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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive May PPM Analysis For Houston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta And Boston
June 11, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. HOUSTON-GALVESTON: A Strong Box
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ALL ACCESS presents MAY 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.
HOUSTON-GALVESTON: A Strong Box
Make it an even five books in a row that RADIO ONE Top 40/R KBXX (THE BOX) landed at the #1 spot (7.6-7.9). This is not unusual as it seems that one S. CLAUS is the only one with the power to keep the station off the rooftop. That said, last month’s number was quite a bit heftier than the 6.5 THE BOX had a year ago. After a couple of flat books, UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLTN (ESTEREO LATINO) popped its best one since JANUARY (6.3-6.7) to break out of a #3 tie to take over the #2 position – its highest ranking since OCTOBER. This bumped CCM+E AC KODA (SUNNY) down a spot to #3 (6.7-6.5). RADIO ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC) inched upwards numerically (6.3-6.4) but took a small step backwards in the rankings as it slipped out of a tie at #3 to #4. COX RADIO Country KKBQ (93Q) was off slightly (5.9-5.8) but held on at #5 -- a far sight better than a year ago when the station was tied at #11 with a 3.7. A couple of stations outside the top five to note. CCM+E Alternative KTBZ (THE BUZZ) bounced back from its lowest book in over a year (4.3-4.6) and inched up from #7 into a tie at #6. And, COX RADIO Classic Hits KGLK (THE EAGLE) had its best book since OCTOBER (3.8-4.1) to take over sole possession of #8.
A year ago, KBXX was sitting at #4 25-54 with a share over two points lighter than the one it just posted. Oh, and the station was also #1 for the third straight book. KLTN also had a strong showing this time around but had to settle for holding on to the #2 position. Last year, KKBQ was in a tie at #9 but now finds itself at #3, moving up one slot despite a flat book. KTBZ ended a three-book slide to move up from #6 into a tie at #4 with KMJQ, which is on a four-book slide. KODA’s two-book surge is over as the station fell from #3 to #6.
KBXX is always #1 18-34 but there was a difference between last MAY and this. A year ago, the station had less than a share point lead on #2 KLTN. This year the gap widened over SIX full shares. This, in spite of the fact that KLTN ended a three-book slide and moved up from #4. KTBZ was flat and slipped a slot to #3 while KODA dropped back to #4 – far better than the #9 position it was in last year. KKBQ has seen some ratings erosion in the last couple of months but managed to hold on at #5.
It was another double-digit share month for KBXX as it remained #1 18-49. The station was over two shares stronger than last year. KLTN was #2 for the fifth straight book but finally ended a three-book slide. KTBZ ended its own three-book slide to move up a spot to #3, which dropped KKBQ to #4. KODA was off slightly but remained at #5.
WASHINGTON, DC: A Change At The Top
It has been apparent for quite some time that the appetite for News and Talk programming in our NATION’S CAPITOL has been rather robust. This was the 11th time in the last 12 surveys that some form of News programming topped the charts. However, this time the roles were reversed as HUBBARD News WTOP returned to the top spot for the first time since AUGUST by ending a two-book slide (7.9-8.2). Last month, AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU was flirting with the 10-share range but, instead, deposited its lowest number since the HOLIDAY book (9.7-8.1) to drop back to #2. CCM+E Top 40/M WIHT (HOT) was on fire as it scored its best book since NOVEMBER (6.5-7.0) to remain at #3 for the fourth book in a row. Cluster sister CCM+E AC WASH rebounded rather strongly (4.9-5.8) to jump from #6 to #4. HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR ended a seven-book slide (5.2-5.3) to remain entrenched at #5. RADIO ONE Urban AC WMMJ (MAJIC) responded to its best book in over a year with something less than that (5.3-4.8) to drop from #4 to #6.
The changing of the guard continued 25-54 as WIHT returned to the top spot by posting its best number since DECEMBER. This was the ninth time in the last 14 surveys that the station has been #1 in this demo. WAMU scored its lowest total since things were all holly-jolly and slipped to #2. WTOP was down for the third straight book but held on at #3. WASH ended its four-book post-HOLIDAY malaise and moved up from #6 to #4. This displaced WHUR, which fell to #5 even though its ratings did not change. Keep an eye on CCM+E Alternative WWDC (DC101), which posted its best number in over a year to climb from #9 into a tie at #6.
Order was maintained in the 18-34 universe as WIHT remained at #1 for the second straight month, maintaining a comfortable lead over #2 RADIO ONE Urban WKYS (KISS). These two stations are far and away the market leaders in this demo. WWDC posted its best book since JANUARY to remain a distant #3. CBS RADIO Top 40/R WPGC was off slightly but remained at #4. WASH and cluster mate CCM+E Country WMZQ were tied at #5 last month but WASH now owns the position while its boot-scootin’ brother fell to #6. News programming is not as important for this demo as WTOP was tied at #10 and WAMU sat at #12.
In the 18-49 world, WIHT was #1 for the fifth straight survey after scoring its best book since NOVEMBER. WKYS bounced back from a down book to remain at #2 while WWDC took over sole possession of #3 with its best performance in over a year. WASH halted a slide to jump from #6 to #4 while WAMU fell from a tie at #3 to #5 despite an unchanged number. WTOP also fell out of that tie at #3 but landed, instead, at #7 with its lowest total since DANCER was prancing (or PRANCER was dancing).
PHILADELPHIA: ‘MMR Rocks
This comes under the heading of burying the lead. First, kudos to WEAZ-FM RADIO AC WBEB (B101), which took over sole possession of first place by landing its best non-jolly book in over a year (7.0-7.4). Last month’s co-leader -- CBS RADIO News KYW-A -- reported its lowest number since JUNE (7.0-6.2) to drop to #2. In the HOLIDAY book, GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WMMR seemed to bottom out with a 4.2. Well, the station has been on a tear since and just posted its best number in over a year (5.4-6.0) and jumped from #5 to #3. BEASLEY Country WXTU also bottomed out when SANTA was playing, with a 3.9. The station also lassoed its best share in over a year (5.1-5.7) to move from #6 into a tie at #4 with CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOGL, which slipped from #3 (5.9-5.7). After landing its lowest number since OCTOBER (5.8-5.5), CCM+E Urban AC WDAS exited the top five by dipping from #4 to #6.
WMMR was #1 25-54 for the second straight month but widened its once small advantage over #2 WBEB to almost two shares. WMMR had its best book in over a year while B101 is on a two-book slide. CCM+E Alternative WRFF (RADIO 104.5) remained at #3 but is now sharing the position with WDAS, which moved up from #4. WOGL was languishing at #11 in the HOLIDAY book but has built itself up since then and held on at #5 for the third straight book.
For the third straight book, WRFF held the top spot 18-34. And, while the station had a very strong performance, it was starting to see an object getting larger in its rear-view mirror. That would be WMMR which -- and we’re sensing a trend here -- had its best book in over a year to move up from #3. This dropped CCM+E Urban WUSL (POWER) a slot to #3 even though that station bounced back from an uncharacteristically down book. WXTU has more than doubled its share from a year ago and remained solidly entrenched at #4. CCM+E Top 40/M WIOQ (Q102) slipped back into the top five despite ending a two-book surge. This was due to WBEB’s three-book slide, which deposited the station at #6.
The two hottest stations held the top two spots 18-49. Funny how that works. WMMR, on a five-book tear, added three shares of bulk to its frame and was #1 for the second straight book. WXTU’s growth was slightly less pronounced but the station was at its highest mark in over a year at #2 (up from #4). The two stations that were tied at #2 last month are neither tied nor at #2 anymore. WRFF slipped to #3 while WBEB dropped to #4. WUSL ended a two-book slide to return to the top five while WIOQ stopped a two-book run to drop from #5 to #7.
ATLANTA: Do The Tighten Up
While the BRAVES may be leading the NL East by a comfortable margin (much to our chagrin), the radio race suddenly got a lot tighter. Yes, CBS RADIO Urban AC WVEE (V103) was #1, but the station scored its lowest number in over a year (8.3-7.5). Normally, it had a comfortable lead over the competition but COX RADIO Urban AC WALR (KISS) just narrowed the gap considerably as it rides a three-book surge (6.9-7.2) to remain at #2. RADIO ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC) also took a step closer at #3 by bouncing back from a down book (6.7-7.9). A couple of cluster mates swapped places last month. COX RADIO Talk WSB-A ended a two-book slide (6.0-6.6) to move from #5 to #4, forcing its lunchroom partner -- COX RADIO AC WSB-F (B98.5) -- to drop back one to #5 (6.3-6.4). CUMULUS Top 40/M WWWQ (Q100) scored its best book since SEPTEMBER (4.6-5.1) to climb from a tie at #8 to #7.
The trend continued 25-54 as WVEE continued to reign supreme. It did, however, post its lowest number in over a year and saw its lead over #2 WALR (or any #2 station) shrink to under three shares for the first time since DECEMBER. Oh, WALR did land its best number since AUGUST. WAMJ was flat to remain at #3 while WSB-F was also flat and stayed at #4, though it did take sole possession of that ranking. That left COX RADIO Classic Hits WSRV (THE RIVER) to move out of that tie at #4 to land at #5.
The natural order of the universe was restored 18-34 as WVEE continued to assert itself at #1. Even though the station is on a three-book slide, it has a comfortable two-plus share lead over #2 RADIO ONE Urban WHTA (HOT), which just posted its lowest number since JANUARY. WWWQ was a solid #3 but cluster mate CUMULUS Country WKHX (KICKS) is on fire. Just two months ago the station was tied at #14 but a blistering two-book surge has the station sitting at #4. WALR is on a pretty dazzling four-book tear that has taken the station from a tie at #10 to #5.
For the first time since DECEMBER, WVEE did not have double-digit shares 18-49. However, it still has a three-share lead over #2 WAMJ, which suffered its second straight down book. WALR was up for the third straight book and moved from a tie at #5 to #3. WWWQ also broke out of a #5 tie and moved to #4 with its best showing since SEPTEMBER. The station is tied with WHTA, which dipped from #3. WSB-F ended a four-book slide and edged up from #7 to #6 while its cluster buddy – WSRV – dropped from #4 to #7 despite a flat book.
BOSTON: A Little Bit Country
For the fourth month in a row, CCM+E Top 40/M WXKS (KISS 108) was the #1 station with its best book since DECEMBER (7.9-8.1). GREATER MEDIA Country WKLB continued its hot streak (6.7-7.0) by roping its best number in over a year to move up one notch on the belt to #2. Meanwhile, CBS RADIO Classic Rock WZLX leveraged a modest ratings gain (6.0-6.1) into a two-spot leap in the standings, climbing from #5 to #3. GREATER MEDIA AC WMJX (MAGIC) is on a five-book post-HOLIDAY slide yet remained at #4 despite posting its lowest number in exactly one year (6.2-5.9). It is now joined at that position by cluster mate GREATER MEDIA Classic Hits WROR, which moved up from #6 despite an unchanged number (5.9-5.9). As the immediate need for information in the aftermath of the Boston Marathon tragedy waned, CBS RADIO News WBZ-A slipped from #2 into a tie at #6 (6.8-5.7) with its cluster mate CBS RADIO Sports WBZ-F (THE SPORTS HUB), which is riding another -- and rather unexpected -- magical season from the SAWX (4.9-5.7). GREATER MEDIA Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT) continued to experience growing pains as the station moved up from #14 to #12 (3.1-3.4).
WXKS is on a mini two-book slide but still held on at #1 25-54 though WKLB inched a bit closer at #2 with another solid performance. WBZ-F added a full share point of RED SOX goodness and climbed from #6 to #3. Its cluster sister -- CBS RADIO Hot AC WBMX (MIX) -- is on a five-book hot streak and, after scoring its highest number in over a year, moved up one slot to #4. This nudged its cluster brother WZLX down to #5. WMJX continued its post-HOLIDAY slide by landing its lowest number in over a year to fall from #3 into a tie at #6. WBQT continued its steady upward progression and moved from a tie at #10 into a tie at #9.
WXKS finally ended a six-book slide 18-34 -- though it is still well ahead of cluster brother CCM+E Top 40/M WJMN (JAM’N), which rebounded from its worst book in over a year to remain at #2. GREATER MEDIA Alternative WBOS (RADIO 92.9) also bounced back from a bad book to hold steady at #3. WBQT continued to shake up the market as it moved up again and now sits at #4. This bumped WKLB back a spot to #5. It is said that RED SOX fans are born, not made, and that axiom appears to be truth as WBZ-F scored its best book in over a year to challenge the top five by moving up from a tie at #7 to #6.
WXKS continued its dominance over 18-49 as, despite a small down book, the station maintained a sizeable advantage over #2 WKLB. WBZ-F had more than doubled the share it had a year ago and moved up another spot in the standings, from a tie at #4 to #3. WBOS had a solid book to now claim #4 all to itself. WMJX continued to shed HOLIDAY-soaked numbers and fell from #3 into a tie at #5 with WJMN, which bounced back from a seriously down book to move up from a tie at #6. And, yes, WBQT continued to enlarge its presence as the station inched up from #9 to #8.
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