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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive Jan. PPM Analysis For N.Y., L.A., Chicago, San Francisco And Dallas
February 17, 2014
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. NEW YORK: Cold Hard Facts
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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.
Has it really been a month already? What with all the polar vortexes and post-holiday let-downs, the first book of the new year almost snuck up on us. And, in a strange twist of calendar mathematics, the JANUARY 2014 survey actually fell within the month of its birth, covering 1/2-1/29. How will the freaky winter weather and the lack of SANTA-dominated formats affect the radio world? Read on …
NEW YORK: Cold Hard Facts
Ladies and gentlemen, SANTA has left the building but he did leave the LITE on for ya'. CCM+E AC WLTW (LITE FM) experienced the expected post-HOLIDAY ratings drop (11.9-6.5) yet continued to lead the market. This year’s post-SANTA number was a bit below last year’s version 7.2. Meanwhile, the recently sold YMF MEDIA Urban AC WBLS bounced back from a down book (6.1-6.3) to remain at #2 and is truly nipping at WLTW’s heels. CBS RADIO Classic Hits WCBS-F reversed a recent down trend, posting its highest number since OCTOBER (4.8-5.4) to remain at #3. Between the unusually harsh weather and all the buzz around Bridgegate, there was a lot for New Yorkers to chew on. That is likely why CBS RADIO News WCBS-A had its best book in over a year (3.8-4.9) to soar from #7 up to #4. Cluster-mate CBS RADIO News WINS-A also came to the party, scoring its highest total since MAY (3.3-4.4) to leap from #10 into a tie at #6 with SBS Tropical WSKQ (LA MEGA), which dropped from #5 with a flat book (4.4-4.4). CCM+E Top 40/M WHTZ (Z100) is on a six-book down trend and landed its lowest score in over a year (4.7-4.6) to drop a spot to #5.
If you were looking to divine trends based on 6+, look at 25-54 where the picture was quite a bit different. Yes, WLTW shed a massive amount of its HOLIDAY weight (we should all be so lucky) but remained #1 with a slim lead over WSKQ, which moved up a spot as it ended a two-book slide. WBLS was flat and fell one place to #3 while WHTZ was up slightly to hold on at #4. WCBS-F had a strong showing here as the station moved up two spots to #5. Last month’s co-holders of the #5 position saw their fortunes sour a bit. CCM+E Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3) fell to #6 with its lowest book in over a year while CCM+E Top 40/M WKTU experienced the same fate as it dropped into a tie at #7. In the news game, WINS-A had its best number in over a year to climb five places into a tie at #9, while WCBS-A did the same in moving forward two squares to #15.
Order was restored 18-34 as WHTZ assumed its customary place at #1. It bounced back from a pretty low HOLIDAY total and is very close to the same number it had a year ago. CCM+E Urban WWPR (POWER) had its highest total in over a year to move up to #2 while WSKQ bounced back to also move up a spot – to #3. EMMIS Top 40/R WQHT (HOT) ended a three-book slide to move ahead from #5 to #4. Like those inflatable displays you saw in your neighbor’s yard, the air came out of the numbers at WLTW as it dropped from #1 to #5 with a total that is significantly lower than what it had last year.
In the blended demo of 18-49, we had a tie. WLTW remained in place while dropping a ton of share while cluster mate WHTZ bounced back enough to move up from #2. WSKQ remained at #3 and ended its two-book slide while WBLS was up slightly to keep control of #4. WWPR took over sole possession of #5 with its best showing in over a year, which bumped WKTU out of a tie and into the #6 slot – even though it was up slightly.
LOS ANGELES: The Coast Has Cleared
With the passing of the Yule season, the rankings have a much more usual sheen to them. Prior to SANTA’s arrival, two stations had spent the entire year trading spaces at #1. With CCM+E AC KOST dropping more than half its share (10.4-4.7) and dropping to #3, it allowed the usual suspects to return to their full and upright positions. CCM+E Hot AC KBIG (MY FM) bounced back from its lowest book of the year (5.0-5.4) to move back to #1 while CCM+E Top 40/M KIIS (KISS) followed the same pattern (4.9-5.2) to move up a spot to #2. KOST’s inevitable post-HOLIDAY fall landed the station at a lower level than last year’s 5.3. EMMIS Top 40/R KPWR (POWER) slipped a bit (4.4-4.2) to remain at #4 though it was tied by CBS RADIO Top 40/M KAMP (AMP), which moved up from #5 (4.1-4.2).
As we saw in the previous demo, KOST saw more than half its 25-54 number disappear as it slid from #1 to #4. Last month, its cluster mates – KBIG and KIIS – were knotted at #2. The knot was unraveled as KBIG assumed control with its best book since NOVEMBER while KIIS held forth at #2 with its most impressive showing since SEPTEMBER. CBS RADIO Alternative KROQ had its best number in over a year to move up a spot to #3 while cluster mate KAMP had the same experience as it moved forward one place to #5. KPWR was down for the second straight survey and slid out of the top five to #6.
Boom went the dynamite 18-34 as KOST lost 60% of its share to tumble from the top spot to #8 and ended up with a number noticeably lower than last year’s. Prior to SANTA’s full-bore assault on the market, KIIS had been #1 for 11 of the previous 12 surveys. A new streak may have begun as the station bounced back to take the lead. KPWR also moved up a spot to #2 while KBIG had its best number since OCTOBER to claim #3. KAMP was up slightly to remain at #4 while KROQ came back from a down book to move up a spot to #5.
It will neither shock nor surprise you to find out that KOST had a catastrophic loss of 18-49 share, which caused the station to drop from #1 into a tie at #6. On the other side of the spectrum was KBIG, which scored its best book since AUGUST to leap three places to #1. KIIS was flat to remain at #2 while KPWR was off for the second straight survey yet held on at #3. KAMP scored its best number in over a year and was rewarded with a one-place elevation to #4 while KROQ followed the same formula in rising to #5.
CHICAGO: This Just In …
The folks in the upper Midwest are a hardy bunch and tend to chortle when they see how folks in the South and East react to winter weather. However, this has been a particularly harsh winter, which left greater Chicagoland hungry for information. That’s our theory for CBS RADIO News WBBM-A’s strong showing in this survey (5.6-6.2), which vaulted the station into the #1 spot. After running the table in 2013, CCM+E Urban AC WVAZ (V103) slipped to #2 behind the polar express. This time, the polar vortex was the culprit as the station remained in place (6.4-6.0) with its lowest share in over a year. Since MAY, HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (MIX) seemed to be on a slow, steady decline, which – apparently – bottomed out last survey. The station posted its best number since OCTOBER (4.0-4.9) to rise two spots to #3. CCM+E Urban WGCI held on at #4 with its best showing since AUGUST (4.3-4.5), while cluster mate CCM+E Top 40/M WKSC (KISS) ended a two-book slide (3.8-4.2) to move up two squares to #5. Unfortunately for CCM+E Hot AC WLIT (MY FM), the station lost an enormous amount of share (11.6-4.1) to fall from #1 into a tie at #6. That said, the station is in a stronger position than before SANTA’s arrival and in better shape than last year when it had a 3.2 share.
As we noted in an earlier market, what was revealed 6+ is not the same reality as what occurred 25-54. Yes, WLIT took a tremendous plunge – falling from #1 into a tie at #10 – but was still better off than pre-SANTA and last year. On the other hand, WBBM-A saw limited ratings growth as it inched up from #7 into a tie at #6. Meanwhile, WTMX returned to the top spot after a two-month hiatus with its best number – oddly enough – in two months. WGCI actually had its lowest number in two months yet moved up two spots into a tie at #2 with WKSC, which rampaged up the charts from #6 with its best number in – wait for it – two months. CBS RADIO Top 40/M WBBM-F (B96) had its best number in … over a year to edge up a spot to #4. WVAZ, unfortunately, headed in the opposite direction and fell from the three spot to #5 with its lowest number in over a year.
A third demo, a third #1 station. WGCI had its best performance in over a year to move back to its more familiar position at the top of the chart. WBBM-F also had its best number in over a year and moved forward one to #2. Format competitor WKSC ended a two-book slide and inched up a level to #3. Moving to a new frequency looked good on CUMULUS/MERLIN Alternative WKQX (Q87.7) as the station doubled its share and moved from a tie at #11 to #4. CRAWFORD Urban WPWX (POWER) came back from an unusually low book to remain at #5. Unsurprisingly, WLIT dropped from the top rung, landing at #8 – still a far cry better than the #17 it had pre-SANTA and the tie at #20 it owned last year.
WGCI re-assumed the top spot 18-49 and sported a number two full shares stronger than last year. WTMX had been on a four-book slide but reversed that trend as it moved up a spot to #2 while WKSC ended its two-book slide to move up one to #3. WBBM-F remained at #4 despite posting its highest number in over a year. WKQX certainly garnered attention, doubling its share here and moving from #19 to #5. What’s even more impressive is that the moves were made at the beginning of week 2 of the survey. WVAZ had its lowest book in over a year to fall from a tie at #4 to #7. And whither SANTA’s helper? WLIT dropped from #1 to #8 – compared with a tie at #14 in NOVEMBER and #18 a year ago.
SAN FRANCISCO: Word, As In Spoken
The radio by the bay has its tongues waggin’ as the top three spots in the market were taken by stations that refuse to play songs. CBS RADIO News KCBS-A saw SANTA end its six-book stay at #1 last survey but the station rebounded (4.8-5.3) to return to #1. KQED INC N/T KQED scored its best number since APRIL (4.5-5.2) to break out of a tie at #3 and move back into the #2 position. CUMULUS Sports KNBR-A benefitted greatly from the 49ER’s ill-fated playoff run to post its best number since OCTOBER (3.4-4.7) to zig zag its way up the field from #8 to #3. Finally, at #4, a music station – CBS RADIO Top 40/M KMVQ (NOW), which actually dropped a spot with a flat book (4.5-4.5). CCM+E Hot AC KIOI (STAR) ended its two-book slide (3.2-4.1) to leapfrog four spots to #5. And, what of our SANTA station? ENTERCOM AC KOIT lost more than half its share (8.9-4.0) to drop from the pinnacle to #6. This year’s number is a bit lighter than what we saw in NOVEMBER and below last year’s 4.7 share.
There are few markets where a non-commercial station can be #1 25-54 and this is one where it happens frequently. Witness KQED, which had its best book since APRIL, which just happens to be the last time the station was #1 in this demo. KMVQ was off for the second consecutive survey but managed to remain at #2. UNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KBRG has been up and down over the last few books but was up this time as it moved from #4 to #3. KIOI came back to its more normal range and jumped two places to #4 while KNBR-A rode NINER fever to a four-place pop to #5. KCBS-A did not see the same lift with this demo even though it moved up two spots to #7. KOIT sky-dove from #1 into a tie at #8, which was not quite as cheery as the tie at #4 it had a year ago.
It was a cluster trifecta atop the 18-34 chart. CCM+E Top 40/R KMEL assumed its usual position at #1 even though it posted its lowest number in over a year for the second book in a row. Still, it had a comfortable lead over CCM+E Top 40/R KYLD (WILD), which ended a five-book slide to move up a slot to #2. KIOI completed the triple play, moving to #3, up from #6, with its best number in over a year. KMVQ remained at #4 despite posting its lowest score in over a year, but it was tied with SBS Regional Mexican KRZZ (LA RAZA), which moved in from #10 with easily its largest number in over a year. KBRG was flat but still fell two spots to #7. KOIT lost more than half its number as it fell from #2 into a tie at #9 – though that is a better position (with a larger share) than last year’s tie at #14.
Despite landing its lowest number since OCTOBER, KMVQ returned to the #1 spot 18-49 for the third time in the last four surveys. KMEL had its lowest number in over a year but managed to move up a slot to #2 while KIOI bounced back from an uncharacteristically poor showing to jump from #8 back to #3. KQED did much the same thing as it moved from a tie at #6 into a tie at #4 with KBRG, which had a nice increase. KYLD also had a nice increase but it wasn’t enough to prevent the station from dropping one spot to #6. KOIT dropped out of the lead position and landed in a tie at #10 – which was eerily similar to the #9 ranking it had a year ago.
DALLAS-FT. WORTH: Santa Kissed Good-Bye
No sooner did the chimney flue hit him in the butt on the way up did CCM+E Top 40/M KHKS (KISS) return to the place where it once belonged – #1 – ending a two-book slide in the process (7.0-7.4). CUMULUS Country KPLX (THE WOLF) was howlin’ at the moon after the station tracked down its best share in over a year (5.2-5.6) to move back to the #2 slot. SERVICE Urban KKDA (K104) also had its best book in over a year (4.8-5.3) – over two shares heftier than last year’s – as it climbed two spots to #3. Pretty impressive considering the station was sitting at #11 as recently as JULY. SALEM Christian Contemporary KLTY remained at #4 with a solid performance (5.1-4.9). A couple of cluster mates had their lowest books in a while and found themselves knotted at #5. CCM+E Classic Rock KZPS (LONE STAR) actually moved up from #7 even though this was its lightest share since JULY (4.3-4.1). CCM+E Hot AC KDMX (NOW) also had a down book (4.5-4.1) but moved up from #6. CBS RADIO Classic Hits KLUV (KLOVE) – which took control of the CHRISTMAS format from cluster mate CBS RADIO AC KVIL (LITE) – didn’t quite lose half its share (7.2-3.8) but did fall from #1 to #7. By comparison, last year KVIL’s post-HOLIDAY share was exactly the same and it ranked #9.
After slipping to #2 25-54 due to the KRINGLE cause, KHKS resumed control of the demo with a share that was actually stronger than last year’s. KPLX again had its best book in over a year as it clawed its way up from #5 to #2. There were several ties in the top five. KZPS bounced back to a more normal range as it moved from a tie at #7 into a tie at #3 with KLTY, which moved up one despite posting its lowest total since JULY. KKDA was up a bit as it moved from #6 into a tie at #5 with CUMULUS Sports KTCK-A/F (THE TICKET), which moved from a tie at #11 into that tie at #5. It would appear that since the station started simulcasting on AM and FM in OCTOBER, the shares of the two sticks were finally combined. Finally, KLUV quite literally fell off a cliff as it dropped from #1 to #14 – about where it was prior to when all the jingling began. A year ago, KVIL was sitting at #8 after its yule blitz.
All sorts of stuff was happening 18-34 but one constant remained – KHKS was #1 … again. KKDA ended a two-book slide to move up a spot to #2 while KPLX continued its hot streak, moving up three places to #3 despite an ever-so-slight loss of share. RADIO ONE Top 40/R KBFB (THE BEAT) ended its three-book slide to move from #7 to #4 while CCM+E Active Rock KEGL (THE EAGLE) had its best performance in over a year as it soared from #9 to #5. KDMX followed its best book in over a year with something quite a bit less tasty as the station fell from #2 to #6. KLTY also had a down book as it slipped two spots to #7. Neither of those declines were nearly as dramatic as KLUV’s as the station dropped from #4 into a tie at #20 – about on par with KVIL’s #19 from a year ago.
Once again, KHKS swept all four categories as the station maintained its stranglehold on #1 18-49. KKDA rebounded from a down book to move back to #2 (from #5). KDMX remained at #3 despite a down book but was tied with KPLX, which moved up from #6 despite a flat book. Perhaps setting a new standard for itself, KTCK-A/F made the big score as it moved from a tie at #10 to #5. KLTY slipped a bit as it dropped two places to #6. KLUV had another dramatic decline as it fell from #2 to #17 – better than the #21 it had prior to the sleigh bells but slightly less robust that KVIL’s tie at #15 a year ago.
So concludes the analytical portion of our broadcast day. Stay tuned for round two as we examine the travails of HOUSTON-GALVESTON, WASHINGTON DC, PHILADELPHIA, ATLANTA, and BOSTON.
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