Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive February PPM Analysis For New York, L.A, Chicago, S.F., Dallas

Markets #1-5

This was certainly an odd month for rare occurrences. First, we had a blue moon. And, of course, The EAGLES won the Big Game. But, that wasn’t even the weirdest part. For the first time in collective memory, the four-week spread of the NIELSEN survey coincided exactly with the four-week month. Amazing, but true. The FEBRUARY book ran from 2/1 through 2/28. It was almost too much for The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. to bear. However, after sharing a few stiff drinks with our counterparts at XTRENDS – we dove in. Here’s what we found:

NEW YORK: A Lite Load

As the station formerly known as Santa central continued to shake off some of the fake snow, iHEARTMEDIA AC WLTW (LITE) remained in the 6+ lead by a healthy margin (8.5-8.0). Its two closest pursuers were a couple of shares behind. ENTERCOM News WINS-A remained at #2 (5.9-6.0) while its cluster mate – ENTERCOM Classic Hits WCBS-F – moved up into a tie at #2 with its best score since AUGUST (5.0-6.0). EMMIS Urban AC WBLS slipped back to #4 despite regaining all of last month’s small decrease (5.4-5.7). iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHTZ (Z100) dropped back to #5 but did post its largest share since APRIL (5.0-5.1).

The song remained the same 25-54 as WLTW remained a powerhouse at #1. Though the station was off a bit, it continued to lead #2 WHTZ – which was flat – by over two shares. WCBS-F moved up to #3 as it regained its DECEMBER form while SBS Tropical WSKQ (MEGA) advanced to #4 as it got back all of last month’s decline. WBLS slid to #5 with a flat performance. EMMIS Top 40/R WQHT (HOT) dropped to #6 with a slight decrease. It was just ahead of flat iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WAXQ (Q104.3), which slipped to #7. It, in turn, was just ahead of iHEARTMEDIA Urban WWPR (POWER), which dropped to #8.

There was a bit of upheaval in the 18-34 ranks. WSKQ rocketed to #1 with its best performance since JUNE. This pushed WHTZ – which posted its largest share since MARCH – back to #2. WQHT dropped back to #3 with its lowest total in over a year while arch nemesis, WWPR, moved up to #4 with a slight increase. These two rivals were separated by less than a half share. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKTU moved up to #5 with its best book in over a year while WLTW fell to #6 with its lowest mark since SEPTEMBER.

The 18-49 contest got much more competitive. WLTW remained on top for the fifth survey in a row. However, the station did experience a noticeable loss of share. #2 WHTZ was up for the third straight survey and the two were separated by the slimmest of possible margins. WSKQ was up to a somewhat distant #3 with its highest total since OCTOBER while WQHT slid back to #4 with a flat performance. WCBS-F moved up to #5 with a strong increase. This pushed WWPR back to #6 even though it was up slightly.

LOS ANGELES: Doing It MY Way

Things in the ratings universe are converging on a return to normalcy. Prior to Santa’s arrival, iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KBIG (MY FM) was consistently #1 6+. That was the story this time as the station cruised to its second straight victory (6.3-6.1). iHEARTMEDIA AC KOST remained at #2 (5.5-5.3) while ENTERCOM Classic Hits KRTH (K-EARTH) moved up to #3 with its highest share in over a year (4.8-5.2). This pushed the flat iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KIIS (KISS) back to #4 (4.9-4.9). ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC KTWV (THE WAVE) was back in the top five (4.4-4.4) because iHEARTMEDIA Talk KFI-A returned all of last month’s huge increase (4.5-3.9) and dropped to #7.

KBIG was basically toying with the rest of the 25-54 market. The station was off slightly but remained #1 by over a share. Its newest closest pursuer was KRTH, which advanced to #2 thanks to its fourth straight up book. KOST slid back to #3 while KIIS stepped back to #4. Both stations had small decreases. SBS Regional Mexican KLAX (LA RAZA) moved up to #5 with a slight increase. The station has literally doubled its share since the HOLIDAY book. UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary KLVE (K-LOVE) dropped to #6 with a slight decrease. It was just ahead of ENTERCOM Adult Hits KCBS-F (JACK), which remained at #7 but posted its largest number in over a year.

The top three 18-34 stations remained unchanged from the previous survey. KBIG strengthened its hold on the top spot with a slight increase while a flat KIIS remained at #2. KOST returned as the #3 station and posted its best Frosty-free share in over a year. KLAX moved up to #4 with another strong increase. Remember, it was only two surveys ago that the station was #18. MERUELO Top 40/R KPWR (POWER) slipped back to #5 with a small decrease and was sharing the moment with KLVE, which had a slight increase.

KBIG was up for the third book in a row and repeated as the #1 station 18-49. KIIS returned in the #2 slot with a slight decrease while KOST held on at #3 with a modest decrease. KRTH was suddenly alone at #4 for two reasons. It had a slight increase and its former partner – KLVE – was flat. KLVE fell to #5 and had a new roomie in KLAX, which moved up with another solid gain.

CHICAGO: The V Formation

For the second book in a row, iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WVAZ (V103) was the dominant 6+ station. Though it was off slightly (6.8-6.6), it maintained a wide margin over whoever was #2. This time it happened to be ENTERCOM News WBBM-A, which moved up thanks to its best book since MARCH (4.7-5.3). HUBBARD Hot AC WTMX (MIX) slipped back to #3 as it returned the unused portion of last month’s increase (5.4-4.9). The rocket ride ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC WBMX (JAMS) was on may have burned out one of its boosters. The station slipped back to #4 (4.8-4.0) with its second straight down book. UNIVISION Regional Mexican WOJO remained at #5 (3.5-3.7). There were a couple of big gainers this month. The first came out of left field as WEIGEL AC WRME (ME TV) zoomed from #21 to #6 (2.4-3.6). The second was a little more logical as CUMULUS Classic Hits WLS-F reaped the benefits of a former competitor’s demise and jumped from #12 to #7 with its highest share in over a year (3.1-3.4). We would be remiss by not reporting the final full book for the station formerly known as CUMULUS Classic Rock WLUP (THE LOOP). The station had its largest share in over a year (2.9-3.2) as it turned it up to a tie at 11.

WVAZ had its best 25-54 book in over a year as it moved up to #1 for the first time since JULY. The previous leader – WBMX – dropped back to #2 and was tied with WTMX, which moved up a slot despite a down book. WOJO solidified its hold on the #4 position with its largest share in over a year. The two stations previously tied at #12 had the same solid increase as they advanced to #5. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WGCI had its best outing since NOVEMBER while HUBBARD AC WSHE posted its largest total since AUGUST. CUMULUS Alternative WKQX slipped to #7 as it lost about half of last month’s increase.

Though WBMX shed a chunk of 18-34 share, the station captured the demo for the second straight survey. Though WGCI moved up to #2 as it regained almost all of last month’s loss, the two stations were still over two shares apart. WOJO jumped three places to #3 with a solid increase while WKQX slipped to #4 as it returned most of last month’s big gain. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKSC (KISS) ended a two-book surge as it dropped from #2 to #5. It was tied with SBS Regional Mexican WLEY (LA LEY), which was off slightly. WSHE had quite the ride as it went from #17 to #7 with easily its best book in over a year.

As with the previous demo, WBMX remained on top of the 18-49 leaderboard. However, its margin was not nearly as wide. The station was off a bit and #2 WOJO narrowed the gap to a half share by posting its largest number in over a year. WTMX slipped back to #3 with a modest decrease while two stations moved up and into a tie at #4. WVAZ was up a spot with a slight increase while WGCI advanced from a tie at #7 with a strong gain. WKSC slipped to #6 while WKQX dropped to #7. WSHE rose ten places to #8 with its best score since SEPTEMBER.

SAN FRANCISCO: No Snap Judgment Here

Once you get past the top two 6+ stations, this market is quite compressed. As it has in thirteen of the previous fourteen surveys, KQED INC. N/T KQED was #1 by a wide margin. Oh, and the station just posted its largest share in over a year (8.1-8.8). Nestled in as a comfortable, yet distant, #2 was ENTERCOM News KCBS-A, which lost most of last month’s increase (6.2-5.7). The leading music station was, once again, iHEARTMEDIA AC KISQ (THE BREEZE), which returned at #3 (4.7-4.4). Then, you had five stations that were virtually tied. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KIOI (STAR) remained at #4 (4.2-3.8) but was joined in that space by iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R KMEL, which moved up from #9 with its best book in over a year (3.2-3.8). Three other stations were moments behind at #6. BONNEVILLE AC KOIT was there last time and remained thanks to its lowest share in over a year (4.0-3.7). ENTERCOM Hot AC KLLC (ALICE) stepped back from #5 (4.1-3.7) while BONNEVILLE Top 40/M KMVQ (NOW) moved up a slot (3.5-3.7).

The story was similar 25-54 as KQED conquered the demo by a wide margin with its highest share since NOVEMBER. KLLC continued as the #2 station but fell over two shares off the pace. The next four stations were tightly packed together. KMVQ moved up two places to #3 with its third straight up book. KIOI slipped back to #4 as it returned most of last month’s big increase. KISQ dropped back to #5 with a slight decrease and was paired with KMEL, which advanced from a tie at #10 as it regained all of last survey’s loss.

The 18-34 demo was also a runaway but the pace setter was not KQED. It was actually at #10. For the fifth straight survey, it was KMEL. The station posted its largest number in over a year and led the two #2 stations by almost four shares. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KYLD (WILD) remained in place with a slight decrease while KIOI forged a tie with a slight increase. KMVQ became the sole occupant of the #4 position with a slight increase. Its former partner – ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC KRBZ (Q102) – slipped to #5 with a slight decrease.

The 18-49 contest was actually the closest of the four demos we examine. The top two stations were separated by about a half share. The leader was still KQED, which had a modest increase. Its new challenger was second-place KMEL, which moved up from #4 with its highest score in over a year. KLLC slid back to #3 as it lost about half of last month’s increase. KIOI dropped to #4 as it did the same. KMVQ held steady at #5 with a slight increase.

DALLAS-FT.WORTH: Heading To Overtime

This market had three stations battling it out at the top of the 6+ heap. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KHKS (KISS) repeated its role as the #1 station (5.7-5.4) but was forced to share the lead with iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZPS (LONE STAR), which moved up thanks to its best book since JULY (5.2-5.4). Nipping at their collective heels was ENTERCOM Classic Hits KLUV (K-LUV), which remained at #3 with its best Frosty-free number since APRIL (4.9-5.2). Then came all the rest. CUMULUS Country KSCS moved up to #4 with a flat performance (4.3-4.3) and barely edged out iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KDMX (NOW), which dropped to #5 as it gave back all of last month’s small increase (4.5-4.2).

The 25-54 battle royal was won by KHKS, which repeated despite a slightly down book. ENTERCOM Adult Hits KJKK (JACK) ended a two-book slide to advance from a tie at #6 to #2 and trailed the leader by less than half a share. KLUV also made a big jump – from #8 to #3 – and was inches out of second place. UNIVISION Regional Mexican KLNO (QUE BUENA) slipped back to #4 with a flat performance. KZPS was also flat and steady at #5 but was forced to share the spotlight with KDMX, which fell from #2 with a slight decrease. Three other stations were close behind at #7. CUMULUS Sports KTCK-A (THE TICKET) dropped from a tie at #3 and KSCS fell from a tie at #6. Both stations had slight decreases. iHEARTMEDIA Active Rock KEGL (THE EAGLE) moved up from #9 as it ended a two-book slide.

Last month two stations had the pleasure of calling themselves #1 18-34. This time, only SERVICE Urban KKDA (K104) could make that claim. The station was flat but KHKS was off slightly to move down to #2. URBAN ONE Top 40/R KBFB (THE BEAT) remained at #3 but with its lowest share since SEPTEMBER. KLNO was also stationary – at #4 – despite posting its best share since NOVEMBER. It was joined by UNIVISION Spanish AC KDXX (LATINO MIX), which moved in from #7 with its highest mark in over a year. The two stations formerly known as #5 fell farther down the chart. ENTERCOM Alternative KVIL (ALT 103.7) slipped to a tie at #7 while KSCS ended up in a tie at #9.

For the 13th time in the last fourteen surveys, KHKS was #1 18-49. The station was off a bit while #2 KKDA was flat. As a result, the gap between the two fell to under a share. Two stations moved up and into a tie at #3. KEGL took two steps forward with a slight increase while KJKK advanced four squares with a slightly more robust increase. KLNO dropped back to #5 with its fourth down book in a row. KLUV was close behind. It moved up five slots to #6 with its best jingle-free book in over a year. KDMX fell three places to #7 as it returned most of last month’s big increase.

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. appreciate your eyeballs. In the pre-Internet age, that statement would have been just plain creepy. Now, it is a measure of support. Go figure. We are taking a short break but will return with our next installment of riveting NIELSEN prose as we delve into the fates of HOUSTON, WASHINGTON, DC, PHILADELPHIA, ATLANTA, and BOSTON. In the meantime, give those eyeballs a rest.

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