April 30, 2026
You’ve probably heard of Roy Williams, aka The Wizard of Ads. You may not know he does a weekly “Monday Morning Memo” that is a must subscribe. This week’s memo, A Line of Standing Dominoes, focused on ratings and the Nielsen/Cumulus skirmish. Here are a few highlights from that memo:
Image by Ron Lach, Pexels.com
There are 6,602 FM radio stations in America, 597 FM stations in Canada, and 234 in Australia on which you can air radio ads for local businesses. These radio stations are producing miraculous results for business owners who hire great ad writers to enchant the audience and savvy media buyers to schedule those ads to air with correct repetition 52 weeks a year.
Sadly, most business owners do exactly the wrong thing. They run short schedules to “test the waters,” and then announce, “I tried radio and it didn’t work.”
Williams applies the same logic to television. Then he zings the digital ecosphere:
Anyone who believes that online media has made mass media obsolete is comically delusional. I never waste time attempting to correct these people.
In the last week we have seen positive news about the state of radio from both Edison Research and Jacobs Media. Is radio in the same position as it was 15 years ago? Absolutely not. Is radio still a viable medium for both entertainment and advertising? Absolutely!
Radio does have its issues. The core audience is aging. The competition for attention continues to expand. And the car—radio’s last big fortress—is under siege.
What radio does have in abundance is credibility. Advertisers do not re-up their schedules because they don’t work. Listeners keep tuning in because radio is free and—when at its best—fills an emotional need.
All of this depends on ratings. Nielsen is our currency. It has its flaws but until there is a better system we need to not only embrace it but tout its viability.
Digital attribution is always the counterweight to this. That system is also flawed but contains one thing radio does not—fraud. Imagine if radio ran spots no one could hear (digital ads count even when they are not actually seen). Imagine if PPM or diaries were filled out by bots (two words: bot farms).
Digital has its place. So does radio. We may be old, but to paraphrase Monty Python—we’re not dead yet.
Feel free to tell me I’m full of it: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
PS: Here’s what Roy Williams said about the Cumulus/Nielsen thing:
We will now return to the dominoes.
- Nielsen Audio is the media measurement company that allows savvy media buyers to create miraculous radio schedules. Without Nielsen, they are flying blind without instruments and very likely to crash their flying machines.
- Cumulus owns multiple radio stations in 84 important cities in the U.S. Their current financial difficulties make it impossible for them to pay Nielsen for their measurement services.
- Nielsen has responded by announcing that Cumulus radio stations will no longer be measured or listed in future ratings reports.
- The resulting invisibility of those stations will cripple even the savviest media buyers.
- An emerging measurement system, DTS AutoStage, shows promise but I remain convinced that it will be at least a few more years before it has sufficient breadth of data to replace Nielsen.
The finger of Nielsen is flicking the domino that will knock over the other 6,602 dominoes in the chain that will ultimately result in the demise of Nielsen.
April 28, 2026
Image by Markus Winkler of Pexels.com
The Consultative Radio Seller: A Three-Part Playbook
Part 2: The Consultative Conversation – Asking Better Questions
In Part 1, we talked about the mindset shift from “spot seller” to “marketing resource.” Once you see yourself as a problem solver instead of an inventory pusher, the next step is changing how you talk with clients. That starts with the consultative conversation—a different kind of sales call that is built on questions, listening, and curiosity, not pitches and packages. A traditional seller comes to the call ready to talk. A marketing resource comes to the call ready to learn.
What’s the difference between being a radio seller and a marketing resource to your clients?
Stop leading with schedules. Start with the business.
Most “radio sales” calls still sound the same: a quick check-in, a reminder that it’s time to renew, and then a jump into rates, CPP, and what’s available in this month’s package. That keeps the conversation narrow and transactional.
A consultative conversation flips that script. Before you bring up spots or pricing, you ask about the business:
- “What are the most important goals for your business over the next 6–12 months?”
- “Where are you seeing growth right now, and where are things stuck?”
- “Who is your ideal customer today? Has that changed in the last few years?”
These questions do three important things. First, they signal that you care about more than “closing a buy.” Second, they help you understand the real problem the advertiser is trying to solve. Third, they give you context so you can position radio and digital in a way that makes sense for this specific business, not just in general terms.
Go deeper than “we need more customers.”
Most advertisers will start with something broad: “We just need more customers” or “We need to get our name out there.” A marketing resource doesn’t stop there. You gently go deeper so you can diagnose what kind of marketing help they actually need:
- “When you say ‘more customers,’ do you mean more total volume, more repeat business, or higher-spending customers?”
- “How do new customers usually find you now—search, social, word-of-mouth, drive-by, something else?”
- “What are your busiest times of year and your slowest? What do you do now to smooth that out?”
The answers to these questions tell you whether the main issue is awareness, perception, competition, or something else. That matters, because radio’s role in an awareness problem is different from its role in a perception problem. Once you know the real obstacle, you can recommend radio and digital together in a way that feels tailored, not generic.
Make their digital activity part of the conversation.
In a digital-first world, you build credibility by leaning into what the client is already doing online, not ignoring it or fighting it. A consultative conversation includes questions like:
- “What digital marketing are you doing right now, and how is it performing?”
- “What do you like about your current digital campaigns? What frustrates you?”
- “When you look at your reports or dashboards, what numbers do you actually pay attention to?”
This is where you begin to separate yourself from the average “radio rep.” You’re not there to tear down digital; you’re there to help them make sense of it. When they show you a social dashboard or a search report, you can connect those numbers to real-world outcomes—foot traffic, phone calls, web form fills—and then show how radio can help improve those results by building awareness and trust in the local market.
Instead of “radio vs. digital,” your conversation becomes “radio plus digital, working together.”
Translate what you hear into a simple problem statement.
At some point in the conversation, it helps to repeat back what you’ve heard in a clear, simple way. For example:
- “So, if I’m hearing you right, you’re getting a good response from people who already know you and search for you, but you’re not reaching enough new people who don’t know your name yet.”
- “It sounds like you’re busy on weekends but would really benefit from more weekday business, especially in the afternoons.”
When you do this, the client feels heard and understood. It also sets you up to position radio in a very specific role:
- “That’s exactly where our station can help. We can use radio to reach more people like your best customers and make sure your name is top-of-mind before they go online.”
- “We can build a weekday-focused radio plan that supports your digital offers and invites people in when you need them most.”
Now, you’re not asking them to “buy a schedule.” You are inviting them to invest in a solution tied directly to the problem they just confirmed.
Keep your questions handy.
If you’re used to more traditional sales calls, this may feel like a lot to remember. One simple way to start is to build a short question checklist you bring on every appointment. For example:
- Goals: “What are you trying to accomplish in the next 6–12 months?”
- Customers: “Who do you most want to reach?”
- Challenges: “What’s getting in the way of those goals?”
- Marketing: “What are you doing now, online and offline, and what’s working?”
If you cover those four areas before you talk about schedules, you are already behaving more like a marketing resource than a spot seller. Over time, these questions become second nature—and so does the consultative conversation.
In Part 3, we’ll look at how to turn what you learn in these conversations into smarter campaigns, better follow-up, and long-term relationships that make you an indispensable partner to your advertisers. Marc can be reached at 410-295-6619 x11 or mgreenspan@ResearchDirectorInc.com to begin the conversation.
This article is part two of a three-part series from CEO Marc Greenspan. Part 1 can be found here.
April 23, 2026
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—with a healthy assist from the playmakers at XTRENDS—bring you our fourth, and final, installment of the MARCH survey.
This one ran from MARCH 5th through APRIL 1st. We messed with the construct of time, survived the vernal equinox, and witnessed the first day of PASSOVER. Did you also know that the month features “What if Cats and Dogs Had Opposable Thumbs Day,” “International Fanny Pack Day,” and, for those who celebrate, “Corn Dog Day.” There was a lot of stuff to deal with during this time frame, but we’re laser focused on the radio ratings reality. Which went something like this:
TAMPA-ST. PETERSBURG-CLEARWATER: It’s A Dove’s World
This was a great month to be COX MEDIA Soft AC WDUV (101.5 THE DOVE). The station was #1 6+ for the second book in a row and posted its largest Frosty-free share in over a year (8.6-9.8). RADIO TRAINING NETWORK Contemporary Christian WCIE (THE JOY FM) was back at #2 but with its lowest score since OCTOBER (7.3-7.0). COX MEDIA Classic Hits WXGL (107.3 THE EAGLE) repeated at #3 (6.5-6.5), while BEASLEY Classic Hits WRBQ (Q105) remained at #4 with its fourth up book in a row (5.5-5.9). iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock WXTB (98 ROCK) leapt from #8 to #5 with its highest share since APRIL (4.9-5.7). COX MEDIA AC WWRM (MAGIC 94.9) dipped to #6 (5.3-5.1). WDUV was still the cume leader (653,500-655,100)—a 0.2% increase. The market was up by 1.8%.
WDUV made it back-to-back 25-54 wins with, again, its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. WXTB rose from #6 to #2 with its best showing in a year. WRBQ stepped down to #3 as it ended a three-book surge. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WFLZ (93.3 FLZ) dipped to #4 as it stopped a five-book surge. WCIE was down to #5 and was met there by WWRM, which moved up a slot despite landing its fourth straight down book. iHEARTMEDIA AC WMTX (MIX 100.7) slipped two places to #7.
WDUV moved up to #1 18-34 with a double-digit share. WFLZ vacated the double-digit space as it moved down to #2. WXTB vaulted from #8 to #3 with its best book in over a year. WCIE rose two places to #4 with its highest mark since NOVEMBER. WXGL repeated at #5 and was paired with WWRM, which dropped from #3. WMTX slid from #4 into a tie at #8 with COX MEDIA Urban AC WTBV (101.5 THE VIBE).
WDUV completed the demo sweep as it remained #1 18-49 while landing its largest share—aided or unaided by performance enhancing music—in over a year. WXTB continued its MARCH march as it advanced from #6 to #2. WFLZ dipped to #3, while WCIE stepped down to #4. WWRM and WMTX were previously tied at #4. They slid to #5 and #6, respectively:
DENVER-BOULDER: Rocky Mountain Way
AUDACY Classic Rock KQMT (99.5 THE MOUNTAIN) was back as the leading 6+ station (7.0-7.1). However, #2 BONNEVILLE AC KOSI (KOSI 101.1) crept closer to the leader (6.7-7.0). KSE MEDIA VENTURES Classic Hits KXKL (KOOL 105) was up two slots to #3 (5.0-5.2), while AUDACY Modern AC KALC (ALICE 105.9) repeated at #4 (5.1-4.9). BONNEVILLE Country KYGO SLIPPED TO #5 (5.3-4.8). KOSI still had the most cume (490,500-506,600)—a 3.3% increase. The market was up 0.7%.
iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTCL (CHANNEL 93.3) and KQMT were still #1 and #2, respectively, 25-54. Both stations had down books and were separated by a half share. KALC remained at #3 with a slight increase and was paired with KOSI, which was up a spot with a small share gain. A flat KXKL held steady at #5. KSE MEDIA VENTURES Sports KKSE (ALTITUDE SPORTS RADIO 92.5FM) fell from #6 to #16 last month. The station rebounded and moved back up to #6. It was tied with AUDACY Rhythmic CHR KQKS (KS 107.5).
ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KXPK (LA TRICOLOR 96.5) landed its largest 18-34 share since SEPTEMBER as it stepped up to #1. KOSI leapt from #5 to #2 as it halted a three-book slide. A flat KXKL slipped from #1 to #3. It was paired with KQKS, which stepped down from #2 despite bouncing back from a down book. Three stations were huddled together at #5. KQMT remained in place with a small share loss. KYGO moved up from #8 with a slight increase, while COLORADO PUBLIC RADIO N/T KCFR advanced from #10 with its best book in over a year. KTCL dropped from a tie at #5 to #8, while KSE MEDIA VENTURES Hot AC KIMN (MIX 100) fell from #2 to #12 with its smallest share in over a year.
KQKS ended a two-book slide as it jumped from #5 to #1 18-49. KOSI and KALC were last seen at #2. KOSI held steady with a slight increase, while KALC dipped to #3 with a slight decrease. KKSE again rebounded from a down book as it rose from #12 to #4. KXKL and KXPK moved from #7 and #8, respectively, up to a tie at #5. Three stations were massed together at #8. KTCL dropped from #1 with its lowest total in over a year. KQMT slid from #4 as it returned a portion of last month’s large increase. KCFR was up from #11, again with its highest mark in over a year. KIMN fell from #5 to #13 and was tied with EMF Contemporary Christian KLDV (K-LOVE).
SAN DIEGO: Do You Believe In Magic
You should, because LOCAL MEDIA Rhythmic AC XHRM (MAGIC 92.5) jumped from #3 to #1 6+ with its best outing in over a year (6.7-7.9). This pushed SAN DIEGO STATE UNIVERSITY N/T KPBS down to #2 (8.1-7.6). AUDACY Classic Hits KXSN (SUNNY 98.1) dipped to #3 with its smallest share in over a year (7.7-7.4). AUDACY AC KYXY remained at #4 with its third straight down book (6.3-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMYI (STAR 94.1) was up two places to #5 (4.5-4.7), while iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KHTS (CHANNEL 93.3) slid two places to #7 (4.9-4.1). KXSN remained the cume leader despite a 2.0% drop (603,500-591,200). The market was up 0.5%.
XHRM was also hot 25-54 as it went from #3 to #1 with, again, its best book in over a year. KXSN dipped to #2 and was about a half share off the lead. LOCAL MEDIA Alternative XTRA (91X) repeated at #3 with a slight decrease, while iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KIOZ (ROCK 105.3) stepped up to #4 with a slight increase. KHTS dropped from #2 to #5 as it returned about half of last month’s strong increase. KYXY was down a spot to #6 with a slight decrease.
A flat KXSN moved up to #1 18-34. This ended the four-book winning streak for KYXY, three of which were in double figures. The station was down to #2 where it was met by XHRM, which rose from #5 its highest mark since MAY. XTRA was back at #4 with its third straight up book, while two stations ran headlong into each other at #5. KMYI slipped from #3, while iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary KSSX (JAM’N 95.7) was up from #8 with its best showing in over a year.
At the risk of being redundant XHRM went from #3 to #1 18-49 with its fifth up book in a row. This halted the two-book winning string for KXSN, which was relegated to #2. KIOZ moved up two places to #3 with a small increase, while a flat XTRA made it up to #4. Both stations had been tied at #5. KHTS was also at #4, down from #3, while KYXY fell from #2 to #6 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER.
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CHARLOTTE-GASTONIA-ROCK HILL: Special K
For the second book in a row, BEASLEY Classic Hits WKQC (K104.7) was #1 6+. The station landed its largest Frosty-free share since JULY (7.9-8.1). IHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits WLKO (102.9 THE LAKE) stood alone at #2 but with its best book—Frosty-free or otherwise—in over a year (6.3-7.9). BEASLEY Urban Contemporary WPEG (POWER 98) dipped to #3 but with its fifth straight up book (6.3-7.4). UNIVERSITY RADIO FOUNDATION N/T WFAE rebounded from a down book to move up to #4 (5.7-6.2). iHEARTMEDIA Country WKKT (96.9 THE KAT) was stationary at #5 (6.0-6.0). URBAN ONE Urban Oldies WOSF (106.5 RnB) fell from #4 to #12 with its lowest score in over a year (6.1-3.9). It was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WEND (106.5 THE END), which held steady (4.1-3.9) and iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHQC (HITS 96.1), which was up from #16 (3.1-3.9). WLKO kept its cume lead with a 0.4% increase (470,000-472,100). The market was up 0.3%.
WPEG repeated as the 25-54 champ and surpassed the double-digit mark. WLKO vaulted from #6 to #2 but was nearly four shares off the pace. WKQC stepped up to #3 with a small share loss, while WEND dipped to #4 with a larger share decrease. It was tied with WKKT, which inched up from #5, also with a down book. WFAE jumped from #10 to #6, while WOSF fell from #2 to #7 with its smallest share since JULY.
WPEG hit double figures 18-34 for the second book in a row and this time that was enough to propel the station to #1. WLKO rose from #5 to #2 and was dangerously close to hitting double digits. BEASLEY Pop CHR WNKS (KISS 95.1) repeated at #3 but with its fourth consecutive down book. WKQC stepped up to #4 with its highest mark in over a year, while two stations settled in at #5. WHQC was there last time while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WRFX (99.7 THE FOX) advanced from #8 with its best number in exactly a year. Last month BEASLEY Urban AC WBAV (V101.9) was #1 with a large double-digit share. The station ceded more than half its previous number as it dropped to #7. WOSF fell from #4 to #9.
WPEG was #1 and in double digits 18-49 for the second book in a row. WNKS repeated at #2 with a small increase. Three stations, last seen at #7 moved up and into the top five. WLKO landed at #3 as it bounced back from a down book. WFAE and WHQC made it to #4 with solid increases. WEND dipped to #6 as it returned most of last month’s increase. It was paired with the motionless WKQC, which had a down book. WBAV and WOSF were previously #2 and #4, respectively. They fell into a tie at #9 along with BEASLEY Country WSOC (COUNTRY 103.7).
NASSAU-SUFFOLK (LONG ISLAND): Three WINS In A Row
As the headline says, this was the third straight first place 6+ finish for AUDACY News WINS (1010 WINS) (10.6-8.9). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WHTZ (Z100) had its best showing since NOVEMBER as it moved up two places to #2 (5.5-6.9). RED APPLE MEDIA N/T WABC-A dipped to #3 (6.0-6.1), while AUDACY Sports WFAN (SPORTS RADIO 101.9FM/66AM) was up to #4 with its highest offensive output since OCTOBER (4.5-5.6). CONNOISSEUR Hot AC WALK (WALK FM) slipped to #5 (5.7-5.3), while COX MEDIA Pop CHR WBLI moved down to #7 (4.8-4.2). WINS was still the top cuming station despite a 1.6% drop (424,300-417,700). The market was up 0.5%.
WHTZ stepped up to #1 25-54 and was awfully close to hitting double figures. This stopped the three-book winning streak for WALK, which moved down to #2 with a slight decrease. Despite a down book WBLI went from #5 to #3. AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) was up two spots to #4 with a slight increase, while iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) went from #7 to #5 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. WFAN vaulted from #11 to #6. WINS dropped from #3 into a tie at #7 with WABC-A. AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS fell from #4 into a partnership arrangement at #9 with COX MEDIA Classic Rock WBAB.
WINS vaulted from #4 to #1 18-34 with its highest total in over a year. This pushed a flat WBLI to #2. WALK repeated at #3 but with its third straight down book. It was paired with WHTZ, which moved up from #4 with a solid increase. Also coming in at #3 was CONNOISSEUR AC WKJY (K-JOY 98.3), which advanced from #8 with its best outing since OCTOBER. WNEW fell from #4 to #10, while WCBS dropped from #1 to #13, shedding well more than half its previous share in the process.
WHTZ had its best 18-49 book since NOVEMBER as it seized control of the demo. WALK dipped to #2 and was about two shares off the pace. WNEW and WBLI traded places as the former moved up to #3 with a slight decrease, while the latter was down to #4, thus ending a four-book surge. WINS was also at #4, moving up a spot despite a small share loss.
Another book bites the dust. Thank you for participating. See you in four weeks for the APRIL survey. In the meantime, pass only on the left.
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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
e-mail info@ResearchDirectorInc.com or sallan@ResearchDirectorInc.com.
April 22, 2026
We’re back with another exciting episode of “Famous Marches in History.” There’s Frederick March, Little Peggy March and, who can forget, Paul March. We could include the March Hare or the march of the wooden soldiers but that might be stretching this bit a bridge too far.
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—marching side by side with the number’s crunchers from XTRENDS—are here with more MARCH news. Specifically, the monthly survey under that name. It began on MARCH 5th and concluded on APRIL 1st. We experienced a needless time change and a much-needed seasonal change. The book also ended on the first day of PASSOVER. Here’s where we spill the tea…
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: Same As It Ever Was
I thought we’d start off with a little ear worm. The top four spots on the 6+ leaderboard were unchanged from the previous survey, and all four stations had down books. COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) was back at #1 (7.2-6.7), while COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) remained at #2 but with its smallest share since JUNE (7.0-6.3). AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) repeated at #3 (6.3-6.0), while TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Hot AC WAMR (AMOR 107.5) held firm at #4 (6.2-5.7). The two stations previously spied at #5 had up books. SBS Spanish Contemporary WCMQ (Z92.3) stood alone at that spot (5.1-5.5), while AUDACY Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH) dipped to #6 (5.1-5.4). WLYF rode a 2.6% increase to #1 in the cume wars (779,700-800,000). The market was up 1.2%.
There was quite a foundational change in the 25-54 space. For the first time in over a year WFEZ was not the #1 station. It dipped to #2 with its lowest score in over a year. Your new leader was WHQT, which had a slight increase. The gap between those two stations was very small. iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Adult Hits WMIA (MAGIC 93.9) vaulted from #8 to #3 as it recovered from a couple of down books. WLYF stepped down to #4 thus ending a four-book surge. COX MEDIA Rhythmic AC WFLC (HITS 97.3) was down to #5 but with a small share gain. WMXJ slipped into a tie at #6 with WCMQ.
For the fourth book in a row COX MEDIA Urban Contemporary WEDR (99 JAMZ) was the leading 18-34 station. WCMQ and SBS Spanish Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7 FM) were previously sighted at #4. WCMQ rose to #2 with its highest score in over a year, while WXDJ made it to #3 with its best book since DECEMBER. WFLC rocketed from #9 up to #4. In the HOLIDAY book it was sitting at #18. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) slipped to #5 as it returned all of last month’s substantial share gain. WHQT fell from #2 to #6 as it, too, surrendered last month’s increase. It was paired with WMIA, which rose from #12 with its best outing in over a year. WAMR dropped from #4 to #9 as it gave back most of last month’s increase. It was tied with AUDACY Classic Hip Hop WPOW (POWER 96), which arrived from #14.
The top five 18-49 were separated by less than a share. WFLC jumped from #4 to #1 with its third up book in a row. WHQT repeated at #2 with a small share loss, while WCMQ advanced from #7 to #3 with its highest mark in over a year. WFEZ went from first to fourth as its six-book winning string came to an end. WMIA leapt from #10 to #5, also with its best performance in over a year. WPOW slipped to #6 with a slight decrease. WLYF dropped four places to #7 and was partnered with WEDR and WXDJ.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: Marching On
For the third book in a row, and 13th time in the last 14 surveys, UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW was #1 6+ (9.5-8.4). FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP rose from #5 to #2 with its fourth up book in a row (4.7-6.3). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) descended to #3 (5.6-5.6), while CRISTA Contemporary Christian KCMS (SPIRIT 105.3) stepped down to #4 (5.4-5.0). HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) was up to #5 (4.6-4.9), while AUDACY Active Rock KISW (THE ROCK) slipped to #6 with its smallest share since JULY (5.1-4.7). It was tied with BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A (SEATTLE SPORTS 710AM), which arrived from #10 as it rebounded from a down book (3.8-4.7). Despite a 0.9% decrease KRWM remained in cume control (613,200-607,800). The market was off by 0.6%.
KEXP was #1 25-54 for the third straight survey and landed in double-digit territory. KISW was back at #2 but with its lowest score in over a year. The gap between the two stations grew to almost five full shares. KUOW repeated at #3 but with its lowest total since OCTOBER. It was joined there by KJEB, which flew in from #7 as it recovered from a down book. AUDACY Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) dipped to #5 despite a slight increase. HUBBARD Pop CHR KQMV (MOViN’ 92.5) and KCMS were formerly partners at #5. KQMV stepped down to #6, while KCMS dropped into a tie at #7 with KIRO-A, which was up from #12.
KQMV doubled its previous 18-34 share as it vaulted from #8 to #1. It held a half share advantage over KJEB, which ascended from #5 to #2 with its best outing in over a year. This ended the two-book winning streak for KISW, which drifted down to #3. KNDD bounced back from a down book but still slipped two slots to #4. Three stations were languishing at #5. AUDACY Hot AC KSWD (EMMA 94.1) remained in place as it returned a portion of last month’s solid share increase. AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) slid from #3, while AUDACY Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT 103.7) rose from #10 with its highest score in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KBKS (HITS 106.1) dropped from #3 to #8 with its lowest total in over a year. It was tied with five other stations.
As recently as DECEMBER, KEXP was #12 18-49. The station has tripled its share since then and just landed its third straight #1 book. KQMV jumped from #4 to #2 but was still about three shares off the pace. It narrowly edged out KJEB, which climbed from #8 to #3 as it regained all of last month’s lost share. A flat KNDD repeated at #4. KUOW and KISW were last seen at #2 and #3, respectively. They fell together into a tie at #5.
PHOENIX: The Heat Is On
There was iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) cruising to its sixth 6+ win in a row. However, the station landed its lowest share since SEPTEMBER (8.0-6.7) and suddenly the race tightened significantly. HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX was now a very close #2 (6.8-6.6). AUDACY Classic Hits KOOL (BIG 94.5) moved up to #3 with its best outing in over a year (4.5-5.9). iHEARTMEDIA N/T KFYI-A dipped to #4 despite posting its largest share in over a year (4.6-5.0). Last month’s threesome at #4 was no more. iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX dipped to #5 (4.5-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) drifted down to #6 (4.5-4.3), while MARICOPA COMMUNITY COLLEGE Classical KBAQ (KBACH CLASSICAL 89.5FM) fell to #9 (4.5-3.7). Despite a 4.1% decline KESZ still had the most cume (1,007,700-965,500). The market grew by 1.6%.
KESZ was down 25-54 for the third straight survey but still won its seventh book in a row. TELEVISAUNIVISION Mexican Regional KHOT (QUÉ BUENA 105.9) was back at #2 and a share off the pace. ENTRAVISION Mexican Regional KLNZ (LA TRICOLOR 103.5) stepped up to #3 with its best book in over a year. KYOT dipped to #4 with a slight increase, while KOOL inched up to #5 with a small share gain. KSLX dipped to #6 and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KZZP (104.7 KISS FM), which had its best showing in over a year.
Speaking of which, AUDACY Pop CHR KALV (LIVE 101.5) accomplished the same feat as it rose from #6 to #1 18-34. KYOT stepped up to #2 with its third straight up book, while KHOT remained behind at #3. This ended the four-book run at #1 for KESZ, which dropped to #4. It was paired with KZZP, which advanced from #10. KOOL stepped down to #6 with its lowest score since DECEMBER. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3) fell from #2 to #9 and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9).
In FEBRUARY KHOT and KESZ were tied at #1 18-49. Both stations had down books though KHOT remained in first place while KESZ dropped to #2. KLNZ was back at #3 with its third up book in a row. KOOL remained at #4 but was joined there by KALV, which turned it up from #11. KSLX dropped from #5 to #9 as it returned all of last month’s increase, plus a bit extra.
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DETROIT: The Song Remains The Same
There was very little change atop the 6+ leaderboard this survey. AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) was #1 for the third book in a row (8.6-9.0). AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC was back at #2 (7.7-7.3), while iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC remained at #3 but with its best Frosty-free share since OCTOBER (6.3-7.0). AUDACY Country WYCD landed its largest share in over a year as it stepped up to #4 (5.5-6.3). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) dipped to #5 (6.1-5.9). WNIC was essentially flat as it kept the cume crown (983,600-983,400). The market was basically flat, as well.
WXYT was #1 and in double figures 25-54 for the third straight survey. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WKQI (CHANNEL 955) was up two places to #2 with its best outing in over a year. Still, it was more than four shares off the lead. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WJLB moved up to #3, also with its highest share in over a year. WOMC slipped to #4 as it ended a robust five-book surge. BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF was down to #5 with its lowest score in over a year.
WKQI was #1 18-34 for the third book in a row and WJLB was back at #2. Both stations reached double figures this month. WXYT repeated at #3 with a slight increase but was well behind the top two stations. WOMC remained at #4, while AUDACY Alternative WDZH (ALT 98.7) held steady at #5. Both stations had slight decreases.
WXYT was a dominant #1 18-49 for the third book in a row. WKQI stepped up to #2 with its highest mark in exactly a year. WJLB inched up to #3 with its third straight up book. WOMC slipped to #4 as it surrendered last month’s increase. WNIC worked it from #9 to #5 as it ended a two-book slide. WRIF went from #5 into a tie at #7 with WMXD.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: Too Close To Call
We don’t need the ABS system to call this one. iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN FM 100.3) moved back up to #1 6+ (7.3-7.3). This pushed MPR N/T KNOW down to #2 (7.7-7.2), though the station did add a 1.0 share from cyberspace. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) repeated at #3 (7.2-6.9), while HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) was back at #4 (7.1-6.7). iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) stepped up to #5 with its best book in over a year (5.8-6.3). UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST. PAUL Contemporary Christian KTIS dipped to #6 (6.2-5.9). KQQL padded its cume lead by 6.6% (632,500-674,200). The market was up 2.2%.
KFXN was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row and in double figures for the 13th time in the last 14 surveys. MPR AAA KCMP (89.3 THE CURRENT) stepped up to #2 as it bounced back from a down book. It was two shares behind the leader. KQQL moved down to #3 with a small decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KDWB and AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) remained tied at #4 with noticeable share losses.
Last month KCMP and KQQL were tied atop the 18-34 leaderboard. KCMP experienced a small share loss but remained in first place, while KQQL drifted down to #2 with a much larger decrease. KFXN remained at #3 but with its sixth straight down book. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97.1) inched up to #4 with its highest score since NOVEMBER. KZJK dipped to #5 with its smallest share in over a year. It was paired with KTIS, which rose from #7 with a modest increase.
KFXN extended a couple of 18-49 streaks. The station was #1 for the third book in a row and hit double figures for the ninth straight survey. KCMP returned as the #2 station as it regained all of last month’s share loss. KQQL repeated at #3 with a modest share loss, while KDWB was back at #4 but a much larger share decrease. KZJK held on at #5 though with its lowest total since AUGUST. It was joined there by a flat KTCZ, which rose from #7.
In case you were wondering, Paul March was, apparently, a famous British rugby player. Who knew. We do know we have one more block of markets to dissect. Stay tuned for TAMPA, DENVER, SAN DIEGO, CHARLOTTE, and NASSAU-SUFFOLK.
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April 21, 2026
The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC.—along with our committed partners from XTRENDS—bring you another round of the madness of MARCH ratings. We were going to call it MARCH madness but our legal eagles frowned upon that. Which means we also cannot refer to the four weeks of the survey as “the final four.” If we add this book to the previous three it would be a “sweet 16,” but we cannot legally say that. Heaven forbid we cross the monarchs at the NCAA.
What we can tell you is this survey ran from MARCH 5th through APRIL 1st. The clocks inexplicably fell forward, the seasons went through their annual change, and we saw the beginnings of PASSOVER. There was probably some basketball in there somewhere, but we are legally prohibited from mentioning that.
Now, back to the countdown…
SAN FRANCISCO: A Two For One Split
The top of the 6+ leaderboard is usually dominated by two spoken word formats. This time they decided to share market leading responsibilities. KQED INC. N/T KQED was #1 for the third book in a row but with its smallest share in over a year (9.9-8.6). This paved the way for AUDACY News KCBS to move up and forge a tie for the lead (8.8-8.6). BONNEVILLE AC KOIT was back as the leading music station at #3 (5.0-4.8), while two stations were sharing the spotlight at #4. BONNEVILLE Hot AC KMVQ (99.7 NOW) moved up a slot (4.6-4.5), while iHEARTMEDIA Soft AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE) wafted in from #7 with its highest score since NOVEMBER (3.7-4.5). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) slipped to #6 (4.7-4.1). KOIT padded its cume lead with a 12.7% increase (1,016,200-1,145,600). The market grew by 2.7%.
A flat KMVQ moved up to #1 25-54 for the first time since AUGUST. KQED dipped down to a very close #2 to end a two-book surge. KIOI was back at #3 with a slight increase, while we had a jump ball at #4. KOIT remained in place with a small share loss, while a flat AUDACY Alternative KITS (LIVE 105) rose from #6. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR KYLD (WiLD 94.9) slipped to #6 with a slight decrease.
Despite a down book KMVQ was #1 18-34 for the third straight survey. KOIT repeated at #2 but with its smallest share in over a year. It was paired with SBS Mexican Regional KRZZ (LA RAZA 93.3), which moved up from a three-way tie at #4 with its best showing since DECEMBER. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR KMEL dipped to #4 as it ended a two-book surge. KISQ and KYLD were last spotted at #7 and #8, respectively. Both stations had up books as they advanced to a tie at #4. They were joined there by KITS, which vaulted from #11 with its best book since NOVEMBER. KIOI dropped from a tie at #4 to #9, while TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KBRG (AMOR 100.3) vacated the #4 position and took up residence at #12. It shared that space with KQED, BONNEVILLE Urban AC KBLX and AUDACY Hot AC KLLC (ALICE @ 97.3).
KIOI experienced a small share loss but still rose to #1 18-49. It defeated KQED, which dipped to #2, by the narrowest of possible margins. KMVQ stepped up to #3, while KITS moved up two spots to #4. Both stations were flat. KOIT slipped to #5 with its lowest total since OCTOBER, while KYLD moved down to #6 as it returned most of last month’s share increase.
ATLANTA: Back On Top
Last month COX MEDIA N/T WSB-A saw its six-survey 6+ winning streak stopped by URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5/97.5). WSB-A came roaring back this month to become the market leader once again (6.6-8.5). The battle for second place was being hotly contested. COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) was back at #2 (6.8-7.0), while WAMJ slipped to #3 (7.2-6.9). AUDACY Urban AC WVEE (V-103) repeated at #4 (6.0-6.7). COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (KISS 104.1) stepped up to #5 (5.7-6.4). COX MEDIA AC WSB-F (B98.5) dipped to #6 (5.9-5.8). The station remained in cume command with a 1.1% increase (762,100-770,600). The market was up 0.3%.
Last month WVEE and WAMJ were the 25-54 co-leaders. WVEE rebounded from a down book to capture the demo flag for the seventh straight survey. WAMJ stepped down to #2 with a slight decrease. WSB-F remained at #3 with a small share gain, while WSRV moved up to #4 with its fourth up book in a row. WSB-A posted its largest number since NOVEMBER as it advanced two spaces to #5. AUDACY Sports WZGC (92.9 THE GAME) dropped four slots to #8 with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER.
WSRV made it back-to-back 18-34 wins and landed its largest share in over a year. WSB-F remained at #2 but with a down book and now trailed the leader by better than two shares. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WRDG (96.1 THE BEAT) held steady at #3 with a modest share loss. It was paired with WVEE, which moved up a slot with a slight increase. WALR stepped up to #5 with a slight increase.
WVEE had its best 18-49 book in exactly a year as it finished in first place for the fourth book in a row. WSB-F maintained its #2 presence with a solid increase but was forced to share as WSRV advanced from #4 with its highest score in over a year. WAMJ slid from 3 to 4 with a small share loss. WSB-A vaulted from #10 to #5 with a huge share increase, while WRDG slid three places to #8 as it ended a strong two-book surge.
WASHINGTON, DC: Stuff’s Happening
You may have noticed there’s a lot of news right now and this is the city where the news cycle is on a constant loop. HUBBARD News WTOP was #1 6+ for the tenth book in a row (15.2-14.3). AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU was back at #2 (11.8-10.8). Despite both stations having “down” books they continue to rake in about a quarter of all the 6+ shares of listening. Astounding. HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR was the leading music station again at #3 but with its smallest share since JULY (7.0-5.8). iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH stepped up to #4 with its best Frosty-free share since JUNE (4.6-5.1). iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) dipped to #5 (5.4-4.8) and was being closely pursued by ATLANTIC GATEWAY Contemporary Christian WGTS, which remained at #6 as it bounced back from a down book (4.3-4.6). WTOP still had the most listeners (922,600-927,200) – a 0.5% increase. The market grew by 3.1%.
WAMU was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row, the last two of which were in double figures. WTOP repeated at #2 though it could not quite duplicate last month’s double-digit feat. WASH stepped up to #3 with a strong share increase, while WWDC dipped to #4 with a modest share loss. iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WIHT (HOT 99.5) advanced two spaces to #5 with a slight increase. WHUR stepped down to #6 with its smallest share in over a year. It was tied with WGTS.
WTOP repeated as the 18-34 leader but did exit double-digit territory. iHEARTMEDIA Country WMZQ was back at #2 with its second straight down book. It trailed the leader by a full share. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBIG (BIG 100) inched up to #3 with its best performance in over a year. Close behind was WASH, which rose to #4 as it rebounded from a down book. WIHT stepped up to #5 despite a small share loss. WHUR slipped from #3 into a tie at #6 with WWDC.
WTOP was #1 18-49 for the third straight survey, the last two of which were in double figures. WAMU remained at #2 with a slight decrease. The stations were separated by a very thin margin. WASH moved up a spot to #3 with its highest Frosty-free share in exactly one year. WWDC inched up to #4 with a slight decrease, while WHUR slipped to #5 with its lowest total since OCTOBER.
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PHILADELPHIA: Its Lonely At The Top
In FEBRUARY BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK and BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR were the 6+ co-leaders. WMGK remained in place (7.1-7.1), while WMMR drifted down to #5 with its least productive outing since AUGUST (7.1-5.8). AUDACY AC WBEB (B101) and AUDACY Sports WIP (94WIP SPORTSRADIO) were tied at #3. They remained an item as they stepped up to #2 with the exact same 6.5-6.6 shares. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WDAS rose two places to #4 with its third up book in a row (6.1-6.5). AUDACY News KYW dipped to #6 (6.3-5.4). WBEB increased its #1 cume total by 6.1% (1,101,300-1,168,000). The market rose by 4.8%.
WBEB stepped up to #1 25-54 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year. This ended the two-book run at #1 for WMMR, which dipped to #2. It was less than a half share off the pace. WDAS repeated at #3 with a slight increase, while WIP moved up a spot to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. WHYY INC. N/T WHYY inched up to #5 despite a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Urban Contemporary WUSL (POWER 99) had its best outing since SEPTEMBER as it leapt from #10 to #6. EMF Contemporary Christian WKVP (106.9 K-LOVE) dropped from #4 to #8 with its lowest score since AUGUST. It was tied with BEASLEY Country WXTU (92.5 XTU).
WXTU fared far better with the 18-34 crowd as it moved up to #1 with its highest mark in over a year. The station was dangerously close to hitting double figures. WBEB was up to #2 with its best Frosty-free outing since SEPTEMBER. WMGK rose two places to #3 as it rebounded from a down book. WUSL repeated at #4 with a modest share loss, while URBAN ONE Urban AC WRNB (100.3 RnB) advanced from #11 to #5 with its best book in over a year. WMMR fell from #1 to #6 with its least productive outing since APRIL. BEASLEY Adult Hits WBEN (95.7 BEN FM) slipped to #7 as it surrendered a good portion of last month’s massive increase. It was tied with UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA AAA WXPN.
WBEB copped its best Frosty-free 18-49 share in over a year as it stepped up to #1. WMMR dipped to #2 as its two-book winning double-digit string came to an end. WIP and WXTU were #5 and #6, respectively, last month. Both stations had solid share gains as they moved up into a tie at #3. WUSL moved from #7 to #5 with its highest score since SEPTEMBER. WMGK slid three places to #6, while WDAS dropped from #4 to #7. Both stations had modest share losses.
BOSTON: This Magic Moment
AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) was flat 6+ for the second straight survey but was #1 for the fourth time in the last five books (6.2-6.2). There were six other stations within a share and a half of the leader. BOSTON UNIVERSITY N/T WBUR leapt from #5 to #2 with its best outing in over a year (5.2-5.6). BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR dipped to #3 as it ended a two-book surge (5.7-5.3). iHEARTMEDIA Pop CHR WXKS (KISS 108) stepped up to #4 as it rebounded from a down book (4.9-5.2). BEASLEY Sports WBZ-F (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) slipped to #5 (5.3-5.1), while WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION Classical WCRB (CLASSICAL 98.5) vaulted from #12 to #6 with its highest score in over a year (3.6-4.9). AUDACY Hot AC WBMX (MIX 104.1) fell from #3 to #7 as it returned most of last month’s share increase (5.3-4.7). WMJX was still the cume leader with a 0.6% increase (827,000-832,200). The market was up 0.5%.
The top three 25-54 stations were within a half share of one another. WBMX made it back-to-back wins with a slight decrease, while a flat WBZ-F was back at #2. WXKS bounced back from a down book to repeat at #3. WMJX held steady at #4 with its highest Frosty-free number in over a year. WBUR leapt from #8 to #5 with its best outing since MAY. AUDACY Adult Hits WBGB (BIG 103) inched up to #6 with a small increase. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX and WROR were tied at #5. Both stations experienced large share losses as they fell in tandem to #7.
A flat WMJX was #1 18-34 for the fifth straight survey. WXKS was up two slots to #2 with its best book since AUGUST but still trailed the leader by about a share and a half. iHEARTMEDIA Rhythmic CHR WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) dipped to #3 as it surrendered some of last month’s huge share increase. WBMX stepped down to #4 with its lowest mark since DECEMBER. In FEBRUARY there was a threesome at #4. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT 96.9) cooled off to #5 despite landing its largest share since NOVEMBER. WBUR fell into a tie at #11 with WGBH EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION N/T WGBH, while WROR landed alone at #15 with its lowest total since AUGUST.
Three stations were closely huddled together atop the 18-49 chart. WBMX was back at #1 but with a down book. WXKS remained at #2 but was paired with WMJX, which moved up a spot. Both stations had solid increases. WBZ-F stepped up to #4 with a small share gain, while WJMN was up to #5 with a slight increase. WROR fell from #4 to #8, again with its smallest share since AUGUST.
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