October 8, 2026
The best thing about doing the SEPTEMBER recaps? They are scented with pumpkin spice. Seems that trend is just about everywhere at this time of the year. Just spit ballin’ but I’m thinking there might be an opportunity for a pumpkin spiced format? Like the Froggy format—rename all the jocks after spices. “Spice” up the imaging. The possibilities are endless.
That said, we are The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. so we’ll leave those heady decisions to someone else. We’re sure the math mavens from XTRENDS would agree, as well.
This book ran from AUGUST 20TH through SEPTEMBER 16TH. There was the LABOR DAY weekend, the celebration of ROSH HASHANAH, and a lot of football. Let’s dive in, shall we?
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER: The Great Eight
For the eighth book in a row, COX MEDIA Soft AC WDUV (105.5 THE DOVE) flew higher than any other 6+ station (10.0-10.5). RADIO TRAINING NETWORK Contemporary Christian WCIE (THE JOY FM) was back at #2 with its best outing since JANUARY (6.8-7.9). iHEARTMEDIA AC WMTX (MIX 100.7) jumped from #7 to #3 with its highest mark since MARCH (4.9-6.1). COX MEDIA Classic Hits WXGL (107.3 THE EAGLE) dipped to #4 (5.9-5.8). iHEARTMEDIA Country WFUS (US 103.5) vaulted from #10 to #5 after posting its best number since NOVEMBER (4.1-5.1). BEASLEY Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105) slipped to #6 (5.4-5.0). It was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock WXTB (98 ROCK) (5.2-5.0) and BEASLEY Country WQYK (99.5 QYK) (4.9-5.0). COX MEDIA Urban AC WTBV (101.5 THE VIBE) went from #5 to #9 (5.2-4.8). WDUV feathered its cume nest with a 3.1% increase (629,500-649,000). The market was off 0.1%.
After taking the last two books off, WDUV was back at #1 25-54. WCIE moved up two places to #2, while a flat WXTB stepped down to #3. It was paired with WFUS, which advanced from #11 with its highest score in over a year. WMTX inched up to #5 as it ended a two-book slide, while WRBQ dropped from #1 to #6 with its smallest share since lords were leaping everywhere. COX MEDIA AC WWRM (MAGIC 94.9) slipped from #4 to #7 with its least productive outing in over a year.
WFUS nearly tripled its previous 18-34 share as it soared from #12 to #1. WDUV was back at #2. Both stations hit double digits. WXTB repeated at #3 with a strong increase, while WTBV went from first to fourth as it shed most of last month’s massive increase. It was tied with WCIE, which advanced from a tie at #9 as it recovered from a down book. WWRM slipped to #6 and was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WFLZ (93.3 FLZ) and iHEARTMEDIA Sports WDAE.
WDUV rose from #3 to #1 18-49 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. WCIE remained at #2, while WFUS rocketed up to #3 from #11. A flat WXTB dropped from #1 to #4, while WMTX repeated at #5 with a modest increase. WWRM slipped from #4 to #6.
DENVER-BOULDER: KOSIng Up
Despite a down book, BONNEVILLE AC KOSI (KOSI 101.1) was #1 6+ for the fifth straight survey (8.3-7.7). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTCL (CHANNEL 93.3) had its best book in over a year (5.0-6.4) as it leapt from #7 to #2. AUDACY Modern AC KALC (ALICE 105.9) and BONNEVILLE Country KYGO went from being tied at #2 to the same arrangement AT #3 with identical 5.5-5.8 share trends. KSE MEDIA Classic Hits KXKL (KOOL 105) remained at #5 (5.2-5.0), while two stations exited the top five to take up residence at #6. AUDACY Classic Rock KQMT (99.5 THE MOUNTAIN) climbed down from #4 with its smallest share in over a year (5.3-4.7), while iHEARTMEDIA AAA KBCO dipped from #5 (5.2-4.7). KOSI’s cume was basically flat but the station was still #1 (544,100-540,000). The market was down 3.0%.
KTCL was #1 25-54 for the ninth book in a row as the station posted its largest number in over a year. KOSI was back as a distant #2, while KALC held steady at #3. Both stations had slight increases. KYGO stood alone at #4 as it bounced back from a down book. ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KXPK (LA TRICOLOR 96.5) dipped to #5, while KXKL fell from a tie at #4 to #10 with its lowest score in over a year.
KTCL was back to #1 and in double figures 18-34. KOSI left double-digit territory as it stepped down to #2. KXPK slipped to #3 with a large share loss, while three stations were hanging at #4. KXKL rose from #7 as it recovered from a down book, while KALC advanced from #8 with its best showing in over a year. A flat KSE MEDIA Hot AC KIMN (MIX 100) remained in place. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDHT (HITS 95.7) and AUDACY Rhythmic AC KQKS (KS 107.5) were last seen at #5. KDHT slipped into a tie at #7 with iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KRFX (103.5 THE FOX), while KQKS ended up at #13 as it discarded most of last month’s huge increase. It was tied with KBCO.
KTCL stepped up to #1 18-49 as it posted a double-digit share. This pushed KOSI down to #2, while KALC stepped up to #3, again with its best book in over a year. KXPK dipped to #4, while KYGO advanced from #10 to #5 as it rebounded from a down book. KQKS fell from #5 into a four-way tie at #13.
SAN DIEGO: Keep It On The Sunny Side
AUDACY Classic Hits KXSN (SUNNY 98.1) ran away with the 6+ demo for the sixth straight survey (8.1-8.3). AUDACY Sports KWFN (97.3FM THE FAN) was in baseball heaven as it stepped up to #2 with its best outing in over a year (5.8-6.3). SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY N/T KPBS was up to #3 (5.7-5.9), while two stations moved up to forge a relationship at #4. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNV (QUÉ BUENA 106.5) was up from #5 (5.5-5.4), while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMYI (STAR 94.1) rose from #6 (4.9-5.4). AUDACY AC KYXY slid from #2 to #6 with its first down book since MAY (5.9-5.2). KXSN increased its #1 cume total by 10.3% (622,500-686,400). The market was up 4.0%.
KXSN ran its 25-54 winning string to four and held better than a two-share lead over KMYI, which advanced from a tie at #7 to #2 with its best book in over a year. Its former partner in that space—LOCAL MEDIA Rhythmic AC XHRM (MAGIC 92.5)—landed at #3 as it halted a two-book slide. It was partnered with two other stations. KLNV dipped from #2 as it gave back all of last month’s increase plus some added value and LOCAL MEDIA Alternative XTRA (91X), which moved up a spot. There was also a threesome at #6. KLNV slipped from #3, while iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KIOZ (ROCK 105.3) dipped from #5. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHTS (CHANNEL 93.3) advanced from #11 as it bounced back from a down book.
KXSN was #1 18-34 for the seventh straight survey, the last three of which have been in double digits. KMYI moved up two places to #2, again with its largest share in over a year. XTRA stepped down to #3 as it shed all of last month’s massive increase. KPBS moved up to #4 despite a down book. There were four stations languishing at #5. KLNV remained in place but with its lowest total since APRIL. KWFN and KHTS advanced from a tie at #9, while XHRM vaulted from #13 as it rebounded from a down book. KYXY dropped from #2 to #9 and was sharing that moment with AUDACY Country KSON and GRUPO IMAGEN Spanish Hot AC XLTN (RADIO LATINA 104.5FM).
For the fifth book in a row, KXSN topped the 18-49 chart. KMYI rose from #5 to #2 but was still about two shares off the pace. XHRM advanced from #9 to #3 as it regained most of last month’s lost share. KYXY slipped from a tie at #2 to #4. Its former partner at that spot—KLNV—went down to #5 and was tied with KHTS, which moved up from #9 as it stopped a three-book slide. XTRA fell from #4 to #7 with its third down book in a row.
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CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL: Still Waters Run Deep
For the second book in a row, iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits WLKO (102.9 THE LAKE) led the 6+ brigade (8.0-8.1). PACIFIC BROADCASTING Classic Hits WXRC (95.7FM THE RIDE) remained in cruise control at #2 (7.5-7.0), while BEASLEY Country WSOC (COUNTRY 103.7) stepped up to #3 (6.6-6.4). BEASLEY Classic Hits WKQC (K104.7FM) moved from #6 to #4 (5.9-6.1), while BEASLEY Urban AC WBAV (V101.9) rose from #7 to #5 (5.7-5.8). UNIVERSITY RADIO FOUNDATION N/T WFAE slid from #2 to #6 with its smallest share since FEBRUARY (7.5-5.7). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WRFX (99.7 THE FOX) scampered from #5 to #9 as it ended a three-book surge (6.4-4.9). It was joined there by iHEARTMEDIA Country WKKT (96.9 THE KAT), which slipped a spot (5.1-4.9) and iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WEND (106.5 THE END), which remained in place (4.9-4.9). WLKO still drew the most listeners (496,800-509,700) – a 2.6% increase. The market was down 2.7%.
Despite a down book, WLKO stepped up to #1 25-54. WEND made its way up to #2, while WRFX went from first to third. WKQC moved from #6 to #4 with its highest share since FEBRUARY, while WFAE dipped to #5. BEASLEY Urban Contemporary WPEG (POWER 98) fell from #5 to #8 with its lowest score since NOVEMBER and was tied with WBAV.
Last month WEND and WLKO were tied at #2 18-34. Both stations were flat this time but still rose in tandem to #1. The radio cliché rings true once again. In what was likely its final full book in format, BEASLEY Pop CHR WNKS (KISS 95.1) jumped from #6 to #3 with its best book since MAY. WXRC drove from #9 to #4 with its most ratings horsepower in over a year. Three stations were huddled together at #5. WRFX fell from #1 with its lowest total since FEBRUARY, while WBAV dipped from #4. WKQC stepped up from #6 with a slight increase. WFAE dropped from #4 into a tie at #8 with WPEG.
Thanks to a slight increase, WEND ended up at #1 18-49. WNKS vaulted from #7 to #2 with a huge share gain. WRFX went from first to third as its two-book winning streak came to an end. WLKO remained at #4 with a slight increase and was tied with WFAE, which moved down from #2. WPEG slid from #5 to #8 and was spending time there with WXRC and URBAN ONE Urban Oldies WOSF (105.3 RnB).
NASSAU-SUFFOLK (LONG ISLAND): It’s News To Us
This just in! AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) was #1 6+ for the ninth book in a row (8.1-7.8). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) was back at #2 (6.6-6.1), while AUDACY Sports WFAN (SPORTS RADIO 101.9FM/66AM) repeated at #3 but with its first down book since APRIL (6.5-5.8). CONNOISSEUR Hot AC WALK (WALK FM) inched up to #4 (5.0-5.0). It was paired with COX MEDIA Pop CHR WBLI, which moved up from #6 (4.8-5.0). RED APPLE MEDIA N/T WABC-A slipped to #6 with its smallest share since MAY (5.4-4.6). WHTZ went from third to first in cume thanks to a 6.9% increase (352,600-376,800). The market was up 1.8%.
A flat WALK moved up to #1 25-54. This ended the six-book run at the top for WHTZ, which stepped down to #2 with its lowest score in over a year. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) had its best outing since APRIL as it rose from #7 to #3. WFAN dipped to #4 as it shed all of last month’s increase. WBLI and WINS remained tied at #5 with small share losses. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) slid from #3 to #7 with its lowest mark since FEBRUARY. It was tied with AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS.
Last month WBLI and WALK were tied at #3 18-34. WBLI rose to #1 with a small increase, while a flat WALK moved up to #2. MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS vaulted from #12 to #3 as it recovered from a down book. WHTZ slipped to #4 with its least productive outing since FEBRUARY. Two stations moved up and into a tie at #5. WCBS rose from #8 with a solid increase, while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU advanced from #10 with its best book in over a year. WLTW fell from #1 to #7 thanks to a huge share loss. CONNOISSEUR AC WKJY (K-JOY 98.3) dropped from #5 to #10 with its smallest share since that kid would just not stop with all that drumming. It was partnered with WINS, WNEW, and WFAN.
WALK landed its third up book in a row as it made its way up to #1 18-49. WHTZ again received its lowest grade in over a year as it dipped to #2. WFAN stepped up to #3 despite a down book. It was paired with WNEW, which rose from #6 with its best showing since APRIL. WBLI repeated at #5 with a slight decrease, while WLTW fell from #3 into a tie at #7 with WKTU.
Thank you for reading. In a mere month we’ll be back to dissect OCTOBER. We’re always open to your thoughts, suggestions, critiques, and complaints about this here missive. A real human will answer this email: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com.
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October 7, 2026
Rounding third and heading for home The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—with a healthy assist from the power hitters at XTRENDS—are back for our third installment of the SEPTEMBER ratings situation. This particular survey was recorded at the nexus of a seasonal change. While it may be called “SEPTEMBER,” it actually ran from AUGUST 20TH through SEPTEMBER 16TH.
This was a time of transition. Kids are back to school, last minute vacations were wedged in, there was a mandatory three-day weekend, a celebratory Jewish holiday and the beginning of the gridiron hostilities. There was a lot going on. How did radio fit into all of this? Read on…
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: A Period Of Transition
Quarter hours were flying all over the place this month. COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) moved up to #1 with its best book since JANUARY (6.6-7.3). TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Hot AC WAMR (AMOR 107.5) went from #4 to #2 (6.2-6.7), while iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Adult Hits WMIA (MAGIC 93.9) rose from #6 to #3 (5.2-6.3). Both stations landed their largest share in over a year. AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) dipped to #4 (6.5-5.8), while COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) remained at #5 (5.9-5.3). Fame can be fleeting as was discovered by AUDACY Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH). The station tumbled from #1 to #8 with its smallest share in over a year (6.8-3.9). For the first time since FEBRUARY WFEZ had the most cume. This was due to a 7.3% increase (710,000-761,700). The market was up by 2.5%.
WFEZ stepped up to #1 25-54 with its best outing since FEBRUARY. Meanwhile, COX MEDIA Rhythmic AC WFLC (HITS 97.3) rose from #6 to a very close #2 with its highest mark in over a year. This snapped the five-book winning string for WLYF, which slipped to #3. WMIA vaulted from #8 to #4 as it halted a three-book slide. WHQT dipped to #5 as it returned most of last month’s share increase. EMF Contemporary Christian WMLV (K-LOVE) stepped down to #6, thus ending its five-book surge. WMXJ dropped from a tie at #2 into an arrangement at #12 with AUDACY Classic Hip Hop WPOW (POWER 96).
WFLC experienced a massive share increase as it moved from #3 to #1 18-34. WLYF dipped to #2 as it could not duplicate last month’s double-digit performance. COX MEDIA Urban Contemporary WEDR (99 JAMZ) was down to #3 with its lowest score since DECEMBER. SBS Spanish Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7 FM) stood alone at #4 with a solid increase. Its former partner WFEZ was down to #5 and paired with WMIA, which moved up a slot as it bounced back from a down book.
WFLC vaulted from #6 to #1 18-49 with its best showing in over a year. Once again, WLYF had a five-book winning string broken as it moved down to #2. Three stations were massed together at #3. WHQT and WFEZ moved up from #4 and #5, respectively. WMIA made the leap from #7 as it, again, ended a three-book slide. WMLV went from #3 to #6, while WMXJ fell from #2 to #15.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: Nine Time
For the ninth book in a row, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW was #1 6+ (9.4-8.9). The combination of baseball and the NFL kept BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A (SEATTLE SPORTS 710AM) at #2 (7.0-7.3). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) ascended to #3 (5.1-5.5), while HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) rose two places to #4 (4.9-5.0). AUDACY Active Rock KISW (THE ROCK) moved from #7 to #5 (4.6-4.8), while AUDACY Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) slipped from #3 to #6 as it surrendered most of last month’s increase (5.6-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK landed its lowest share since MARCH as it slid from #5 to #8 (5.0-4.2). KJEB padded its cume lead with an 8.2% increase (586,300-634,500). The market grew by 2.5%.
KIRO-A stepped up to #1 25-54 with its best outing since OCTOBER. This pushed KNDD down into a tie at #2 with cluster bruh KISW. KUOW repeated at #4 but with its smallest share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KBKS (HITS 106.1) advanced two spaces to #5 with a slight increase, while KRWM dipped to #6 as it ended a three-book surge. Last month AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) rose from #13 to a tie at #5. This time it fell back to #10 and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KJAQ (96.5 JACK FM).
In AUGUST KISW slid from #1 to #5 18-34. This month it was back at #1 and in double figures. KNDD was forced down to #2 as it gave back all of last month’s share gain. It was tied with three other stations. KIRO-A and KZOK remained in place, while KJAQ moved in from #5. All three stations had down books. KKWF dropped from a tie at #2 to #9. It was paired with AUDACY AC KSWD (EMMA 94.1).
KIRO-A made the move to #1 18-49. It had about a half share lead over last month’s leader, KNDD, and KISW, which rebounded from a down book. KBKS stood alone at #4 with a small decrease. It was one of four stations previously housed at #4. KRWM dipped to #5 and was met there by KJEB, which soared up from #11. KZOK slid to #9, while KKWF landed at #11 along with KSWD.
PHOENIX: Third Times The Charm
For the third straight survey, HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX was 6+ leader as the station landed its largest share since NOVEMBER (6.5-7.5). iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) stepped up to #2 (6.0-6.7), while iHEARTMEDIA N/T KFYI-A dipped to #3 with its lowest mark since APRIL (6.2-5.4). iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX moved up to #4 (4.6-4.8), while HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD leapt from #10 to #5 as it rebounded from a down book (3.5-4.4). MARICOPA CC N/T KJZZ slid from #4 to #7 with its lowest score since MARCH (5.0-4.1). It was paired with iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9) which posted its first book since MAY (4.4-4.1). KESZ still had the most listeners with a 0.9% increase (900,700-908,700). The market was essentially flat.
KESZ continued its long running string of 25-54 wins as it bounced back from a down book. KSLX was up to #2 but still trailed the leader by two shares. KUPD jumped from #6 to #3 as it halted a deep two-book slide. ZELUS Hot AC KMVA (HOT 97.5/103.9) landed its largest share in over a year as it advanced from #12 to #4. There was a threesome at #5. KMXP slid from #2 as it returned most of last month’s increase. ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KLNZ (LA TRICOLOR 103.5) remained in place with a slight decrease, while BONNEVILLE Sports KMVP (ARIZONA SPORTS 98.7) rose from #9 with its fourth straight up book.
There was a lot of movement on the 18-34 leaderboard. KUPD vaulted from #5 to #1 with its best book in over a year. KSLX advanced from #8 to #2 with its best showing, again, since NOVEMBER. KMXP dipped to #3 despite being up for the fourth straight survey. AUDACY Pop CHR KALV (LIVE 101.5) slipped to #4 with a slight decrease. TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KOMR (AMOR 106.3) fell from #1 to #7 as it surrendered all of last month’s huge increase, plus a bit extra. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (99.5 THE MOUNTAIN) dropped from #5 to #8 with its smallest share since we were carefully hanging our socks by the fire. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3) fell from #4 into a tie at #9 with AUDACY Country KMLE.
KUPD rose from #3 to #1 18-49 as it ended a two-book slide. KESZ was back at #2 with a solid increase. KMXP went from first to third as it gave back a good portion of last survey’s large increase. Two stations moved up and into a tie at #4. KSLX vaulted from #8 with its highest score since FEBRUARY, while KMVA advanced from #11 as it bounced back from a down book. KLNZ dipped to #6, while KDKB dropped from #4 to #7.
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DETROIT: The Usual Suspects
The status remained mainly quo this month. For the ninth straight survey, AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) was #1 6+ (10.5-9.9). AUDACY Country WYCD was back at #2 but with its first down book since APRIL (7.6-7.2). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) was up two places to #3 with its highest mark since someone was pretending a pile of frozen water was actually a man of the cloth (5.9-7.0). AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC stepped down to #4 (7.2-6.6), while iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC dipped to #5 (6.0-6.3). WNIC retained the cume crown despite a 4.4% decline (967,800-925,400). The market fell by 0.9%.
WXYT was also #1 25-54 for the ninth book in a row, all of which have been in double figures. BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF remained a distant #2 as it ended a five-book surge. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKQI (CHANNEL 955) was back at #3, while WOMC continued at #4. Both stations had small share losses. WMXD stepped up to #5 with a solid increase, while WYCD slid from #5 to #8, thus halting a three-book surge.
For the first time since APRIL, WXYT was #1 and in double digits 18-34. WRIF ended its two-book stay at #1 as it drifted down to #2. WKQI dipped to #3. Neither station was able to duplicate last month’s double-digit shares. WYCD was down to #4 with a large share loss, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WJLB moved up to #5 as it regained a small portion of last month’s massive share loss. WOMC went from #5 to #7 as it returned most of last survey’s increase.
WXYT completed the demo sweep as it stepped up to #1 18-49 with its highest score since APRIL. WRIF was down to #2 and about a share off the pace. WKQI held steady at #3, while WOMC inched up to #4. Both stations had down books. WNIC was up a slot to #5 as it bounced back from a down book. WYCD slipped from #4 into a tie at #6 with WMXD.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: Hitting The Fan
Bringing you the constant variety of sport, iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN FM 100.3) was #1 6+ for the third book in a row (11.0-10.4). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) was back at #2 (7.3-7.5), while MPR N/T KNOW remained at #3 but with its lowest total since OCTOBER (7.1-6.3). The station did add a 0.8 share from the interwebs. AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) was up two places to #4 with its best showing in over a year (5.9-6.2). UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST. PAUL Contemporary Christian KTIS moved from #7 to #5 (5.6-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) slipped from #4 to #7 with its smallest share since JANUARY (6.2-5.5). It was partnered with HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95), which dropped from #5 with its lowest mark in over a year (6.1-5.5). KQQL still attracted the most meters despite a 4.6% decline (705,500-672,800). The market grew by 1.4%.
KFXN was #1 and in double figures 25-54 for the 13th time in the last 14 books. KQQL stepped up to #2 with a strong increase but still trailed the leader by about five shares. MPR AAA KCMP (89.3 THE CURRENT) dipped to #3 with its least productive outing in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDWB and KZJK were tied at #4. KDWB moved up to join KCMP at #3 with a slight increase, while KZJK was down to #5 with a slight decrease.
KQQL was #1 and in double digits 18-34 for the fifth straight survey. KZJK repeated at #2 with a slight decrease, while KFXN vaulted from #6 to #3 with its third up book in a row. Also coming in at #3 was KEEY, which rose from #5 with a small share gain. KDWB slipped two places to #5 as it returned a good portion of last month’s large increase. KCMP went from #4 to #6.
As with an earlier demo KFXN was #1 and in double figures 18-49 for the 13th time in the last 14 books. KCMP remained a distant #2 with a small decline and was paired with KDWB, which moved up a spot with a slight decrease. KQQL stepped up to #4 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. KZJK dipped to #5 with a slight decrease.
Nothing’s over until we decide it is! Another batch is on the way featuring TAMPA, DENVER, SAN DIEGO, CHARLOTTE, and NASSAU-SUFFOLK.
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October 6, 2026
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in close cooperation with the data diviners from XTRENDS—are here to “see you in SEPTEMBER.” For some reason it is possibly the most romanticized month on the calendar. Why it is a seasonal muse is a worthy topic of discussion. I mean, why does this month evoke so much more emotion than, say, NOVEMBER? It truly is a mystery.
Alas, this survey was actually a tale of two months as it began on AUGUST 20TH and concluded on SEPTEMBER 16TH. There was a three-day weekend, the ROSH HASHANAH holiday, the beginning of the back-to-school daze and, of course, football! Here’s how it played out for another five markets:
SAN FRANCISCO: Information Overload
This city may have been built on rock and roll but there is a precious lack of that genre on the 6+ leaderboard. For the ninth straight survey KQED INC. N/T KQED was #1 (10.2-9.8). Landing at its customary #2 position was AUDACY News KCBS (8.1-8.7). This month’s music crown belonged to iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE), which wafted up to #3 (4.7-5.3). CONNOISSEUR AC KOIT dipped to #4 (5.2-5.1), while the three-way tie at #5 was no more. CONNOISSEUR Hot AC KMVQ (99.7 NOW) remained in place as it ended a three-book slide (4.0-4.3). AUDACY Hot AC KLLC (ALICE @ 97.3) dipped to #6 (4.0-4.0) and iHEARTMEDIA AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) ended up at #7 (4.0-3.6). KOIT was still in cume control with a 0.6% decline (1,114,300-1,107,300). The market was down a mere 0.1%.
KQED rebounded from a down book to move back to #1 25-54. KOIT was forced down to #2 as its four-book surge ground to a halt. KMVQ inched up to #3 with its best book since APRIL, while KLLC remained behind at #4 with a slight increase. KISQ slipped from #3 to #5 with its smallest share since APRIL. KIOI moved from #4 to #6.
Despite a rather large share loss KOIT was #1 18-34 for the sixth book in a row. SBS Mexican Regional KRZZ (LA RAZA 93.3) was back at #2 with a slight increase. The gap between the two stations narrowed from about three down to one share. KMVQ also claimed a share of second place with its highest mark since FEBRUARY. KISQ dipped to #4 with a slight increase, while two stations matriculated up the chart to land at #5. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KMEL rose from #7 with a small increase, while KIOI advanced from #9 as it ended a steep three-book slide. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) and AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) were last spotted at #5. Both stations had down books and landed at #7 and #8, respectively.
KMVQ vaulted from #4 to #1 18-34 with its best book in over a year. This ended the three-book winning string for KOIT, which graciously stepped down to #2. KISQ dipped to #3 with a slight increase, while KQED leapt from #8 to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. KLLC repeated at #5 with a slight decrease. KYLD slid from #3 to #6 and was paired with KMEL, which turned it up from #11. KITS dropped from #5 to #8 with its lowest mark since DECEMBER.
ATLANTA: Majic Is Gathering
We begin with another disclaimer—this market’s picture is not as it may appear because some functioning radio stations have been omitted from this list.
For the second straight survey, URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5) was #1 6+ (7.6-8.2). COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A was back at #2 as it ended a two-book skid (6.0-7.3). AUDACY Urban AC WVEE (V-103) remained at #3 (5.9-5.9), while COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) repeated at #4 (5.4-5.5). CITY OF ATLANTA BOE N/T WABE stepped up to #5 (4.9-5.1), while COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) slipped to #7 with its smallest share in over a year (5.1-4.4). It was paired with the stationary COX MEDIA AC WSB-F (B98.5). Despite a 12.7% drop WSB-F was still the cume commander (770,100-672,600). The market was down by 5.4%.
WAMJ also made it back-to-back 25-54 wins with its best outing since MAY. WVEE maintained its #2 presence with a small share loss, while AUDACY Sports WZGC (92.9 THE GAME) was back at #3 with its highest score in over a year. It’s amazing what one FALCONS game can do, right? WSB-F rose from #6 to #4 as it halted a four-book slide. Baseball was very, very good for DICKEY BROADCASTING Sports WCNN-A (SPORTSRADIO 680 THE FAN) as the station moved from #7 to #5, also with its best book in over a year. WALR slid from #4 to #8.
A flat WSRV was still #1 18-34. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WRDG (96.1 THE BEAT) jumped from #6 to #2 but remained about a share and a half off the pace. WSB-F dipped to #3 as it bounced back from a down book. WZGC rose from #7 to #4, again with its highest offensive output in over a year. WALR drifted from a tie at #2 to #5. WAMJ slid from #4 into a tie at #9 with URBAN ONE Urban Contemporary WHTA (HOT 107.9).
WAMJ was again #1 18-49 with its largest share in over a year. WVEE was back at #2 with a slight decrease, while WZGC advanced from #7 to #3. WSB-F repeated at #4 with a slight increase and was joined there by WCNN-A, which moved up a slot. WSRV dropped from #3 into a tie at #6 with WSB-A.
WASHINGTON, DC: Same Stuff, Different Book
AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU was #1 6+ for the fifth straight survey. The station also landed in double figures for the 13TH time in the last 14 books (11.7-11.9). HUBBARD News WTOP was back at #2 (9.8-9.7), while HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR was still the leading music station. It also landed its largest share since FEBRUARY (6.1-6.7). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) stepped up to #4 with its highest mark in over a year (5.3-5.9). iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH dipped to #5 (5.6-4.9). The station was still the cume leader despite a 5.3% decline (822,500-778,600). The market was off by 0.5%.
WAMU was #1 25-54 for the ninth book in a row but failed to hit double figures for the first time since JANUARY. WWDC held steady at #2 with a slight decrease, while WTOP was back at #3 as it ended a two-book surge. WHUR inched up to #4 with its highest score since DECEMBER. WASH stepped down to #5 with a small share loss.
Despite a slight decrease iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBIG (BIG 100) moved up to #1 18-34. This ended the two-book winning string for WASH, which stepped down to #2 and was paired with WWDC, which posted its best number in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WIHT (HOT 99.5) was up to #4 thanks to its first up book since APRIL. Three stations were huddled together at #5. AUDACY Rhythmic CHR WPGC moved down a slot with a small share loss. URBAN ONE Urban Contemporary WKYS rose from #9 with its best book in over a year. A station that is actually licensed to the southern suburb of FREDRICKSBURG advanced from #15 to complete the triad. That was CENTENNIAL Hot AC WBQB (B101.5), which came close to tripling its previous number. WHUR dropped from a tie at #5 into an arrangement at #9 with WTOP.
WWDC assumed control of the 18-49 demo with its largest share in over a year. WASH moved up to #2 with a slight decrease. This ended the four-book winning streak for WAMU, which slipped to #3 with its lowest mark in over a year. It was tied with WHUR, which moved up from #5 with its best showing since FEBRUARY. WTOP dipped to #5 with a slight decrease.
PHILADELPHIA: MMM, MMM, Good
Actually, great would be more appropriate. BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR had an incredible book. The station rose from #5 to #1 6+ with its best showing since FEBRUARY (5.5-10.2). AUDACY Sports WIP (94WIP SPORTSRADIO) continued to channel the anxiety of all local sports fans as it inched up to #2 (7.4-7.6). Last month iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WDAS and BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK were the market’s co-leaders. WDAS slipped to #3 (7.8-7.4), while WMGK ended up at #4 as it ended a three-book surge (7.8-6.9). AUDACY AC WBEB (B101) remained at #5 (5.5-5.5), while AUDACY News KYW slipped to #6 with its smallest share since they were scraping Grandma off the pavement (5.6-5.1). WBEB still had the most listeners (1,071,400-1,082,400) – a 1.0% increase. The market was up 1.3%.
WMMR advanced from #6 to #1 25-54, nearly doubling its previous share and landing firmly in double figures. WIP stepped down to #2 with a slight decrease, while WDAS remained at #3 with a small share loss. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WUSL (POWER 99) slipped from #2 to #4 as it returned some of last month’s huge increase. It was paired with the stationary URBAN ONE Urban AC WRNB (100.3 RnB), which had a slight decrease. WBEB dipped to #6 with its lowest score since NOVEMBER.
iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WRFF (ALT 104.5) was #1 18-34 for the second book in a row with its highest mark in over a year. It held a slim advantage over WMMR, which vaulted from #10 to #2. There was a three-way experience at #2 last month. WUSL dipped to #3 this time with a slight increase. WBEB and BEASLEY Country WXTU (92.5 XTU) became part of the foursome at #4. WBEB landed its lowest share in over a year, while WXTU was granted its smallest number in exactly a year. WRNB and WDAS advanced from #6 and #8, respectively. WMGK slid from #5 to #9 with its lowest total in over a year.
WMMR leapt from #5 to #1 18-49 and landed in double digits, as well. WBEB was back at #2 but with its third down book in a row. WIP stepped up to #3 with a small increase, while WRNB dipped to #4. WDAS advanced from #8 to #5 with its finest showing since DECEMBER. WUSL dropped from #1 to #6 as it surrendered most of last month’s huge increase. WXTU and WMGK slipped from a tie at #5 to #7 and #8, respectively.
BOSTON: Fear The Terriers!
You can’t stop them; you can only hope to contain them. For the third book in a row, BOSTON UNIVERSITY N/T WBUR was #1 6+ (7.9-6.8). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WXKS (KISS 108) was back at #2 with its best outing in over a year (6.3-6.5). BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR moved from #5 to #3 (5.5-5.7), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX remained at #4 (5.6-5.5). WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION Classical WCRB (CLASSICAL 99.5) rose from #7 to #5, also with its best book in over a year (4.5-5.2). AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) slid from #3 to #6 with its least productive outing in over a year (6.0-5.1). The station was still #1 in cume despite a 7.6% decline (822,300-760,200). The market was down 1.0%.
WXKS stepped up to #1 25-54 with a rather large share increase. This halted the three-book winning string for AUDACY Hot AC WBMX (MIX 104.1), which dipped to #2. It went from leading the demo by about a share to trailing by nearly the same amount. BEASLEY Sports WBZ-F (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) moved from #5 to #3 despite a small share loss. WBUR repeated at #4 as it gave back all of last month’s increase, plus a bit extra. WZLX slipped from #3 to #5 with its smallest share since MARCH.
AUDACY Adult Hits WBGB (BIG 103) has been on quite the run 18-34. The station has moved from #8 to #6 to #4 to its newest landing spot—#1. It led the three stations at #2 by about a share. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) moved up a spot with a down book, while WZLX advanced from #8 with its highest score in over a year. WXKS remained in place but with a down book. WMJX saw its ten-book winning streak cease to be. It landed at #5 with its lowest total in over a year. WBMX and WROR slid from a tie at #4 to #7 and #9, respectively.
For the third book in a row WXKS was #1 18-49. It shared that mantle with WBMX last month but, alas, that partnership was erased. WBMX stepped down to #2 with its smallest share since DECEMBER. WBGB rose from #6 to #3 with its best performance in over a year. WMJX remained at #4, while WZLX stepped up to #5 with a small increase. WBUR slipped from #3 to #6, while WROR dropped from #5 to #8.
We ain’t done yet! More ratings hijinks will ensue shortly. Waiting in the wings are MIAMI, SEATTLE, PHOENIX, DETROIT, and MINNEAPOLIS. Don’t forget to subscribe to our blog at www.ResearchDirectorInc.com/Hot-Topics. And remember, sharing is caring—spread the word far and wide.
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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.
October 5, 2026
Do you remember the 21st night of SEPTEMBER? NIELSEN certainly does, and they’ve brought receipts. So, before you start humming CAROLE KING and deciding it might as well rain until September (or at least until the next ratings release), let’s pour a stiff cup of coffee and take a look at who actually danced their way through the month—and who was left standing alone in the rain.
This book ran from AUGUST 20TH through SEPTEMBER 16TH. It featured a federally mandated three-day weekend and the ROSH HASHANAH holiday. School was back in session, we had two weeks of semi-pro, uh, college football and the kick-off of the NFL season.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—in a modified wing T formation with the numbers crunchers from XTRENDs—are back in the saddle again. Won’t you ride with us?
NEW YORK: For The Wins
Last month AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) and iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) were the 6+ co-leaders. That situation did not abide. WINS stood alone at the summit (7.3-6.8), while WLTW ended its six-book winning string as it sank to #2 (7.3-6.7). AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS stepped up to #3 with its first up book since MAY (5.4-5.8), while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) dipped to #4 (5.6-5.4). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3) was back at #5 with its best outing in over a year (4.8-5.3). MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS was close behind at #6 with its highest mark since DECEMBER (4.4-5.0). WLTW maintained its cume lead despite a 1.0% decline (3,741,300-3,705,600). The market grew by 1.8%.
There was a surprise winner in the 25-54 contest as iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WKTU (103.5 KTU) rose from #3 to #1. The station had its best book in over a year. It was tied with WLTW, which had its smallest share in over a year. WHTZ dipped to #3 with a slight decrease, while WCBS advanced from #8 to #4 as it rebounded from a down book. Two stations moved up and into a tie at #5. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WWPR (POWER 105.1) inched up from #6, while AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) rose from #7. Both stations had small share increases. WINS and MEDIACO Rhythmic CHR WQHT (HOT 97) had been an item at #4. WINS slid to #8, while WQHT landed at #10 with its lowest score in over a year.
For the twelfth straight survey WLTW was #1 18-34. WHTZ moved from #4 to #2 with its highest mark since, ironically, the maids were a-milking. It was less than a share off the lead. WCBS jumped from #6 to #3 with its best showing in over a year. WAXQ inched up to #4 with a slight decrease. WNEW slid from #2 to #5 with a rather large share loss. It was met there by WWPR, which was up from #7 with a solid increase. WQHT fell from #3 into a tie at #8 with SBS Spanish Tropical WSKQ (MEGA 97.9).
Thanks to a slight increase WHTZ stepped up to #1 18-49. This ended the three-book winning string for WLTW, which dipped to #2, again with its smallest share in over a year. WKTU leapt from #6 to #3 as it regained most of last month’s share loss. WWPR was up to #4 with a small increase, while WNEW fell from #2 to #5. WQHT dropped from #4 into a tie at #7 with WCBS.
LOS ANGELES: Go Big Or Go Home
For the third book in a row, iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MYFM) was #1 6+ (6.7-6.1). AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101FM) stood alone at #2 (5.7-5.4), while iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST drifted down to #3 with its smallest share in over a year (5.7-5.1). AUDACY Adult Hits KCBS (93.1 JACK FM) was back at #4 (4.6-4.6), while AUDACY Alternative KROQ vaulted from #11 to #5 with its best outing in over a year (3.4-4.3). AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE) dipped to #6 (4.5-4.2) and was paired with the stationary TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary KLVE (K-LOVE 107.5) (4.1-4.2). KOST was still the leading cume station despite a 2.7% decline (2,174,200-2,115,300). The market was off by 0.8%.
Though KBIG returned all of last month’s 25-54 share increase the station was #1 for the seventh straight survey. KROQ was back at #2 and narrowed the lead to a very slim margin. KCBS moved from #5 to #3 with its best book in over a year, while KRTH remained at #4 with a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7) slipped to #5 with a small share loss.
As recently as JUNE, KROQ was #10 18-34. Since then, it has moved to #7, then #5 and (drum roll) now to #1 with a huge share increase. KRTH stepped down to #2 with a large share loss and was two and a half shares off the lead. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KRRL (REAL 92.3) dipped to #3 and was met there by KOST, which was up a spot. MEURELO Rhythmic CHR KPWR (POWER 106FM) and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KIIS (102.7 KISS FM) rose from their tie at #8 to #5. KPWR had its best book in over a year, while KIIS landed its largest share since JANUARY. KBIG slid from #3 to #8 as it surrendered most of last month’s increase.
KBIG was #1 18-49 for the fourth book in a row. KROQ moved up to #2 with its best showing in over a year and was around a half share off with its highest score in over a year, while KRTH slipped two places to #4 the pace. KCBS was up to #3 with its lowest mark since APRIL. KOST inched up to #5 with a slight decrease. SBS Mexican Regional KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9) went from #5 into a tie at #7 with KLVE.
CHICAGO: Spatial Awareness
We begin this market as we usually do with a caveat. The picture you are about to see is somewhat incomplete as some radio stations cannot be included in the text. You know why. The top of the 6+ leaderboard was quite compressed this month. AUDACY News WBBM-A was back at #1 but with its first down book since MAY (6.4-5.5). AUDACY AAA WXRT (93XRT) repeated at #2 (5.9-5.4), while HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX) remained at #3 (5.2-5.2). iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM) held steady at #4 (4.9-5.0), while HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 THE DRIVE) continued to idle in fifth place (4.7-4.9). Despite an 11.8% decline WLIT still attracted the most meters (1,342,400-1,184,600). The market was up 0.4%.
For the ninth book in a row a flat WTMX was #1 25-54. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) stepped up to #2 with a down book and was nearly three shares behind the leader. A flat WLIT rose from #5 to #3, while two stations took up residence at #4. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WGCI slid from #2 as it ended a strong two-book surge, while WXRT remained in place but with its smallest share since JANUARY.
AUDACY Pop CHR WBBM-F (B96) vaulted from #4 to #1 18-34 with its best showing in over a year. This ended the eight-book winning string for WKSC, which dipped to #2 and was a share off the pace. WTMX stepped down to #3 as it returned some of last month’s rather large increase. WDRV motored from #6 to #4 with a solid increase. WLIT was down to #5, while WGCI dropped from #3 to #6.
Last month WTMX had its seven-book 18-49 winning streak snapped at the hands of WGCI. WTMX was back on top this month with a modest share increase, while WGCI was pushed down to #2 with its lowest mark since APRIL. WBBM-F advanced from #6 to #3 with its first up book since MAY, while WDRV drove from #7 to #4 with its best book in over a year. WKSC slipped from third to fifth with its third straight down book, while a flat WLIT dipped to #6. WXRT fell from #4 to #7.
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DALLAS-FT. WORTH: A Bilateral Summit
As with the previous market there are omissions in our reporting that prevent us from revealing the complete story. You know who they are and why we must shun them…iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1) was #1 6+ for the fourth book in a row, though its four-book surge ground to a halt (6.2-5.1). It was forced to share the summit with EMF Contemporary Christian KLTY, which arose from #9 with its highest score in over a year (3.6-5.1). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (MIX 102.9) dipped to #3 (4.9-4.6), while AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) moved from #6 to #4 with its best outing since OCTOBER (4.0-4.3). AUDACY Classic Hits KSPF (98.7 THE SPOT) repeated at #5 (4.1-4.2), while two stations dropped into a tie at #6. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHKS (106.1 KISS FM) slipped from #3 (4.6-4.0), while AUDACY Sports KRLD (105.3 THE FAN) was down from #4 (4.2-4.0). KDGE may have shed 7.7% of its cume but the station remained #1 in that category (1,213,200-1,119,900). The market was down 1.9%.
How ‘bout dem COWBOYS? KRLD rose from #3 to #1 25-54 despite a slight decrease (there’s a metaphor in there somewhere). KJKK vaulted from #5 to #2 with its highest mark in over a year, while AUDACY Mexican Regional KMVK (LA GRANDE 107.5) leapt from #8 to #3 with its best book in exactly a year. It was sharing that space with KDGE, which slipped from #1, thus ending its three-book winning string. KDMX inched up to #5 with a small increase, while TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KLNO (QUÉ BUENA 94.1) dropped from #2 to #6 with its lowest total in over a year. KHKS slid from #4 to #8 and was paired with KLTY, which rose from #13.
KDGE landed its largest Frosty-free 18-34 share in over a year as it assumed control of this demo. This pushed KDMX down to #2. Last month KDMX led KDGE by nearly a share. This time it trailed the leader by two shares. Quite the turnaround. KHKS was back at #3 but with its smallest share since APRIL. URBAN ONE Urban Contemporary KKDA (K104) remained at #4 with its lowest mark since DECEMBER, while URBAN Rhythmic CHR KBFB (97.9 THE BEAT) repeated at #5 as it surrendered most of last month’s healthy share increase.
KDGE and KDMX switched places 18-49, as well. KDGE was up to #1 with a small share gain, while KDMX dipped to #2 with a modest share loss. KJKK rose from #6 to #3 with its highest score in over a year, while KRLD remained at #4 with a slight decrease. KMVK jumped from #8 to #5, also with its best book in over a year. KHKS stepped down to #6 as it ended a four-book surge. KLNO fell from #3 to #7 with its least productive outing in over a year.
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: It’s Always Sunny In…
This market also contains a warning label. If you’ve been reading along, you know why…iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) extended its long running 6+ winning streak with its best Frosty-free share in over a year (9.1-10.7). URBAN ONE Classic Rock KGLK (THE EAGLE 106.9/107.5) remained at #2 (6.9-7.1), while iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ) stepped up to #3 (5.6-6.6). Both stations landed their largest shares in over a year. URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) dipped to #4 with its smallest share in over a year (6.4-5.9). URBAN ONE Country KKBQ (93Q) and HOPE MEDIA Contemporary Christian KSBJ were last seen at #5. KKBQ remained in place with its highest score since MARCH (5.1-5.7), while KSBJ dipped to #6 (5.1-5.3). KODA padded its #1 cume total with a 12.0% increase (1,768,900-1,980,900). The market was off by 1.4%.
KTBZ extended its 25-54 winning string to eight and also landed in double-digit territory. KODA was back at #2 and was dangerously close to hitting double figures. TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KOVE (AMOR 106.5) made the leap o’ the month as it rocketed from #12 to #3, more than doubling its previous share in the process. KSBJ and KGLK were an item at #3. A flat KSBJ dipped to #4, while KGLK ended up at #5 with a slight decrease. AUDACY Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5) slipped to #7 with its lowest score in over a year.
KTBZ made it nine 18-34 wins in a row with a slight increase. KODA stepped up to #2 with its best book since APRIL but was still a share off the pace. Last month KMJQ and KGLK were tied at #8. KMJQ rose to #3 with its best outing since MARCH, while KGLK advanced to #4 as it rebounded from a down book. AUDACY Spanish Contemporary KLOL (MEGA 101 FM) slid from #2 to #5 as it gave back most of last month’s massive increase. ESTRELLA Spanish Adult Hits KQQK (EL NORTE 107.9FM) lost more than half its previous share as it fell from #4 to #17. It was tied with AUDACY Country KIKK.
For the sixth straight survey KTBZ was #1 18-49. The station also hit double figures this time. KODA was back at #2 and was flirting with double digits. KOVE advanced from #13 to #3, again more than doubling its previous number. KGLK dipped to #4 with a slight increase, while KSBJ moved from #7 to #5 as it rebounded from a down book. KHMX and URBAN ONE Rhythmic CHR KBXX (97.9 THE BOX) were previously located at #3. KHMX dropped to #7, while KBXX landed in a tie at #11 with iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KQBT (93.7 THE BEAT).
One down, three to go. Thanks for paying attention. Up next are SAN FRANCISCO, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON D.C., PHILADELPHIA, and BOSTON. They will be in your inbox tomorrow.
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October 1, 2026
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This week’s Monday Morning Memo from Roy Williams is particularly applicable to radio.
He wrote:
Corporations do not have personalities. Corporations have brands. A brilliant corporate brand has a personality that lives inside our mind…We do not bond with corporations. We bond with personalities.
Here’s the kicker:
A brand personality is an imaginary person that lives in the mind of the customer. The more deeply that a customer feels like they “know” the brand, the more likely they are to choose that brand. They are buying from a trusted friend.
Sustainable and scalable ad campaigns are a series of stories that reveal the personality of a brand.
Notice that I said “reveal” the personality. You cannot explain your brand personality. You must allow the public to experience it.
In radio we love to tout our stations as brands. They stand for something in our listeners’ minds. They are supposed to establish some sort of emotional bond with our audience that keeps them coming back for more.
But how do we “reveal” our brand personality? It can’t just be the music we play—we’ve ceded much of that territory to the streamers.
It’s the stuff that goes between the songs. It’s our human talent (live or voice tracked). It’s our imaging. It’s our promotions. And, yes, it’s even the commercials we play.
Do you use that audio real estate to tell a brand story or just to sell a feature?
“The (city’s) #1 Hit Music Station” is not a brand story.
A liner inviting your fans to “download the app” is not a brand story.
A van hit at the local car dealer is not a brand story.
Why? Because they contain no listener benefits. Everyone in this world (including you) constantly asks the question, “What’s in it for ME?”
Are you solving my problem? Are you giving me something I cannot get anywhere else? Are you, at the very least, making me feel…something…anything?
Storytelling is an art. Art takes time, focus, and effort. However, what comes out of that funnel is magic.
How much time do your live humans spend on developing your brand story? Yes, they may be tracking six stations and programming four, but what comes out of the speakers is your story.
Imaging is likely your biggest on-air personality. How much time do you spend on writing, re-writing, and freshening that content (and it IS content)? Are you saying anything that will pique their interest?
Your listeners live in a cloud of media clutter. What are you doing to stand out in that crowd?
The questions you may want to ask yourself and your team are: What is our brand personality? And, how are we revealing that to our listeners?
If you cannot definitively answer those questions, you don’t have a brand. You have a commodity.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
