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June PPM Analysis For Houston, Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, Atlanta And Boston
July 10, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. HOUSTON-GALVESTON: The Box Is Tops
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ALL ACCESS presents JUNE 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.
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HOUSTON-GALVESTON: The Box Is Tops
For the sixth straight month – which happens to cover the entirety of 2013 – RADIO ONE Top 40/R KBXX (THE BOX) was the supreme commander of the market. This was also the best book the station has had since JULY (7.9-8.6). There was a new challenger for the throne as cluster-mate RADIO ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAJIC) returned to more familiar turf at #2 (from #4) with its best performance since JANUARY (6.4-6.9). CCM+E AC KODA (SUNNY) had the exact same number (6.5-6.4) and is in the exact same position (#3) as it was exactly one year ago. UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLTN (ESTEREO LATINO) slipped a bit (6.7-6.3) and therefore was politely asked to move down from #2 to #4. For the fifth month in a row, COX RADIO Country KKBQ (93Q) settled in nicely at the #5 position (5.8-5.6). The ASTROS’ woeful performance as a new member of the American League had a negligible effect on their new flagship station, which failed to post in the top 20.
It may be one of life’s assumptions that KBXX is the perennial leader 25-54. However, the fact is that the station has “only” been #1 in 6 of the last 14 surveys. It just so happens that four of those have been the last four months, and this particular survey saw the station score its best book in well over a year, leading the market by a full share point. KLTN was locked at #2 for the fourth straight book while KMJQ ended a four-book slide and moved up from a tie at #4 to #3. KODA bounced back from a down book to move from #6 to #4 while KKBQ was flat for the second month in a row but was forced to drop from #3 to #5. CCM+E Alternative KTBZ (THE BUZZ) inhaled its lowest number in over a year to fall from a tie at #4 to #6.
For the second straight survey, KBXX saw their already impressively large 18-34 numbers grow even larger – as large as they have been since OCTOBER (minus the SANTA influence) and the station stretched its already large lead to over seven stinkin’ share points! That’s large. KLTN was up for the second month in a row to remain at #2 while KTBZ was off a bit to stay at #3. KKBQ reversed a two-book slide to move up from #5 to #4, which forced KODA to do exactly the opposite.
And finally, KBXX made it another clean sweep by brushing aside the competition 18-49 with its best book in over a year, growing its lead over #2 KLTN to over three full shares. KODA popped its best non-SANTA book in over a year to climb from #5 to #3, just edging out KKBQ, which was flat and remained at #4. KTBZ scored its lowest total in over a year to drop from #3 to #5.
WASHINGTON, DC: Breaking News
For the sixth straight month, news programming dominated the top two spots in our Nation’s Capital. The players remain the same each time, they just swap positions. For the second month in a row, HUBBARD News WTOP was the top dog (8.2-8.0), edging out AMERICAN UNIVERSITY N/T WAMU, which was down for the second straight month, at #2 (8.1-7.7). As recently as APRIL we were wondering whether WAMU would continue its amazing run and finally crack a ten share but, alas, that has yet to come to pass. CCM+E Top 40/M WIHT (HOT) remained at #3 for the fifth straight month (7.0-6.5) while RADIO ONE Urban AC WMMJ (MAJIC) scored its best book in over a year to climb from #6 into a tie at #4 (4.8-5.8). Sharing that position was CCM+E AC WASH, which matched its best book since JANUARY (5.8-5.8). HOWARD UNIVERSITY Urban AC WHUR dropped out of the top 5 (to #6) for the first time in over a year despite an up book (5.3-5.4). The NATIONALS, who stumbled out of the gate despite high hopes, did not buoy the fortunes of their flagship, CBS RADIO Sports WJFK (THE FAN), as the station slipped 2.1-1.7 and remained at #19.
News was the order of the day as WTOP regained the top spot 25-54, moving up from #3 by reversing a three-book slide. Two stations that park in the same garage were tied at #2 – WIHT, which fell from #1 after posting its lowest number in over a year, and WASH, which moved up from #4 with its best book since JANUARY. Two months ago WAMU was #1 but after landing its lowest number since DECEMBER, the station dropped from #2 to #4. WHUR had the same exact number for the third straight book to remain at #5.
For the third straight book WIHT was #1 18-34 and, despite a down book, widened its lead over #2 RADIO ONE Urban WKYS (KISS), which remained at #2 despite posting its lowest number since OCTOBER. CBS RADIO Top 40/R WPGC was down for the third month in a row yet managed to climb a spot to #3 – its highest ranking since OCTOBER. As recently as JANUARY CCM+E Country WMZQ was sitting at #14 but after posting some monster numbers, it jumped from #6 to #4, just ahead of cluster bro’ CCM+E Alternative WWDC (DC101), which slipped from #3 to #5 on the strength of its lowest number since AUGUST. WASH scored its lowest total since FEBRUARY to drop out of the top 5 to land at #6.
Despite posting its lowest number since JULY, WIHT held a commanding lead as the #1 station 18-49. WKYS had its lowest showing since OCTOBER yet held on to a strong #2 position. WASH is on a pretty significant two-book surge that took it from #4 to #3 while WTOP had its best survey since FEBRUARY to jump from #7 to #4. WHUR was up a little and remained at #5 though it is now tied with WWDC, which took a noticeable hit and fell from #3. WAMU earned its lowest number since DECEMBER to drop from #5 to #7.
PHILADELPHIA: B Is For Bada-bing
Make it three months in a row that WEAZ-FM RADIO AC WBEB (B101) is atop the leaderboard as the station matched its best non-Christmas-influenced book of the last year (7.4-7.4). CBS RADIO News KYW-A remained at #2 despite its fourth straight down book (6.2-6.1). GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WMMR dipped a bit (6.0-5.8) yet remained firmly entrenched at #3. Last month’s tie at #4 was broken as CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOGL took the spot for itself by doing exactly what it did last month (5.7-5.7) while BEASLEY Country WXTU moved down to #5 even though it posted its second-best number of the last year (5.7-5.6). The PHILLIES are so huge they command two flagship stations – one for each side of the dial – but their lackluster performance in the NL East was not a boon to either CBS RADIO Sports WIP-F (3.8-3.5), moving from #12 into a tie at the same spot, or CBS RADIO Talk WPHT-A (1.8-2.1), which remained in a tie at #19.
You can’t stop WMMR 25-54, you can only hope to contain them as the station claimed the #1 spot for the third straight book. Its lead experienced a small bit of shrinkage as CCM+E Alternative WRFF (RADIO 104.5) pounded out its best book in over a year to climb out of a tie at #3 into the #2 slot. WBEB was down for the third straight book and slid a spot to #3. Despite a slight ratings loss, WOGL managed to move up a spot to #4. CCM+E Urban WUSL (POWER) dropped its best book in over a year to soar from #8 to #5. CCM+E Urban AC WDAS is on a three-book slide and fell from a tie at #3 into a tie at #6 with WXTU.
Behold the power of, well POWER. WUSL exploded with its best number in over a year – a full two-plus shares bigger than last month – to jump from #3 to #1 18-34. This dropped WRFF, last month’s leader, back to #2 even though the station had its best book since MARCH. WMMR took a bit of a hit and fell from #2 to #3 while WXTU remained steady at #4. CCM+E Top 40/M WIOQ (Q102) was off slightly to remain at #5, though it is now tied with WBEB, which moved up from #6 despite being on a four-book slide.
The players remained the same 18-49; they just did a little rearranging. One thing that did not change was WMMR’s hold on #1 – the third straight book it has accomplished that feat. WUSL’s scorching run continued here as the station leapt from #5 to #2. WRFF remained at #3 while WXTU dropped from #2 to #4. WBEB was down for the fourth straight book to slip from #4 to #5.
ATLANTA: Oh, Oh, It’s Magic
When was the last time CBS RADIO Urban WVEE (V-103) was not the #1 station in town? We checked – it was the HOLIDAY 2011 survey. Well, history was made this month as RADIO ONE Urban AC WAMJ (MAJIC) shouted “down goes Frazier” as the champ was dethroned. MAJIC did not back into the title, either, as the station posted a solid book (6.9-7.4) to move up from #3. WVEE slipped (7.5-7.2) from the top spot into a tie at #2 with COX RADIO Urban AC WALR (KISS), which remained flat (7.2-7.2). COX RADIO AC WSB-F (B985) is threatening to make it a four-team race as the station moved up a notch to #4 with its best number since FEBRUARY (6.4-7.1). Cluster brother COX RADIO Classic Hits WSRV (THE RIVER) had its best showing in over a year (5.2-6.5) to edge up a slot to #5. These two moves helped nudge their other cluster brother – COX RADIO Talk WSB-A – from #4 to #6 (6.6-6.3). While the BRAVES may be the current rage of the NL East, their performance did not translate into boffo box office as their flagship FM was relatively unaffected. CUMULUS Classic Rock WNNX remained at #17 (2.0-2.3).
The regular order of things was maintained 25-54 as WVEE continued to hold the #1 position, though its once insurmountable lead has shrunk to less than a point over the newest #2 station. WSRV has gained over three shares in the last year and just jumped from #5 to #2. WALR slipped a bit to fall from #2 to #3 while WAMJ was up a bit but still fell from #3 to #4. The ripple effect continued as WSB-F fell a slot to #5 despite posting its best number since MARCH.
Things were as they should be 18-34 because WVEE held on to the #1 spot. However, the station is on a four-book slide and RADIO ONE Urban WHTA (HOT) posted its best book since JULY so the race has officially become a tight one. CUMULUS Top 40/M WWWQ (Q100) had its best number since OCTOBER to remain at #3 while cluster ranch hand CUMULUS Country WKHX (KICKS) slipped a bit yet stayed at #4. LINCOLN Hot AC WSTR (STAR) scored its biggest number since NOVEMBER and moved up the charts from #7 to #5 – its first appearance in that elite group in over a year. This excused WALR from the club as the station dropped a spot to #6.
There was plenty of movement 18-49 but one thing remained constant – WVEE was #1. Even though the station posted its lowest number in over a year, it maintained a healthy lead on the rest of the field. WHTA had its best book since AUGUST to jump from a tie at #4 into a tie at #2 with WSRV, which leaped up from #7 with a huge book – easily its best in over a year. WAMJ was up slightly but was ushered aside and slipped two slots to #4. WWWQ was up a bit, as well, but fell from a tie at #4 into a tie at #5 with WSB-F, which moved up from #6. WALR was off just a bit but was asked to move down from #3 to #7 because so many stations were on fire.
BOSTON: The Narrowing Gap
Make it five months in a row that CCM+E Top 40/M WXKS (KISS 108) has been sitting pretty as the number one station (8.1-7.9). However, for the first time the gap between the top two stations has narrowed to less than a point. GREATER MEDIA Country WKLB matched its best book of the last 14 (7.0-7.0) to remain at #2 and creep a little bit closer to the top. CBS RADIO Classic Rock WZLX scored its highest number in over a year yet was forced to stand pat at #3 (6.1-6.7). Two other cluster members really took the “synergy” thing to heart. Last month CBS RADIO News WBZ-A and CBS RADIO Sports WBZ-F (THE SPORTS HUB) were tied at #6. This month, by sharing identical ratings increases (5.7-6.1), they rose into a tie at #4. Same calls, same ratings, same rank, different formats – it’s radio’s version of The Patty Duke Show (geezer alert). The two stations that were tied at #4 last month were also from the same cluster but they did not carry on the togetherness theme. GREATER MEDIA AC WMJX (MAGIC) fell to #6 (5.9-5.6) while GREATER MEDIA Classic Hits WROR dropped to #7 (5.9-5.4). That BOSTON loves the RED SOX is an understatement, and with the team doing its best to erase last year’s woeful performance, their flagship station did see some value. ENTERCOM Sports WEEI-F was up (2.9-3.4) and rose from a tie at #13 to #12. The newest kid in town – GREATER MEDIA Rhythmic AC WBQT (HOT) had its first down book (3.4-3.2) and slipped from #12 to #13.
Though WXKS was down for the third straight month, it still held on to the top spot 25-54 and maintained a comfortable lead on #2 WKLB – which was up for the third straight month. A year ago, WBZ-F was sitting at #13. After posting its best book in over a year, the station is sitting at #3 for the second book in a row. Cluster brother WZLX had its best book since SEPTEMBER to climb a spot to #4, sending cluster sister CBS RADIO Hot AC WBMX (MIX) down a spot to #5 – even though the station was up for the sixth straight survey. WBQT saw its five-book surge come to an end as it fell from a tie at #9 to #10.
WXKS was up for the second straight book 18-34 and continued to lead the market by a wide margin. Cluster mate CCM+E Top 40/R WJMN (JAM’N) remained a solid #2 though the station has lost over four shares in the last year. Repeating its #3 performance for the sixth straight book was GREATER MEDIA Alternative WBOS (RADIO 92.9). WBZ-F is on a four-month tear that has taken the station from #10 to its current perch at #4, where it is tied with WKLB – which moved up from #5 with its best number since SEPTEMBER. WBQT was flat but fell from #4 to #6.
Yes, WXKS continued to dominate 18-49 but its current number is over two shares lighter than last year’s. Behold the power of sports as WBZ-F hit one over the Green Monster to jump from #3 to #2 – its highest ranking in over a year. WKLB was up for the third straight month yet slipped a spot to #3. WJMN was also up slightly to move up from a tie at #5 to #4, which bumped WBOS back a slot to #5. WMJX fell from a tie at #5 to #8 with its lowest number in over a year. WBQT experienced the first down book of its young life to slip from #8 to #9.
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