Research Director Inc., Exclusive February '22 PPM Analysis for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco And Dallas-Fort Worth

The 28-day survey period colloquially known as FEBRUARY began innocently enough on the 3rd of the month and concluded with a flourish on MARCH 2nd. We had the big game we cannot call by its name, the further loosening of COVID-19 restrictions, pain at the pump, and the beginning of a horrific and brutal war in UKRAINE. There was a lot to unpack here. However, the job assigned to The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the number-crunching gurus from XTRENDS – is to focus on what happened to radio listening. And that is exactly what we are about to do…

NEW YORK: Two In A Row

The status remained pretty much quo at the top of the 6+ leaderboard. Though MEDIACO Urban AC WBLS ended a solid two-book surge (6.6-5.9), the station remained #1 for the second straight survey. iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (106.7 LITE FM) repeated at #2 but with its lowest share in over a year (6.0-5.5). Not far behind at #3 was AUDACY Classic Hits WCBS, which idled in place with its third up book in a row (5.3-5.4). Sometimes showing up is all it takes. SBS Tropical WSKQ (MEGA 97.9) was flat (4.6-4.6) but stepped up to #4. This pushed iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHTZ (Z100) to #5 (4.7-4.5). WLTW continued as the cume champ with a 5.8% increase (3,157,500-3,340-200). The market grew by 4.4%.

The top three 25-54 slots were unchanged from last month. WSKQ posted its smallest share since SEPTEMBER but won the demo for the second straight survey. WHTZ repeated at #2, though it ended a rather robust two-book surge. WLTW was back at #3 but with – again – its lowest mark in over a year. WCBS stepped up to #4 with its best outing since MAY, while AUDACY Hot AC WNEW (NEW 102.7) moved up to #5 with a solid increase. WBLS was off slightly as it dipped to #6.

iHEARTMEDIA Urban WWPR (POWER 105.1) made the leap o’ the month as it rocketed from #10 to #1 18-34. The station had a massive share increase and posted its biggest number in over a year. WHTZ remained at #2 though the station gave back all of last month’s huge share increase. WBLS’s stay at the top lasted one book as it slipped to #3 with its lowest score since AUGUST. MEDIACO Top 40/M WQHT (HOT 97) remained at #4 with a slight increase, while WSKQ slipped to #5 with a modest loss of share. WCBS dipped to #6 as it ended a strong two-book surge.

WHTZ and WSKQ remained #1 and #2, respectively, 18-49. Both stations had down books and the gap between them was under a half share. WWPR leapt from #9 to #3 as it ended a two-book slide. WLTW was back at #4 but with its smallest share in over a year, while WBLS slid to #5 as it returned all of last month’s large increase. WNEW repeated at #6 with a modest gain, while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKTU dropped to #7, despite only a slight loss of share.

LOS ANGELES: In KOST Mode

Though iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST landed its lowest 6+ share since SEPTEMBER (6.3-5.8), the station cruised to its eighth straight victory. AUDACY Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH 101) remained entrenched at #2 for the seventh consecutive survey (5.6-5.3), while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (104.3 MYFM) repeated at #3 with its highest share in over a year (4.6-4.8). AUDACY Urban AC KTWV (94.7 THE WAVE) also had its best outing in over a year (4.2-4.7) as it advanced to #4. UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary KLVE (K-LOVE 107.5) dipped to #5, even though it was up for the third book in a row (4.4-4.6). KOST remained on top of the cume heap with a 9.7% increase (2,188,100-2,399,900). The market rose by 1.2%.

On our previous visit, we saw KOST and KBIG were united together at #2 25-54. KOST was flat and moved up to #1 while KBIG remained in place with a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KIIS (102.7 KISS FM) had its best book in over a year as it advanced three spaces to #3. KRTH dropped from first to fourth as it returned a chunk of last month’s huge share increase. KLVE and SBS Regional Mexican KLAX (LA RAZA 97.9) had been an item at #4. A flat KLVE slipped to #5, while KLAX fell to #6 with a modest decrease.

For the first time since OCTOBER, KIIS was atop the 18-34 leaderboard. The station also had its largest share in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Urban KRRL (REAL 92.3) stepped down to #2 as it ended a rather strong three-book surge. KTWV slipped to #3 and was tied with KRTH, which leapt from #6. Both stations had modest, though opposite, share shifts. KBIG repeated at #5 with a slight increase. MEURELO Top 40/R KPWR (POWER 106 FM) had its best performance in over a year as it rose from #10 to #6. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KYSR (ALT 98.7) had its least productive outing in over a year as it fell three places to #7.

They were rearranging the furniture in the 18-49 escape room. KIIS again had its best book in over a year as it zoomed from #6 to #1. KLVE was up two slots to #2 with its third straight up book, while KBIG took two steps upwards to #3 with its largest share in over a year. KRTH slipped from a tie at #2 to #4 with a small decrease, while KOST dropped from #1 to #5. KLAX slid from the tie at #2 to #7 as it returned almost all of last month’s big increase.

CHICAGO: Change Partners

Last month we saw two stations tied at #1 6+. That pattern repeated itself but with one noticeable change. iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103) retained its share of the lead (5.7-5.7) as it welcomed a new partner. WBEZ ALLIANCE N/T WBEZ had its best outing in exactly a year (5.4-5.7) as it advanced from #3 to forge the tie. The previous co-leader – AUDACY News WBBM-A – slipped to #3 with its lowest total in over a year (5.7-5.1). It was just ahead of iHEARTMEDIA AC WLIT (93.9 LITE FM), which rose to #4 (5.1-5.0). Two stations met headlong at #5. NEXSTAR N/T WGN-A slipped from #4 (5.2-4.6), while HUBBARD Classic Rock WDRV (97.1 FM THE DRIVE) moved up from #6 (4.8-4.6).  WLIT captured the cume crown for the fifth book in a row with a 3.8% increase (1,245,200-1,292,200). The market was up by 3.0%.

The 25-54 competition was a virtual free-for-all with seven – count ‘em – seven stations within less than a half share of the lead. The chart was also lousy with ties. Last month WLIT and HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (101.9 THE MIX) were tied at #2. Both stations experienced the exact same loss of share this month but elevated their partnership to #1. Three stations arrived in a heap at #3. One of them was last month’s demo leader UNIVISION Regional Mexican WOJO (QUÉ BUENA 105.1), which posted its lowest share in over a year. Meanwhile, a flat WVAZ and a slightly improved WBEZ rose from #6 and #7, respectively. AUDACY Country WUSN (US99) slipped to #6 with a slight decrease, while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKSC (103.5 KISS FM) fell to #7.

All sorts of stuff was happening 18-34. WKSC lost most of last month’s huge share increase but remained on top for the second straight survey. AUDACY Top 40/M WBBM (B96) remained in a tie at #2 with a slight decrease. However, it had a new partner in iHEARTMEDIA Urban WGCI, which rose from a tie at #6 with its best showing in over a year. AUDACY Rhythmic AC WBMX (104.3 JAMS) dropped from its share of #2 to #4 with a small loss. WUSN had a modest increase, but that was enough to drive the station from a tie at #10 to #5. It had to share the moment as CUMULUS Alternative WKQX advanced from a tie at #8 to force the jump ball. Two stations that had been a part of the top-five collective fell into a tie at #12. WTMX and WLIT dropped from #4 and #5, respectively.

WOJO had its lowest 18-49 share in over a year but still claimed the top spot for the second book in a row. WKSC repeated at #2 but gained a partner as UNIVISION Spanish AC WPPN (AMOR 106.7 FM) leapt from #6 with a small increase. WGCI moved from a tie at #11 to #4 with its highest share in over a year, while WUSN slipped to #5 with a small decrease. WBEZ jumped four spaces to #6 with its best book since NOVEMBER. WVAZ and WLIT continued to be tied in the standings but dropped from #4 to #7.

SAN FRANCISCO: The Song Remains The Same

That headline is fake news as the leading 6+ stations rarely play any songs. For the 13th time in the last 14 surveys, KQED INC. N/T KQED was the market leader (8.5-7.9). AUDACY News KCBS-A remained #2 with its highest score in exactly a year (7.1-7.3). BONNEVILLE AC KOIT had its best Frosty-free share in over a year to repeat at #3 (5.9-6.6). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) stood alone at #4 (4.6-4.6), while iHEARTMEDIA AC KISQ (98.1 THE BREEZE) moved back into the top five (3.6-3.8). No football means no fun for CUMULUS Sports KNBR-A (THE SPORTS LEADER) as the station fell from a tie at #4 to #15 (4.6-2.2). KOIT continued as the cume leader with an 8.8% increase (1,095,600-1,191,7000). The market was up by 2.3%.

For the second book in a row, the 25-54 struggle has been between two stations. Last month KIOI was #1 while KOIT was #2. Those roles were reversed this survey as KOIT again had its best Frosty-free share in over a year, while KIOI had a slight decrease. KQED repeated at #3 but with its lowest mark since NOVEMBER. KISQ stepped up to #4 with a slight increase, while AUDACY Hot AC KLLC (ALICE @ 97.3) dipped to #5 as it lost a good portion of last month’s huge increase.

Thanks to its fourth up book in a row, KIOI had its best 18-34 share in over a year as it remained #1 in the demo.  iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KYLD (WiLD 94.9) repeated at #2 with its best book since NOVEMBER as it narrowed the gap between the two stations to a half share. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R KMEL was back at #3 with a small increase, while a flat KOIT stepped up to #4. BONNEVILLE Top 40/M KMVQ (99.7 NOW) inched up to #5 with its best showing since APRIL. SBS Regional Mexican KRZZ (LA RAZA 93.3) slipped to #6 and was tied with KISQ.

The 18-49 competition increased in intensity. KIOI repeated at #1, though it returned about half of last month’s large increase. KOIT was back at #2 with a slight increase. The net result was that the stations were less than a half share distant. KYLD remained at #3 with a small increase. KMEL was up slightly to stay at #4, though it was joined by KISQ, which advanced from #6 with its best book since SEPTEMBER. KLLC fell from #5 to #8.

DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Qué Buena Esta Caliente

It’s quite the book for UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLNO (QUE BUENA 94.1). The station rocketed to #1 6+ with easily its largest share in over a year (5.2-7.2). This ended the one-book reign of iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZPS (LONE STAR 92.5), which dipped to #2 (5.3-5.3). iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KHKS (106.1 KISS FM) remained at #3 (4.8-4.6), while SERVICE Urban AC KRNB (SMOOTH R&B 105.7) repeated at #4 (4.5-4.3). The two stations previously tied at #5 dissolved their arrangement. SERVICE Urban KKDA (K104) remained in place (4.3-4.2), while iHEARTMEDIA AC KDGE (STAR 102.1) slipped to #6 (4.3-4.0). The station did remain the cume leader, despite a 1.4% decline (895,200-882,600). The market was off by 2.8%.

In what is developing as a theme, KLNO rose to #1 25-54 with a huge share increase, leading to its best book in over a year. KZPS stepped down to #2 as it halted a very strong five-book surge. The stations were separated by nearly two shares. KKDA moved down to #3 with a slight decrease, while KRNB was up to #4 with its fourth up book in a row. KHKS dipped to #5 with its lowest mark since MAY and was paired up with KDGE, which advanced from #6 with a slight increase.

Alert readers will have predicted that KLNO moved up to #1 18-34. However, this is not an unusual occurrence for the station. It was #1 as recently as NOVEMBER and, while it had a solid increase this survey, it was only its highest number since DECEMBER. KHKS was up to #2 with its best showing since NOVEMBER, while KDGE dropped from first to third as the station ended its three-book demo winning streak. CUMULUS Country KSCS stood alone at #4 with a small decrease. Its cluster partner CUMULUS Country KPLX (99.5 THE WOLF) jumped from #10 to #5 as it ended a two-book slump. AUDACY Adult Hits KJKK (100.3 JACK FM) fell from last month’s tie at #4 into a three-way mélange at #8.

KLNO completed the demo sweep as it repeated at #1 18-49 with its highest share in over a year. KKDA was back at #2 with a slight decrease. The gap between the two stations became a chasm as it went from less than a half share to nearly three shares. KHKS stepped up to #3 with a small increase, while KDGE slipped to #4 with a small decrease. KRNB stood alone at #5 with a slight loss, while its former partner in that space – KJKK – stepped down to #6.

We are a third of our way through our FEBRUARY journey. Take a moment to pause and reflect. Now, remind yourself that The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. will return with the results from HOUSTON, ATLANTA, WASHINGTON DC, PHILADELPHIA, and BOSTON. 

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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.

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