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

Oct. PPM Analysis

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. are experiencing a massive sugar rush from all the HALLOWEEN candy we did not give out this year. And we even bought the full-sized bars. We believe the more level-headed folks at XTRENDS stuck to healthy snacks but we’re too buzzed to ask. Back to business and back to the OCTOBER survey. A twenty-eight day stretch neatly placed over two months – 9/13 through 10/10. Join us on our third foray into this book.

Detroit: Classic Rocks!

This really wasn’t a shocking development.  BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX was again #1 6+ even though it was handed its third straight down book (7.4-7.3).  The station has now notched five #1s in the last six books.  ENTERCOM News WWJ-A was not far behind as it moved up to #2 with its best book in over a year (6.5-7.1).  Last month’s market leader – ENTERCOM Classic Hits WOMC – slipped to #3 with its lowest mark since JUNE (7.5-6.9).  iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC had its best outing since MARCH as it moved up to #4 (5.7-6.2).  Meanwhile, iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX) slipped back to #5 (5.9-5.8) where it was tied with ENTERCOM Sports WXYT-F (THE TICKET), which had its highest score in exactly a year (5.5-5.8).  Close behind was ENTERCOM Country WYCD, which dropped back to #7 (5.5-5.6).

WCSX saw its 25-54 share dip for the third book in a row but the station still captured the title for the fourth straight survey.  However, objects in its mirror were closer than they appeared as WXYT-F moved up to #2 with – once again – its best offensive performance in exactly a year.  BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF slipped back to #3 with a flat book and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955), which was up for the third straight survey.  WMXD took two steps upward to #5 with its highest share in over a year while WOMC stepped back to #6 as it ended a rather robust three-book surge.

The 18-34 race got a lot closer this time.  WKQI won for the third book in a row but suffered a slight decrease.  iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB remained in second place but with its highest share in over a year.  The gap between the two stations shrank from almost a share and a half to something quite a bit smaller.  WYCD had its best book since JUNE to move up into a solid #3 position.  WRIF ended a four-book slide as it moved up four places to #4.  BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (THE BOUNCE) had its lowest score since MAY as it slipped to #5 where it was tied with WMXD, which was off slightly.  WGRP INC. Urban AC WGPR (HOT) fell three slots to #7 as it returned almost all of last month’s large increase.

The top two 18-49 stations remained the same but drew a little bit closer.  WKQI was flat but repeated at #1 while #2 WRIF had a slight increase.  WXYT-F jumped five spots to #3 with its highest score in over a year while the two stations previously known as #5 split up.  WJLB moved up to #4 with its best outing in over a year while WCSX remained in place as it ended a two-book slide.  WOMC slipped to #6 as it ended a three-book surge while WMGC fell four places to #8 where it was tied with WYCD and CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD.

Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-Hollywood: Making It Look Easy

As shall soon be revealed, it was a good month to be COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY).  The station had its best 6+ book in over a year (7.8-7.9) and won the market for the fifth survey in a row.  The rest of the top five remained unchanged from last time.  UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR) was a distant #2 with its lowest total since JUNE (6.4-6.0).  COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) held on at #3 but with its lowest total in over a year (6.2-5.6).  SBS Tropical WCMQ (Z92.3) had its lowest total since FEBRUARY as it maintained its #4 position (6.1-5.5).  It also maintained a slight advantage over #5 ENTERCOM AC WLYF (LITE), which landed its lowest number in over a year (6.0-5.4).  The next closest station to those five was COX RADIO Urban WEDR (99JAMZ) at #6 (4.4-4.7).

WFEZ had its third straight up book 25-54, which propelled the station to #1.  WAMR moved up to #2 with its best book in over a year and the stations were separated by about a share.  SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL) remained at #3 with a slight increase while two stations moving in opposite directions landed at #4.  iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TU 94.9) was up from #6 despite a slight decrease while WHQT fell from #1 with its lowest share in over a year.  WEDR moved up to #6 as it ended a two-book slide while WLYF dropped to #7 with its smallest share in over a year.

After winning the 18-34 demo for nine books in a row, WEDR slipped to #2 after posting its lowest total since FEBRUARY.  Edging it out for the top spot was WFEZ, which had its highest share in over a year.  iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (THE BEAT) was about two shares back at #3 and was just ahead of #4 WZTU, which had its best month since FEBRUARY.  ENTERCOM Top 40/R WPOW (POWER 96) was up three places to #5 as it regained most of last month’s loss.  WXDJ slipped to #6 with its lowest mark since JUNE.

Completing the demo sweep, WFEZ moved into a dominant #1 position 18-49.  The station, once again, had its best share in over a year and led a flat #2 WZTU by over a share.  WEDR and WXDJ were both up slightly and remained tied at #3.  WAMR moved up to #5 as it got back all of last month’s loss.  WMIB advanced two spaces to #6 with a slight increase.  The two former #5 stations split up and went down.  WLYF alit at #7 with a slight decrease while WCMQ dropped to a tie at #12 with its lowest mark since FEBRUARY.

Seattle-Tacoma: Movin’ Back Up

Things were proceeding in the right direction for HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN).  After dropping to #3 6+ last time, the station bounced back and returned to #1 (5.8-6.8).  It just outpaced BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F, which was up for the third straight survey and posted its highest share in over a year (6.1-6.6).  Last month’s leader – UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW – was also up for the third book in a row (6.2-6.3) but that wasn’t good enough as it fell to #3.  ENTERCOM AC KSWD (THE SOUND) had its best book in its new incarnation (4.2-4.9), which advanced it from #8 to #4. It was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK, which took a step forward despite a slight loss (5.1-4.9).  iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJR-F (THE JET) slid to #6 with its lowest share since JANUARY (5.2-4.6) and was tied with ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW, which had its lowest mark since the scent of pine was ubiquitous (5.1-4.6).

For the first time since DECEMBER, KQMV hit #1 on the 25-54 chart and did so with authority.  The station had its best showing since FEBRUARY.  KISW was knocked back to #2 as it posted its lowest total since DECEMBER.  In the end the two stations were a share and a half apart.  KIRO-F jumped five places to #3 with a massive increase that yielded the station its highest share in over a year.  KUOW slipped back to #4 despite a slight increase.  The two stations previously sharing time at #5 dissolved their relationship.  ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) remained in place with a small increase while KJR-F descended to #8 with its lowest score since ELTON hopped on the old QRK turntable.  SINCLAIR Hot AC KPLZ (STAR) gave back almost all of last month’s huge increase as it dropped from #4 to a tie at #11.

Check out the big 18-34 ratings on KQMV.  The station zoomed from #3 to #1 and crashed through the double-digit barrier for the first time since MARCH.  KISW was up slightly at #2 but trailed the leader by almost three shares.  KNDD gave back most of last month’s increase but managed to worm its way up to #3.  KPLZ’s stay at #1 was short lived as the station returned most of last month’s massive increase and it dropped to #4.  ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF) moved up to #5 with a slight increase while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R KUBE stepped up to #6 as it regained all of last month’s loss.  HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) cooled off considerably as it fell ten places to #15 with its smallest share since NOVEMBER.

KQMV climbed to the top of the 18-49 heap with its best outing since MARCH.  This ended KISW’s string of #1 books at six as the station dropped to #2 with its third down book in a row.  KNDD remained alone at #3 with a flat performance while KIRO-F advanced from #10 to #4 with its best outing in over a year.  KUOW inched up to #5 with a slight increase while two stations dropped out of the top five.  KPLZ fell five spots to #8 as it returned all of last month’s huge increase.  KJR-F slid four spots to #9 with its lowest total since the lords were leaping.

Phoenix: EZ Returns

Rumors of the demise of iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9KEZ) were premature.  The station bounced back to regain the #1 6+ position as it ended a four-book slide (6.1-6.6).  iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (THE MOUNTAIN) scaled the cliff face to #2 as it regained last month’s loss (5.9-6.2).  HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX was off slightly (6.3-6.1) but that was enough to drop it from #1 to #3. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) moved up to #4 with its best outing since MAY (5.5-5.7) and just edged out HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD, which moved up to #5 with its highest share in a year (5.3-5.6).  iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX fell from a tie at #3 to #8 with its lowest share since people were decorating the cacti (5.9-4.6).

KUPD extended its 25-54 winning streak to four as it posted its largest share in a year.  KYOT repeated at #2 with its best outing in over a year.  Fun fact: the station has more than doubled its share since MAY.  KZZP and KSLX were tied last month at #3.  KISS remained alone in that position as it had a solid increase while KSLX slid to #4 with a slight decrease.  iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX) had its lowest share since DECEMBER yet moved up to #5.  It was joined by KESZ, which advanced from #8.  KNIX fell three places to a tie at #8 as it lost a painfully large chunk of share.

The 18-34 race was a tight one between KZZP and KUPD.  KISS moved up to #1 with its best book since MAY and just eked out the win over KUPD, which fell to #2 despite a small increase.  KYOT moved up to a distant #3 with its best book in over a year while KESZ advanced five squares to #4 as it regained almost all of last month’s loss.  HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT-AZ) had its lowest score since JUNE as it fell to #5.  ENTERCOM Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5) dropped to #8 with its smallest share in over a year.  Worth noting were the gains made by UNIVISION Regional Mexican KHOT (QUE BUENA).  The station had its best book since JANUARY to advance five spaces to a tie at #9.

As recently as MAY KYOT was sitting in a tie at #12 18-49.  The station has been on a roll since and this time moved up to #1 with a huge increase.  KUPD had its best book in a year yet fell back to #2 and trailed the leader by the smallest possible margin.  KZZP repeated at #3 but with its highest score in over a year.  KMXP returned as the #4 station but with a small loss.  KESZ moved back up to #5 thanks to a small increase.  KHOT advanced seven spaces to a tie at #7 while KALV dropped five spots to #10 with its lowest total since MARCH.

Minneapolis-St.Paul: A Return To Glory

After taking a couple of books off, HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) was back on top of the 6+ leaderboard (7.4-7.5).  iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL) lost all of last month’s gain – plus a little extra – as it dropped back to #2 (8.0-6.7).  iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB remained at #3 but with its lowest share since APRIL (7.2-6.5).  It was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (K-FAN), which received the expected VIKINGS boost as it moved up from #9 with its best offensive production since JANUARY (4.9-6.5).  CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS repeated at #5 (5.3-5.7) while its younger cluster bro CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) slipped to #6 (5.6-5.6).

KSTP and KXXR were neck and neck in the 25-54 race.  Both were off a bit as they remained #1 and #2, respectively.  KFXN moved up to #3 with its best book since, yup, JANUARY.  KDWB slipped back to #4 with its lowest total in over a year.  KQRS moved up to #5 as it regained most of last month’s loss.  KQQL dropped to #6 with its lowest score since JANUARY while ENTERCOM Adult Hits KZJK (JACK) dropped to #7 with its least productive outing since NOVEMBER.

For the last two surveys KXXR and KDWB exceeded the double-digit limit 18-34.  93X extended its streak to eleven and won for the tenth book in a row.  KDWB fell below double digits and dropped back to #2 where it was more than a share off the pace.  KFXN moved up to #3 with its best book since … APRIL.  KSTP stepped back to #4 as it ended a strong four-book surge.  iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) slid to #5 with a large loss while KQRS took a step down to #6 with a small loss.

This was the sixth 18-49 win in a row for KXXR.  The station was off slightly but saw its lead over the #2 station expand as KDWB had its lowest share in over a year.  KFXN moved up to #3 with its second big increase in a row.  KSTP slid back to #4 with its lowest share since a Snoopy song was playing on the radio.  KQRS was up to #5 as it got back some of last month’s loss while KQQL slipped to #6 with its lowest mark since JANUARY.

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