Your custom request has been sent. We’ll contact you if we have any additional questions.
* Indicates a required field.
As The Ratings Experts, we see a lot of ratings data from multiple markets. Over time we have noticed that in PPM markets, Average Weekly Time Exposed (AWTE) – or TSL – has been steadily eroding. Yes, the implementation of the three-minute qualifier has stemmed that ebbing tide, but every radio station in a market is fighting for a slice of a smaller pie. As with candy bars, we are seeing TSL shrinkflation.
While the industry focus on the three-minute reporting rule has drifted to the back burner, it is still worth looking at how the change affected listening levels. Once again, The Ratings Experts from Research Director, Inc. collaborated with the number’s crunchers from XTRENDS to compare Q2 of 2025 with Q2 of 2024. The data set features 48 of the 49 PPM markets.
Ah, AUGUST—when the calendar pretends summer is endless, but reality disagrees. The only thing hotter than the asphalt is everyone’s impatience for vacation to end and spreadsheets to return. If the month had a motto, it’d probably be “Halfway between sunscreen and school supplies, with a dash of existential dread.”
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – in close cooperation with the data diviners from XTRENDS – are back for one last foray into the AUGUST book. This one ran from JULY 24TH through AUGUST 20TH. It was holiday free, but many were focused on back to school stuff. Heck, at least we had the excitement of NFL exhibition, er, pre-season football.
We’ve put the band back together for another round of ratings reveals. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the usual suspects from XTRENDS – are here to regale you with facts, figures, and maybe some snide commentary. It depends on how the mood strikes us and how the numbers fall out. Will AUGUST be more of the same or will there be unexpected reveals hidden beneath the surface? That is up to you, the intrepid reader, to find out.
This book ran from JULY 24th through AUGUST 20th. There were no official holidays, but folks were hitting the road to enjoy that last gasp of summer. Let’s take a closer look…
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with our number crunching cohorts from XTRENDS – are back to bring the heat, fan the flames, to smoke, cook and burn the AUGUST data. We’re here with our usual sizzling hot takes, blowing the top off of the Scoville scale. Let’s just say – we’re on fire!
The AUGUST survey ran from JULY 24th through AUGUST 20th. There were no major holidays, but it did feature a lot of heat and humidity.
