Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive Nov. PPM Analysis For Detroit, Miami, Seattle, Phoenix And Minneapolis

Exclusive Analysis

ALL ACCESS presents NOVEMBER 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.

Detroit: The CBS Trifecta

Survey after survey, the CBS cluster in the MOTOR CITY beats the stuffing out of the competition.  For this particular month, the spawn of Black Rock captured the top three places -- overall -- in the market.  Last month, CBS RADIO Country WYCD ended a four-book run at the top.  This time, the station bounced back (7.6-7.9) to recapture the crown.  They were handed it by cluster brother CBS RADIO Sports WXYT-F (THE TICKET), which ended a three-book surge (8.0-7.6) as the station slipped back to #2.  The third member of this troika -- CBS RADIO News WWJ-A -- had its best book since MAY to move up one square to #3 (6.4-6.8).  CCM+E Urban AC WMXD (MIX) was flat (5.5-5.5) yet had the good fortune to also gain one spot in the rankings, landing at #4.  Though its ratings were off slightly, CUMULUS Talk WJR-A  returned to the top five for the first time in exactly one year (5.4-5.2).  CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOMC took a bit of a tumble, scoring its lowest number in over a year (6.8-5.0) to plummet from #3 into a tie at #6.  In its final pre-jingle performance, CCM+E AC WNIC had its highest total since JANUARY (4.2-4.7) and moved from a tie at #9 to #8.

In the 25-54 arena, CBS only managed to capture the top two spots.  WXYT-F was down a bit but captured the crown for the third straight month, while cluster cowhand WYCD had its best book in over a year to remain at #2 but narrowed the gap to the slimmest of margins.  WMXD held forth at #3 though the station had its best number since APRIL.  CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD also remained stagnant at #4 with an utterly flat book.  CCM+E Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) popped its best number in over a year to climb four places to #5.  Last survey, two stations were all knotted up at #5.  This time, neither are tied, nor are they in the top five.  GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WRIF logged its lowest book in over a year to drop to #6.  RADIO ONE Urban AC WDMK (KISS) was not able to maintain its “best book” performance from last month and dropped to #8.

It is truly amazing to see the development of WYCD 18-34.  The station was #1 for the sixth month in a row and its current share is over five points higher than a year ago.  WKQI returned to the land of double-digit shares after a two-month absence but still found itself at #2.  CCM+E Urban WJLB remained at #3 though it did score its lowest number in over a year.  WXYT-F was also down but stayed put at #4.  WRIF was off slightly but did manage to elevate its rank by one to #5.  WGPR INC Urban AC WGPR (HOT) took a rather large hit and dropped a couple of places to #7.

The normal order of things was maintained 18-49 as the top five was unaffected by, well, anything.  WYCD had its best book to date for its sixth straight #1 win.  WXYT-F remained a solid – if more distant – #2 while WKQI had its best showing since MAY to hold on at #3.  WJLB was flat and happy at #4 while WRIF managed to cling to its hold on #5 despite its second straight down book.

Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood: Turn Up The Light

As per usual, COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) was the clear and present market leader and, as an added bonus, scored its best book since MARCH (8.8-9.2).  Meanwhile, LINCOLN AC WLYF (LITE FM) took over the lead in the race for second place after illuminating its highest number in over a year (5.9-6.4).  This was the fifth consecutive up book for the station as it climbed two spots from #4.  COX RADIO Urban WEDR slipped a bit (6.6-6.1) and dropped from #2 into a tie at #3 with UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR), which was completely flat (6.1-6.1).  COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY) was also flat (5.1-5.1) yet managed to jump ahead one space to #5.  CCM+E Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) slipped a bit (5.2-4.9) and fell a spot to land at #6.  On day two of the survey, CCM+E Urban WMIB (THE BEAT) was formed from the ashes of WSHE.  Its first report card had the station moving from #19 into a tie at #19 (2.1-1.7).

The top two players 25-54 were down slightly but maintained their relative positions as WHQT was #1 and WEDR was #2.  There was a three-way tie at #4 last month but that circle has been broken.  WLYF again had its best book in over a year to lay claim to the #3 position.  WAMR had its second-best showing of 2013 to remain at #4.  WHYI was off a bit and slipped from #3 to #5.  BEASLEY Top 40/R WPOW (POWER) also shed a bit of share and broke out of that #4 tie to land at #6.

Last month, WEDR’s long reign atop 18-34 came to an abrupt halt at the hands of WPOW.  While both stations again threw down strong double-digit shares, the roles were reversed again with WEDR coming out on top.  WHYI was in its customary #3 role despite posting its lowest number in over a year.  CCM+E Spanish Contemporary WMGE (MEGA) ended a four-book slide and jumped three places to #4.  WHQT had its lowest number since MAY to remain at #5 though it is now tied with WLYF, which moved up from #6.  UNIVISION Tropical WRTO (MIX) had its lowest book since JANUARY to drop three places to #7.  WMIB had a solid first showing in its new digs, moving from a tie at #16 into a tie at #12.

As is its custom, WEDR claimed the 18-49 crown again and had nearly a two-share lead over two stations that are locked in stride at #2.  WHYI was down for the second straight month to remain in place where it was joined by WPOW, which moved up a spot despite a bit of ratings slippage.  WHQT was up slightly to remain at #4 while WLYF scored its best book in over a year to move up a slot to #5.  WAMR was flat and forced to take one step back to #6.

Seattle-Tacoma: Loads Of Movement

This is one of the more compressed markets in the U.S. and, as a result, we often see small ratings gains (or losses) translate into larger movement on the charts.  CBS RADIO Classic Rock KZOK notched its fifth straight stay at #1 (5.4-5.5) but for the first time since AUGUST it is there by itself.  ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW was up enough (4.9-5.2) to allow it to climb two places to #2.  There was a three-way tie at #3 this time.  BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F remained in place despite a slight loss of favor (5.1-4.8).  ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT) -- in its second full survey in this incarnation -- moved up two places from #5 (4.6-4.8).  CCM+E Top 40/M KBKS (KISS) had its best showing since JANUARY to move up from a tie at #8 (4.2-4.8).  HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) already has the cookies by the hearth, which will help take the sting out of this book.  The station ended a two-month stay as the market co-leader with KZOK and slid down the chimney to #6 (5.4-4.5).

Rock rules … at least with 25-54, as the top two stations tend to crank it up.  KISW was #1 for the fourth straight survey while KZOK ended a three-book slide to move up a spot to #2.  KHTP’s second survey of its life was equal to its first but the station was moved back one place to #3.  HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN’) remained at #4 despite being down for the third straight month.  ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF) was off slightly to remain at #5 where it is now tied with KBKS, which had its highest number in exactly a year to move up from #10.

After two books in its new configuration, it would seem the change in format for KHTP was a good idea.  The station was not only #1 18-34 for the second straight month, it also cracked the double-digit barrier and leads #2 KKWF by over two shares.  KQMV – which was completing its fourth straight month at #1 -- had its lowest total since SANTA’s time to remain at #3.  KISW stayed at #4 with its best book since AUGUST while KBKS had its best showing since JULY to move forward one space to #5.  For the second straight month, CCM+E Top 40/M KUBE had its lowest total in over a year.  This time that caused the station to drop two spots to #7.  The station was #1 back in FEBRUARY.

KISW was up for the second month in a row to maintain its hold on the #1 ranking 18-49, increasing its lead over #2 KHTP -- which was up again.  KQMV was flat and remained at #3 while KBKS had its best book since DECEMBER to move up two notches to #4.  This forced KKWF -- which was off slightly -- to take one step back to #5.  KRWM had its lowest number since JULY to drop a couple of places to #7.

Phoenix: Kool Wind In My Hair

For the second straight book -- and third time in the last four -- CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL was your market leader as it posted its second-best number of the year (5.7-6.1).  Doing a little early CHRISTMAS shopping was CCM+E AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ), which bounced back from its lowest book of the year (5.1-5.6) to remain at #2.  HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX held firm at #3 despite taking on its best number in over a year (4.9-5.1).  CCM+E Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) was off slightly (4.7-4.6) yet plowed ahead one space to #4.  Two cluster companions were tied at #5.  CCM+E Country KNIX slipped from #4 ending a two-book surge (4.8-4.5) while CCM+E Hot AC KMXP (MIX) scored its highest total since JULY to claw its way up from #12.

It’s not like the station hasn’t been there before but KOOL certainly returned to the #1 position 25-54 by announcing its presence with authority.  It scored its best book in over a year and came from way off the pace in a tie at #6 to return to the top for the first time since JUNE.  KESZ also had a nice prelude to the jingling of the bells by moving from a tie at #3 to #2.  HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD actually had its best book since JULY but still fell back a spot to #3. Oh, the humanity.  KSLX was actually flat but still fell from #1 into a tie at #4 with KZZP, which was up yet still descended from a tie at #3.  KNIX also vacated its tie at #3 and slid to #6 on the strength of its lowest book since APRIL.

The top four slots 18-34 remained unchanged this survey.  KUPD was #1 for the fourth straight month, lengthening its slim lead over #2 KZZP.  RIVIERA Top 40/R KKFR (POWER) had its best book since MAY and held the fort at #3 while CBS RADIO Top 40/R KZON (LIVE 101.5) came out totally flat to hold on at #4.  CBS RADIO Country KMLE bounced back from a down book and moved up two spots to #5.  Last month, two stations were tied together at #5 and this month they remained locked in arms at #6.  Both KOOL and KNIX were even up slightly but they still fell in rank.

Make it nine in a row at #1 18-49 for KUPD as the station increased its bulge over #2 KZZP to almost a share.  This, despite the fact that KISS had its best book in over a year.  KOOL crushed it – scoring its best number in over a year, which fueled the station’s rise from a tie at #9 to #3.  KZON had its lowest total since JULY to drop a spot to #4 while KESZ held on at #5 with a slight increase.  KNIX was off for the second straight book and slid three places to #7.

Minneapolis-St. Paul: Mind The Gap

For eleven of the last fourteen surveys, CCM+E Top 40/M KDWB was the #1 station in the TWIN CITIES.  However, as recently as AUGUST, when HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) had taken over the top spot, it looked like the market was in for a battle royal.  Alas, this has not come to pass – at least for this month.  KDWB widened its lead despite a down book (9.0-8.8) while KSTP now finds itself closer to third place than the top after posting its lowest number since FEBRUARY (8.6-7.7).  CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS remained firmly entrenched at #3 despite a slight down turn in its ratings (7.6-7.5).  CCM+E Country KEEY (K102) also had its lowest number since FEBRUARY but managed to keep its hold on the #4 position (7.3-6.6).  Two stations were tied at #5 again this survey but only one of them was there last time.  CBS RADIO Country KMNB (BUZ’N) stayed put with a solid showing (5.6-6.1) while cluster compadre CBS RADIO Adult Hits KZJK (JACK FM) reversed a two-book slide to move up from #7 (5.4-6.1).  CCM+E Sports KFXN (K-FAN) had its best book in over a year for the second month in a row (5.6-5.8) yet dropped from that tie at #5 to #8.

For eight straight months, KSTP was the undisputed leader 25-54 -- even topping double digits last survey.  The station made it nine in a row but found itself in a tie with KDWB, which moved back to the top for the first time since FEBRUARY.  KQRS was up slightly but remained a distant #3.  KFXN had its second straight monster book to remain at #4 while CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) was up slightly to remain at #5.  KEEY took a hit – posting its lowest number since the elves ruled the air -- to drop out of a tie at #5 and landed at #10.

This marks the fourth book in a row that both KDWB and KXXR passed the double-digit threshold 18-34.  KDWB is the leader with a four-plus share lead over KXXR.  KMNB is threatening to join that club as it posted its best book ever to move up a spot to #3.  KSTP dropped back one to #4 after scoring its lowest total since JULY.  KEEY was flat to remain at #5 where it was joined in partnership by KFXN, which moved up from #6 with its best book ever.

KDWB nearly duplicated its best book of the year and, logically, remained atop the 18-49 leaderboard with more than a three-share advantage over KSTP, which posted its lowest book since JULY.  KMNB kept buzzin’ along with another huge book and moved up three places to #3 while KQRS remained at #4 with a slight increase.  KXXR was off slightly but that caused the station to drop two spots to #5.  KFXN actually beat last month’s best book ever but still fell a spot to #6. Sometimes life is unfair.

« see more Net News