-
Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive Holiday PPM Analysis: Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta
January 24, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. WASHINGTON, DC: We Three Kings
-
ALL ACCESS presents HOLIDAY PPM market highlights, compiled by the Ratings Experts at RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. and powered by XTRENDS, radio's #1 PPM and diary analysis tool. All numbers reflect subscriber-only data.
WASHINGTON, DC: We Three Kings
Rare it is to find a market where not one, not two, but three radio stations decided to devote their programming to CHRISTMAS music. In reality, we would not classify this as a head-to-head- to-head battle as all three presented distinctly different versions of the format. The mass-market winner was, as expected, CCM+E AC WASH, which moved up to the top spot for the first time since the last time the station settled in for a long winter’s nap (7.8-10.8). This was not quite as super-sized as last year’s 11.7. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU posted its lowest number since AUGUST to slip to #2 (8.1-7.8). HUBBARD News WTOP remained at #3 (7.4-7.6) with a much higher share than it saw last season. CCM+E Top 40/M WIHT (HOT) remained at #4 (6.4-6.0) despite suffering its third straight down book. HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR was also down for the third book in a row (6.0-5.9), but held on at #5. As for those other holly-jolly stations, GWET Classical WETA made effective use of the nutcrackers (2.7-3.2) to move from a tie at #16 to a tie at #10. The last time the station was in the top 10 was, oddly enough, in the last HOLIDAY book. Meanwhile, WA ADVENTIST U Christian Contemporary WGTS did not see any benefit with all that caroling (3.7-3.3) and fell into a tie at #8.
There was a huge present under the tree for WASH as the station was #1 25-54 for the second book in a row with a number that was just thiiiiis short of equaling last year’s. Cluster confederate WIHT remained at #2 despite posting its lowest number since the last time all was calm, all was bright. WTOP took over sole possession of #3 just ahead of WAMU, which moved up from a tie at #5. WHUR was down for the fourth straight book and slipped from a tie at #3 to #5. As for SANTA’s other helpers: WGTS remained in a tie at #12 despite a down book, while WETA went from a tie at #22 to a tie at #20.
As we have seen in other markets, 18-34 is a demo that can be resistant to the lure of jingle bell rock. RADIO ONE Urban WKYS (KISS) continued to lead the pack after posting its best book in over a year. WIHT was off a bit but still nipping at KISS’s nose at #2. WASH moved up a slot to #3 with a number that was lower than last year’s. CCM+E Alternative WWDC (DC101) slipped a spot to #4, but was still comfortably ahead of CBS RADIO Top 40/R WPGC at #5. Once again, bells were ringing the sad, sad news as WGTS slipped from a tie at #9 to a tie at #12. On the other hand, WETA moved from #23 to a tie at #19 with a share that was more than double last year’s total.
CHRISTMAS was the music of choice 18-49 as WASH moved from #2 to #1 with a number that was noticeably larger than last year’s. This bumped cluster crony WIHT to #2, ending a 12-book run at #1. WKYS remained in firm control of #3 as WHUR did for #4. WAMU moved up a spot to #5, which is a far cry better than the tie at #8 it had a year ago. Continuing the trend, WGTS did not appear to benefit from the angels heard on high as the station remained at #13. WETA did see its fortunes rise as it moved from #23 to a tie at #20, with a slightly larger share than last year.
PHILADELPHIA: Christmas Go Boom In Here
It is not very often -- especially in the PPM era -- that we see a major-market radio station pull a 15 share. And, to do it two years in a row? Remarkable. That is exactly what happened to WEAZ-FM RADIO AC WBEB (B101) as the station went 9.5-15.9 to capture the top spot for the second book in a row. This not only beat last year’s mark of a 15.3 but was done while another major player also switched to dreaming of a white CHRISTMAS. CBS RADIO News KYW-A was down slightly (6.9-6.8) but kept a firm grip on #2. CCM+E Urban AC WDAS matched its recent strong run (6.3-6.3) to remain at #3. Meanwhile, the "second in" CHRISTMAS station did not seem to reap any benefits from having Yuletide carols sung by a choir. CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOGL may have moved from a tie at #5 to a tie at #4 but the station actually posted its lowest number in over a year (4.7-4.5). GREATER MEDIA Classic Rock WMGK also rose from a tie at #5 to a tie at #4 despite scoring its lowest number since APRIL (4.7-4.5).
Ho, ho ho, who wouldn’t know that WBEB would completely dominate 25-54 with a holly-infused number that far exceeded last year’s. And there was WDAS, posting its best book since JANUARY but having to settle for being #2 again. WMGK unwrapped an improving book and rose from #6 to #3. Cluster cohort GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WMMR remained at #4 but is now tied with CCM+E Alternative WRFF (RADIO 104.5), which slipped from #3 after scoring its lowest number of the year. WOGL’s stocking was not very well hung as the station slipped from #9 to #11.
This is certainly one of the markets where CHRISTMAS music resonated 18-34 as WBEB posted a SANTA-sized share to repeat as #1. This year’s number was appreciably larger than last year’s. WRFF posted its third straight down book but managed to hang in at #2. CCM+E Urban WUSL (POWER) held on at #3 despite posting its lowest book since AUGUST. WDAS was handed its best book in over a year and was rewarded with another stay at #4. CCM+E Top 40/M WIOQ (Q102) moved up a spot to tie at #5 with WMMR. WOGL seemed to benefit from frosty rock by rising from #15 to a tie at #12 but the station actually had a down book.
Another demo, another dominant performance for WBEB as the station was #1 18-49 with -- yet again -- a number bigger than last year’s. WDAS -- again -- scored its best book in over a year and had to settle for being #2. WRFF had its lowest book of the year and slipped a spot to #3. WIOQ also had its lowest number of the year but managed to move up a spot to #4. Two stations were seen cohabitating at #5 -- WUSL and WMMR. WOGL found itself on the naughty list again by having a down book to remain at #12.
ATLANTA: A Rather Quiet Christmas
The usual rules of the CHRISTMAS effect did not apply in ATLANTA. The "traditional" CHRISTMAS station decided not to do what it usually did while another station came to the party late with a slightly different flavor of the format. All this spelled good news for CBS RADIO Urban WVEE (V103), which scored its 13th straight #1 book (7.9-9.0). The only road block had been All-CHRISTMAS and this was not the impediment it was last year. COX RADIO Urban AC WALR (KISS) had its best book in over a year (7.5-7.6) to remain the #2 station. Last year’s All-CHRISTMAS king was COX RADIO AC WSB-F (B98.5). This year the station did not go whole hog holiday and did well for itself (7.0-7.3) to remain at #3. Of course, a year ago it pulled a 9.4. RADIO ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC) had its best book since APRIL (6.8-7.0) to remain at #4. This year’s CHRISTMAS competitor was SALEM Christian Contemporary WFSH (THE FISH) and the station did not disappoint, moving from #7 to #5 (5.0-6.4), which was far better than the 4.7 it posted a year ago.
WVEE’s uninterrupted reign over 25-54 remained intact as the station was #1 again. Even in the face of a full CHRISTMAS assault last year, V103 topped the chart. The only difference is the race was actually close last year. WSB-F found itself in the same #2 spot as last year, albeit with a significantly lower share. WAMJ matched its best book of the year (from last month) to move up a spot to #3, bumping WALR down to #4. A year ago COX RADIO Classic Hits WSRV (THE RIVER) was ranked #13 but the station now finds itself at #5. The nights were not very silent for WFSH as the station rose from #11 to a tie at #6.
There was precious little evidence of CHRISTMAS influence on 18-34. WVEE had its best book since JULY to continue to dominate from its #1 position. RADIO ONE Urban WHTA (HOT) was still #2, followed dutifully by CCM+E Top 40/M WWPW (POWER), which has matched its best book of the year in four out of the last five months. CUMULUS Top 40/M WWWQ (Q100) was down for the fourth book in a row but managed to take over sole possession of #4. CCM+E Regional Mexican WBZY (EL PATRON) slipped a spot to #5. Last year, as an all-Christmas product, WSB-F was #4. This year the station was #6. WFSH improved its lot by moving from a tie at #15 to #12.
WVEE laid down its best book since JANUARY to capture the 18-49 crown -- again. WSB-F was #2, the same position it held last year as a tinsel-encrusted product. And, to be fair, this year’s share was not that much lower than last year’s. WHTA edged up a spot to #3, swapping places with WAMJ. WALR now has #5 all to itself. FSH continued to reap the rewards of the holiday spirit as it moved from #11 to #8 -- the best number and rank it has had in this demo since JANUARY.
-
-