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

Exclusive Analysis From Research Director, Inc.

The ratings road show continues with another round of revelations and remarks fueled by The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. and algorithm alchemists from XTRENDS. Our subject today is the third round of reviews concerning the AUGUST book. A period precisely defined by NIELSEN as running from 7/18 through 8/14. The true dog days of summer. Let’s see if it was a good dog …

Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood: Same Old, Same Old

There was precious little drama in the 6+ ranks as the top five stations remained the same as before – with one small addition. COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY) was #1 for the eighth straight survey (7.3-7.6). COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) was #2 for the sixth book in a row but with its highest share in over a year (6.3-7.0). UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR) repeated at #3 (5.7-5.6) while ENTERCOM AC WLYF (LITE) returned as the #4 station (5.5-5.5). SBS Tropical WCMQ (ZETA) was #5 for the fourth straight survey (5.1-4.9) but was joined by ENTERCOM Classic Hits WMXJ (THE BEACH) which ended a small three-book slide (4.6-4.9). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBGG (BIG) had its best book in over a year to move up to #8 (3.2-3.8).

Things were not quite as static 25-54 as WHQT moved up to #1 for the first time since SEPTEMBER. It led the demo by a whisker over WFEZ which saw its two-book reign come to an end with a small loss. WAMR stood alone at #3 with a small gain while WLYF fell back to #4 despite a slight increase. COX RADIO Urban WEDR (JAMZ) had its best performance since JANUARY to climb three spots to #5. This pushed a flat iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TU 94.9) back to #6.

The status was anything but quo 18-34 as every station was in motion. Congrats to iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (THE BEAT) which captured the crown with its highest share in over a year. WEDR moved up to #2 with its best score since APRIL while WZTU stepped up to #3 with its best book since FEBRUARY. ENTERCOM Top 40/R WPOW (POWER) saw its two-book run come to an end as it dropped back to #4. WHQT had a huge increase as it rose from #11 to #5. Meanwhile, COX RADIO Top 40/M WFLC (HITS) got back about half of last month’s huge decrease and rose five spaces to #7. It was tied with a slightly down iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100). WFEZ had its smallest share in over a year as it fell from #5 to #10.

Last survey WFEZ and WPOW were the 18-49 co-leaders. That partnership did not endure. EASY was off a bit but remained on top. POWER ended a strong four-book surge and fell all the way to #11. WEDR was up three slots to #2 with a solid increase while a flat WAMR remained at #3. WLYF was also flat as it stood still at #4 but it was paired with WHQT which advanced from #9 with its highest share since FEBRUARY. SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL) slipped back to #7 with its fifth straight down book and was tied with a slightly off WZTU. 

Seattle-Tacoma: Movin’ Day

There were a lot of 6+ shares swirling in the wind during this survey. A pile of them landed in the lap of HUBBARD top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN) as it (naturally) moved back to #1 (5.3-6.4). After two books in the driver’s seat, iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK stepped back to #2 as it returned all of last month’s huge increase (7.0-6.0). ENTERCOM AC KSWD (THE SOUND) had its best in-format book (4.4-5.4) to leap three spaces to #3. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW slipped back to #4 with its smallest share in over a year (5.5-5.2). BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F held steady at #5 (4.9-5.1) but had HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) nipping at its heels. WARM was up to #6 with its best Frosty-free share in over a year (4.3-4.9). ENTERCOM Adult Hits KJAQ (JACK) fell to #8 as it ended a strong two-book surge.

KQMV extended its 25-54 winning streak to eight as it regained all of last month’s lost share. ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) had its best book in over a year to remain at #2 yet still trailed the leader by over a share. KZOK held onto its #3 rank despite landing its first down book since FEBRUARY. KRWM was up three slots to #4 with a solid increase. This pushed ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW back to #5 as it was off slightly. KJAQ dropped four places to #9 as it returned all of last month’s large increase.

KQMV and KISW remained #1 and #2, respectively, 18-34. However, the gap between them almost doubled as MOVIN’ had its best book since APRIL while KISW had its lowest share since the maids were a milkin’. KNDD’s four-book slide came to an, ahem, end as it moved up five slots to #3. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KBKS (KISS) remained at #4 with a slight increase while the former #5 partnership was dissolved. KJAQ remained in place with a slight increase. KZOK slipped back a slot with a slight decrease and was tied with KUOW. ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT) dropped five places to #8 as it surrendered all of last month’s solid increase.

KQMV completed the demo sweep as it regained all of last month’s lost 18-49 share to remain #1. KNDD had its best outing since APRIL to repeat at #2 while a flat KISW was up to #3. KRWM took three steps forward to #4 with its highest Frosty-free share in over a year. KJAQ dropped back to #5 as it ended a two-book surge. HUBBARD Country KNUC (THE BULL) slipped to #6 with a small loss and was just ahead of another apex predator in ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF) which regained most of last month’s large loss.

Detroit: Keep Your Motor Running

In the city that invented the muscle car, it was appropriate that the #1 6+ station was the one bringing the heavy metal thunder. BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX led the way (7.2-6.9) over two stations that moved up and into a tie at #2. ENTERCOM Classic Hits WOMC took a step upward (6.0-5.9) while ENTERCOM News WWJ-A advanced from a tie at #6 as it ended a two-book slide (4.8-5.9). iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) was up to #4 with its highest share in over a year (5.5-5.7). iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC dropped to #5 with its lowest score in over a year (6.2-5.6). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX) slipped to #6 (5.7-5.4) and was just ahead of a couple of hard-charging stations at #7. BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF had its best outing since FEBRUARY (4.6-5.2) while BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (BOUNCE) landed its largest share in over a year (4.1-5.2).

Check out the big 25-54 numbers on WRIF. Well, we can’t actually share them with you. What we can say is that the station moved up to #1 with its highest share in over a year and led the rest of the field by over a share. WKQI stepped up to #2 as it, too, landed its largest share in over a year. WCSX slipped from first to third as it returned last month’s small increase. Three stations were tied at #4. WNIC was off slightly but made an encore performance in that spot. A flat WMGC was up from #5 while WOMC advanced from #6 with a slight increase.

The 18-34 arena is a battle between WKQI and WRIF. Both stations had strong gains to remain #1 and #2, respectively. They were separated by just over a share, but the rest of the market was at least a share behind the top two. WCSX was up six slots to #3 with its highest share in over a year and was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB which took a step upward with its best book since MARCH. WOMC moved up to #5 with its performance since NOVEMBER. ENTERCOM Country WYCD slipped to #6 with a small loss while WMGC fell to #7 with a slight decrease.

The 18-49 contest was the mirror image of the preceding demo. WRIF remained #1 with its best book since JANUARY while WKQI repeated at #2 with its highest share since MARCH. They were about a share apart but led WCSX – which moved up to #3 – by a share. WMGC stepped back to #4 despite a slight increase while WJLB leapt four places to #5 with a strong increase. ENTERCOM Sports WXYT-F (THE TICKET) fell to #8 and was tied with WYCD.

Phoenix: Making It Look Easy

iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) had its fifth straight up book 6+ as it won the market for the second straight survey (6.8-7.0). ENTERCOM Classic Hits KOOL (KOOL) was also up for the fifth consecutive survey to move up to #2 (5.8-6.3). It just edged out iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (THE MOUNTAIN) which stepped back to #3, ending its two-book surge (6.7-6.2). It, in turn, was just ahead of HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX which slipped to #4 despite an up book (5.8-6.1). iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX remained alone at #5 with its highest mark since FEBRUARY (4.6-5.1). Its former partner in that space – HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD – slid to #7 with its smallest share in over a year (4.6-4.1). In between those two was BONNEVILLE Talk KTAR-F which rose from a tie at #11 (3.3-4.2).

Last month KUPD and KYOT shared the 25-54 lead. This time only one was left on the summit. That was KUPD which did post its lowest share in over a year. THE MOUNTAIN fell to #4 with its lowest total since mom was two-timing Dad. In between were two stations tied at #2. KSLX was up a spot despite a small loss while KOOL advanced from a tie at #5 with its best book in over a year. KNIX moved up to #5 with its highest share since SEPTEMBER. Two former members of the top five dropped into a tie at #6. KESZ took one step back as it ended a three-book surge while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) slid from #4 with its third down book in a row.

If you have retained what we wrote in the two previous paragraphs, you would be inclined to think KYOT was having a tough month. Not so 18-34 as the station jumped from a tie at #5 to #1 with easily its highest share in over a year. It barely edged out last month’s leader – KUPD – which dropped to #2 and was tied with ENTERCOM Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5). HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ) remained at #4 with its best performance since SEPTEMBER. KZZP stepped back to #5 with its smallest share in over a year. KESZ slid to #7 with its first down book since MARCH.

Though KYOT was flat 18-49, the station was able to move up to #1. This was largely due to the fact that the leader for the previous six surveys – KUPD – had its lowest total in over a year and dropped back to #2. The two stations previously tied at #6 moved up smartly. KOOL landed at #3 with its best book in over a year. KALV landed at #4 as it ended a two-book slide and was tied with KSLX which moved up a spot. KESZ slipped to #6 as it ended a two-book surge and KZZP dropped four places to #7 with – again – its lowest score in over a year.

Minneapolis-St.Paul: Back On Top

HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) had its first 6+ up book since APRIL as it returned to the top spot (6.3-7.4). Last month’s #1 was iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL). It stepped back to #2 (7.5-7.0). MPR N//T KNOW moved up to #3 with its third straight solid up book (6.1-6.5). A flat CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) held steady at #4 (6.1-6.1). It was just ahead of iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB which stepped up to #5 (5.8-6.0). The stellar performance of the TWINS continued to drive ENTERCOM Talk WCCO-A. The station had its highest score in over a year (5.3-5.9) to move up to #6. UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST. PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS fell five slots to #7 with its lowest share since FEBRUARY (6.4-5.5), and tied ENTERCOM Adult Hits KZJK (JACK).

A flat KXXR continued to dominate 25-54 as it won for the fourth book in a row. KSTP was up to #2 as it regained most of last month’s loss but was still more than a share behind the leader. KDWB slipped back to #3 with a slight decrease while iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN) moved up three places to #4 with its best offensive performance since NOVEMBER. KQQL slipped to #5 with a slight decrease and was just ahead of #6 KZJK which had its best book since the big guy in the red suit was all the rage. KTIS stepped back to #7 as it ended a two-book surge and was tied with KNOW.

Though it was down for the second book in a row, KXXR easily won 18-34 and was well in to double digits. However, KSTP also cracked the double-digit barrier as it moved up to #2. The gap between the two stations was right around two shares. KDWB just missed joining the double-digit club and slipped back to #3 despite a solid increase. There was a threesome at #4. KQQL remained in place with a slight decrease while KZJK was up from #7 with a solid increase. iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) stepped up from a tie at #5 as it ended a two-book slide.

For the third time in the last four surveys, KXXR surpassed the double-digit barrier 18-49. KDWB remained at #2 with a slight decrease and was more than a share and a half off the pace. KSTP repeated at #3 but with its largest share in over a year. KQQL returned at #4 with a slight increase. KFXN moved up to #5 with a huge increase. KTIS dropped to a tie at #8 with its lowest mark since JANUARY.

Another month goes by and we are that much the wiser. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. will be back to do this again in about 28 days. In the meantime, if you have any nits to pick feel free to share them with us at sallan@researchdirectorinc.com.

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RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. is based in ANNAPOLIS, MD. 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.

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