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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive April PPM Analysis For New York, L.A., Chicago, San Francisco And Dallas
May 13, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. New York: Z Continues To Roll
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ALL ACCESS presents APRIL 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.
The Big ARBITRON wheel keeps turning and we are presented with another monthly opportunity at redemption, celebration or investigation. The ratings gnomes at RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. have done their due diligence and investigated America’s top radio markets -- once again -- to see where the chips have fallen. The APRIL 2013 survey covers MARCH 28th through APRIL 24th, and two trends we will be keeping an eye on this month are: The BOSTON MARATHON bombing and aftermath from APRIL 15th and the fall-out (if any) from the continued absence of MICHAEL BAISDEN from the radio.
New York: Z Continues To Roll
The BIG APPLE, where the sandwiches are bigger, the Big Gulps are smaller and CCM+E AC WLTW (LITE-FM) continued its unabated run to the #1 position despite ending a two-book surge (7.8-7.2). While the numbers may change, the rank rarely does as this compares favorably with the 7.5 the station had a year ago. For the ninth straight month, CBS RADIO Classic Hits WCBS-F held firm at #2 (6.4-6.2). CCM+E Top 40/M WHTZ (Z100) continued its recent post-HOLIDAY surge with its best book since AUGUST (5.6-6.0). Alas, the station was still wedged in comfortably at #3. YMF MEDIA Urban AC WBLS ended a four-book slump (5.3-5.6) and continued to cruise at #4 while CBS RADIO News WINS-A was up only slightly (4.5-4.7) to stand still at #5. Cluster compadre CBS RADIO News WCBS-A was also on cruise control (3.5-3.6) to remain at #10. And, what of media darling CUMULUS Country WNSH (NASH FM)? In its third month of existence, the station reached a bit of a plateau (1.8-1.8) to remain camped out at #20.
The quo remained status 25-54 as the top two stations were flat and unmoved. WLTW was #1 and cluster sister WHTZ was #2. WBLS ended a mini two-book slide to remain at #3 though it is now tied with WCBS-F, which landed its best book in over a year to move up from #5. SBS Tropical WSKQ (MEGA), on a minor three-book slide, slipped a slot to #5. The News operations were moving in the right direction as WINS-A was up slightly and moved from #12 to a tie at #9 (its highest rank in over a year), and WCBS-A was up slightly yet remained at #17. WNSH was up slightly, as well, and took over sole possession of #19.
Last month WHTZ returned to the top spot 18-34 with a vengeance. This time, the vengeance was only slightly less severe but the result was the same -- a #1 ranking. WLTW slipped for the second straight survey but remained at #2 while EMMIS Top 40/R WQHT (HOT) had its best book since SEPTEMBER to move up a slot to #3. This dropped CCM+E Urban WWPR (POWER) to #4 while WSKQ became the lone station at #5. WNSH continued to set ratings records as it had its best book ever (yes, we know it’s only three months old, but still...) as the station rose from a tie at #15 to #14.
WHTZ scored its best 18-49 book since JULY to remain at #1, comfortably ahead of cluster mate WLTW which, despite a down book, is almost a share-and-a-half stronger than it was a year ago. WSKQ has been flat or down for five straight books but still held on to the #3 position just ahead of the suddenly resurgent CCM+E Top 40/M WKTU, which moved from a tie at #5 to #4. UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WXNY (X96.3) is on a four-book slide and slipped to a tie at #5 with WBLS. WNSH did not set a station ratings record in this demo -- it simply tied it to move from #18 to a tie at #17.
Los Angeles: Another Flip-Flop
This is the fourth straight month where two cluster collaborators have battled it out over the top spot in the market. This has the makings of an epic JERRY BRUCKHEIMER special-effects-laden battle or, at the very least, some good trade press copy. This time, CCM+E Hot AC KBIG (MY FM) emerged on top despite a book of flatness (5.5-5.5), though that did duplicate its best performance of the last year. CCM+E Top 40/M KIIS (KISS FM) slipped a bit (5.8-5.4) and was forced to abdicate the throne. Another cluster resident, CCM+E AC KOST, ended its three-book post-HOLIDAY hangover (4.6-4.7) to remain at #3. CBS RADIO Top 40/M KAMP (AMP) ended a two-book surge (4.3-4.1) yet miraculously remained at #4, though it is now tied with CCM+E Talk KFI-A, which moved up from #5 even with its second straight down book (4.2-4.1).
Despite posting its lowest number since SANTA was in town, KBIG remained the #1 station 25-54 for the fourth straight survey and its margin over #2 cluster mate KIIS remained the same. CBS RADIO Alternative KROQ was flat to remain at #3 though it is now tied with KOST which, once again, ended its three-book post-HOLIDAY malaise. A couple of stations caught some serious fire last month with their best books in over a year. UNIVISION Regional Mexican KSCA remained at #5 while CCM+E Rhythmic AC KHHT (HOT) moved from a tie at #9 to #6.
For the sixth month in a row, KIIS was #1 18-34 even though it scored its lowest number since DECEMBER. All this did was make the race seem tighter as EMMIS Top 40/R KPWR (POWER) closed to within almost a share point of the lead. KBIG had its second straight positive ratings experience to move up a slot to #3, forcing KAMP to take a step back to #4 as the station ended a four-book surge. KROQ is on a two-book tear of its own and stayed put at #5 while KOST scored its best non-elf-influenced book since SEPTEMBER to jump up a spot to #6.
As you would expect, KIIS stayed atop the leader board 18-49 but its lead over #2 KBIG has not been this small in over a year. Could there be another flip-flop in the future? KPWR was off slightly but kept a firm hold on #3 just inches ahead of KROQ at #4. KAMP’s four-book crusade came to an end as it slid from a tie at #4 to #5. While KOST remained at #6, it continued the trend we saw in the other demos by ending its post-HOLIDAY decline.
Chicago: V Is For Vastly
A year ago at this precise moment (or near enough) CCM+E Urban AC WVAZ (V103) was merely the #2 station in town with a paltry 5.0 share. Fast forwarding to the recent present, the station just posted its best book in over a year (6.5-7.0) and held on to the top spot for the fourth month in a row. Using the same time frame focus, HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (MIX) was in a tie at #5 with a 4.4 share. The station just scored its best number in over a year (5.3-5.9) to move into the #2 position. CBS RADIO News WBBM-A merely matched its best book since NOVEMBER (5.4-5.4) yet was forced to step back one spot to #3. The early part of the baseball season usually lulls CUBS fans into a false sense of possibility, but that did not necessarily translate into a ratings windfall for TRIBUNE N/T WGN-A, which stayed at #4 (4.7-4.8). CCM+E Urban WGCI matched its best book of the last 14 (4.2-4.2) to remain at #5.
Ho boy, is WTMX ever on a blazing hot streak 25-54. The station secured the top spot for the fourth month in a row by posting a monster number that is almost three full shares beefier than what it had a year ago. It has a massive lead over #2 WVAZ, which did a nice job ending a two-book slide. Three stations are elbowing for room under the boards at #3. WGCI was up for the third straight month while CBS RADIO Top 40/M WBBM-F (B96) matched that feat to move up from a tie at #4. CCM+E Top 40/M WKSC (KISS) rebounded from a down book to also move up from a tie at #4.
For the second month in a row, WGCI reigned supreme 18-34 and posted its best book since DECEMBER in the process. WTMX secured its highest point total in over a year to move up to #2 for the first time since, yep, DECEMBER. WKSC slammed home its best book since SEPTEMBER to move out of a tie at #5 to #3. CRAWFORD Urban WPWX (POWER) moved from #7 to #4 with its best performance in over a year. As recently as FEBRUARY, CCM+E Regional Mexican WNUA (EL PATRON) was a dominant #1. Alas, two straight down books have caused the station to plunge to #5.
Boom goes the dynamite for WTMX 18-49 as the station picked up over a share from last month to remain #1 for the fourth month in a row. Ever since seeming to bottom out during the HOLIDAY book, WGCI has increased its ratings every month and just posted its best book since MAY to remain a solid, if somewhat distant, #2. WVAZ was flat to remain at #3 while WKSC saw a slight increase yet remained at #4. WBBM-F rounded out the top 5 with a level, steady performance.
San Francisco: It’s Going, Going
One could make the argument that if a city has a baseball team coming off its second WORLD SERIES championship in three years, that there might be a bit of a buzz on the street when the new season begins. And that argument would be successful. Witness the sudden rise of CUMULUS Sports KNBR-A. The station posted its best number since NOVEMBER (3.1-6.0), hitting a tape measure shot in its rise from a tie at #11 all the way to #1. (Of course, many of us at RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. are NATS fans so don’t expect this good fortune to last this far again. Just sayin’.) Last month’s market leader, KQED INC N/T KQED, slipped back to #2 (5.8-5.5). The ripple effect continued for CBS RADIO News KCBS-A as the station was down for the second book in a row (5.7-5.4) to slide to #3. ENTERCOM AC KOIT also experienced some slippage (4.9-4.8) and dropped a spot to #4 while CCM+E Top 40/R KMEL ended a two-book surge (4.7-4.4) to drop a spot to #5.
For the fourth month in a row -- and ninth time in the last 14 surveys -- KQED was #1 25-54. However, the station might be hearing footsteps as KNBR-A quite literally doubled its share from last month to move up in the standings from #15 to #2! Three other stations are fighting amongst themselves for a portion of the #3 position. KMEL remained completely motionless but was joined by KOIT, which slipped from #2, and CBS RADIO Top 40/M KMVQ (NOW), which jumped from a tie at #4 with its best book since NOVEMBER.
Once again, KMEL crushed the competition 18-34 with another monster book, though its lead over #2 CCM+E Top 40/R KYLD (WILD) is now under four and a half shares. KMVQ held forth in its customary #3 position while KNBR-A more than tripled its shares -- yes, we said tripled -- to jump from #22 to #4. CCM+E Hot AC KIOI (STAR) had its best book since AUGUST to return to the top 5 from a tie at #7.
Despite ending a four-book surge, KMEL maintained a comfortable lead as the #1 station 18-49 over #2 KQED. KYLD was off slightly for the second month in a row but maintained its now tenuous hold on #3. Yes, KNBR-A hit for the cycle (you had to know that was coming) as the station soared from #17 to #4. KMVQ was nice enough to post its best number since DECEMBER but was forced to take one GIANTS-related step back to #5.
Dallas-Ft. Worth: Meanwhile, Last Year
Before we go on our latest archeological dig, kudos are in order for CCM+E Top 40/M KHKS (KISS FM), which returned to the 8-share plateau (7.2-8.1) for the first time since JULY and captured the top spot for the fourth straight month. Now, going boldly forward into the past we see that exactly one year ago, KHKS was #1 with a mere 7.7 and the #2 station then is the #2 station now, only it has an additional share point to tote around. SALEM Christian Contemporary KLTY reversed a three-book slide (4.5-5.8) to wrestle full control over the #2 spot. UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLNO (LA QUE BUENA) was up for the second straight month (4.5-4.7) but slipped from that tie at #2 into a new tie – at #3 with CCM+E Classic Rock KZPS (LONE STAR), which moved up from a tie at #5 (4.4-4.7). Last month, three stations were tied at #2, all three had up books but they all moved in slightly different directions. Completing that triumvirate was CCM+E Hot AC KDMX (NOW), which posted its best book in over a year (4.5-4.6) yet fell to #5. Go figure.
After tumbling a bit last month, KHKS rebounded quite nicely 25-54 to noticeably widen its gap over #2 KLNO even though that station scored its best book in over a year. After posting its lowest book in over a year last month, KLTY made a strong return and jumped from a tie at #6 to #3. KZPS had its best number since DECEMBER to remain at #4 though it is now in a flat-footed tie with KDMX, which slipped from #3 despite increased ratings. Keep an eye on CCM+E Alternative KDGE (THE EDGE), which had its best month since AUGUST to jump from a tie at #15 to a tie at #7.
It has been almost a year -- last MAY, to be exact -- since KHKS had numbers this large 18-34. The station is still #1 and extended its lead to three and a half shares over new #2 KDMX, which just happened to score its best book in over a year. KLNO was off slightly yet managed to move up a slot to #3 while two stations are now locked together at #4. SERVICE Urban KKDA (K104) rebounded from a couple of soft books to rise from #5 while KLTY popped its best number since SEPTEMBER to rise from #10. Things were not quite as rosy at CUMULUS Country KPLX (THE WOLF), which ended a recent spate of stellar performances by scoring its lowest number since JUNE to drop from #2 to #6.
KHKS was #1 18-49 for the fourth straight month by landing its best book since JULY and extending its lead over #2 KLNO to almost three shares even though KLNO had its best book in over a year. KDMX remained at #3 while KLTY continued its mini rebirth, jumping from #10 into the #4 spot. KZPS climbed a spot to #5. KKDA was up for the third straight book to climb to #6 while KDGE leapt from a tie at #12 to #7.
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