Exclusive August 2012 PPM Analysis: San Francisco, Dallas And Houston

Exclusive Arbitron Analysis

ALL ACCESS presents AUGUST 2012 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. 

San Francisco: Dead Heat At #1

In a dramatic reversal of fortunes, two stations tied atop SAN FRANCISCO's ratings heap. As recently as FEBRUARY, CCM+E Top 40/R KMEL was outside the top 5. Though its AUGUST numbers (6.3-5.2) were off significantly from the previous month, this still constituted the station's second-best book in 2012. They fell into a tie for the lead with CUMULUS Sports KNBR-A, which as recently as FEBRUARY was not even in the top 15. Propelled by the GIANTS' pennant chase, itleapt from a tie for #4 to a share of the division lead (4.6-5.2). KQED INC N/T KQED tied its lowest share in over a year after falling 5.6-5.0. Coming on strong was CCM+E Hot AC KIOI (STAR 101.3) as it crashed the top 5 for the first time this year (4.4-4.8). There was a tie for #5 between CBS RADIO News KCBS-A (4.6-4.7) and CBS RADIO Top 40/M KMVQ (99.7 NOW) (4.7-4.7). Despite the slight increase, this survey continued a trend for KCBS as they remained far away from the 6 share range they were accustomed to as recently as FEBRUARY. For KMVQ this survey was a continuation of a solid, steady four-book trend. It was pretty much business as usual for the other four members of the top 10 –- with one notable exception. UNIVISION Regional Mexican KSOL (ESTEREO SOL) followed its best book of the year with its worst performance since JANUARY (4.1-3.5).

You would love to be on the five-month trend that KIOI is enjoying, as in that time they climbed from #9 24-54 to where they are today –- the new #1 in town. KQED maintained its hold on the second position, while KMEL fell from first to third. KNBR-A returned to the top 5 for the first time since early in the baseball season, knocking KSOL out of that select group of stations. CCM+E Top 40/R KYLD (WILD 94.9) had its worst in-demo performance in over a year.

KMEL added another #1 trophy to their mantle as it continued to dominate 18-34. This one isn’t even close. KYLD had its worst in-demo rating since MARCH, while KSOL’s numbers were itsworst in over a year. On the other hand, KMVQ had its best showing in the last year.

AUGUST was very good to KMEL, as it was  #1 in three out of four key demos – continuing its hold of the 18-49 crown. KMVQ remained a model of consistency at #2, while KIOI had its best in-demo in over a year. Going in the other direction, KYLD and KSOL matched their worst books of 2012.

Dallas-Ft. Worth: In Dallas, Mind The Gap

For the last 13 surveys, the only thing that ]kept CCM+E Top 40/M KHKS (KISS FM) from being a dominant #1 has been all-CHRISTMAS music. Since this was the AUGUST 2012 survey and we're just starting to see Halloween decorations in the stores, it’s safe to say KHKS was #1 again (8.1-7.3). However, the big news in BIG D was that SALEM Christian Contemporary KLTY had a huge book (5.1-6.3). To put this into perspective -– over the previous 12 books, the average gap between the #1 and #2 stations was two-and-a-half share points. In AUGUST, KLTY was just one point behind KHKS. Do the math (we did). Elsewhere in the top five, the race was for third place. After a two-book run at #2, CUMULUS Country KPLX (THE WOLF) slipped to third (5.2-4.9). CCM+E Classic Rock KZPS (LONE STAR 92.5) continued its five-book run in the top five (4.5-4.8) with itsbest book in over a year. CBS RADIO Classic Hits KLUV continued its strong SUMMER showing (4.6-4.4) to remain at #5. Other news of note within the top 10 had UNIVISION Regional Mexican KNLO (LA QUE BUENA) back into the 4’s (3.9-4.2) and within shouting distance of the top 5. Moving in the opposite direction was SERVICE Urban KKDA (K104), logging its worst book since MARCH (4.0-3.3).

You might start to detect a pattern here. In 25-54 KHKS continued to lead the pack, but for the first time in over a year, you can actually see that object in the rear view mirror and, yes, KLTY was closer than it appeared. KZPS had its best in-demo share since JANUARY and moved up to third while KPLX saw its strong two-book run come to an end, falling to #5. Keep an eye on CCM+E Hot AC KDMX (NOW 102.9) as it bounced back from a tough JULY. And CUMULUS Sports KTCK-A (THE TICKET) saw its fortunes rise along with RANGER baseball. 

Stop us if you've heard this one before -- KHKS was a dominant #1 –- this time with 18-34. No surprise there. It was also not surprising that KNLO was second -– it have been doing that for a while now. What was a bit of an eye-opener was that KTLY had come roaring from well outside the top 10 to a perch just outside the top 5. KDMX returned to the top 5 for only the second time in 2012, while RADIO ONE Top 40/R KBFB (97.9 THE BEAT) fell out of that same group for the first time since MAY.

KHKS dominated 18-49. It was the ratings version of "wash, rinse, repeat." As per usual KNLO was a distant second but now its hearing footsteps from KTLY, which moved up to #3 -– a position it actually occupied as recently as last NOVEMBER. KZPS and KPLX rounded out the top 5, while KDMX closed in with its best in-demo book of 2012.

Houston-Galveston: Houston Is Radio One's Kind Of Town

For the fourth straight book, the top two spots on the HOUSTON ratings chart were reserved for one company. RADIO ONE Top 40/R KBXX (THE BOX) was off noticeably from its best book of 2012 (8.7-7.8), but that didn't keep it from being #1. What it did do was allow sister station RADIO ONE Urban AC KMJQ (MAGIC) to narrow the gap (6.9-7.2). This was the fourth straight month of growth for KMJQ and marked the first time in over a year that two HOUSTON stations topped the 7 share threshold at the same time.

CCM+E AC KODA (SUNNY) has been on its own run of consistency (6.7-6.6), continuing its four-month hold on third place. Do you sense a pattern developing? In at #4 for the -– you guessed it -– fourth straight month was UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLTN (ESTEREO LATINO), which secured its best book (5.7-5.9) since APRIL. Patterns are made to be broken and the contrarian was, appropriately, CCM+E Alternative KTBZ (THE BUZZ). Its best showing in 2012 (4.5-5.0) put it back into the top 5 for the first time since last DECEMBER. Lurking just outside the top 5 was COX RADIO Country KKBQ (93Q), which had been on a three-book uptrend (4.4-4.8) and tied for their best number of the year. The only station to actually drop out of the top 10 was CBS RADIO Hot AC KHMX (MIX 96.5) -- now on a two-book slide (4.0-3.2). 

25-54 was a completely different story as KLTN was #1 for the fifth time in a row. KTBZ and KMJQ kept the race close with their best books in several months. The news was not quite as good for KBXX and KODA, which posted shares lower than what they’d been averaging in 2012. Keep a sharp eye on KKBQ, which was enjoying its best in-demo ratings of 2012.

If you're an 18-34 year-old in HOUSTON, you pretty much listened to KBXX. Oh sure, you may have found yourself dancing a little bit more with KTBZ or a little less with KLTN. But, for the most part, KBXX was your dream date. Someone who may be trying to crash this party is CBS RADIO Top 40/M KKHH (HOT 95.7).

When CHRISTMAS music wasn't playing, 18-49s completely belonged to KBXX, though KTBZ made some strong moves this survey. Not enough to move up, but enough to get its attention. Along with KLTN, this was essentially a three-station demo with everyone else well off the pace. KKBQ and KMJQ were both on a four-book winning streak.

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