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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive January PPM Analysis For New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco And Dallas
February 17, 2015
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. NEW YORK: They Left The Lite On
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The first new numbers of 2015. They come with that fresh-baked smell devoid of any contamination caused by the lords a’ leaping. This is the JANUARY survey that spanned 1/1 through 1/28. During that time we had two holidays, massive snow storms, and the NFL play-offs. How those played out in each market could have an effect on the numbers. Additionally, let’s see how the mighty have fallen after they were weaned off of PEM (Performance Enhancing Music).
As always, these analyses are prepared with loving care by The Ratings Experts at RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. with a healthy assist from the folks at XTRENDS.
Now, on with the show …
NEW YORK: They Left The Lite On
Despite the disappearance of BURL IVES from its playlist, iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (LITE) maintained its perch atop the 6+ standings. Of course its share dipped dramatically (13.5-7.4) but it was ahead of last year’s 6.5 when the station was also #1. CBS RADIO Classic Hits WCBS-F ended a two-book slide as it remained at #2 (6.2-6.4). EMMIS Urban AC WBLS was still #3. It was also up for the third straight book (5.8-6.1) and landed its best number in exactly one year. SBS Tropical WSKQ (LA MEGA) was #4 for the fourth straight survey (maybe that would be a good Lotto combo) with a slight loss of share (5.6-5.5). iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHTZ (Z100) maintained its residence at #5 with a slight increase (5.0-5.1). The weather outside was clearly frightful and that drove CBS RADIO News WINS-A up to #6 with its best book in over a year (3.7-4.8). Its news-breaking counterpart – CBS RADIO News WCBS-A – remained at #11 but had its best showing since JULY (3.0-3.6). We’re not quite sure what got into CBS RADIO Sports WFAN-F (THE FAN). The DEVILS? The NETS’ toehold on a playoff spot? Whatever the reason, the station ended a three-book skid (3.9-4.5) to remain at #7.
Yes, WLTW shed over five shares worth of 25-54 ratings from the previous survey. However, it remained #1 with a heftier share than last year. WBLS is coming up along the rail after it posted its highest share in over a year while remaining at #2. WHTZ leapt two spots to #3 thanks to a modest increase on its part and the downward movement of two stations that were formerly known as #3. WSKQ was off a bit as it dropped to #4 while WCBS-F fell to #5 with its lowest total since OCTOBER. Two stations landed their best books in over a year in an effort to crash the top five. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WWPR (POWER) inched up to #6 while WFAN-F took control at #7.
There were several changes at stations that play in the 18-34 arena. Both WHTZ and EMMIS Top 40/R WQHT (HOT) added new PDs and WQHT changed a prime daypart. It is likely too early to measure the effect those changes had on the respective stations. One thing we can be sure of was that WWPR had a huge two-share increase and vaulted back to #1 after a two-book absence. WHTZ was down slightly but still at #2. It was joined there by WSKQ, which moved forward two squares with its highest share since OCTOBER. WQHT also advanced one square to #4 but it was flat in doing so. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKTU had its best book since MAY as it improved two places to #5. WLTW lost over half its share as it dropped from the pinnacle to #6. It did not perform up to last year’s standard when it landed at #5.
Despite losing over five shares from its 18-49 total, WLTW managed to maintain a slim lead over cluster-mate WHTZ, which was at #2 with a slight increase. Last year at this time both stations were tied at #1. WWPR jumped to #3 with its best showing in over a year while WSKQ dropped back to #4 despite a small increase. WBLS was up for the third straight survey – posting its best share in over a year. Alas, that was not good enough as the station fell back to #5. WCBS-F dropped two spots to #7 while WFAN-F moved up two spots to a tie at #8 with its best score in over a year.
LOS ANGELES: Santa’s Off The Coast
With that right jolly old elf now working on his tan, iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST lost over half its 6+ share (12.2-5.6). Not to worry, the station remained at #1 and was in a much better position than last year when the station was at #3. Moving up a notch to #2 was iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KIIS, which ended a two-book slide (4.6-5.0). Two stations met head-on at #3. CBS RADIO Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH) rose from #4 with its highest share since AUGUST (4.3-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (MY FM) slipped from #2 as it could not quite remain flat for the third book in a row (4.7-4.6). EMMIS Top 40/R KPWR (POWER) brought its four-book slide to an end (3.8-4.0) to move back into the top five. CBS RADIO Top 40/M KAMP (AMP) dropped out to #6 as it was off slightly (4.0-3.9).
KOST replicated its pattern from above with the 25-54 demo. The station remained #1 and lost over half its share. Still, it is a share larger than last year when it dropped to #4. KIIS was just behind at #2 as it landed its highest share since NOVEMBER while KBIG remained resolute at #3 as it ended a three-book slide. KPWR took sole possession of the #4 slot just by being flat. CBS RADIO Adult Hits KCBS-F (JACK FM) jumped three places to #5 thanks to its best book in over a year. KAMP dropped to #7 as it lost a chunk of share. This was the last book for BONNEVILLE Classic Rock KSWD (THE SOUND) before MARK THOMPSON joins the morning show. The station had a nice, healthy post-holiday increase as it moved ahead two spots to #10.
Now that the wooden soldiers are in full retreat, relative order has been restored to the 18-34 universe. KIIS returned to the top spot as its share returned to the level we saw in the fall. KPWR was flat and stable at #2 while KAMP moved up to #3 with its highest total since FEBRUARY. KBIG was off a bit but held on to the #4 position for the fourth consecutive survey. KRTH was flat but still elevated its ranking one spot to #5. CBS RADIO Alternative KROQ has been on quite the roll lately. It has gone from #11 to #9 to its most recent posting at #6. Downloading its best data since MAY certainly helped. KOST performed the expected high dive as it plunged from #1 to #7. That said, it is one position and almost a share better than last year.
The top-five players 18-49 remained unchanged from last book but they rearranged themselves a bit. After a two-book hiatus, KIIS returned to #1. With a lack of chestnuts in the cafeteria, KOST dropped a lot of weight as it slid back to #2. Last year at this time it ended up in a tie at #6. KBIG remained at #3 with a slight decrease while KPWR held firm at #4 with a small increase. KAMP rounded out the quintet at #5 with its own small loss.
CHICAGO: Let It Snow, Etc.
For most of us rational individuals, winter weather sucks. It’s cold, it’s dreary, and it makes us shovel. However, for the management and staff at your garden variety All-News outlet it’s a godsend. Case in point: CBS RADIO News WBBM-A. The station moved up two spots to #1 (5.7-7.2) with its highest reported 6+ number in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103) remained at #2 as it was down for the second book in a row (6.7-6.2). The forcible removal of all things CHRISTMAS from the radio had a noticeable effect on two stations. HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (MIX) returned to where it was pre-Santa (4.1-5.2) as it moved up to #3. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC WLIT (MY FM) lost a ton of share (14.2-4.5) as it slipped to #4. That is a bit better than last year when the station was tied at #6 with a 4.1 share. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKSC (KISS) ended a five-book run where it was either flat or down (3.8-4.0) to move up to #5. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WGCI saw its three-book surge grind to a halt (3.9-3.4) as it fell three places to a tie at #8. Several stations outside the top five had some strong showings this survey. TRIBUNE N/T WGN-A bounced back from its worst book in over a year (2.8-3.5) to advance four places to #7. CBS RADIO Sports WSCR-A (SCORE) scored big (2.7-3.4) to move up four places to a tie at #8 while CBS RADIO Triple A WXRT moved up seven spots to join its cluster mate at #8, thanks to its best showing since JUNE (2.5-3.4).
Until Santa came to town, WTMX pretty much owned 25-54. It was #1 in nine of the 11 books prior to the big guy’s arrival. The station went back on top as it returned to its previous ratings form. WVAZ remained at #2 with a flat score while WKSC moved up to #3 with a small increase. CBS RADIO Top 40/M WBBM-F (B96) was also flat but it was able to inch up a spot to #4. Three stations were doing the rankings tango at #5. UNIVISION Regional Mexican WOJO (LA QUE BUENA) benefited from losing its competition as it moved up two spots with a minor increase. WBBM-A moved up three places with its best showing in over a year. WLIT dropped from the lead but was still ahead of last year’s tie-at-#10 landing space.
As we have seen in the previous markets, SANTA’s departure restored relative order in the 18-34 space. WBBM-F had its best book since JULY, which also happens to be the last time the station was #1. WKSC moved up to #2 with a modest increase while WGCI dropped to #3 with its lowest total since OCTOBER. WVAZ used a small increase to climb two spots to #4 while CUMULUS Alternative WKQX was off slightly to remain at #5. WLIT had the air taken out of its balloon as it dropped from #1 to a tie at #9. A year ago it landed at #8 with a little more share. CBS RADIO Country WUSN (US 99.5) ended a five-book slide to move up a couple of spots to #8.
Balance in the 18-49 universe was restored as WTMX zoomed up to #1 with its best book since all the insanity began. WVAZ remained at #2 with a slight decrease and was joined by WKSC, which moved up two spots with an equally slight increase. WBBM-F was flat as it moved up to #4 while WGCI dropped to #5 with its smallest output since OCTOBER. WLIT free fell from the rooftop to #8. This was the same spot it was in last year though it had a better share this time.
SAN FRANCISCO: Can’t Blame The Snow
It’s a little hard to fathom that weather was a driving factor for CBS RADIO News KCBS-A as the station is usually #1 or #2 in the 6+ rankings. However, this time its numbers were off that chart (6.1-7.4). This was easily the station’s best book in over a year and a full two shares better than last year. ENTERCOM AC KOIT does have someone to blame for its sudden fall from grace – BING CROSBY. The station only slipped back to #2 but it lost over half its share (10.6-4.8). It is, however, in better shape than last year when it dropped to #6 with a 4.0 share. KQED INC N/T KQED ended its two-book slide (4.1-4.6) to move up to #3. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KIOI (STAR) got a gift from the Magi as it moved up to #4 with its best book in over a year (3.8-4.4). CUMULUS Sports KNBR-A also had a solid increase as it prepared for spring training (3.6-4.3). It advanced two squares to #5. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R KMEL dropped out of the top five for the first time since OCTOBER (4.4-3.9) as it ended up in a tie at #8. The other station that dropped Der Bingle was DIGITY AC KBAY (K-BAY). Though technically a SAN JOSE station, it did make some noise across the bay. This time it dropped three places to a tie at #17 (2.8-2.2). This was a far better outcome than last year when it was sitting at #24 with a 1.7 share.
The hits just kept on coming for KIOI as it ascended the 25-54 throne with its best share in over a year. As recently as OCTOBER it was sitting in a tie at #7. KOIT performed as expected in losing over half its share though it only fell to #2. Last year the drop took it to a tie at #8. CBS RADIO Hot AC KLLC (ALICE) went to the moon with its best book in over a year as it climbed three steps to #3. Cluster sister CBS RADIO Top 40/M KMVQ (NOW) advanced one space to #4 with its best showing since OCTOBER. Two stations met for the first time at #5. KCBS-A moved up from a tie at #7 with its highest total in over a year while UNIVISION Spanish Adult Hits KBRG fell from #2 due to a small share loss. KMEL was off ever so slightly but that was enough to drive the station down four places to #7. KBAY dropped three spots to #18, which was better than last year’s tie-at-#21 finish.
Though KMEL failed to reach double digits 18-34 for the fourth book in a row, it remained the undisputed market leader. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KYLD (WILD) moved back up to #2 with its finest showing since JULY. KIOI was again a star as it recorded its best book in over a year to move up to #3 –- its highest rank since SEPTEMBER. #4 KMVQ made the exact same move though it was one rung lower on the ladder. Two members of the same cluster moved up to occupy the #5 slot. CBS RADIO Alternative KITS (LIVE) came in from #6 with a slight increase while KLLC had its best book in over a year as it rose from #7. KOIT was cut in half as it fell five spots to #7 – better than last year’s tie at #9.
The last time KMVQ was #1 18-49 was FEBRUARY. The last time the station had a share this high was AUGUST. Combine the two and you get a three-step rise to #1. KMEL was down for the second book in a row to remain at #2 while KIOI continued its winning ways – moving up three spots to #3 with another “best book in over a year” performance. KYLD inched up to #4 with its highest share since OCTOBER. KBRG remained flat, but unfortunately that translated into a two-step decrease in ranking to #5. The CHRISTMAS twins performed their respective swan dives. KOIT fell from the top to #7 – compared to a tie at #10 last year. KBAY’s drop was less severe – #15 to a tie at #17 versus a tie at #23 last year.
DALLAS-FT.WORTH: Not The Boom You Thought
There is only one thing that can keep iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KHKS (KISS) from being the #1 6+ station –- and you know who that is. This time the station really lowered the boom on the market (6.7-7.8) with its best book in over a year. One of the two stations that were on the “list” was SALEM Christian Contemporary KLTY and it actually went up this time (5.5-5.6). It moved to #2 with its best showing in over a year. CUMULUS Country KPLX (THE WOLF) was off slightly (5.0-4.8) but managed to advance to #3. It was joined by iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (NOW), which moved in from #7 with -– you guessed it -– the station’s largest number in over a year. The other station that was into the ho-ho-ho was CBS RADIO Classic Hits KLUV (K-LOVE). Like so many others of this genre, it saw its number halved (8.8-4.2) as it fell from the lead to #5. Last year it scored a 3.8 share and landed at #7. Speaking of the boom, this was the third survey in format for RADIO ONE Urban AC KSOC (BOOM) and the station was down again from its debut book (3.2-2.6) to drop into a tie at #15.
Last book, KHKS trailed not one but two stations 25-54 that were specializing in variations of the holiday spirit. This time, KHKS returned to #1 with its best book since APRIL. KLTY was flat as it remained at #2 while KDMX shot up from a tie at #7 to #3 with its best showing in over a year. KPLX moved up to #4 though it was off a smidge while iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KEGL (THE EAGLE) soared to #5 with a modest increase. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZPS (LONE STAR) took two steps back to #6 as it lost a noticeable chunk of share. As has been the norm so far in this survey, KLUV lost more than half its number and dropped from the top to #10. Last year it fell to #14.
It sort of doesn’t matter what’s going on in the market because KHKS always dominates the 18-34 demo. Yes, it was affected by all the holiday hoopla but ‘twas merely a flesh wound. SERVICE Urban KKDA (K104) moved up a couple of spots to #2 with a solid increase but still trailed KHKS by over three shares. Things were all jammed up at #3 and #5. First, KPLX remained at #3 with its lowest total in exactly a year and it was joined by KEGL, which rose from #6 with a solid increase. Then, we move to #5 where RADIO ONE Top 40/R KBFB (THE BEAT) remained in place with a slight decrease. It was matched by CBS RADIO Regional Mexican KMVK (LA GRANDE), which rose from a tie at #11 with its best showing since SEPTEMBER. KLUV dove so fast it needed an anti-g suit. Last month it was #2, this time tied at #21 -– which is about what happened last year.
Exactly one year ago KHKS had an 18-49 share this high and maintained its lofty presence at #1. KLTY had its best book in over a year as it moved forward one place to #2 while KDMX did the same as it rose three spots to #3. KEGL moved up one rung to #4 with a slight increase while KPLX stepped back to #5 with its lowest share since NOVEMBER. KLUV returned to earth as it dropped from #2 to #16 – it was #17 last year.
This concludes round one of our exclusive ratings analysis for ALL ACCESS. Next, we set our sights on HOUSTON-GALVESTON, WASHINGTON, DC, PHILADELPHIA, ATLANTA, and BOSTON. Thank you for scrolling this far down the page. Feel free to reach out to us with questions, comments, or corrections. Your options follow this sentence.
E-mail: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
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