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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive December PPM Analysis: SF, DFW, Houston, DC, Philly, Atlanta
February 19, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. SAN FRANCISCO: Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About
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ALL ACCESS presents JANUARY 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.
SAN FRANCISCO: Let’s Give Them Something To Talk About
As the satiny strains of the Yuletide singers faded into the background, the BAY AREA audience seemed to turn its collective attention to the spoken word as three of the top-five stations only use music as bumpers. KQED INC N/T KQED returned to the top spot (5.5-5.6) it abdicated in advance of the recent SANTA invasion. CBS RADIO News KCBS-A popped its best book since MARCH to reclaim the #2 position (5.2-5.5). Though the elves may have left, ENTERCOM AC KOIT was in a better position when compared to last year. This time the station slid from the top spot to #3 (7.8-4.7), which is much preferable to the 4.1 and tie for #5 it had last JANUARY. The 49ERS march to the SUPER BOWL of Roman numerals caused quite the stir as CUMULUS Sports KNBR-A moved up a spot to #4 (3.8-4.3). Not quite as lofty as the station’s World Series run, but the GIANTS did win it all (full disclosure: RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. is located in ANNAPOLIS, MD -- right in the heart of RAVENS turf). CCM+E Top 40/R KMEL was exactly where it was a year ago at #5 (4.1-4.1). Keep an eye on CCM+E Classic Hits KOSF, which just posted its best book since APRIL (2.9-3.6) to jump from #12 to #8.
Take away the magic of CHRISTMAS and the 25-54 rankings start shaking like a bowl full of jelly. KQED was flat, but reclaimed the #1 position. CCM+E Hot AC KIOI (STAR) had its best month since OCTOBER to climb from a tie at #4 into the second position. In answer to the question, "What’s happening now?," CBS RADIO Top 40/M KMVQ (NOW) rebounded from its worst book in over a year to move from a tie at #8 to #3. KOIT experienced the expected post-CHRISTMAS meltdown and fell from #1 to a tie at #4. It was still better than the tie at #6 it was saddled with a year ago. Making the move of the month was CBS RADIO Hot AC KLLC (ALICE), which soared from #13 to a tie at #4 with its best showing since MAY.
Baseball, football, SANTA ... none of these grand distractions kept KMEL from dominating 18-34 as the station was up for the second straight book. Maintaining its usual position at #2 was CCM+E Top 40/R KYLD (WILD), despite suffering its lowest book in over a year. KMVQ was flat but managed to slip up a slot to #3 while UNIVISION Regional Mexican KSOL (ESTEREO SOL) posted its lowest number in over a year to slide a slot to #4. KLLC continued its torrid resurgence by jumping from a tie at #12 to #5 with its best book since MARCH. With RUDOLPH no longer the wind beneath its wings, KOIT dropped from #5 to a tie at #14.
We have to go all the way back to SEPTEMBER to find the last time KMEL was #1 18-49. KQED inched up the charts to #2 while KYLD suffered its second straight down book to slip a slot to #3. KMVQ bounced back from its worst book in over a year to climb a couple of places to #4 while KIOI also rebounded from an uncharacteristically poor showing to move from #7 to #5. KOIT experienced more audience desertion and tumbled from #1 to #9.
DALLAS-FT. WORTH: A Tale Of Two Holidays
This was one of many markets that had two stations commit to the all-CHRISTMAS format with decidedly different flavors -- one straight-out commercial and the other with a Christian lean. The post-HOLIDAY results were quite interesting. First, though, we pay homage to CCM+E Top 40/M KHKS (KISS FM), which returned to its rightful place at #1 (6.3-6.6). SALEM Christian Contemporary KLTY followed its foray into the holiday realm by actually moving up a slot to #2 (5.9-5.6). While this is almost a full share point better than last year’s number, the station actually had better books in 2012 when it wasn’t in the CHRISTMAS spirit. CCM+E Classic Rock KZPS (LONE STAR) reversed a three-book slide (4.3-4.6) to move from #4 to a tie at #3 with CUMULUS Country KPLX (THE WOLF), which moved up from a tie at #6 by reversing a two-book downtrend (4.1-4.6). CCM+E Hot AC KDMX (NOW) was up for the second straight book to remain at #5 (4.2-4.3). With CBS RADIO AC KVIL (LITE FM) putting away the decorations, its audience decided to move elsewhere as the station plunged from #1 to #9 (8.5-3.8). This was a steeper decline than last year when it was resting at #2 with a 4.9.
Order was restored to the 25-54 universe as KHKS was where it usually is ... at #1, with essentially the same number as last year. UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLNO (LA QUE BUENA) matched its best book of the past year and moved up a spot to #2. KZPS was up a tad and leveraged that into a two-step move up to #3. Despite a small loss of audience, KDMX remained at #4. KLTY was also down a bit, yet it moved from a tie at #6 to #5. It appears that the CHRISTMAS music focus had virtually no effect on the station’s performance. The same could not be said for KVIL as the station plummeted from #1 to #8 -- almost two full shares lower than last year’s number when the station was tied at #2.
For the purposes of these analyses, RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. only looks back at the last 14 books. In that time frame, the 18-34 demo has been KHKS’ to do with as it pleases. This time, the station bounced back from its lowest performance of the last year with something a bit more appropriate. KPLX also bounced back from an uncharacteristically low showing to move from #6 to #2. Despite a second straight down book, KLNO managed to move from #4 to #3. KDMX was also fortunate; despite a slight loss of audience, it moved up a spot to #4. SERVICE Urban KKDA (K104) had its lowest number in over a year and tumbled from #3 to #5. And, what fate befell our CHRISTMAS friends? KLTY was flat and went from #14 to a tie at #13 while KVIL dove from #2 to #19.
KHKS shrugged off its lowest 18-49 book in over a year to return to its customary spot at #1. KLNO was down for the second book in a row yet still found a way to move up a slot to #2. KZPS experienced some pleasant audience inflation and moved from #5 to #3. KDMX experienced the opposite effect, but was able to maintain its firm grasp of the #4 position. Kudos to KPLX, which recovered from its lowest number since MAY to claw its way to #5, up from #9. And, what of the folks from SANTA’s workshop? KLTY was off slightly yet remained at #6 while KVIL went from #1 to a tie at #15 – well below the tie at #2 it owned a year ago.
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: More Christmas Fall-out
As we saw with the previous market, HOUSTON-GALVESTON had two all-Christmas stations, featuring two different flavors and yielding decidedly different results in the post-HOLIDAY landscape. But first, we salute the leader – RADIO ONE Top 40/R KBXX (THE BOX). After a two-book absence, the station returned to the top spot (8.4-7.5) despite posting its lowest number since SEPTEMBER. Cluster brother RADIO ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC), on the other hand, had its best book since SEPTEMBER (6.7-7.0) and moved up a spot to #2. Currently on a three-book surge, UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLTN (ESTEREO LATINO) posted its best number in over a year (6.2-6.9) to step up one to #3. The next two spots were occupied by our Christmas stations. CCM+E AC KODA (SUNNY) had the predictable dramatic loss of audience (11.3-6.3) and slipped from #1 to #4. This was a bit below the 7.0 share and tie at #1 that the station had a year ago. Meanwhile, KSBJ EDUCATIONAL Christian Contemporary KSBJ seemed to benefit by dropping the Christmas format. The station reversed a three-book slide to recover from its lowest number in over a year (3.9-5.0). This allowed the station to move from #6 to #5.
For the first time since OCTBER, KLTN is #1 25-54 as the station posted its best book in over a year. KMJQ also scored its highest rating in over a year and climbed from #5 to a tie at #2 with cluster compatriot KBXX. CCM+E Alternative KTBZ (THE BUZZ) matched its best book of the last 14 to remain firmly entrenched at #4. KODA’s audience loss was considerable as it slipped from #1 to #5. A year ago, the station was still #1. KSBJ rebounded from its lowest number in over a year to climb from a tie at #9 to #7.
18-34 is KBXX’s playground as the station continued its dominance in this arena, leading the perennial #2 station, KLTN, by over five share points! KTBZ is on a five-book slide yet it somehow found a way to move up from #4 to #3. CBS RADIO Spanish Contemporary KLOL (MEGA) was up for the second straight book to move from #6 to #4, while LIBERMAN Regional Mexican KTJM (LA RAZA) remained at #5 despite a slight down book. Last year, KODA’s post-Christmas slide deposited the station at #4. This year, it fell from #3 to #7. KSBJ, on the other hand, rose slightly from a tie at #14 to #12.
Although posting its lowest 18-49 number since SEPTEMBER, all KBXX did was to shorten its lead over #2 KLTN to about one share point, as opposed to the customary two or three. KTBZ had its best book since SEPTEMBER to move up one to #3 while KMJQ had its best showing since FEBRUARY to slide up a slot to #4. A year ago, COX RADIO Country KKBQ (93Q) was tied at #15. This time, after posting its best number since AUGUST, the station rose from #7 to #5. The lack of sleigh bells forced KODA to drop from #2 to #6 – about where it was before all this holiday hoo-hah began. KSBJ reversed a two-book slide to climb from a tie at #14 to #7.
WASHINGTON: The News Capital
It seems almost cliché to say that the most powerful city in the world would naturally be the one market where news and information reign supreme. At least for this book, the cliché is true. AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU posted its biggest book -- by far -- in over a year (7.8-9.2) to reclaim the #1 position it has held in seven of the previous 13 surveys. Not to be outdone, HUBBARD News WTOP scored its best book since JULY (7.6-8.3) to move up one slot to #2. What a difference a year makes. Last JANUARY the station was #1 with a paltry 7.4. The post-HOLIDAY hangover for CCM+E AC WASH was a little less acute than last year as the station dropped from #1 to #3 (10.8-6.4). A year ago the share was a 6.1 and the ranking was #4. Cluster companion CCM+E Top 40/M WIHT (HOT) reversed a three-book slide (6.0-6.3) to remain at #4. Riding the crest of a four-book slide was HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR (5.9-5.5), which managed to stand fast at #5. A couple of other stations to note.
RADIO ONE Gospel WPRS (PRAISE) had its best book in over a year (3.2-4.2) to move from a tie at #10 to #7. As we have seen in a couple of other markets where the second CHRISTMAS station was of the Christian variety, that station was better off in non-holiday mode. Case in point: WA ADVENTIST U Christian Contemporary WGTS went up (3.3-3.6) after returning to normal programming even though its rank slipped from a tie at #8 to #9.It was all about the news 25-54 as WTOP scored its best book in over a year to move from #3 to #1. WIHT stubbornly refused to let go of the #2 position despite WAMU posting its best number in over a year to move from #4 to #3. WASH’s post-KRINGLE number was eerily similar to last year’s as the station dropped from #1 to #4. WHUR finally ended a four-book slide to remain at #5 but is now in a staring match with RADIO ONE Urban WKYS (KISS), which moved up from #6 with its best book since AUGUST.
WKYS was up for the fourth straight book 18-34 and is absolutely pummeling the market. It had a number that was more than four shares larger than last year’s and almost three shares ahead of #2 WIHT, which was on a three-book slide. CCM+E Alternative WWDC (DC-101) was closely behind at #3 after scoring its best book in over a year. Ending a three-book slide was CBS RADIO Top 40/R WPGC as it moved up a spot to #4. Last month, two stations were tied at #6. This time the same two were tied at #5 -- CUMULUS Hot AC WRQX (MIX) and WHUR. The WASH post-Yule meltdown continued as the station lost more than half its shares to drop from #3 to #7 and was a full two shares lighter than last year’s meltdown.
Even though it did not live up to its usual lofty standards in other demos, WIHT managed to reclaim the title of #1 station 18-49 by ending a two-book slide. WKYS was on fire as it landed its best book in over a year to move up a spot to #2. WASH’s after-CHRISTMAS ratings sale continued as it fell from #1 to #3 -- the same spot it was in a year ago but with a slightly enlarged number. WWDC ended a two-book slide to move from #6 to #4 while the flatness of WHUR’s number forced the station to drop a notch to #5.
PHILADELPHIA: This Just In…
All the news that fits was emanating from CBS RADIO News KYW-A as the station returned to #1 (6.8-7.8) for the first time since before all that Christmas racket started. Speaking of rackets, it is rare that a station can lose well over half its shares and still find itself as the #2 station in a market. WEAZ-FM RADIO WBEB (B101) did just that by going 15.9-6.8. Last year at this very same time, the station was also #2 with an ever-so-slightly better 7.0 share. For the last four surveys, CCM+E Urban AC WDAS has been slowly and steadily raising its shares. This time the station scored its best number in over a year (6.3-6.6) to remain firmly entrenched at #3. Last JUNE, CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOGL was #1 with a 7.2 share. Since then, the station has been in a slow but steady decline. It finally ended that painful spiral (4.5-5.3) with its best total since AUGUST to claim sole custody of #4. GREATER MEDIA Classic Rock WMGK ended a three-book spiral of its own (4.5-5.1) and moved from a tie at #4 to #5. It is also worth noting that BEASLEY Country WXTU bounced back from a rare – but painful – month to move from a tie at #8 to #6 (3.9-4.8).
What a difference a month makes. WDAS posted the exact same 25-54 number in the HOLIDAY book as it did this time. Then, the station was #2, now it is #1. We’re going to go out on a limb and say that might have something to do with this whole Christmas thing. After all, WBEB only lost nine full share points between then and now to fall to #2, which was a better rank with a lower number than last year. Then again, this could all just be circumstantial. GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WMMR ended a two-book slide to move up a slot to #3, supplanting its older and less hairy cluster drinking buddy WMGK, which was up for the second straight book. The station found itself tied at #4 with CCM+E Alternative WRFF (RADIO 104.5), which bounced back from its worst book of the year.
Say hello to a new #1 station 18-34 -- CCM+E Urban WUSL (POWER 99), as it earned its highest number in over a year. WRFF ended a three-book slide to remain at #2 while WMMR ended a two-book slide in style to jump from a tie at #5 to #3. WDAS was up for the fourth straight book to remain at #4 just ahead of CCM+E Top 40/M WIOQ (Q102), which had its second straight up book. And what of SANTA’s musical helpers? Well, WBEB did lose almost two-thirds of its shares to drop from #1 to #7, which is pretty much what happened last year, too.
There’s a new 18-49 sheriff in town and it is – WDAS. Prior to all the CHRISTMAS nonsense, WRFF had owned this demo for about six months. Now, it had to settle for moving from #3 to #2. The post-CHRISTMAS ratings diet continued for WBEB as it weighed in nine share points lighter. Yet, it only slid from #1 to #3. Last year it settled in at #2 with a slightly heftier number. Two stations ended some recent downtrends to move from a tie at #5 to a tie at #4 – WUSL and WMMR.
ATLANTA: V Is For Domination
This was one of the few markets that did not have a mainstream CHRISTMAS station so the post-HOLIDAY re-shuffling did not apply. CBS RADIO Urban WVEE (V103) was once again your market leader (9.0-8.9). A year ago, RADIO ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC) was #8 with a measly 4.7 share. Now, the station rode a four-book surge and posted its best number in over a year (7.0-7.2) to rise from #4 to #2. Last year, COX RADIO AC WSB-F (B98.5) was the mainstream CHRISTMAS choice. This year, the station decided to forgo the format change. As a result, it was still #3 (7.3-6.9), which was well ahead of the #10 ranking and 4.4 share of last year. Cluster comrade COX RADIO Talk WSB-A ended a two-book slide (5.0-6.5) to jump from #7 to #4. Yet another member of that same cluster, COX RADIO Urban AC WALR (KISS), popped its lowest number in over a year (7.6-6.3) to slide from #2 all the way to #5. The one station that did commit to the CHRISTMAS experiment was SALEM Christian Contemporary WFSH (THE FISH), and it ended up swimming downstream (6.4-5.1) from #5 to #7. This was a slightly better landing site than last year’s 4.5 share and #9 ranking.
After scoring its highest 25-54 number since JUNE, it was no surprise that WVEE was #1 ... again. A year ago, WSB-F was in a tie at #9. This time the station found itself in a tie at #2 with WAMJ, which was #6 at this point last year. COX RADIO Classic Hits WSRV (THE RIVER) is riding a six-book flood that has seen it rise all the way to #4. At this point a year ago, the station was #12. WALR posted its lowest number in over a year and slipped from #4 to #5. The post-Hallelujah phase for WFSH saw the station drop from a tie at #6 to a tie at #10 with a number that was noticeably smaller than last year’s.
That crunching sound you heard was WVEE laying down its biggest 18-34 number since last FEBRUARY, putting it almost four share points ahead of #2 RADIO ONE Urban WHTA (HOT). CUMULUS Top 40/M WWWQ (Q100) landed its best book since OCTOBER to move up a slot to #3 ahead of the hard-charging WSB-F, which is on a three-book surge and posted its best book since JUNE. Rounding out the top 5 was CCM+E Regional Mexican WBZY (EL PATRON), which has been experiencing a power surge of its own in the last few months. WFSH’s CHRISTMAS letdown took the station from #12 to #18 -- a far cry from the tie at #7 it had a year ago.
Stay out of the lane when you hear WVEE coming as the station posted another monster number 18-49 and led #2 WSB-F by close to five full share points. Still, B98.5 can’t be complaining too much as the station was almost eight points out of the lead in a tie at #10 a year ago. WAMJ had some upward movement, which allowed the station to move from #4 to #3, displacing WHTA, which was granted its lowest number in over a year. Reversing a five-book downtrend allowed WWWQ to jump from #9 to #5. Our erstwhile CHRISTMAS competitor, WFSH, slipped from #8 to a tie at #10 ... which was pretty close to where it was last year.
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