June 11, 2026
Radio has been fighting—and losing—the digital wars for far too long. Our once vaunted advertising medium is considered passe in too many circles. The bright shiny promise of a brave new digital world has hypnotized too many products and services into thinking that this is the only way to compete.
If only there was an alternative narrative.
Photo by Alex Knight from Pexels.
Here’s one. According to a recently released study by Cloudflare, bots and AI agents now outnumber humans in the digital realm. According to their study, 57.4% of internet traffic is generated by bots. That means only 42.6% is coming from humans.
The fraud in digital advertising has been well documented and is likely growing. That potential advertiser who touts all their “traffic” may not be aware that more than half of the visits to their web site are not potential customers.
But wait, there’s more.
According to an article by NBC news, humans may visit five web sites before making a purchase while bots will “visit” 5,000 (oh, and they don’t make purchases). Additionally, user-driven AI requests account for just 3% of all traffic.
Imagine, if you will, that more than half the listeners to your radio station were actually machines. (Insert your favorite listener joke here).
Advertisers often say Google is their number one referral tool. However, radio is a prime driver of awareness for those Google searches. Yes, things like SEO are important. Google is today’s version of the Yellow Pages (look that up, kids). Radio plants the seed in the minds of real people who use that knowledge to look for more detail on products they are interested in. You could say radio is a prime catalyst for that process.
This is not to say digital advertising is bad. It has a place in any media mix. But Radio not only delivers results – it reaches actual human beings.
Our strength is that human to human connection. Studies like the one cited above point to the urgent need for radio to invest in that human capital. Expand our emotional involvement with our audience. Develop a level of trust AI agents cannot deliver.
Not yet, anyway.
Here is the NBC article I referenced.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
June 4, 2026
Mark Ritson recently wrote a column in The Drum about the decline of Peloton. The company was built on selling bicycles. Roughly 75% of their sales were product based, while the remainder of their income was from subscription sales. Their rise was fueled by the pandemic and their decline stemmed from people’s desire to get back in the gym. Peloton lost their “must have” status because they were not able to develop a sense of community around their participation model. (Google their stock trajectory.)
Image by Stocksnap from Pixabay.
I couldn’t help but think of the parallels to radio.
As a free platform, we were a must-have item. We had radios everywhere. Now, we’re trying to hold on to our last stronghold—the car. We gave people information, companionship, and music at work that everyone can agree on.
There was a time when we actually valued our connection to community.
Unfortunately, consolidation and the annual budget cuts/layoffs have eroded that bond with our audience. While we were able to weather the portability of recorded music, we were not primed to combat the on-demand world.
As Ritson points out, back during Covid, if you saw a Peloton on your Zoom call you thought, “Cool.” Now, when you see one you ask, “Why?”
Fortunately for us, the radio industry is in a much stronger financial position than Peloton. We hear a lot about our ultimate demise, but we still reach a significant portion of the American public every day. And we continue to excel as an advertising medium.
The question is, is our current trajectory sustainable? Can we afford to continue to ignore our local communities? Can we afford to continue to cut back on talent? Can we afford the lack of a pipeline for new talent?
Radio once offered the element of surprise to our listeners. Conservative programming, the fear of “tune outs,” and the dogged pursuit of creating a product that plays it safe every day has taken us from “must have” to “nice to have.” That does not engender passion.
Everyone I have ever met or worked with in radio got into the business because they loved it. They loved the challenges, the people, and the competition. That passion fueled what came out of the speakers.
Have we lost that passion or are we just afraid to translate that into compelling content because one meter might switch off?
A lot of people who are much smarter than me have been saying similar things for years. I read about it weekly in the trades.
Radio became great because we took chances. We risked doing something that did not appeal to everyone, all the time. Those actions developed loyal audiences. They brought us repeat customers. They created communities.
That magic still exists…if we want it to.
If you still believe in great radio, call us. You’re the kind of person who appreciates and values the services and insights we provide.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
May 28, 2026
As the Ratings Experts, we tend to nerd out on the process of gathering radio ratings. This week in James Cridland’s excellent newsletter he revealed how the diary process works in Australia.
Image by Moerschy from Pixabay
According to his writings, the paper diary only represents about 20% of all participants. Compare this to Nielsen’s mSurvey which, at least initially, will only represent about 10% of the sample.
The folks at GFK, who conduct the ratings, were nice enough to produce a “how to” video for potential diary keepers. The link to the video is below and I encourage you to invest six-plus minutes in watching it. That is, if you’re a ratings/research geek like me.
What you will see is an incredibly complicated process that involves stickers. I would say it’s more work than the average person would undertake but then my attention span is short.
The video also reveals that by participating in this process you’ll be entered into a drawing to win one thousand Australian dollars. Sounds as enticing as a text to win a national contest, no?
Their diary “week” is eight days long (perhaps an homage to a certain British group?). It runs from Friday through the following Saturday. Oh, and the diary is about 26 pages long.
Listening credit is granted to a station as long as the listener spends at least eight minutes with the station inside a given quarter hour. That means only one station can get credit for a given quarter hour. I wonder how much listening gets left on the cutting room floor.
GFK asks participants for a lot of information. Besides the usual quarter hour listening, they ask for the usual locations: home, car, work, or elsewhere. They ask how you are listening: AM/FM radio, DAB+, Mobile, PC/Tablet, Smart speaker, or other. Lastly, they ask if you are listening via headphones. This is a lot of work for a diary keeper but if this is consistent with their online version and we assume the respondent “ticks” the boxes, there is a lot of valuable information for broadcasters.
Finally, there is a detailed lifestyle questionnaire that covers a variety topics like podcast listening, where you plan to spend your next holiday, and what type of takeaway food you purchased.
The data set is huge, as it encompasses 50,000 annual participants in five markets. That means about 10,000 people are filling out paper diaries a year.
But wait, there’s more. They also record streaming listening directly from streaming logs. Plus, they have a system of “watches,” which I assume are a version of PPM, that are not currently included in the data.
Could/should some of this be incorporated into Nielsen’s version of the diary? It’s certainly worthy of a discussion.
You can watch the video here and be amazed that the demonstrator is filling it out with a Sharpie: https://james.cridland.net/uploads/radio-diary-demo-video.mp4
You can read the entire article here (and I suggest you subscribe): https://james.cridland.net/blog/2026/inside-an-aussie-radio-diary/
May 22, 2026
Welcome back to our final installment of our monthly series – how the ratings turn. We bid a fond farewell to the APRIL book. We had some careless, fancy free good times that we will cherish for about another 28 days. Then all will be forgotten, if not forgiven.
This survey ran from APRIL 2nd through APRIL 29th, the only time this year that the two calendars will align. It featured the EASTER holiday, the reassuring sound on “Play ball!” and, of course, rising gas prices. Let’s dive in, shall we?
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER: When Doves Fly
COX MEDIA Soft AC WDUV (105.5 THE DOVE) continued to dominate the competition as it finished atop the 6+ leaderboard for the third book in a row (9.8-9.7). RADIO TRAINING NETWORK Contemporary Christian WCIE (THE JOY FM) was back at #2 (7.0-7.2), while COX MEDIA Classic Hits WXGL (107.3 THE EAGLE) repeated at #3 (6.5-6.0). Coming in at #4 once again was BEASLEY Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105) (5.9-5.8). COX MEDIA AC WWRM (MAGIC 94.9) ended a three-book slide as it stepped up to #5 (5.1-5.7). iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock WXTB (98 ROCK) fell from #5 to #10 with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER (5.7-3.9). It was tied with COX MEDIA N/T WHPT (102.5 THE BONE), which moved up a spot (3.5-3.9). WDUV was still in cume control with a 0.4% decline (655,100-652,200). The market was down 1.3%.
A flat WDUV was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row. WRBQ stepped up to #2 with a slight increase but was a share and a half off the pace. WWRM rose from #5 to #3 as it stopped a four-book slide. iHEARTMEDIA AC WMTX (MIX 100.7) leapt from #7 to #4 as it rebounded from a down book. WCIE remained at #5 with a slight increase, while WXTB dropped from #2 to #7 with its lowest score since NOVEMBER.
For the second book in a row WDUV was #1 and in double figures 18-34. WWRM went from #5 to #2 with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. Tied for third place was WCIE, which was up from #4, and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WFLZ (93.3 FLZ), which dipped from #2 with its least productive outing since DECEMBER. COX MEDIA Urban AC WTBV (101.5 THE VIBE) rose from #8 to #5 with its highest mark since SEPTEMBER. WRBQ stepped down to #6, while WXTB slid from #3 into a five-way tie at #7.
Despite a down book WDUV led the 18-49 pack for the third book in a row. WWRM went from #5 to #2 and narrowed the gap between the two stations to less than a share. WCIE was up to #3 with a slight increase, while WMTX advanced two spaces to #4 as it regained most of last month’s lost share. WFLZ slipped from #3 to #5, while WXTB went from #2 into a tie at #6 with WRBQ.
DENVER-BOULDER: Mountain High
For the third book in a row AUDACY Classic Rock KQMT (99.5 THE MOUNTAIN) stood tall over the 6+ landscape (7.1-6.8). BONNEVILLE AC KOSI (KOSI 101.1) was back at #2 but with its smallest share since MAY (7.0-6.5). iHEARTMEDIA AAA KBCO landed its largest share in over a year as it rose from a tie at #6 to #3 (4.2-5.5). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTCL (CHANNEL 93.3) also escaped the #6 pod as it landed at #4 with its best book since JUNE (4.2-5.2). It was paired with the stationary AUDACY Modern AC KALC (ALICE 105.9), which ended a two-book slide (4.9-5.2). KSE MEDIA VENTURES Classic Hits KXKL (KOOL 105) slipped to #6 (5.2-5.1), while BONNEVILLE Country KYGO moved down to #7 (4.8-5.0). KOSI still had the most cume despite a 2.0% decrease (506,600-496,400). The market grew by 0.7%.
KTCL was #1 25-54 for the fourth straight survey. It held a half share lead over KALC, which stepped up to #2 with a small share gain. KQMT dipped to #3 while KSE MEDIA VENTURES Sports KKSE (ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO 92.5FM) was up two slots to #4 with its best showing in over a year. KOSI slipped to #5 and was tied with the motionless KXKL, which did post its best number in over a year.
KTCL vaulted from #8 to #1 18-34, more than doubling its previous number and landing in double-digit territory. KXKL moved up to #2, again with its best book in over a year, but trailed the leader by nearly three shares. KYGO moved from #5 to #3 with a strong increase, while ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KXPK (LA TRICOLOR 96.5) slid from #1 to #4 as it gave back all of last month’s huge increase, plus a bit extra. Four stations were hanging out at #5. KOSI dropped from #2 with its lowest total in over a year, while COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO N/T KCFR remained in place as it halted a strong three-book surge. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDHT (HITS 95.7) and KALC advanced together from a tie at #9. AUDACY Rhythmic CHR KQKS (KS 107.5) fell from #3 to #9, while KQMT dropped from #5 to #12. Both stations posted their lowest scores in over a year.
Last month KTCL fell from #1 to #7 18-49. The station recovered nicely this time as it moved back up to the top spot. KXKL rose from #5 to #2 with its third straight up book. KALC repeated at #3 and was paired with KKSE, which moved up a spot with its best performance in over a year. KQKS fell from #1 to #5, KOSI dropped from #2 to #6, and KXPK slipped from #5 to #7. All three stations had down books.
SAN DIEGO: The Sun Also Rises
It’s not often we can slip a HEMMINGWAY reference into the Roundup. AUDACY Classic Hits KXSN (SUNNY 98.1) moved back to #1 6+ just by showing up (7.4-7.4). SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY N/T KPBS repeated at #2 (7.6-7.3), while LOCAL MEDIA Rhythmic AC XHRM (MAGIC 92.5) went from first to third as it surrendered all of last month’s large share increase (7.9-6.7). AUDACY AC KYXY remained at #4 (6.0-6.0), and baseball was very, very good for AUDACY Sports KWFN (97.3 THE FAN) as it advanced from #12 to #5 with its best outing since OCTOBER (3.2-5.3). KXSN continued as the cume champ with a 3.4% increase (591,200-611,100). The market was up 1.3%.
KXSN bounced back from a down book to move back up to #1 25-54. KWFN vaulted from #9 to #2 with its highest score since AUGUST. XHRM went from first to third again as it returned most of last month’s increase. iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KIOZ (ROCK 105.3) repeated at #4 with a slight increase, while KYXY stepped up to #5 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHTS (CHANNEL 93.3) slid three places to #8, while LOCAL MEDIA Alternative XTRA (91X) fell from #3 to #9.
KXSN and KYXY were back at #1 and #2, respectively 18-34 and remained a half share apart. XTRA inched up to #3 despite a down book, while two stations landed together at #4. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMYI (STAR 94.1) moved up a spot while KWFN vaulted from #9 with its largest share since SEPTEMBER. XHRM fell from #2 to #6 as it ended a strong three-book surge. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KSSX (JAM’N 95.7) dropped from #5 to #10 and was partnered with AUDACY Alternative KBZT (ALT 94.9) and GROUPO IMAGEN Spanish Hot AC XLTN (RADIO LATINA 104.5FM).
Despite surrendering most of last month’s huge share increase, XHRM held steady atop the 18-49 leaderboard. KXSN was back at #2 with two stations nipping at its heels at #3. KIOZ held steady with a slight increase, while KYXY moved up from #6 as it rebounded from a down book. KWFN rose from #10 to #5. KHTS and XTRA went from a tie at #4 to #8 and #9, respectively.
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CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL: Pure Chaos
Book after book we see surprises, including unusual rises and falls, but we rarely see the type of upheaval as occurred in this survey. Two stations rose up to claim the 6+ crown. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits WLKO (102.9 THE LAKE) stepped up from #2 (7.9-6.5), while UNIVERSITY RADIO FOUNDATION N/T WFAE advanced from #4 (6.2-6.5). iHEARTMEDIA Country WKKT (96.9 THE KAT) clawed its way up to #3 with its highest mark in over a year (6.0-6.4), while two stations moved up to #4, each posting their best number in over a year. BEASLEY Pop CHR WNKS (KISS 95.1) was up from #6 (4.7-5.7), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WRFX (99.7 THE FOX) rose from #9 (4.2-5.7). BEASLEY Urban Contemporary WPEG (POWER 98) slipped from #3 to #6 as it ended a strong five-book surge (7.4-5.4). BEASLEY Classic Hits WKQC (K104.7) snapped a two-book winning string as it dropped from #1 to #7 with its smallest share in over a year (8.1-5.3). WLKO added 13.0% to its #1 cume total (472,100-533,600). The market was down 0.6%.
iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WEND (106.5 THE END) leapt from #4 to #1 25-54 with its best outing in over a year. This ended WPEG’s two-book winning string, and six-book surge, as it dipped to #2. WLKO stepped down to #3 with a slight decrease. It was paired with URBAN ONE Urban Oldies WOSF (105.3 RnB), which advanced from #7 as it bounced back from a down book. WRFX vaulted from #12 to #5 with its highest score since AUGUST. It was tied with WKKT, which moved down a spot with a slight increase. WKQC dropped from #3 to #10.
WNKS rose from #3 to #1 18-34, while WRFX advanced from #5 to #2. Both stations landed in double figures. WPEG went from first to third as its double-digit streak ended at two. WLKO slipped to #4 as it gave back most of last month’s massive increase. It was paired with WOSF, which moved up from #9 as it regained most of last month’s massive share decrease. WKQC slipped to #6, while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHQC (HITS 96.1) fell from #5 to #11 with its least productive outing since JUNE.
WNKS stepped up to #1 18-49 and was dangerously close to hitting double digits. WRFX vaulted from #8 to #2. Just two books ago it was languishing at #11. WPEG went from first to third, again, thus ending a five-book surge. WFAE repeated at #4 with a slight increase and was joined there by WEND, which moved up from #6. WHQC slipped from #4 to #7, while WLKO fell from #3 to #8. It was tied with WKQC and BEASLEY Urban AC WBAV (V 101.9).
NASSAU-SUFFOLK (LONG ISLAND): This Just In…
…you can probably hear the teletype machine in the background. AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) was #1 6+ for the fourth straight survey (8.9-8.8). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) remained at #2 (6.9-6.2), while AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) leapt from #8 to #3 with its best book in over a year (3.8-5.5). AUDACY Sports WFAN (SPORTS RADIO 101.9FM/66AM) was back at #4 (5.6-5.4), while CONNOISSEUR Hot AC WALK (WALK FM) held steady at #5 (5.3-5.1). RED APPLE MEDIA N/T WABC-A fell from #3 to #8 with its lowest mark in over a year (6.1-4.4). WINS remained in cume control with a 5.7% decline (417,700-394,000). The market grew by 1.6%.
The top five 25-54 was unchanged from last survey. WHTZ was back at #1, while WALK came in at #2. Both stations had down books. COX MEDIA Pop CHR WBLI (106.1 BLI) repeated at #3 but with its best book in over a year. WNEW remained at #4 but with its seventh up book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) rounded out the top five again with a slight increase.
WBLI stepped up to #1 18-34 with its highest mark since OCTOBER. WINS stepped down to #2 with its first down book since DECEMBER. WALK remained at #3 as it halted a three-book slide. It was paired with two other stations. WNEW advanced from #10 with its best showing in over a year, while WLTW rose from #7 with its highest Frosty-free number in over a year. WHTZ and CONNOUSSEUR AC WKJY (K-JOY 98.3) went from a tie at #3 to #6 and #7, respectively.
WHTZ made it back-to-back 18-49 wins but with a down book. WNEW moved up to #2 and was now only a half share behind the leader. WALK dipped to #3 and was tied with WBLI, which moved up a slot as it bounced back from a down book. WINS stepped down to #5 but with a small share gain.
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May 20, 2026
Once again, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in a close-knit formation with the spreadsheet warriors from XTRENDS—are charging boldly forward into the rearview mirror. Yes, this whole ratings exercise remains an elaborate attempt to predict the future by dissecting the past. So we cast a nostalgic glance back at the APRIL survey, a 27-day expedition that launched on APRIL 2nd and wrapped on APRIL 29th. Along the way, we celebrated EASTER, observed Earth Day, and finalized our tax returns (or extensions). Here’s what the numbers—and history—revealed…
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: A Sea Change
Usually this market is fairly predictable with the leaderboards topped by the usual suspects. Stuff happened this time, especially for AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM). The station moved up to #1 6+ for the first time since JULY (6.0-7.1). Meanwhile, SBS Spanish Contemporary WCMQ (Z92.3) leapt from #5 to #2 with its best book in over a year (5.5-6.1). COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) dipped to #3, its lowest rank since JUNE (6.3-5.8). COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) went from first to fourth with its lowest rank and share in over a year (6.7-5.7). iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Adult Hits WMIA (MAGIC 93.9) moved up two slots to #5 with its third up book in a row (4.9-5.3). TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Hot AC WAMR (AMOR 107.5) slipped to #6 (5.7-5.2) and was tied with AUDACY Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH), which was motionless (5.4-5.2). WLYF was still the cume leader with a 3.1% rise (800,000-824,600). The market was up 0.1%.
WLYF had its best 25-54 book in over a year as it rose from #4 to #1. WMIA stepped up to #2 with a small increase but trailed the leader by a full share. WFEZ dipped to #3 with its lowest score in over a year. It was tied with COX MEDIA Rhythmic AC WFLC (HITS 97.3), which was up from #5 but with a slight decrease. WCMQ inched up to #5 with a slight increase. It was paired with WHQT, which fell from first place.
WLYF more than doubled its previous 18-34 share as it vaulted from a tie at #11 to #1. This ended the four-book winning string for COX MEDIA Urban Contemporary WEDR (99 JAMZ), which dipped to #2. It was paired with WCMQ, which remained in place. That duet trailed the leader by better than a half share. WMIA moved up two places to #4 with a slight increase, while three stations moved up to occupy the #5 space. WHQT was up from #6 with a small decrease. AUDACY Classic Hip Hop WPOW (POWER 96) rose from #9 with its highest score since NOVEMBER. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHYI (Y100) advanced from a tie at #11 with its best book in over a year. SBS Spanish Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7FM) and iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) were last seen at #3 and #5, respectively. They fell into a tie at #8. WFLC dropped from #4 to #12, losing nearly half its previous share in the process.
WLYF completed the demo sweep as it launched itself from #7 to #1 18-49. WCMQ inched up to #2 with a slight decrease, while WPOW advanced from #6 to #3 with a small share gain. WMIA stepped up to #4 with a slight increase, while WHQT dropped from #2 to #5. WFLC returned all of last month’s increase as it fell from #1 to #6. WFEZ had its smallest share in over a year as it moved from #4 into a tie at #10 with iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBGG (BIG 105.9).
SEATTLE-TACOMA: Play Ball
For the fourth book in a row UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW was #1 6+ by a considerable margin (8.4-10.6). However, proving that life actually does begin on opening day BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A (SEATTLE SPORTS 710AM) rose from a tie at #6 to #2 with its best outing since OCTOBER (4.7-6.4). Three stations were circling one another at #3. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) remained on the tarmac (5.6-5.3), while CRISTA Contemporary Christian KCMS (SPIRIT 105.3) moved up a spot (5.0-5.3). AUDACY Active Rock KISW (THE ROCK) advanced from a tie at #6 with its highest score since DECEMBER (4.7-5.3). HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) went from #5 to #9 with its smallest share since OCTOBER (4.9-4.0). FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP ended a strong four-book surge as it dropped from #2 to #11 (6.3-3.6). KRWM still had the most listeners (607,800-618,800) – a 1.8% increase. The market rose by 4.5%.
KISW had a massive 25-54 share increase as it stepped up to #1 25-54. KUOW also had a solid share gain as it moved up to #2, where it was about a share off the lead. This ended the three-book winning string for KEXP, which dropped to #3. KIRO-A rose from #7 to #4, while AUDACY Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) was back at #5 with a slight increase. KJEB descended from #3 to #6 and was partnered with KCMS and HUBBARD Pop CHR KQMV (MOViN’ 92.5).
Speaking of which, KQMV repeated as the 18-34 leader and landed in double figures. KISW stepped up to #2 as it bounced back from a down book. Still, it was more than three shares off the pace. AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) moved up to #3 with a massive share increase. KNDD remained at #4 but with its smallest share in over a year. It was paired with KIRO-A, which advanced from #8. KJEB slid from #2 to #6 as it surrendered all of last month’s massive increase – plus a bit more. It was joined there by AUDACY Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT 103.7), which was down to #6 with a small share gain. AUDACY Hot AC KSWD (EMMA 94.1) fell from a tie at #5 into a situation at #11 with KCMS and iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK.
Back in JANUARY KQMV was sitting at #10 18-49. It has slowly worked its way up the chart and this time landed at #1 with its best book in over a year. KISW advanced from #5 to #2, while KIRO-A vaulted from #8 to #3. This brought the three-book winning streak of KEXP to a close as it ended up at #4. KNDD dipped to #5 with a slight increase, while KUOW stepped down to #6 with a slight decrease. KJEB dropped from #3 to #9.
PHOENIX: Easy On Down The Road
For the seventh straight survey iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) was the leading 6+ station (6.7-6.9). HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX maintained its presence at #2 (6.6-6.4), while iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX moved from #5 to #3 with its best book in over a year (4.6-5.2). iHEARTMEDIA N/T KFYI-A repeated at #4 (5.0-4.8), while two stations heading in opposite directions met headlong at #5. AUDACY Classic Hits KOOL (BIG 94.5) slipped from #3 as it returned all of last month’s increase (5.9-4.5), while MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGE N/T KJZZ rose from #7 with its highest mark in over a year (3.9-4.5). KESZ kept cume control despite a 1.6% decline (966,500-950,600). The market was off 0.5%.
Make it eight straight 25-54 wins for KESZ as the station ended a three-book slide. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) climbed from #4 to #2 with a small increase. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KHOT (QUÉ BUENA 105.9) dipped to #3 with its smallest share since OCTOBER, while ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KLNZ (LA TRICOLOR 103.5) stepped down to #4 as it surrendered most of last month’s share increase. KOOL remained at #5 with a slight decrease.
Last month KESZ fell from #1 to #4 18-34. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3) dropped from #2 to #9. Both stations recovered this time to land in a tie at #1. KYOT dipped to #3, while four – count ‘em – four stations were massed together at #4. KHOT stepped down from #3, while AUDACY Pop CHR KALV (LIVE 101.5) came down from #1 as it gave back most of last month’s huge increase. KNIX moved up from #7 while HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD vaulted from #13. Both stations posted their largest shares in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KZZP (104.7 KISS FM) slid from a tie at #4 to #12 with its lowest score since JULY.
KESZ rebounded from a down book to move back up to #1 18-49. KLNZ inched up to #2 despite giving up most of last month’s share gain. KHOT landed its lowest total since AUGUST as it went from first to third. KDKB leapt from #11 to #4 with its best outing since NOVEMBER. Three stations were fighting for attention at #5. KALV and KOOL moved down from a tie at #4, while KYOT stepped up from #6.
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DETROIT: Ticket To Ride
For the fourth book in a row, AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) was the 6+ champion. The station also landed its largest share in over a year (9.0-11.3). iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC moved up to #2 with its best Frosty-free share since SEPTEMBER (7.0-7.5). AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC dipped to #3 (7.3-7.3), while AUDACY Country WYCD remained at #4 with its first down book since DECEMBER (6.3-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) was back at #5 (5.9-6.0). WNIC padded its cume lead with a 5.6% increase (983,400-1,038,4000). The market grew by 2.1%.
Four is a good number for WXYT. It was #1 25-54 for the fourth book in a row, all of which have been in double figures. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKQI (CHANNEL 955) repeated at #2 with a down book and was six shares behind the leader. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WJLB held steady at #3 with a slight decrease, while BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF stepped up to #4 with a slight increase. WOMC dipped to #5 and was feeling the heat from the stationary WNIC at #6.
There was quite the movement in the 18-34 ranks. Last month WJLB was #2 and in double figures. The station had a down book, remained in double digits and stepped up to #1. Not to be out done, WXYT also hit double digits as it rose from #3 to claim a share of the lead. WKQI went from first to third as its three-book winning string came to an end. WNIC moved from #6 to #4 with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. AUDACY Alternative WDZH (ALT 98.7) remained at #5 with its best showing since SEPTEMBER. WOMC went from #4 to #6 with a large share loss.
WXYT was #1 18-49 for the, yup, fourth book in a row. The station also hit double figures again. WJLB stepped up to #2 with a slight decrease, while WKQI dipped to #3 as it ended a strong three-book surge. It was tied with WNIC, which rose from #5 with a solid share gain. WOMC moved down a spot to #5 with a small decrease.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: A Photo Finish
iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN FM 100.3) was back at #1 6+ but by a narrow margin (7.3-8.2) as MPR N/T KNOW remained in hot pursuit at #2 (7.2-8.1). KNOW was granted an additional 1.1 share from the digital realm. iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) moved from #5 to #3 with its best showing in over a year (6.3-7.2). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) dipped to #4 (6.9-7.0), while HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) stepped down to #5 (6.7-6.8). KQQL maintained its cume lead with a 4.6% increase (674,200-705,500). The market was off 0.4%.
KFXN extended its 25-54 double-digit streak to ten as it finished in first place for the fourth book in a row. KQQL moved up to #2 with its largest Frosty-free share in over a year. MPR AAA KCMP (89.3 THE CURRENT) moved down a spot to #3 with a slight increase, while KEEY went from #6 to #4 with its fourth up book in a row. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDWB and AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) went from a tie at #4 to one at #5 even though both stations rebounded from down books.
For the fourth straight survey KCMP was #1 18-34 and held about a share advantage over two stations at #2. KFXN moved up a slot as it snapped a six-book slide, while KDWB vaulted from #9, nearly doubling its previous share. KQQL went from #2 to #4 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER. KZJK stepped up to #5 as it bounced back from a down book. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97.1) fell from #4 to #7 with only a slight decrease.
As with an earlier demo KFXN extended its double-digit 18-49 string to ten and was #1 for the fourth straight survey. KCMP was back at #2 with a small increase and was better than two shares off the pace. KDWB moved up a slot to #3 as it regained all of last month’s lost share. KQQL dipped to #4 with a slight increase, while KZJK repeated at #5. It was paired with KNOW, which moved up from #7. Both stations bounced back from down books.
Thank you for your participation. Stay tuned for TAMPA, DENVER, SAN DIEGO, CHARLOTTE, and NASSAU-SUFFOLK.
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