULY 23RD through AUGUST 19TH. There were no specific holiday distractions to contend with. Here’s how it all broke down:
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: Life’s A Beach
And right out of the gate we have a battle. AUDACY Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH) landed its largest 6+ share in over a year as it rose from #3 to #1 (5.5-6.8). COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) was back at #2 with its best book since FEBRUARY (5.9-6.6), while AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) went from first to third (6.0-6.5). TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Hot AC WAMR (AMOR 107.5) was up two slots to #4, also with its best showing since FEBRUARY (5.0-6.2). COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) dipped to #5 (5.4-5.9), while iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Adult Hits WMIA (MAGIC 93.9) stepped down to #6 (5.1-5.2). WLYF added 6.6% to its cume lead (703,800-750,500). The market was up by 2.1%.
WLYF won the 25-54 race for the fifth book in a row and landed its largest share in over a year. It was being hotly pursued by two stations at #2. WFEZ remained in place, while WMXJ moved up from #3, again with its highest mark in over a year. WHQT repeated at #4 with its best showing since MARCH, while EMF Contemporary Christian WMLV (K-LOVE) stood alone at #5. Its former partner in that space— COX MEDIA Rhythmic AC WFLC (HITS 97.3)—dipped to #6 with a slight decrease.
WLYF moved up to #1 18-34 with a double-digit share. The ended the three-book winning streak for COX MEDIA Urban Contemporary WEDR (99 JAMZ), which was down to #2 as it surrendered almost all of last month’s massive share increase. WFLC jumped from #6 to #3 with its best book since MARCH. WFEZ dipped to #4 and was met there by SBS Spanish Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7), which advanced from #13. Also, with its highest share since MARCH. WMIA slipped to #6 and was partnered with SBS Spanish Contemporary WCMQ (Z92.3) and AUDACY Country WKIS (KISS COUNTRY 99.9). WKIS moved up from #20 as it bounced back from a down book. AUDACY Classic Hip Hop WPOW (POWER 96) slid from #4 to #11. It was joined there by WAMR and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHYI (Y100).
For the fifth straight survey WLYF was #1 18-49. The station was also handed its best book in over a year. WMXJ leapt from #8 to #2 but still trailed its cluster mate by about a share. WMLV repeated at #3 and narrowly edged WHQT, which stepped up to #4. WFEZ rose from #10 to #5, while WFLC dipped to #6 with its lowest score since “jolly” was in our everyday vocabulary. WEDR fell from #2 into a tie at #7 with WMIA, while WPOW dropped from #4 to #11.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: The End Is Nigh…
More on that in a bit. First off, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW was #1 6+ for the eighth straight survey (7.7-9.4). Baseball fever kept BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A (SEATTLE SPORTS 710) at #2 (6.4-7.0), while AUDACY Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) leapt from #7 to #3 with its best book in over a year (4.4-5.6). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) taxied up to #4 (5.0-5.1), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK dipped to #5 (5.2-5.0). AUDACY Active Rock KISW (THE ROCK) fell from #3 to #7 with its lowest total in over a year (5.5-4.6). It was tied with AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF), which was up from a tie at #8 (4.2-4.6). KJEB was still in cume control despite a 2.5% decline (601,300-586,300). The market was down 0.8%.
KNDD had its best 25-54 book in over a year as it stepped up to #1. It barely defeated KIRO-A, which was up to #2 as it recovered from a down book. This ended KISW’s three-book winning string as the station drifted down to #3. KUOW remained at #4 with a small share loss. HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) stepped up to #5 with a slight increase. It was paired with KKWF, which advanced from #13 as it bounced back from a down book. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KBKS (HITS 106.1) slipped to #7 and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KJAQ (96.5 JACK FM), which was up from #9 with its highest total since SEPTEMBER.
There was all sorts of movement among the 18-34 ranks. KIRO-A and KISW were no longer the demo co-leaders. That distinction was bestowed upon KNDD, which was up from #4 with its best showing since NOVEMBER. KIRO-A dipped into a three-way tie at #2. KKWF rose from #5 as it halted a three-book slide, while KZOK turned it up from #11. The station has doubled its share from JUNE. KISW went from first to fifth and was paired with KJAQ, which was up from #7. KBKS slid from #3 to #7 as it stopped a three-book surge. CRISTA Contemporary Christian KCMS (SPIRIT 105.3) fell from #5 to #13, losing nearly half of its previous share. It was tied with AUDACY AC KSWD (EMMA 94.1).
Over the last five books KNDD has gone from #5 to #4 to #3 to #2 and now, to #1 18-49. KIRO-A stepped up to #2, while KISW went from first to third with its smallest share since MARCH. There was a foursome at #4. KBKS remained in place as it halted a four-book surge. KRWM and KKWF were up from #5 and #6, respectively. KZOK advanced from #10 with its best performance in over a year.
PHOENIX: A Close Call
Last month HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX and iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) were tied atop the 6+ leaderboard. This time KSLX stood alone at #1 (6.4-6.5), while KESZ drifted down to #3 (6.4-6.0). In between at #2 was iHEARTMEDIA N/T KFYI-A (6.0-6.2). MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGE N/T KJZZ was back at #4 (4.9-5.0), while iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX stepped up to #5 (4.5-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) fell from #5 to #10 with its least productive outing in over a year (4.7-3.5). It was tied with HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD (4.1-3.5). KESZ padded its cume lead with a 6.5% increase (845,500-900,700). The market was up by 1.2%.
KESZ was #1 25-54 for the twelfth straight survey though the station posted its lowest share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9) was up two spots to #2. It has more than doubled its share over the last two surveys. KSLX and TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KOMR (AMOR 106.3) were last seen at #6. KSLX made its way to #3 with its highest score since NOVEMBER, while KOMR alit at #4 with its sixth straight up book. ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KLNZ (LA TRICOLOR 103.5) dipped to #5 with a small increase. KUPD slid from #3 to #6, while KYOT fell from #2 to #8.
As recently as MAY, KOMR was sitting at #20 18-34. The station has been making its way up the chart ever since and hit #1 (with a bullet) with its largest number in over a year. AUDACY Pop CHR KALV (LIVE 101.5) stepped up to #2 with a slight decrease. It was paired with KMXP, which advanced from #7 with its highest mark in exactly a year. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3) rose from #9 to #4 as it stopped a three-book slide. KESZ went from #1 to #5 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER. It was partnered with KYOT, which dropped from #2, and KUPD, which exited a three-way tie at #3.
KMXP has been on quite the 18-49 run. Two books ago it was sitting at #16. Last month it reached #4 and this time it landed at #1. This forced KESZ down to #2. The stations were separated by less than a half share. KUPD dipped to #3, while KDKB advanced from #8 to #4 with its best book since NOVEMBER. KLNZ jumped from #10 to #5 as it ended a four-book slide. KALV slid from a tie at #4 to #7 with a slight decrease. KYOT fell from #3 into a tie at #8 with KSLX. ZELUS MEDIA Hot AC KMVA (HOT 97.5/103.9) cooled off from a tie at #4 to #11 with its smallest share since FEBRUARY.
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DETROIT: The Usual Suspects
The MOTOR CITY ratings scene was relatively unchanged from last month. AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) was #1 6+ for the eighth book in a row (9.2-10.5). AUDACY Country WYCD stepped up to #2 with its best showing in over a year (7.2-7.6). AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC dipped to #3 (7.5-7.2), while the next two stations were as they were. iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC was at #4 again (6.4-6.0), while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) repeated at #5 (6.1-5.9). WNIC increased its leading cume total by 6.2% (911,500-967,800). The market was up by 0.6%.
WXYT was both #1 and in double figures 25-54 for the eighth book in a row. BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF was back at #2 with its fifth up book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKQI (CHANNEL 955) remained at #3 with its highest mark since MARCH, while WOMC repeated at #4 with a slight increase. WYCD stepped up to #5 with its best showing in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WJLB dipped into a tie at #6 with WMXD and WNIC.
WRIF repeated as the 18-34 leader, while WKQI moved up to #2. Both stations exceeded the double-digit threshold. WYCD and WXYT were last seen at #4 and #5, respectively. Both stations had healthy share increases as they rose together into a tie at #3. WOMC stepped up to #5 with its best book since we were carefully hanging hosiery. Last month WJLB claimed a share of first place. It fell to #6 this survey with its lowest score since OCTOBER.
WRIF landed its largest 18-49 share in over a year to cruise to another winning finish. WXYT was back at #2 but still trailed the leader by almost a share. WKQI stepped up to #3 with its highest score in over a year, while WYCD was up to #4 while accomplishing the same feat. WOMC moved up to #5 with its best book since FEBRUARY. WJLB slipped from #3 into a tie at #6 with WNIC.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: Welcome To Fansville
iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN FM 100.3) was back as the 6+ leader (8.2-11.0). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) repeated at #2 (7.5-7.3), while MPR N/T KNOW stepped up to #3 (6.8-7.1). KNOW also added a 0.9 share from the interwebs. iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) dipped to #4 with its smallest share since FEBRUARY (7.3-6.2). HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) was up to #5 as it halted a three-book slide (5.6-6.1). UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN/ST. PAUL Contemporary Christian KTIS slipped from #5 to #7 (5.8-5.6). KQQL was still the cume leader despite a 1.5% decline (715,900-705,500). The market was up by 0.8%.
How dominant has KFXN been in the 25-54 space? The station was #1 for the 13TH time in the last 14 surveys (Santa was the only spoiler). And it has been in double figures for that entire span. MPR AAA KCMP (89.3 THE CURRENT) was back at #2 with a down book and now trails the leader by almost seven shares! KQQL remained at #3 but with its lowest total since JANUARY. A flat iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDWB stepped up to #4. It was paired with AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM), which advanced from #7 as it ended a two-book slide. KEEY went from #4 to #6 with a large share loss.
KQQL was both #1 and in double figures 18-34 for the fourth straight survey. KZJK moved up to #2 with its best showing in over a year but still trailed the leader by a share. KDWB regained most of last month’s huge share loss as it moved from a tie at #4 to #3. KCMP slid two places to #4 with a small share loss. KEEY dipped to #5 despite posting its largest number in over a year.
As with the 25-54 demo, KFXN continued to dominate 18-34. The station was #1 for the 13TH time in the last 14 books. It has been in double digits the entire time. KCMP repeated at #2 with a down book and was nearly six shares off the pace. KDWB was back at #3 as it bounced back from a down book. KZJK stepped up to #4, again with its best book in over a year. KQQL dipped to #5 with a small increase.
We still have a bit left in the tank. Tune in again next time for TAMPA, DENVER, SAN DIEGO, CHARLOTTE, and NASSAU-SUFFOLK.
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September 9, 2026
We’re back from the shadows again, rested and ready to bring you another fresh batch of ratings goulash. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in conjunction with the infallible number crunchers from XTRENDS—are here to separate the wheat from the chaff in an attempt to add perspective to the wacky world of the Personal People Meter, not to be confused with the Purple People Eater.
The book ran from JULY 23RD through AUGUST 19TH. There were no specific holidays, but it was the last gasp of vacation season before schedules returned to whatever passes for normal. Let us begin:
SAN FRANCISCO: Doubling Down
KQED INC. N/T KQED was #1 6+ for the eighth straight survey, the last three of which have been in double figures (10.3-10.2). AUDACY News KCBS was in its customary #2 position but with its smallest share since that little kid would not stop that incessant drumming (8.9-8.1). CONNOISSEUR AC KOIT was again the leading music station (5.0-5.2), while iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE) was back at #4 (4.6-4.7). There was a threesome at #5. iHEARTMEDIA AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) remained in place (4.2-4.0). CONNOISSEUR Hot AC KMVQ (99.7 NOW) stepped up from #6 (3.8-4.0), while AUDACY Hot AC KLLC (ALICE@97.3) rose from #7 with its highest score in over a year (3.5-4.0). KOIT padded its cume lead with a 6.5% increase (1,046,500-1,114,300). The market grew by 3.3%.
KOIT stepped up to #1 25-54 with its finest Frosty-free share in over a year. This snapped the two-book winning string for KQED, which dipped to #2. KISQ inched up to #3 with a slight decrease, while three stations established a residency at #4. KIOI moved down a spot with its lowest total since JANUARY, while KMVQ moved up from #6 as it bounced back from a down book. KLLC advanced from #8, again with its best outing in over a year. AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) slipped to #7 and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9).
For the fifth book in a row KOIT was #1 18-34. It held better than a three-share lead over SBS Mexican Regional KRZZ (LA RAZA 93.3), which remained in place despite a rather large share loss. KMVQ repeated at #3 with a solid increase and was paired with KISQ, which moved up from a tie at #5 as it ended a steep two-book slide. KITS and KYLD remained behind at #5, while KIOI slid from #4 into a tie at #9 with iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KOSF (CLASSIC HITS 103.7).
KOIT was #1 for the third straight survey after posting its best Frosty-free share in over a year. KISQ moved from #4 to #2 with its best outing in over a year. The stations were separated by about a share. KYLD rose from #5 to #3 with a slight increase, while a flat KMVQ went from #6 to #4. KITS stepped up to #5 and was paired with KLLC, which advanced from #9. KIOI dropped from #2 to #7, while KQED fell from #3 to #8 with its lowest mark in over a year.
ATLANTA: Do You Believe In Majic?
Well, you should as URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5) moved up to #1 6+ as it halted a three-book slide (6.5-7.6). This ended the two-book run at #1 for COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A, which dipped to #2 with its smallest share in over a year (6.6-6.0). AUDACY Urban AC WVEE (V103), which was last month’s co-leader, slipped to #3 as it gave back about half of last survey’s increase (6.6-5.9). COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) flowed down to #4 with its lowest score in over a year (6.5-5.4). COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) was up to #5 (5.0-5.1), while CITY OF ATLANTA BOE N/T WABE was down to #6 (5.3-4.9). COX MEDIA AC WSB-F (B98.5) maintained its cume lead with a 4.3% increase (738,500-770,100). The market was up by 4.6%.
Over the next three demos we will be skipping over actual functioning radio stations because we must maintain radio silence about their existence.
For the fourth time in the last five books WAMJ was #1 25-54. WVEE’s stay at #1 was short lived as in stepped down to #2. These two stations were well clear of a flat AUDACY Sports WZGC (92.9 THE GAME), which moved up to #3. WALR advanced from #7 to #4 as it recovered from a down book. WSRV slipped from #3 to #5, while WSB-A fell from #5 to #8 with its least talked about share in over a year.
WSRV was your repeat 18-34 winner despite a small share loss. WSB-F was back at a distant #2 with its lowest total in over a year. WALR and WAMJ rose from a tie at #5 to #3 and #4, respectively. Both stations had solid share increases. WVEE slipped from #3 to #5 with a slight increase, while WZGC dropped from #3 into a tie at #7 with AUDACY Hot AC WSTR (STAR 94).
Last month WVEE held about a two-share lead over WAMJ atop the 18-49 leaderboard. Those roles were reversed this time as WAMJ owned a narrow advantage over WVEE. WSRV was back at #3 with a slight decrease, while a flat WSB-F stepped up to #4. Baseball was very, very good for DICKEY BROADCASTING Sports WCNN-A (SPORTS RADIO 680 THE FAN) as it vaulted from #13 to #5 with its best book in over a year. WZGC dipped to #6 and was tied with WALR.
WASHINGTON, DC: Making Headlines
As is usually the case, the top two 6+ stations do not have a playlist. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU was #1 for the fourth book in a row (11.3-11.7). The station was in double digits for the 13th time in the last 14 surveys. HUBBARD News WTOP was back at #2 (10.3-9.8), while HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR moved up to #3 with its best outing since FEBRUARY (5.6-6.1). iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH stepped up to #4 (5.5-5.6), while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) remained behind at #5 (5.5-5.3). ATLANTIC GATEWAY Contemporary Christian WGTS fell from #3 to #7 with its smallest share since DECEMBER (5.7-3.6). WASH was still the cume commander with a 2.4% increase (802,900-822,500). The market was off by 2.8%.
For the eighth straight survey WAMU was #1 25-54. The station also made it back to double figures. WWDC repeated at #2 as it bounced back from a down book, though it was still about two shares off the lead. WTOP was back at #3, while WASH inched up to #4. Both stations had small share increases. WHUR was up to #5 with a slight decrease, while WGTS dropped from #4 to #10 with its lowest mark in over a year. The station was tied with URBAN ONE Urban Contemporary WKYS.
WASH was both #1 and in double figures 18-34 for the second book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBIG (BIG 100) stood alone at #2 with its, well, biggest book in over a year. It was about a share off the pace. WWDC dipped to #3 with a slight decrease, while AUDACY Rhythmic CHR WPGC vaulted from #11 to #4 with its best showing in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WIHT (HOT 99.5) cooled off to #5 with its least productive outing in over a year. It was paired with WHUR, which moved up from #6 with a slight increase. iHEARTMEDIA Country WMZQ fell from #5 to #9 with its smallest share in over a year. It was tied with WKYS.
WAMU was #1 18-49 for the fourth straight survey. A flat WWDC stepped up to #2, while WASH dipped to #3 as it returned some of last month’s huge share increase. WTOP repeated at #4 with a slight decrease, while WHUR was back at #5 as it ended a strong three-book surge.
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PHILADELPHIA: Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
You had better buy a game program to keep track of all the changes in this survey. To begin with, we saw two stations move up to share the 6+ lead. BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK stepped up from #2 with its best book in exactly a year (7.4-7.8), while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WDAS rose from #3 with its highest mark in over a year (7.1-7.8). AUDACY Sports WIP (94WIP SPORTSRADIO) stepped up to #3 (6.4-7.4), while AUDACY News KYW moved from #6 to #4 (5.3-5.6). BEASLEY Album Oriented Rock WMMR dipped to #5 (6.4-5.5). It was joined there by AUDACY AC WBEB (B101), which fell from first place with its smallest share since JANUARY (7.7-5.5). The station still had the most listeners (1,076,300-1,071,400)—a 0.5% drop. The market was up by 1.2%.
The fun continued in the 25-54 space as WIP vaulted from #4 to #1 with its best outing since OCTOBER. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WUSL (POWER 99) advanced from #6 to #2 with its highest share in over a year. WDAS stepped down to #3 with a slight decrease, while URBAN ONE Urban AC WRNB (100.3 RnB) rose from #7 to #4 with its best book in over a year. WBEB slid from #2 to #5. WMMR ended a four-book stay at #1 and dropped to #6 with its lowest mark in over a year.
The pandemonium was apparent in the 18-34 arena as iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WRFF (ALT 104.5) leapt from #4 to #1 as it bounced back from a down book. Last month’s co-leaders were BEASLEY Country WXTU (92.5 XTU) and WBEB. They slipped in tandem to #2 with the shared experience of a rather large share loss. They were partnered with WUSL, which was up from a tie at #4. WMGK dipped to #5 with a solid increase, while BEASLEY Adult Hits WBEN (95.7 BEN FM) was down to #6 with a slight increase. It was paired with WRNB, which rose from #10. WMMR fell from #3 to #10.
But wait, there’s more! WUSL vaulted from #5 to #1 18-49 with its best book in over a year. It narrowly defeated WBEB, which stepped down to #2. WRNB advanced from #8 to #3 with its best outing in over a year, while WIP repeated at #4 with a solid increase. Three stations were huddled together at #5. WMMR and WMGK fell from #2 and #3, respectively, while WXTU remained in place.
BOSTON: The Old College Try
For the second book in a row BOSTON UNIVERSITY N/T WBUR was #1 6+. The station also landed its largest share in over a year (6.8-7.9). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WXKS (KISS 108) stepped up to #2 (6.2-6.3), which pushed AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) down to #3 (6.5-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX was up two places to #4 as it ended a two-book skid (5.0-5.6). BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR dipped to #5 (5.8-5.5), while AUDACY Hot AC WBMX (MIX 104.1) was down to #6 (5.6-5.0). WMJX still attracted the most meters (846,100-822,300)—a 2.8% drop. The market was down 1.0%.
WBMX and WXKS were #1 and #2, respectively 25-54 for the third book in a row. However, the gap between the two stations widened from less than a half share to more than a share. WZLX stepped up to #3 and was ahead of WBUR, which was up to #4, but the slimmest of possible margins. A flat BEASLEY Sports WBZ-F (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) slipped to #5, while WMJX dipped to #6.
WMJX was #1 18-34 for the tenth book in a row but landed its lowest share in exactly one year. WXKS moved up to #2, while iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) stood alone at #3. Both stations had down books. WBMX slipped to #4 as it returned all of last month’s huge increase, plus a bit of added value. It was partnered with WROR—up from #5—and AUDACY Adult Hits WBGB (BIG 103), which rose from #6 with its best showing in over a year. Keep an eye on EMERSON COLLEGE AAA WERS. The station vaulted from #16 to #7, more than doubling its previous share in the process.
WXKS was back at #1 18-49 but was joined in that space by WBMX. Both stations suffered large share losses. WBUR was up to #3 with a small increase, while WMJX stepped down to #4 with a noticeable share loss. WROR leapt from #9 to #5 as it recovered from a down book. It held a slim lead over four stations at #6. WJMN fell from #5 to #10.
Two down, two to go. Thanks for participating. We’ll be back shortly with 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.
About XTrends: XTrends is radio’s favorite tool for reviewing ratings. Click here to see why all of radio’s major groups love XTrends!
As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. are ready to help you grow your ratings and revenue. Click the link below to get the gruesome details.
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 email info@ResearchDirectorInc.com or sallan@ResearchDirectorInc.com.
September 8, 2026
The AUGUST ratings are in. This is our final look at the end of the summer situation. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with the intrepid numbers nerds from XTRENDS—are here to present the full Monty, uh, picture of what happened. Unlike some institutions we do not take a summer recess. We are here to serve you, the radio fraternity. While we would love to have a month-long respite from doing the people’s work, we know that the meters never stop. Nor shall we.
This survey ran from JULY 23RD through AUGUST 19TH. There were no official holidays but plenty of vacations, hot weather, and trade deadline speculations. Here is what NIELSEN wrought:
NEW YORK: The Nitty Gritty City
Feels like the beginning of a detective noir novel. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) was #1 6+ for the sixth straight survey, but with its smallest share since JANUARY (7.9-7.3). This paved the way for AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) to step up and forge a tie for the lead (7.4-7.3). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) inched up to #3 (5.2-5.6), which pushed AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS down to #4 (5.7-5.4). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3) was back at #5 (4.8-4.8), while AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) rose from #8 to #6 with its first up book since MAY (4.1-4.5). WLTW still had the most listeners (3,791,300-3,741,300)—a 1.3% drop. The market was down 0.7%.
WLTW repeated as the 25-54 leader but with its lowest score in over a year. WHTZ remained at #2, while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU (103.5 KTU) was back at #3. Both stations had slight decreases. WINS held steady at #4 as it ended a solid two-book surge. It was paired with MEDIACO Rhythmic CHR WQHT (HOT 97), which advanced from #8 with its best book since FEBRUARY. They were being closely pursued by iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WWPR (POWER 105.1), which was still at #6. WCBS slid from #5 to #8 with its lowest mark since the city streets were full of roasted chestnut vendors.
WLTW captured the 18-34 flag for the eleventh book in a row but was unable to duplicate last month’s double-digit feat. WNEW remained at #2 with a slight increase, while WQHT leapt from #7 to #3 with its best showing in over a year. WHTZ dipped to #4 as it halted a four-book surge. WAXQ stepped down to #5 despite its fifth up book in a row. WCBS rose from #10 to #6 as it rebounded from a down book. MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS fell from #5 to #12 its smallest share in over a year. It was tied with AUDACY Sports WFAN (SPORTS RADIO 101.9FM/66AM).
WLTW made it a three-peat atop the 18-49 leaderboard. WHTZ remained at #2 with its lowest total since JANUARY. It was partnered with WNEW, which moved up a slot with its best performance in over a year. WQHT rose from #8 to #4 as it recovered from a down book. WWPR stepped up to #5 with a small increase, while WKTU slid from #3 to #6. WINS moved from #5 to #7.
LOS ANGELES: They Did It My Way
For the second book in a row, iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MYFM) was #1 6+. The station also landed its largest share in over a year (6.2-6.7). AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101) was back at #2 (5.9-5.7) but was not alone as iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST stepped up to force a tie ball (5.8-5.7). AUDACY Adult Hits KCBS (93.1 JACK FM) inched up to #4 (4.7-4.6), which displaced AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE), which dipped to #5 (4.8-4.5). For the first time in ten surveys KOST was not the leading cume station. That honor was bestowed upon KRTH, which moved up thanks to a 5.1% increase (2,123,400-2,231,600). The market grew by 0.3%.
KBIG was #1 25-54 for the sixth straight survey and again picked up its best number in over a year. The Alternative battle was on full display. AUDACY Alternative KROQ moved up to #2 and was a half share clear of iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7), which was up to #3. KRTH slipped to fourth place with its lowest total since Santa was spying on you. Kind of like a FLOCK camera. KCBS stood alone at #5 with a slight increase, while its former partner in that space—KOST—dipped to #6 with its smallest share in over a year. Also coming in at #6 was SBS Mexican Regional KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9), which rose from #10 with its best performance in over a year.
KRTH was back at #1 18-34 with a small decrease. It was about a share in front of iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KRRL (REAL 92.3), which moved up from #4 with its highest mark in over a year. As recently as MAY it was sitting at #15. KBIG jumped from #6 to #3 with, yup, its best book in over a year. KOST dipped to #4 with a slight decrease, while KROQ moved from #7 to #5. Two stations exited the top five. KTWV slid from #2 to #6 as it ended a three-book surge. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM) fell from #5 to #8 with its least productive outing in over a year. It was partnered with MERUELO Rhythmic CHR KPWR (POWER 106) and SBS Spanish Contemporary KXOL (MEGA 96.3).
KBIG rebounded from a down book to remain #1 18-49 for the third month in a row. KRTH was back at #2 with a down book and was over two shares off the lead. KROQ rose from #5 to #3 with its highest score since MARCH. KCBS stepped down to #4, while KLAX advanced from a tie at #8 to #5 with its largest share in over a year. KOST slipped from #4 to #6 with a slight decrease.
CHICAGO: Second City News
This just in, AUDACY News WBBM-A moved up to #1 6+ thanks to its best book in over a year (5.8-6.4). Meanwhile, AUDACY AAA WXRT (93XRT) moved from #4 to #2 with its first up book since APRIL (5.4-5.9). This snapped the three-book winning string for HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX), which slipped to #3 (6.0-5.2). iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) stepped up to #4 (4.9-4.9), while HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 THE DRIVE) motored from #7 to #5 (4.5-4.7). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103) slipped from #3 to #6 as it returned most of last month’s share increase (5.5-4.5). AUDACY Country WUSN (US99) went from #5 to #7 with its smallest share since JANUARY (4.9-4.2). WLIT remained in cume command with a 2.4% increase (1,310,900-1,342,400). The market grew by 2.1%.
The next three demos are not a 100% complete picture of the standings as we cannot tell you the fates of certain stations. They exist in the real world but not here. WTMX was #1 25-54 for the eighth straight survey but with its lowest score since we were playing games with one of the seven subspecies of reindeer. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI rose from #4 to #2 with its best showing in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) moved from #5 to #3 as it recovered from a down book. WXRT slipped to #4 with a slight increase, while WLIT stepped up to #5. WUSN dropped from #3 to #7 and was partnered with AUDACY Pop CHR WBBM-f (B96) and TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional WOJO (QUÉ BUENA 105.1).
WKSC landed its eighth straight 18-34 win but with its smallest share since people were pretending they liked eggnog. WTMX advanced from #6 to #2 as it ended a three-book slide, while WGCI leapt from #8 to #3. WLIT and WBBM-F were last seen at #2 and #3, respectively. Both stations had down books as they fell into a tie at #4. WVAZ slipped from #4 to #7, while WUSN dropped from #5 to #8. It was paired with iHEARTMEDIA Mainstream Rock WCHI (ROCK 95.5).
WGCI moved up to #1 18-49 with, once again, its best book in over a year. This stopped the seven-book winning string for WTMX, which stepped down to #2. WKSC dipped to #3 with a slight decrease, while WXRT inched up to #4 with a slight increase. WLIT moved down to #5.
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DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Star City
You read the trades. You know what is going on. There are stations in this market that still attract an audience, generate revenue, and ping meters. We are just prevented from revealing them to you. For the third straight survey, iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1) was #1 6+ (6.0-6.2). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) was back at #2 with its highest mark since FEBRUARY (4.8-4.9). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM) stepped up to #3 (4.1-4.6) while AUDACY Sports KRLD (105.3 THE FAN) inched up to #4 (3.8-4.2). Both stations posted their best numbers in over a year. AUDACY Classic Hits KSPF (98.7 THE SPOT) remained at #5 (3.9-4.1). KDGE continued to garner the most meters (1,227,200-1,213,200) – a 1.1% decline. The market was also off by 1.1%.
As with the previous demo, KDGE was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) was back at #2. The gap between the two stations narrowed slightly to a half share. KRLD stepped up to #3, again with its best outing in over a year. KHKS was up to #4 with a slight decrease, while AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) moved up to #5 with a slight increase. KDMX slipped from #3 to #6 with its lowest total in over a year.
KDMX repeated as the 18-34 leader and posted its best number in over a year. KDGE was back at #2 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. KHKS was up to #3 as it rebounded from a down book, while URBAN ONE Urban Contemporary KKDA (K104) moved up to #4 with a small share gain. URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBFB (97.9 THE BEAT) advanced to #5 with its highest score in over a year.
KDMX repeated as the 18-49 winner despite a down book. KDGE remained at #2 and was now less than a half share off the lead. KLNO was back at #3 with a slight increase, while KRLD stepped up to #4, again with its best offensive performance in over a year. KHKS dipped to #5 with a small share increase.
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: Sun City
Triskaidekaphobics beware! iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) was #1 6+ for the 13TH book in a row (9.6-9.1). URBAN ONE Classic Rock KGLK (THE EAGLE 106.9/107.5) was back as a distant #2 (6.8-6.9), while URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) remained at #3 (6.6-6.4). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) held steady at #4 (5.5-5.6). URBAN ONE Country KKBQ (93Q COUNTRY) finished in fifth place again (5.4-5.1). It was not alone as HOPE MEDIA Contemporary Christian KSBJ advanced from #7 to forge a tie (5.2-5.1). KODA continued as the cume champion despite a 1.9% decline (1,802,600-1,768,900). The market was down by 0.8%.
What’s the buzz, tell me what’s a-happening…The next three demos are a hive of activity. KTBZ was #1 25-54 for the seventh straight survey. KODA continued at #2 but was about two shares off the pace. KSBJ was back at #3 though it surrendered a good portion of last month’s increase. As a result, KGLK was able to float up from #6 to force a tie. AUDACY Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5) remained at #5 with a slight decrease. It narrowly defeated URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBXX (97.9 THE BOX), which rose to #6 with its best book in over a year. KMJQ fell from #4 to #10 with its lowest total in over a year.
KTBZ bested the 18-34 field for the eighth book in a row. It was more than two shares clear of AUDACY Spanish Contemporary KLOL (MEGA 101 FM), which rose from #4 to #2 with its best book in over a year. KODA dipped to #3 with a slight decrease. Making the leap o’ the month was ESTRELLA Spanish Adult Hits KQQK (EL NORTE 107.9/101.7). The station vaulted from #15 to #4, nearly doubling its previous share. KHMX repeated at #5 with a slight increase. KGLK fell from #3 into a tie at #9 with KMJQ.
KTBZ extended its 18-49 winning string to five with a small increase. A flat KODA was back at #2, while KGLK and KHMX rose from a tie at #4 to one at #3. They were joined there by KBXX, which advanced from #6 as it bounced back from a down book. KSBJ returned most of last month’s huge increase as it dropped from #3 into a tie at #8 with KKBQ.
Thank you for your participation. We don’t have a trophy for you but we will be delivering more numbers tomorrow. Up next are SAN FRANCISCO, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA, and BOSTON. They will be in your inbox tomorrow.
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As always, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. are ready to help you grow your ratings and revenue. Click the link below to get the gruesome details.
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 email
info@ResearchDirectorInc.com or sallan@ResearchDirectorInc.com.
September 3, 2026
When was the last time your radio station surprised your listeners? I mean truly surprised them. Radio loves its formats. Our formats have rules and boundaries. Ever since the advent of PPM we, as an industry, have played it safer and safer. Eliminate the negatives! Prevent tune out! Stay in your lane!
Image by Gustavo Fring of Pexels.
As a result, we have become risk averse. We don’t take chances because—what if they fail?
The better question is—what if they work?
According to AI, a pleasant surprise creates the following cycle:
- Freeze: Cognitive function briefly pauses for a fraction of a second to stop and absorb the unexpected stimulus.
- Find: Curiosity activates as your brain tries to figure out what just happened.
- Shift: Your perception adapts and updates its view of reality based on the positive outcome.
It also releases dopamine and couldn’t we all use a bit more of that right now?
I understand that being spontaneous and unpredictable takes planning. Today’s radio programmers don’t really have that kind of “free” time. Radio staff have also been reduced to the point where there are fewer opportunities to brainstorm or spit ball ideas.
Creativity is a process. It takes time to ferment. It also needs an encouraging environment. Programmers need to feel safe to take educated risks.
I spend a lot of time looking at Nielsen data. I can tell you that playing an unexpected song that is not on your safe list is not going to kill your station’s ratings. Especially if you do this for a reason. At best it will get a listener’s attention. At worst, it’s just more audio wallpaper.
We have let things like music tests narrow our view of the music world. We have, ironically, reinforced the old listener complaint that we play the same songs “over and over.” The pure plays have given listeners control over what they hear. If radio is to grow, it needs to rethink format structure.
I hate to use the outside the box cliché, but we are so locked into our “best” and “most” slogans that we forget our primary mission is entertainment. Sorry, but ten in a row is not entertainment.
Here’s a thought. Get your staff together for a play date. Include people from other departments. Go off campus, if you can. Feed them. Then open the floor for discussion. What can you do differently? There are no bad ideas. Be outrageous. Be bold. Be daring. This is not only a great team building exercise, the results may…wait for it…surprise you.
How delightful.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
