Research Director, Inc.: Exclusive November PPM Analysis For Detroit, Miami, Seattle, Phoenix, Minneapolis

Markets #11-15

With visions of drumsticks and dressing dancing in our heads, we bring you our third and final installment of ratings mayhem. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., along with the math wizards from XTRENDS, take time out of our menu planning to delve deeper into the NOVEMBER survey. Of course, the title is somewhat misleading because the rated days went from OCTOBER 8th through NOVEMBER 4th. So maybe this is more of an OCTEMBER book …

Either way we reiterate what makes this book somewhat noteworthy. First, it is the final survey of the year that is not spoiled by calling birds and the like. Second, this was the book where NIELSEN rolled out the enhanced CBET system. That really does not apply to the markets in this installment but we wanted to put that out there anyway.

DETROIT: Yea, That’s The Ticket

Man, we’ve been holding on to that headline for a very long time. CBS RADIO Sports WXYT-F returned to the 6+ pinnacle after a one-month bye (7.0-7.1). For those keeping score at home, this marked the station’s sixth top prize in the last eight books. Last month’s leader – CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOMC – slid back to #2 (7.2-6.8). GREATER MEDIA Classic Rock WCSX was flat for the second month in a row (6.7-6.7) to remain at #3. It was joined by CBS RADIO News WWJ-A, which took one small step forward thanks to its best book since APRIL (6.4-6.7). GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WRIF scored its best share in over a year (5.8-6.1) but all that did was solidify its hold on the #5 position. The folks at CUMULUS Talk WJR-A were yelling “Go Green!” as the station had its highest score in over a year (5.0-5.8) to remain at #6.

The top three stations 25-54 remained unchanged from last month. WRIF was #1 for the fifth straight survey with its highest share in over a year. WXYT-F held on to the place position with its largest output since MAY while WCSX was the show station again despite a small decrease. Two stations moved up and met at #4. WOMC took one step up despite a slight decrease while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) advanced three squares thanks to its best performance since JUNE. CBS RADIO Country WYCD slid two spots to #6. Meanwhile, CUMULUS AC WDVD had its best book in over a year to move up to #7.

It was another five-book winning streak for WRIF. This time the demo was 18-34 and the station was dangerously close to hitting double digits. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB moved up to a somewhat distant #2 with a small increase while WKQI dropped back to #3 with an equally small decrease. WGPR INC. Urban AC WGPR rebounded from a down book to move up three slots to #4. WDVD took a small step up to #5 due to a small increase, while WXYT-F fell to #6. WYCD ended a nice three-book surge and slid three places to #7.

WRIF won 18-49 for the sixth book straight survey and hit double digits for the second month in a row. WXYT-F was up slightly but fell farther behind the leader at #2. WKQI used a small increase to move up to #3 while WJLB rose to #4 by accomplishing the same. WCSX dropped two spots to #5 with its lowest share since JULY.

MIAMI-FT.LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: The Status Remained Quo

For the second month in a row, the composition and order of the top five in the 6+ ranks remained unaltered. ENTERCOM AC WLYF (LITE) was #1 for the seventh straight survey though it was down (8.3-7.6). This allowed #2 COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) to creep closer (6.4-7.2) as the station had its highest share since APRIL. UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR) was flat and happy at #3 (5.8-5.8). COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY) remained at #4 but was off for the third book in a row (5.5-5.3). COX RADIO Urban WEDR (99 JAMZ) rounded out the top five again with its highest share since JUNE (4.5-4.6). Two stations came dangerously close to crashing the party by tying at #6.  ENTERCOM Classic Hits WMXJ (MAGIC) remained in place (4.3-4.5) while UNIVISION Tropical WRTO (MIX) moved up one (4.2-4.5).

WHQT had its best 25-54 showing in over a year. As a result, the station returned to the top spot for the eleventh time in the last fourteen surveys. WLYF fell back to #2 while WRTO remained at #3. Two stations came in at #4. SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL) was flat and remained in place while WEDR moved up from #7 with its highest score since JUNE. WAMR was also flat but slid back to #6.

Last month’s tie atop the 18-34 leaderboard came to an end. WEDR remained in place because it posted its highest share in over a year. This was also the station’s eighth straight win. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (THE BEAT) inched up to #2 with its best performance in over a year. Last month’s co-leader – WLYF – slid down to #3, which is still a far cry higher than it was two books ago. That would be #11. CBS RADIO Top 40/R WPOW (POWER) bounced back from a down book and moved up a slot to #4 while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) fell back to #5 after posting its lowest share in over a year.

A bond was forged 18-49 as WEDR landed its best book in over a year to move up into a tie at #1 with WLYF, which lost a chunk of share. WRTO was up slightly to remain at #3 while WHQT held on at #4 despite posting its highest share since FEBRUARY. WXDJ was flat and motionless at #5.

SEATTLE-TACOMA: Movin’ On Up!

Another headline we’ve been sitting on for a while. As you shall soon see, it was a good month to be HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN). Back in AUGUST the station’s seven-month run at #1 6+ came to an end. Since then it has been revving its engines at #2. Well, this time it scored its highest share in over a year (6.6-7.5) to move back to the top. BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F remained flat this month (6.8-6.8) and slid back to #2. CBS RADIO Classic Rock KZOK ended a three-book slide (5.3-5.7) to advance to #3. This bumped iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJR-F (THE JET) back to #4 (5.4-5.3). HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) had a nice increase as it was prepping the chestnuts (4.4-4.8) and advanced two places to #5. SINCLAIR Hot AC KPLZ (STAR) has been on a roll of late. This time the station had its best book in over a year (3.9-4.7) to move up to #6. Just two books ago it was at #13. The two stations formerly known as #5 moved to new – and lower – locations. ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW dropped to #7 with its lowest share in over a year (5.0-4.4) while CBS RADIO Country KMPS ended up in a tie at #8 as it ended a three-book surge (5.0-3.9).

KQMV was #1 25-54 for the third book in a row and came this close to hitting double digits. KISW remained at #2 but with its lowest share in over a year and trailed the leader by three full shares. KPLZ jumped five places to #3 with its highest score in over a year while KZOK moved up to #4 with a small increase. KIRO-F fell back to #5 as it ended a two-book surge. CBS RADIO Adult Hits KJAQ (JACK) turned in its best performance since APRIL in moving from #9 to #6. KJR-F dropped three places to #7 thanks to its lowest share since MAY. ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF) was down for the fourth book in a row and dropped five spots to #10.

KQMV moved up to #1 18-34 thanks to its highest share since MAY. ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) remained at #2 with a small decrease while KISW dropped from the peak to #3 with its smallest number since DECEMBER. KZOK moved up to #4 with its best book in over a year while ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT) advanced to #5 as it, too, had its finest outing in over a year. KKWF dropped to #6 thanks to its lowest output in over a year. KJAQ rose three spots to #7 with its best showing since JANUARY.

KQMV announced its 18-49 presence with authority. The station was #1 for the third book in a row and, as an added bonus, hit double digits for the first time since MARCH. KISW remained at #2 with its lowest total in over a year and trailed the leader by almost four shares. KNDD remained at #3 with its best book in over a year. The two stations that were tied at #9 last month crashed the top five this time. KPLZ ended up at #4 thanks it its largest share in over a year while KZOK took over at #5 as it ended a three-book slide. The two occupants of #4 last month ended up much farther down the list. KIRO-F stopped at a tie at #9 while KKWF dropped all the way to #11.

PHOENIX: Deadlocked

For the last twelve surveys, iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9KEZ) has been the leading station 6+. That streak continued this month but the station was forced into a tie (6.6-6.0). The other half of the top spot duo was CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL, which moved up from #3 with its best book since MAY (5.6-6.0). HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX stepped back to #3 (6.1-5.8) and then there was a deep gulch between these three stations and the rest of the market. HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD moved up to #4 (4.4-4.9) while iHEARTMEDIA Talk KFYI-A remained at #5, despite posting its lowest score in over a year (5.1-4.8). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX) dropped two places to #6 (5.3-4.7).

This was the seventh straight 25-54 win for KUPD as the station rebounded from its lowest share of the year. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (THE MOUNTAIN) was off slightly but remained at #2. KOOL advanced one square to #3 as it was up for the fourth book in a row. Two stations moving in opposite directions met up at #4. KESZ took one step back with its smallest share in exactly a year (fret not, little one, Santa is on his way …). KSLX moved up a spot with a small increase. Keep an eye on iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX. The station moved up three slots to #6 with its highest share since MAY.

Now here’s something you don’t see every survey. Four stations tied at #1 18-34. We’re going to blame it on climate change. CBS RADIO Top 40/M KZON (LIVE 101.5) was off a bit but remained on top for the second straight survey. KUPD was flat but moved up from #3. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) advanced from #5 with its best showing since JUNE. And, finally, KNIX used its best book since APRIL to leap from #8. With four stations at #1 that means the next slot is technically #5 and that belonged to CBS RADIO Country KMLE, which advanced from #9 with a healthy increase. A couple of stations bowed out of the top five and landed at #6. KMXP dropped from #4 while KESZ fell from #2.

There were no ties atop the 18-49 leaderboard as KUPD was #1 for the seventh straight survey. However, two stations were locked in at #2. KESZ had its lowest total since FEBRUARY but remained stationary while KYOT took one step forward despite a slight decrease. KNIX had its best outing in exactly one year as it advanced five squares to #4. There was also a tie at #5. KOOL remained in place with its best score in over a year while KSLX moved up two slots with a small increase. KMXP dropped three places to a tie at #7, ending a nice three-book run. KZON fell four spots to #9 but that is a little misleading. There were five stations separated by three tenths of a share between #5 and #9.

MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL: Special K

The story of this survey belongs to iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K-102). As you shall see, it was quite the month for the station. We begin at 6+. KEEY moved up into a tie at the top spot with what was easily its best book in over a year (6.7-8.0). Sharing the spotlight once again was HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) (8.3-8.0). It was the station’s third straight #1 appearance. Last month’s co-leader was iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL) and it slid back to #3 with its smallest share since JANUARY (8.3-7.3). CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS was close behind as it moved up to #4 with its best performance in over a year (6.6-7.2). iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN) slipped back to #5 (7.2-7.1) while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB dropped out of the top five to #6 with its lowest number in over a year (7.5-6.4). Back in JUNE the station recorded its sixth straight #1 book but has lost over two shares of listening since then.

Given our theme, you would expect KEEY to be #1 25-54. What might not have been expected was the fact that the station also hit double digits. KFXN was off ever so slightly but that was enough to drop the station back to #2 almost a full share behind the leader. KQRS moved up two spots to #3 with its highest total in over a year while KSTP dropped back two places to #4 with its smallest score since JANUARY. Two stations made major advances and ended up at #5. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) moved up from #7 with its best book since MARCH while CBS RADIO Adult Hits KZJK (JACK) rose from #8 with its highest score since JULY. KDWB fell all the way from a tie at #3 to #7. A year ago at this time the station was #1 and four shares fatter.

The real shocker this survey was that KDWB was no longer #1 18-34. While the station hit double digits again, it was eclipsed by KEEY, which moved up from #4 by adding five full shares to its previous total.

Mathematically speaking – that’s a lot. KXXR dipped to #3 despite having its best book since AUGUST and KSTP dropped back to #4 with its lowest total since MARCH. Two stations were enjoying each other’s company at #5. KFXN remained in place with its lowest score since JULY while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97) moved up from #8 with a small increase.

Making it a clean demo sweep, KEEY took care of 18-49 with a monster gain and just edged out #2 KFXN for the top spot. KDWB again had its lowest share in over a year and fell from the top to #3. KSTP slipped back to #4 with a small decrease while KXXR stepped back to #5 despite a nice gain.

This concludes our tour of the NOVEMBER survey. We’ll be back next month to see how Santa and his radio helpers have affected the ratings. In the meantime, the Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. and our compatriots from XTRENDS wish you a safe and happy THANKSGIVING.

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