Exclusive August PPM Analysis: Seattle, Phoenix And Minneapolis

Three More Markets

ALL ACCESS presents JULY 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.

SEATTLE: The Rock Is On Top

For the last year ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW haD been a marvel of consistency, bouncing around the top three while scoring the occasional #1 book.  Well, this WAs another one of those occasions as it moved 5.3-5.4 and returned to #1.  Ironically, SANDUSKY Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN 92.5) saw zero movement in its numbers (4.9-4.9), but managed to move up from #4 to #2.  We’ll move on to cluster sister SANDUSKY AC KRWM (WARM 106.9), which found itself in a little hot water by posting its worst book in over a year (5.4-4.8), dropping from #1 to #3.  There was a lot to talk about at #4 as both BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F and UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW tied.  KIRO-F (4.7-4.7) matched its worst book of 2012 while KUOW (5.1-4.7) had its worst showing since APRIL.

CBS RADIO Classic Rock KZOK made a strong push for the top five by clocking in at #6 with its best performance since FEBRUARY (4.0-4.6).  What the heck is going on at BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A (710 ESPN)?  Did KING FELIX’s perfect game have that much of an impact on the numbers?  Whatever the reason, they made the "leap of the week" from a tie for #17 to a solid #9 (2.7-4.2).  Dropping out of the top 10 for the first time since JANUARY was CCM+E Classic Hits KJR-F, which plunged to #13.

While KISW may have a flirtatious relationship with #1 in 6+, its going steady with 25-54s.  This marks its eighth consecutive stay atop this chart.  Rock certainly lived in SEATTLE as KZOK came storming up from outside the top five all the way to #2.  A year ago KQMV was tied for #13 in this demo and now owns #3 for the second straight book.  ENTERCOM Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) held steady at #4 while CBS RADIO Adult Hits KJAQ (JACK FM) tumbled and stumbled from #2 to #5.  KIRO-A scored its best book in over a year and raced from #16 to a tie for #7 with the resurgent FISHER Hot AC KPLZ (STAR 101.5).
For the second straight book, KQMV put the moves on #1 (sorry, we couldn’t resist) with 18-34s. They were followed closely by CCM+E Top 40/M KBKS (106.1 KISS FM) at #2 and the surging KISW.  CBS RADIO Country KMPS and CCM+E Top 40/R KUBE were deadlocked at #4.  KKWF had its worst book since APRIL and fell from #2 to #6.  KPLZ was on the way back, while KIRO-F visited the top 10 in this demo for the first time in over a year.

The top four spots 18-49 remained unchanged from the last survey.  KISW matched its best book of 2012 and captured #1 for the eighth time in a row.  KQMV continued to move in on the competition and was a distant #2 -- which is a far cry from where they were last year.  Like a trusty steed, KKWF maintained its hold on #3 while KBKS stood fast at #4.  Taking residence in the top five for the first time in over a year was KMPS at #5.  KUBE fell out of this select group for the first time in 2012, and KIRO-A continued to amaze and astound by vaulting from #16 to a tie for #8.

PHOENIX: A Shake-up At The Top

Some familiar faces took over the top spots in PHOENIX.  CBS RADIO Top 40/R KZON (101.5 JAMZ) hit the accelerator pedal and launched itself back to #1 for only the second time this year (4.8-6.0).  It's a full share point ahead of where it was this time last year.  Meanwhile, CCM+E AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) reclaimed the #2 position it last held in JANUARY (4.6-5.4) while posting its best book since SANTA returned to THE NORTH POLE.  Oddly enough, it did the same exact thing last AUGUST.  Holding steady at #3 was UNIVISION Regional Mexican KHOT (LA NUEVA 105.9), which was over a full share point ahead of where it was last year (4.8-4.9).  CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL is on a two-book tear (4.5-4.8) and slid back into the top five for the first time since MAY.  CCM+E Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9) had been the market’s #1 station for the last two books.  Alas, by posting it worst numbers since JANUARY (5.1-4.7), it's now in the #5 position.

A year ago, CCM+E Talk KFYI-A was languishing at #18 but now finds itself a regular participant in the top-10 meetings (4.4-4.3).  The talk of the town, however, was BONNEVILLE Talk KTAR, which earned "leap of the week" honors by muscling its way from #17 to a three-way tie at #9 (2.8-3.6) with cluster-mate BONNEVILLE Adult Hits KPXK (THE PEAK) (4.3-3.6) and CBS RADIO Country KMLE (3.7-3.6).  That meant there was, technically, no station at #10.  CCM+E Top 40/M KZZP (KISS-FM) is on a two-book free-fall (3.9-3.5) that saw it plummet from #4 to its current residence at #12.

The changing of the guard continued in 25-54 as KHOT retook the #1 throne they abdicated in MAY while posting its best in-demo numbers in over a year.  SANDUSKY Classic Rock KSLX returned to #2 for the first time since APRIL and found itself tied with KMXP, which posted its worst book since that jolly old elf was in town.  What may be of more concern to MIX was that it was well off its market-dominating position of a year ago.  KESZ inched its way up a spot to #4 while KOOL posted its best numbers since MARCH and charged back into the top five.  KPXK saw its recent good fortunes evaporate, tumbling from #2 to a tie at #6 with surging KZON.  KTAR moved into a tie at #8 but as recently as APRIL it was mired at #16.

Way back in MAY, KHOT assumed the #1 spot with 18-34s -- a position it held on to for dear life.  KZON moved up to a tie for #2 with KMXP.  As recently as MARCH, MIX was a dominant #1.  Now, it found itself running with the pack.  FARMWORKER Regional Mexican KNAI (LA CAMPESINA) held its familiar #4 position while KESZ returned to the top five for the first time since we heard the sounds of silver bells.  One thing KZZP could count on in 2012 was being a top-five player in this demo.  After suffering its third straight down book, its down for the count.

KHOT posted its best 18-49 book in over a year to capture its fourth straight #1 title.  KZON matched its best 2012 performance and moved up from #5 to capture a tie at #2 with KMXP, which posted its worst numbers in over a year.  KESZ remained steady at #4, while KNAI returned to the top five after a brief respite elsewhere.  Things were not peaking at the right time for KPXK as it fell from a tie at #3 to #6.  KZZP, which had -- by far -- its worst in-demo book in over a year, came in at #7.
 
MINNEAPOLIS: What Goes Down Must Come Up

In an apparent defiance of the laws of ratings physics, the top four stations in MINNEAPOLIS experienced declining ratings last month, yet three of them actually went up.  Stay with us here.  Former #2 CCM+E Top 40/M KDWB posted its worst book of the year (8.4-7.6), which earned a tie for #1.  But wait, it gets weirder.  Former #3 HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) landed its worst book since MARCH.  Of course, it's now tied for #1 (8.2-7.6).  We’re not done.  CBS RADIO Talk WCCO-A turned in its worst 2012 performance (7.4-7.1) and, you guessed it, moved up to #3.  CCM+E Country KEEY (K102) actually followed the rules.  While they had its worst book since APRIL (8.6-7.0), it also had the good sense to fall from #1 to #4.  Then there’s CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS, which stayed at #5 for the eighth book in a row (6.6-6.7) even though it scored its best numbers of 2012.

CCM+E Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) is on a four-book surge and had its best book in over a year (5.9-6.2) to hold on to #6.  Did K102’s demise fuel CBS RADIO Country KMNB (BUZ’N 102.9)?  Perhaps, as it went 4.2-4.6 and moved up to #9.  Welcome MPR N/T KNOW back to the top 10 (3.9-4.5), though it's a full share point below where it was this time last year.  Finally, CCM+E AAA KTCZ (CITIES 97) dropped out of the top 10 (5.1-4.3) though it's almost a share ahead of last year’s numbers.

Things were a little less strange 25-54.  While KSTP did have its worst in-demo book of 2012, it managed to remain at #1 for the tenth time in the last 11 books.  KQRS had its absolute best book in over a year and jumped up a couple of places to #2.  Meanwhile, KDWB had its worst 2012 performance and slipped back to #3 just ahead of KEEY, which had its worst book since APRIL.  CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) posted its best numbers since OCTOBER to remain locked in at #5.

When it comes to 18-34 it’s KBWB by a landslide -- it's been #1 all year.  KXXR had its best book since last OCTOBER to move up a couple of slots to #2.  KSTP suffered its second straight down book but remained at #3.  KEEY had its worst book in over a year and plunged from a competitive #2 to a distant #4.  And, it wasn’t like all those K102 listeners went to KMNB.  BUZ’N did not catch one and had its worst book of 2012, though it remained at #5.  Watch out for NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE Christian Contemporary KTIS, which has more than doubled its numbers in the last few months.

KDWB’s run of dominance in 18-49 continued with KSTP continuing to nip at its heels.  KXXR is on a three-book upswing and took over #3 from the plummeting KEEY. KQRS held on to #5 while KQQL's four-book took them from #12 to #6.

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