September ’22 PPM Ratings
The wheel of time keeps on turning. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – with the full cooperation of the data geeks at XTRENDS – once again go boldly forward into the past. This time, however, we extend our reach as this marks the tenth anniversary of our collaboration with ALL ACCESS. Market ranks have changed, companies have disappeared and sprang forth, and stations have come and gone. Yes, it has been a long, strange trip. This SEPTEMBER survey ran from AUGUST 18th through SEPTEMBER 14th and featured a long weekend, school buses on the streets, and football fever. Let’s dive in…
SEATTLE-TACOMA: History Is Made
We are waxing nostalgic this survey. BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A (710AM ESPN) moved to #1 6+ with its best book in over a year. (6.2-7.0). This was likely fueled by the fact that the station is the MARINERS flagship – a baseball team that qualified for the playoffs for the first time since 2001. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) descended to #2 despite landing its largest share in over a year (6.6-6.7). BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO inched up to #3 as it bounced back from a down book (6.1-6.6). AUDACY AC KSWD (94.1 THE SOUND) slid to #4 as it returned most of last month’s huge increase (6.3-5.0). FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP also posted its largest share in over a year as it advanced from #9 to #5 (4.0-4.8). It was just ahead of iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK, which stepped up to #6 (4.6-4.7). AUDACY Active Rock KISW gave back all of last survey’s increase (5.0-4.3) as it dropped into a seventh-place tie with UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW (4.9-4.3). KJEB remained on autopilot in the cume department despite a 6.2% decrease (614,600-576,800). The market was down 1.3%.
Historical marker. Back in the day, SEATTLE was market #13. Coming in at #4 ten years ago was HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9). At the time, the station was owned by SANDUSKY.
The top five 25-54 players remained the same, though they were shuffled up a bit. KEXP had been enduring a two-book slide, but the station posted its largest number in over a year to return to the #1 slot after a two-month hiatus. It also narrowly edged KJEB, which stepped down to #2. KISW dipped to #3, once again returning all of last month’s huge increase. HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOViN’ 92.5) moved down to #4, despite accepting its biggest share since APRIL. KIRO-A repeated at #5 with its best book in over a year.
Historical marker: We wrote 10 years ago: KISW has been the #1 station 25-54 since the beginning of the year and that streak continued.
There was a lot to parse in the 18-34 world. First, KEXP moved from a tie at #5 to #1. As recently as MAY, the station was sitting in a tie at #11. AUDACY Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT 103.7) repeated at #2 with a small increase. KQMV slipped from #1 to #3 as it halted a strong two-book surge. AUDACY Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) remained at #4 but with its largest share in over a year. KUOW was up two places from a tie at #7 to #5, while KRWM went from a tie at #11 to #6. Three stations – including two former top-fivers – were massed together at #7. KISW dropped from #3, while KZOK slipped from a tie at #5. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KBKS (HITS 106.1) was stationary.
Historical marker: Ten years ago there was a tie at #1 between KQMV – a SANDUSKY property at the time – and the station then known as CCM+E Top 40/R KUBE.
Last month KQMV had its three-book 18-49 winning streak snatched from their grasp. The station rebounded with its best outing since APRIL to retake the crown. KISW was forced to step down to #2 where it was joined by KEXP, which advanced from a tie at #4. KJEB slid two places to #4, while KHTP went from the tie at #4 to #5 with a small increase.
Historical marker: In 2012, KISW continued its year-long domination of this demo.
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: The Usual Suspects
This is the fourth book in a row that the same stations populated the top five on the 6+ chart. COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) and COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) had been tied at #1. WFEZ retained the crown (8.5-8.3), while WHQT dipped to #2 with its smallest share since APRIL (8.5-7.7). SBS TROPICAL WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7) repeated at #3, but with its best book in over a year (6.4-6.5). TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR 107.5) was still at #4 (5.9-5.9), while AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) remained at #5 (5.5-5.7). WFEZ saw 8.1% of its cume evaporate but remained the leader in that category (931,100-856,100). The market was up 1.1%.
Historical marker: A decade ago, the market was #12 and WHQT was #1 with a 9.8 share.
This month’s rankings 25-54 were a copy and paste from the last survey. WHQT continued its long, uninterrupted and dominant string of #1 books. WXDJ was at #2 for the fifth straight survey, while COX MEDIA Urban WEDR (99 JAMZ) came in at #3 again, though it ended a strong four-book surge. WFEZ repeated at #4 with a slight increase, while WAMR remained at #5 with a small decrease.
Historical marker: Same as it ever was: The top five in 2012 were WHQT, WEDR, then BEASLEY-owned AUDACY Top 40/M WPOW (POWER 96), WAMR, and WLYF.
WEDR ran away with the 18-34 demo for the fifth book in a row and hit double digits for the second time during this run. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) was up two places to #2 with its best book – by far – in over a year. Yet it remained about two shares behind the leader. WFEZ drifted to #3 despite a solid increase, while WLYF inched up from a tie at #5 to #4 as it ended a steep four-book slide. A flat WXDJ moved down to #5. An equally flat AUDACY Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH) slipped from the tie at #5 to #7. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) had its lowest number since OCTOBER as it fell from the tie at #5 into a three-way logjam at #8 along with SBS Spanish Contemporary WRMA (RITMO 95.7) and iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TÚ 94.9).
Historical marker: WEDR owned this demo in 2012, but there was a heated battle for second place between WHYI and WPOW.
The top four positions in the 18-49 race were unchanged from before. WHQT was still #1 with a slight increase, while a flat WXDJ was back as the #2 station. WEDR repeated at #3 but with its first down book since MARCH. WFEZ was also flat as it remained at #4. WMIB advanced four spaces to #5 with its highest share in over a year. WZTU fell out of the top five with a slight decrease and ended up in a tie at #7 with WAMR.
Historical marker: WEDR had its best book of 2012 to finish #1 for the third straight survey.
DETROIT: It’s Back
In our last visit to the MOTOR CITY, we saw that AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC had its seven-book 6+ winning streak snapped. Well, the station turned that around quickly as it rose from #3 to #1 (6.5-7.5). BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX remained at #2 (6.8-7.0), while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) moved up two places to #3 with its best showing since MAY (5.5-6.4). AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) also advanced two spaces – to #4 – as it ended a four-book slide (5.3-5.6). iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC dipped to #5 with its lowest mark in exactly a year (5.9-5.5). iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB saw its 6+ reign come to an abrupt halt. The station returned most of last month’s massive increase (7.9-5.1) as it dropped from #1 to #7. WNIC retained cume control, despite a 2.6% decline (877,000-854,500). The market rose by 1.5%.
Historical Marker: Ten years ago, this was market #11. The top four spots in the market came out of the CBS RADIO cluster: AUDACY Country WYCD, WXYT, WOMC, and AUDACY News WWJ-A.
For the sixth straight survey, BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF was #1 25-54. The station also had its largest share in over a year. Football-infused WXYT moved up a slot to #2 with its best outing since APRIL but remained about a share and a half off the pace. WCSX was up to #3 with a slight increase, while WNIC stepped up from a tie at #5 to #4 with its best share since JANUARY. A flat BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (105.1 THE BOUNCE) stood alone at #5. WJLB’s massive share increase from last month completely melted away as the station dropped from #2 into a tie at #6 with WMXD.
Historical marker: Flashback to 2012 – f or the first time in over a year, the station known as 89X (BELL MEDIA Alternative CIMX) broke into the top five.
Heading into the previous survey, WRIF was riding a seven-book 18-34 winning streak with all of them in double digits. WJLB ended the string, but WRIF was back on top this survey and back in double-digit territory. WOMC was up from #6 to #2 with its third up book in a row but was about four shares off the lead. WMGC was still in a tie at #3 but with a new partner – WJLB, which slipped from #1 with its smallest share since DECEMBER. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) slid to #5 while WCSX dipped to #6. Both stations had slight increases.
Historical marker: Then years ago, WYCD had its best book in over a year to take over the top spot from WXYT.
WRIF not only rebounded from a down 18-49 book; it moved back into first place. WJLB stepped down to #2 and was tied with WXYT, which ended a three-book slide and exited a tie at #3. A flat WMGC dipped from that same tie to #4, while WNIC repeated at #5 with its best share since JANUARY. It was paired with WMXD, which advanced from a tie at #8.
Historical marker: Hard to believe, but in 2012 the TIGERS were in a pennant chase that year, which helped WXYT finish #1 for the sixth book in a row.
PHOENIX: Easy As Pie
We are truly running out of easy cliches. iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (KEZ 99.9) is certainly not running out of #1 6+ books. The station finished first for the sixth survey in a row (and 13th time in the last 14) with its highest share since JANUARY (6.7-7.6). MARICOPA N/T KJZZ is making a race of it. The station had its best outing in over a year (6.2-7.3) to remain #2. HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX stood alone at #3 (5.3-5.3), while its former partner in that space – DESERT VALLEY MEDIA GROUP Adult Hits KOAI (95.1/94.9 THE WOW FACTOR) dipped to #4 with its lowest total since MARCH (5.3-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) repeated at #5 (4.5-4.5). KESZ still had the most cume and padded their lead with aN 11.4% increase (909,900-1,013,700). The market grew by 2.4%.
Historical marker: KESZ moved up to #1 a decade ago, while the previous leader – CBS RADIO Top 40/R KZON (JAMZ) – fell to #6.
The 25-54 race continued to be for second place. KESZ had its best Frosty-free share in over a year to open up a share and a half lead over KSLX, which moved up two places from a tie at #4 to #2 with its highest mark since APRIL. KYOT dipped to #3 with a slight increase, while SIERRA H Classic Hip Hop KZCE (101.1 THE BOUNCE) stepped down to #4. AUDACY Country KMLE slipped from the tie at #4 to #5.
Historical marker: The leading station in 2012 was then-UNIVISION-owned TELEVISAUNIVISION Regional Mexican KHOT (QUÉ BUENA 105.9). Back then it was known as LA NUEVA.
Make it an even dozen – KESZ copped the 18-34 crown for the twelfth book in a row and cracked the double-digit ceiling. Last month KMLE was #2 and a half share off the lead. KMLE was still #2 but with a down book and was about three and a half shares behind the front runner. AUDACY Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5) repeated at #3, though it gave back about half of last month’s large increase. KYOT remained at #4 as it, too, gave back a lot of last month’s huge share increase. It was tied with KZCE, which moved up a slot despite a down book.
Historical marker: The top station 10 years ago was KHOT (for the fifth book in a row).
The top five 18-49 was pretty much as we left it. KESZ made it 12 in a row at #1 with its highest mark since JANUARY. KYOT was off slightly but moved up to #2 and trailed the leader by more than two shares. KZCE ended a strong three-book surge as it dipped to #3. A flat KALV was back at #4, while an also flat KMLE repeated at #5.
Historical marker: Back in 2012, KHOT was #1 for the fifth book in a row.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL: We Kool?
The cool kids were back as iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) was #1 6+ for the third book in a row (8.2-8.1). Despite landing its lowest number since APRIL, AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) moved up to #2 (7.3-6.9). Football was back and so was iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (K-FAN FM 100.3). The station posted its largest share since DECEMBER (5.5-6.7) as it leapt from #7 to #3. HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS 95) slipped to #4 with its smallest share since our cheeks were nice and rosy (7.6-6.5). MPR N/T KNOW remained at #5 as it bounced back from a down book (5.9-6.2). iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) slipped to #6 – its first time outside the top five since MAY (6.5-5.8). KQQL continued to have the most listeners (848,300-883,600) – a 4.2% increase. The market was also up – by 3.8%.
Historical marker: Then CCM+E-owned iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB was #1 with an 8.1 share 10 years ago.
Though KZJK lost half of last month’s big share increase, the station repeated at #1. Its lead over the #2 station doubled as KSTP scored its lowest number since we were comfy and cozy. KQQL had its first down book since FEBRUARY but was still #3 and this far behind KSTP. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) stood alone at #4 with a slight increase, while KFXN advanced three spaces to #5 with its best performance since DECEMBER. KDWB dropped from the tie at #4 to #6 as it ended a solid two-book surge.
Historical marker: KDWB ended the eight-book winning streak of KSTP.
Back in APRIL, four – count ’em – four stations were in double digits 18-34. That group had dwindled to one. KDWB hit double digits for the sixth straight survey. Oddly, this was the first time the station was outright #1. KSTP dipped to #2 with – again – its lowest mark since there was some sort of birthday bash at the Gray’s. Three stations were locked arm-in-arm at #3. KZJK remained in place but with its lowest score since FEBRUARY, while KXXR stepped up from #4 with its smallest share in over a year. KEEY was up from #5, despite ending a three-book surge. KQQL was close behind at #6 after posting its best share since FEBRUARY.
Historical marker: Last decade, the top five stations were KDWB, KXXR, KEEY, KSTP, and AUDACY Country KMNB (102.9 THE WOLF), then a CBS RADIO property known as BUZ’N.
Some noticeable changes in the 18-49 shares. KSTP was still #1 but saw its streak of double-digit books end at eight. It also had a co-leader in KDWB, which moved up from #3 with its largest share in over a year. KZJK slipped to #3 with its lowest share since MAY, while KQQL moved up to #4 as it bounced back from a down book. KXXR drifted down to #5 with its fourth down book in a row.
Historical marker: Ten years ago, KDWB was #1 for the ninth book in a row.
Thank you for joining us in our latest – and extended – stroll down memory lane. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. will be back in 28 days to do this all over again.
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