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

Exclusive Analysis From Research Director, Inc.

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., in collaboration with the extrapolators from XTRENDS, bring you our final deep dive into the NOVEMBER ratings folderol.  As such, this is the final book of the year.  Sure, we still have two more on the way but they will be so waterlogged with holiday gooiness that it will make us turn our collective heads and sigh.  But that will be then, this is now, which covered the time period known as 10/11 through 11/7.  Enjoy.

Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood: The Easy Way

Perhaps we should say effortless.  For the sixth book in a row, COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY) led the 6+ brigade by a relatively wide margin.  The station was off a bit (7.9-7.2) but still led the pair of #2 stations by over a share.  UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR) came in second for the fourth straight survey (6.0-6.0) but was forced to share the space with COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT), which bounced back from last month’s down book (5.6-6.0).  ENTERCOM AC WLYF (LITE) moved up to #4 (5.4-5.7), which pushed SBS Tropical WCMQ (Z92.3) back to #5 (5.5-5.3).  Three stations were waiting in the wings at #6.  They were iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TU 94.9), which moved up a spot (4.6-4.7), the idle COX RADIO Urban WEDR (99JAMZ) (4.7-4.7), and the upwardly mobile SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL), which was up from #8 (4.4-4.7).

The 25-54 race was suddenly very hot as seven stations were within a share of the lead.  That spot was split between two stations.  WFEZ made a return engagement but also saw its three-book surge come to an end.  WXDJ moved up from #3 to claim its share of the lead with its best book since MARCH.  WAMR slipped back to #3 with a flat performance while WHQT remained steady at #4 as it rebounded from a down book.  WLYF moved up to #5 as it regained all of last month’s share loss.  WZTU dropped to #6 despite a slight increase and was tied with WEDR, which remained in place despite landing its largest share in over a year.

Order was restored to the 18-34 multiverse as WEDR returned to the top spot after a one-book hiatus.  The station was up slightly and easily outpaced iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (THE BEAT), which moved up to #2 with its best outing since JANUARY.  Last month’s surprise leader – WFEZ – came back to earth as it surrendered most of last month’s massive increase.  The station fell to #3 where it was tied with WZTU, which had its fourth up book in a row.  WXDJ had its best book in over a year, which brought it up one spot to #5.  ENTERCOM Top 40/R WPOW (POWER) had its best book since MAY but still dropped to #6 where it was tied with cluster sister WLYF, which regained all of last month’s share loss.

The 18-49 results were similar to the previous demo.  However, it was WZTU that returned to #1, thanks in part to its highest share in over a year.  WFEZ dropped back to #2 as it again returned most of last month’s huge increase.  It was tied with WXDJ, which took one step upward with its best performance since APRIL.  WEDR slipped back to #4 despite a slight increase while WLYF moved back up to #5 with its highest share since APRIL.  WAMR slid to #6 despite landing its best book in over a year.

Seattle-Tacoma: Keep Movin

The top of the 6+ leaderboard was relatively unaltered from last survey.  HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN) won for the second straight survey (6.8-6.6) and managed to widen its lead over #2 BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F, which ended a three-book run (6.6-6.0).  UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW had its first down book since JUNE (6.3-5.8) but remained a solid #3.  Then came a tightly bound group of music stations.  ENTERCOM AC KSWD (THE SOUND) was at its highest level since its format conversion (4.9-5.0) as it claimed sole possession of fourth place.  iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK slipped to #5 (4.9-4.9) and was footsteps ahead of a pair of stations.  iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJR-F (THE JET) remained in place at #6 (4.6-4.7) while ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW dropped to #7 (4.6-4.6).

KQMV ran away with the 25-54 demo for the second straight survey.  However, the station was off a bit while #2 KISW was up a little.  In the end, the gap between the two stations had fallen to under a share.  ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) was up for the third book in a row and took two steps forward to #3.  KIRO-F slipped to #4 as it returned a good portion of last month’s massive increase.  It was tied with KUOW, which was stationary with a down book.  KSWD made the leap o’ the month as it jumped from a tie at #11 to #6 as it was up for the sixth book in a row.

For the second book in a row, KQMV cracked the double-digit barrier 18-34.  The station was off a bit from last month but led the two #2 stations by three and a half shares!  KISW had its lowest share in over a year and was spending quality time with its cluster bro KNDD, which moved up with a small increase.  iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R KUBE advanced two places to #4 with its best outing since JUNE.  HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) made a huge leap – moving from #15 to #5 as it regained almost all of last month’s rather massive share loss.  ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF) slipped to #6 as it ended a four-book surge.  And, KSWD was up three places to #7 with its best book in exactly one year.

The usual suspects occupied the top three places 18-49.  KQMV was off slightly but won the demo again while second-place KISW pulled to within a share of the lead with a slight increase.  KNDD returned as the #3 station, also with a slight increase.  KUBE was up three places to #4 with its best showing since JUNE.  KIRO-F moved up to #5 despite suffering a modest loss.  KUOW slipped to #6 as it, too, took a bit of a hit.

Detroit: Old And In The Way

Which is often how my kids refer to me … but it is an apt description of the 6+ leaders in the MOTOR CITY.  BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX won for the sixth time in the last seven surveys as it ended a three-book slide (7.3-7.8).  ENTERCOM Classic Hits WOMC moved up to #2 as it ended a two-book slide (6.9-7.0).  ENTERCOM News WWJ-A dropped back to #3 as it returned most of last month’s increase (7.1-6.6) and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC, which moved up a spot with its best performance since MARCH (6.2-6.6).  The two stations that were tied at #5 last month had solid increases but were no longer considered an item.  ENTERCOM Sports WXYT-F (THE TICKET) scored its best share in over a year (5.8-6.4) to remain in place while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX) accomplished the same feat but still slipped to #6 (5.8-6.3).

The “Go Blue” contingent was blissfully unaware of the season’s end game so they gladly drove WXYT-F to #1 25-54.  As in the previous demo, the station had its highest share in over a year.  This also pushed WCSX back to #2 even though it was up slightly.  BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF remained at #3 with its first up book since JUNE while WMXD stepped up to #4 with – again – its highest share in over a year.  iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) slipped to #5 as it ended a strong three-book surge.  WOMC was close behind at #6 with a slight increase.

WKQI won the 18-34 contest for the fourth straight survey and put distance between it and #2 iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB.  WKQI had its best book in over a year while WJLB gave back most of last month’s big increase.  That widened the gap to a share and a half.  WRIF stepped up to #3 with its best book since JUNE but was forced to share the spotlight with WOMC, which advanced from #8 with easily its best book in over a year.  BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (THE BOUNCE) held steady at #5 even though it, ahem, bounced back from a down book.  ENTERCOM Country WYCD slid to #6 as it returned all of last month’s big gain.  WMXD slipped to #7 with a slight decrease.  In its final iteration as ENTERCOM Top 40/M WDZH (AMP), the station now known as THE BREEZE moved up a spot to #11.

There was a new 18-49 sheriff in town as WRIF returned to #1 after taking a couple of books off.  The station had its highest share since JULY and had a solid lead over WXYT-F, which moved up to #2 with – once again – its highest offensive output in over a year.  WCSX was up two places to #3 thanks to a solid increase.  WKQI’s two-book run at #1 came to an end.  The station dropped to #4.  WMXD was up for the third book in a row as it advanced to #5 while WJLB fell four slots to #8 with its first down book since MARCH.

Phoenix: It’s So Easy

In the last survey before the beginning of the radio CHRISTMAS wars, the status remained ever quo.  The top five 6+ stations remained the same with one addition to the mix.  iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9KEZ) extended its lead over the field (6.6-6.9).  iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (THE MOUNTAIN) remained in second but fell a bit off the pace (6.2-6.3).  HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX fell a little further behind at #3 with its lowest share since JULY (6.1-5.9).  iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) remained in place at #4 as it ended a two-book surge (5.7-5.2). 

HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD returned at #5 but with its first down book since MAY (5.6-5.1).  It was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX), which moved up from #7 as it ended a three-book slide (4.7-5.1).

The top five 25-54 stations were the same as before with one deletion.  KUPD notched its fifth straight demo win though it was off slightly.  #2 KYOT was up slightly to narrow the gap to a very, very small number.  KZZP repeated at #3 though it was off slightly.  KSLX returned at #4 but with its lowest total since JANUARY.  KMXP became the lone occupant of the #5 position as it regained all the share it lost last month.  Its former partner in that space – KESZ – slid to #6 as it returned most of last month’s increase.  It also had a new partner in iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX, which moved up from a tie at #8 as it executed a partial rebound from a steeply down book.

For the second straight survey, KUPD and KZZP traded places atop the 18-34 chart.  Both had down books but KUPD’s was less of a downer as the station returned to the top spot despite posting its lowest share since MARCH.  KZZP dropped back to #2 with its least productive outing since JANUARY.  KYOT remained a solid but somewhat distant #3 with a small decrease.  ENTERCOM Country KMLE moved up a couple of places to #4 as it ended a two-book slide.  ENTERCOM Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5) took three steps forward to #5 as it got back about half of last month’s massive loss.  KESZ slipped to #6 with a slight decrease.

The top six – count ‘em – six 18-49 stations were in the exact same place as last survey.  KYOT was off slightly but won for the second book in a row.  KUPD had its lowest share since JULY to fall a little farther off the pace at #2.  KZZP repeated at #3 though it ended a strong two-book surge.  KMXP was again the #4 station as it had a solid increase.  KESZ returned at #5 with a slight increase while HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ) remained at #6, also with a slight increase.  FARMWORKER Regional Mexican KNAI-A (LA CAMPESINA) made a bid to break up that sextet.  The station rose from a tie at #16 to #7 with its best share since APRIL.

Minneapolis-St.Paul: A Model Of Consistency

For the whole of 2018, HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) has performed admirably 6+.  The station has never been below a seven share and has been #1 in nine of eleven books.  That is where it ended up in this book (7.5-7.3) though its market lead was under a share. 

iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (K-FAN) moved up to #2 with its fourth up book in a row (6.5-6.8).  A streak that seems to coincide with a certain NFL team’s season.  iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL) slipped to #3 (6.7-6.6) while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB stepped back to #4 with its lowest share since APRIL (6.5-6.1).  CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) stepped up to #5 as it ended a two-book flat streak (5.6-5.7) … well, barely.  iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) moved up to #6 with its second straight up book (5.4-5.6).  CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS slid to #7 as it returned all of last month’s increase (5.7-5.3).

Last month KSTP and KXXR were this close to being tied atop the 25-54 leaderboard.  This time, it happened.  KSTP was flat while 93X was up slightly.  And, voila, you have a tie.  KFXN was up slightly at #3 but trailed the leaders by nearly a share.  KDWB was down for the third book in a row but remained at #4.  Three stations were joined at the hips at #5.  KQRS remained in place with a slight decrease while KQQL moved up a spot with a slightly smaller decrease.  ENTERCOM Adult Hits KZJK (JACK) advanced from #7 just by being flat.

KXXR extended its string of double-digit 18-34 books to twelve.  It also finished first for the eleventh straight survey.  KDWB repeated at #2 but was nearly two shares behind the leader.  KSTP stepped up to #3 as it regained some of last month’s loss.  This pushed KFXN back to #4 as it was off slightly.  KEEY held steady at #5 despite being down for the third book in a row.

Though KXXR could not hit double digits 18-49, the station continued to own the demo.  It was #1 for the seventh straight survey and led #2 KDWB – which was down for the third book in a row – by more than a share and a half.  KSTP moved up a slot to #3 with a small increase while KFXN slid back to #4 with a slight decrease.  KQRS remained at #5 though with its lowest share since JULY and was just ahead of KZJK, which moved up to #6 with a slight increase.

Thank you for taking the time to expose yourself to our analyses.  We will be back in a month to see where the first volleys in the CHRISTMAS skirmish have landed. 

And, don’t forget to …

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About RESEARCH DIRECTOR INC. RESEARCH DIRECTOR is based in ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND.  We help radio stations’ programming and sales departments maximize the value of their research.  For more information, visit www.ResearchDirectorInc.com, call (410) 295-6619, or e-mail info@ResearchDirectorInc.com or sallan@researchdirectorinc.com.  FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ResearchDirectorInc.  TWITTER: @ResearchDirectr

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