Research Director Inc., PPM Exclusive June '22 Analysis For Houston, Atlanta, Washington DC, Philadelphia And Boston

June '22 PPM Ratings

In the real world, JUNE marks the midpoint of the year. However, we don’t live in the real world. In the alternate reality known as the radio, upside down JUNE is just another 28 day grouping. This one ran from MAY 26th through JUNE 22nd. It featured a long holiday weekend, a salute to dear old dad, and the longest day of the year. It was also the beginning of the vacation season with the requisite traffic delays and flight cancellations. How did it all affect the average radio listener? That’s what The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. and the math mavens from XTRENDS are here to find out.

HOUSTON-GALVESTON: What’s The Buzz

We’ll tell you what’s a-happening. As per usual, iHEARTMEDIA AC KODA (SUNNY 99.1) was the 6+ winner (7.1-7.7). This survey’s real story belongs to iHEARTMEDIA Alternative KTBZ (94.5 THE BUZZ). The station repeated at #2 but with its best outing in over a year (6.2-6.6). There is more to be revealed in this plot line. TELEVISAUNIVISION Regional Mexican KLTN (QUÉ BUENA 102.9) was back at #3 (6.1-6.2). Last month, three stations were intertwined at #4. That relationship did not last. URBAN ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC 102.1) was left alone in fourth place with its highest share in over a year (5.5-5.7). COX MEDIA Classic Rock KGLK (106.9 & 107.5 THE EAGLE) slipped to #5 (5.5-5.3), while KSBJ EDUCATIONAL Christian Contemporary KSBJ dropped to #6 (5.5-5.2). KODA continued to have the most cume (1,627,600-1,607,900) – a decrease of 1.2%. The market shrank by 1.7%.

The top four 25-54 stations were unchanged from last month. KTBZ had its best book in over a year to remain #1. #2 KODA also had a solid increase to repeat at #2 but the gap between the two grew to over a half share. KLTN was still #3 though with a small decrease, while AUDACY Adult Hits KKHH (95.7 THE SPOT) held down the #4 position despite a down book. It just edged out KMJQ, which jumped from #8 to #5 with its highest mark in over a year. AUDACY Spanish Contemporary KLOL (MEGA 101 FM) slipped to #6 with a slight decrease.

Though KTBZ was flat this month, the station was #1 18-34 for the third book in a row and remained firmly in double-digit territory. KODA advanced three spaces to #2 with a rather large share increase. This pushed URBAN ONE Top 40/R KBXX (97.9 THE BOX) – which was up for the fourth book in a row – down to #3. KLOL slipped to #4 where it was met by iHEARTMEDIA Urban KQBT (93.7 THE BEAT), which moved up from #6. KKHH went from #10 to #6 as it rebounded from a down book. CUMULUS Top 40/M KRBE fell from a tie at #3 into a tie at #8 with KGLK.

Last month KTBZ and KODA were locked arm-in-arm at #1 18-49. Both stations had solid increases this survey, but KTBZ’s was a bit firmer as it remained on top, while KODA slipped to a very close #2. KLTN repeated at #3 with a slight decrease, while KKHH was back at #4 with its lowest total since FEBRUARY. KMJQ again posted its largest share in over a year as it rose from a tie at #9 to #5. KBXX drifted down to #7 with a slight decrease.

ATLANTA: Cox Blocks

The top four slots on the 6+ leaderboard were in the possession of one cluster. COX MEDIA Classic Hits WSRV (97.1 THE RIVER) was #1 for the sixth straight survey and was dangerously close to hitting double digits (8.6-9.7). Coming in at a distant #2 was COX MEDIA Urban AC WALR (104.1 KISS FM) (6.5-6.7). COX MEDIA AC WSB (B98.5) and COX MEDIA Talk WSB-A had been tied at #4. WSB moved up to #3 (6.0-6.3), while WSB-A remained in place but with its lowest score in over a year (6.0-5.7). URBAN ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC 107.5 & 97.5) returned about half of last month’s big increase (6.1-5.5) as it slipped to #5. WSB moved back up to the #1 cume position thanks to a 10.5% increase (890,100-983,300). The market was up by 1.0%.

For the fifth time in the last six surveys, CUMULUS Top 40/M WWWQ (Q99.7) was #1 25-54. However, the race got much tighter. WWWQ returned most of last month’s large increase, while WSB stood alone at #2 with its highest share since you were hearing what I was hearing. AUDACY Urban WVEE (V-103) had been tied at #2 with WSB. It slipped to a very close #3 despite landing its largest share in over a year. WSRV stepped up to #4 with its best outing since NOVEMBER. This gang of four was separated by a half share. WALR and WAMJ were an item at #6 but drifted apart. Both stations had up books with WALR moving up to #5 and WAMJ remaining at #6. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WWPW (POWER 96.1) fell from a tie at #2 to #7.

WSRV had its best 18-34 book in over a year as it stepped up to #1. This ended the five-book winning streak for WWWQ, which slipped to #2 as it gave back most of last month’s big increase. WSB jumped from #6 to #3 with a huge share increase. WVEE stood alone at #4 while its former partner in that space – AUDACY Rhythmic AC WSTR (STAR 94) – dipped into a tie at #5 with WALR. WALR moved up from a tie at #8 with its highest total since DECEMBER. WWPW dropped from #3 to #7.

The last time WSB was #1 18-49 BURL IVES and his evil minions were stalking the airwaves. The station just edged out WWWQ, which slipped to #2 as its five-book winning streak came to an end. WVEE was up to #3 with its best showing in over a year. This trio of stations was within a half share of each other. WSRV also had its highest grade in over a year as it stepped up to #4. WALR was up two slots to #5 as it bounced back from a down book. WAMJ remained at #6 but was up for the third book in a row. WWPW fell from #2 to #7.

WASHINGTON DC: Doubling Down

AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU was the 6+ winner for the sixth straight survey. And for the third time during that span, the station was in double digits (10.1-10.2). HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR remained at #2 but with its lowest mark since OCTOBER (8.5-7.9). HUBBARD News WTOP had its smallest share since that awful Grinch song was fouling up the airwaves (7.8-6.9) to remain at #3. It was forced to share as ATLANTIC GATEWAY Christian Contemporary WGTS was up for the third book in a row to step up from a tie at #4 (5.8-6.9). iHEARTMEDIA AC WASH dipped to #5 despite ending a three-book slide (5.8-6.7). No other station was within a share and a half of breaking into the top five. WASH was still the cume champ (832,200-829,500) – a 0.3% decrease. The market grew by 1.7%.

There was a surprising turn of events in the 25-54 realm. Two stations came charging up the chart to land in a tie at #1. WASH had been at #4 and posted its best number since FEBRUARY, while WGTS advanced from #5 with its best outing in over a year. This ended the two-book reign of WHUR, which slipped to #3. iHEARTMEDIA Alternative WWDC (DC101) dipped to #4 with a modest decrease, while WAMU dropped three places to #5 with its lowest score since AUGUST. A couple of stations were about a half share outside the top five at #6 – WTOP and iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WIHT (HOT 99.5).

For the second straight survey, WASH was in double digits 18-34. This time the station landed at #1. WIHT stepped up to #2 as it ended a three-book slide and trailed its cluster mate by about a half share. This halted the five-book winning streak for WAMU, which slipped to #3 as it fell out of double digits. Coming in at a somewhat distant #4 was AUDACY Urban WPGC, which had its lowest score since there were lords leaping about. URBAN ONE Urban WKYS moved up to #5 despite a small decrease, while WHUR dipped to #6 as it returned most of last month’s large increase.

This was the second book in a row to feature a tie atop the 18-49 leaderboard. However, this new duo featured different stations from last month. WASH moved up from #4 with its best showing since JANUARY, while WGTS again had its best book in over a year to advance from #3. Last month’s #1 pairing featured WWDC and WAMU. WWDC slipped to #3 with its third down book in a row, while WAMU landed at #4 with its smallest share in over a year. Also coming in at #4 was WIHT, which moved up from #7 with a small increase. WHUR stepped down to #6.

PHILADELPHIA: Don’t Stand So Close To Me

BEASLEY Active Rock WMMR was the 6+ leader for the second book in a row while posting its largest share in over a year (7.4-8.2). It just nosed out iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WDAS, which moved up to #2 as it ended a two-book slide (6.8-8.0). BEASLEY Classic Rock WMGK slipped to #3 despite being up for the third book in a row (7.0-7.3). Those three stations were well clear of the rest of the field. AUDACY AC WBEB (B101.1) was up two places to #4 (5.3-5.5), while two stations moving in opposite directions met up at #5. WHYY INC Public Radio WHYY dipped from #4 (5.5-5.4), while AUDACY Classic Hits WOGL (BIG 98.1) moved up from #7 (5.2-5.4). AUDACY News KYW-A slid to #7 (5.4-5.0). WBEB was still the cume leader after posting a 4.6% increase (1,028,200-1,075,800). The market was up 0.7%.

When it comes to the 25-54 demo and WMMR, the old sports adage applies: you can’t stop them, you can only hope to contain them. The station was #1 for the thirteenth time in the last fourteen surveys and continued its long string of double-digit performances. WDAS repeated at #2 with its best showing since DECEMBER yet trailed the leader by three and a half shares. WMGK was up two places to #3 with a slight increase, while WHYY dipped to #4 with its third down book in a row. BEASLEY Country WXTU was off a bit but managed to move up to #5. AUDACY Sports WIP performed the PHILLIES flop as it slid from a tie at #3 to #8. 

The 18-34 demo was all about the rock but not necessarily in the order you would expect. WMGK stepped up to #1 with its best book in over a year that just happened to be in double digits. WMMR also had its highest grade in over a year as it leapt three places to #2. The gap between the two stations was about two shares. All this upward mobility ended the eight-book winning streak for WBEB. The station dropped out of double digits and down to #3 with its lowest total since NOVEMBER. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WUSL (POWER 99) was down for the third book in a row. It dipped to #4 and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WIOQ (Q102), which had a small decrease. No other station was within a share and a half of cracking the top five.

If it wasn’t for APRIL, WMMR would just have landed its sixth straight double-digit 18-49 book. As it was, the station repeated at #1 and easily out distanced #2 WDAS, which was up slightly. WMGK moved up to #3 with its biggest share since JANUARY, while WBEB slipped to #4 as it returned all of last month’s large increase. WOGL advanced from #8 to #5 with its highest score in over a year. WIP dropped from #5 and landed in a tie at #8 with WHYY.

BOSTON: The Thrill Of Victory 

If you heard LINDSEY NELSON’s voice then you are old … and you know the next line. After a one-book hiatus, BEASLEY Classic Hits WROR was back at #1 6+ (7.8-8.3). This pushed BEASLEY Sports WBZ (98.5 THE SPORTS HUB) down to #2 as it ended a strong three-book surge (9.8-7.3). AUDACY AC WMJX (MAGIC 106.7) remained firmly entrenched at #3 (6.7-6.7), while two stations were hanging out together at #4. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WXKS (KISS 108) was there last month (5.6-5.2), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WZLX moved up from #5 (5.1-5.2). WMJX was the cume leader for the ninth book in a row with a 1.6% decrease (907,900-893,800). The market was up 0.4%.

The juggernaut that is WBZ continued rolling along. The station was #1 25-54 for the thirteenth straight survey. It also hit double digits for the tenth time in that span. WXKS repeated at #2 with a slight increase and was only about five shares off the lead. That’s a big improvement because last month the gap was about nine shares. WMJX was back at #3 though it gave back most of last month’s solid increase. AUDACY Hot AC WWBX (MIX 104.1) stepped up to #4 with its highest score in over a year. The station has not had a down book since Santa when it was sitting in a tie at #13. WROR slipped to #5 with its smallest share in over a year.

WBZ was #1 18-34 for the sixth straight survey though the station did drop out of double digits for the first time since FEBRUARY. WROR moved up to #2 with a slight increase, while WXKS was up to #3 as it rebounded from a down book. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R WJMN (JAM’N 94.5) advanced four spaces to #4 with its largest share in over a year. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT 96.9) dropped three spots to #5 as it returned about half of last month’s massive share increase. BEASLEY Country WKLB dipped to #6 despite landing its largest share since AUGUST. WMJX slipped into a tie at #7 with WZLX.

For the thirteenth book in a row, WBZ was #1 18-49. Though the station posted its lowest number since FEBRUARY, it remained in double digits for the eleventh time during that span. WXKS repeated at #2 with a small increase, while a flat WMJX remained at #3. Last month WWBX and WROR were tied at #4 and liked the arrangement so much they kept it in place. They were joined in that effort by WBQT, which moved in from #6 with its highest share in over a year.

Another book is in the books. Thanks for participating. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. will take a brief recess to focus on SEATTLE, MIAMI, DETROIT, PHOENIX, and MINNEAPOLIS. 

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