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

Latest PPM Analysis

The survey specialists, otherwise referred to as The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., along with the demons of the downloads from XTRENDS, unveil yet another edition of “How The Book Turns.” This is our third and final pass at the OCTOBER ratings ring-dang-doo. A month that began on 9/12 and ended on 10/9. It is the next-to-last survey before Santa’s immense influence kicks in and was chock full of sports stuff. It also featured the beginning of AUTUMN. How nice. But it’s the numbers that we really care about...

MIAMI-FT.LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: Ten For Ten

This was the tenth survey of the year and in each one COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) has been #1 6+. The station was flat this time (7.0-7.0) but saw its lead over the rest of the field expand a bit as #2 COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) was down (6.7-6.4). UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR 107.5) had its best outing since JANUARY (5.7-5.9) to move up to #3. It just edged out ENTERCOM AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM), which was up to #4 with its highest score since MAY (5.3-5.8). ENTERCOM Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH) was still in the mix though it slipped to #5 (5.8-5.7). COX RADIO Urban WEDR (99JAMZ) moved up to #6 with its best performance since JANUARY (4.7-5.2).

For the fourth straight survey, a different station was #1 25-54. This time it was WAMR, which moved up thanks to its best score since DECEMBER. Last month’s leader – WFEZ – stepped back to #2 despite a small increase. WMXJ was up slightly but still forced to move down a spot to #3. WHQT was up to #4 with a slight increase while two other stations advanced into a tie at #5. WEDR was up from #6 with a slight gain while WLYF took two steps forward as it bounced back from a down book. iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TU 94.9) slipped to #7 with a small loss. The six stations ranked #2 through #7 were separated by less than a share.

There was a threesome at #1 18-34 this survey. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) was the lone winner over the last two books and remained in place with a slight decrease. WEDR was up from #2 with its best showing since APRIL. WFEZ joined the fray from #4 with its highest score in exactly a year. WLYF moved up a spot to #4 with its best mark since FEBRUARY but was nearly a share behind the tri-leaders. WZTU returned all of last month’s small increase as it slipped back to #5. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) ended a two-book slide to move up three places to #6 but was still more than a share outside the top five. A couple of cluster compadres had strong books and moved into a tie at #7. ENTERCOM Alternative WSFS (104.3 THE SHARK) was up from #13 with its best number since APRIL. ENTERCOM Country 
WKIS (KISS) had its highest share in over a year as it advanced from #12.

It is not often you see two Adult Contemporary stations tied at #1 18-49. But, that was the result this time as WFEZ and WLYF were crowned co-leaders of the demo. Both stations had small increases. WEDR was up three slots to #3 with its highest mark since JANUARY. WAMR stood alone at #4 with a small increase. Last month’s leader was WMXJ. It was off slightly this time but that was enough to drive it down to #5. WMIB slid to #6, also with a slight decrease.

SEATTLE-TACOMA: A Movin Experience

Last month both HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN) and iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK could claim to be the #1 station 6+. This time MOVIN stood alone on top after posting its largest share in over a year (6.0-7.4). KZOK had to step back to #2 (6.0-6.1). ENTERCOM AC KSWD (94.1 THE SOUND) remained at #3 (5.5-5.2) while three stations were occupying the #4 position at the same time. BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F was a return visitor (5.0-5.0) while HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) moved up a spot (4.9-5.0). UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW ended a four-book slide as it advanced from #9 (4.5-5.0). Nipping, or rather snapping, at their collective heels was #7 ENTERCOM Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF), which had its best score since MAY (4.6-4.9).

KQMV had its best 25-54 book since FEBRUARY to up its demo-winning streak to ten. KZOK was down but moved up to #2 and trailed the leader by better than three shares. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KJAQ (96.5 JACK FM) moved up three places to #3 with a slight increase while its former partner at #6 – KKWF – moved up to #4 with an even slighter increase. It was now tied with KUOW, which jumped from #9 with its best score since MARCH. Two former members of the top five dropped out and partnered up at #6. ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) fell from #2 with its lowest share in over a year. KRWM stepped back from #5 with a slight decrease. ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW fell four slots to #8 with its smallest share in over a year.

KQMV continued to dominate the 18-34 space as it cracked double digits for the second straight survey. KKWF sprung from #7 to #2 with its best outing in over a year yet still trailed the leader by almost four shares. KISW stepped back to #3 with its lowest mark since hosiery on mantels was a decorative trend, while KUOW stepped down to #4 despite being up for the fourth book in a row. ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT 103.7) slipped to #5 with a slight increase. It was just ahead of KZOK, which moved up three places to #6 as it bounced back from a down book. KJAQ dropped to #7 with its lowest total since JUNE and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R KUBE, which advanced from #14 with its highest number since APRIL. KNDD fell five slots to #9 with its smallest share in over a year.

KQMV had its best outing since APRIL to further extend its 18-49 lead over the rest of the market. KISW remained at #2 with a down book and was joined by KKWF, which advanced from #6 with a slight increase. That duo trailed the leader by over three shares. KRWM repeated at #4 with a slight decrease. KJAQ also remained in place – at #5 – with a small loss. It was paired with KNDD, which slid from #3 with – again – its lowest total in over a year.

DETROIT: Another Guitar Solo

This was the fourth book in a row that BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX was #1 6+. The station did have its lowest share of the streak (7.1-6.5) and saw its lead over #2 iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC cut in half (5.9-6.0). Two stations were close behind at #3. ENTERCOM Classic Hits WOMC remained in place (5.7-5.8) and was joined by BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF, which advanced from a tie at #6 with its best book since FEBRUARY (5.1-5.8). ENTERCOM News WWJ-A repeated at #5 (5.4-5.1) and was just ahead of iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3), which dropped to #6 with its lowest mark in over a year (5.7-4.9).

WRIF had its best 25-54 book in over a year to remain in first place for the third straight survey. WCSX gave an encore performance at #2 but with its lowest mark since APRIL. As a result, the gap between the two stations expanded from less than a half share to two whole shares. WNIC was back at #3 as it gave back most of last month’s small gain. ENTERCOM Sports WXYT-F (97.1 THE TICKET) moved up to #4 with its best outing since MAY. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (105.1 THE BOUNCE) repeated at #5 with a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) slipped to #6 with its lowest share since legumes were being burnt. It was tied with WOMC, which moved up a couple of places.

The top two 18-34 stations remained unchanged but chaos ruled after that. WRIF was #1, up for the third book in a row and landed its largest share in over a year. WKQI returned at #2 but with its lowest share in over a year. That more than doubled the gap between the two stations. 

iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB moved up to #3 with its best mark since that little kid was drumming incessantly. WGPR INC. Urban WGPR (HOT 107.5) moved up three places to #4 with its best showing since MARCH. CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD landed its largest share in over a year as it leapt from #11 to #5. WMGC slipped to #6 with a slight decrease while ENTERCOM Country WYCD fell to #7 with its lowest share since the bells were ringing the sad, sad news. WCSX dropped five places to #8 as it ended a three-book surge and was tied with WNIC.

Not surprisingly, WRIF had its best 18-49 book in over a year as it captured the demo crown for the fifth straight survey. WMGC bounced up to #2 with a slight decrease while two stations landed at #3. WKQI stepped back from #2 with its lowest total in over a year and was paired with WXYT-F, which leapt from #8 with a strong increase. WJLB returned at #5 with a slight decrease. WCSX fell three slots to #6 with its first down book since JUNE. It was tied with WDVD, which advanced three spaces with its highest score since JANUARY.

PHOENIX: Four For Four

There was little change from last time as the top four 6+ stations remained the same and all had up books. iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (KEZ 99.9) got back last month’s share loss to finish first for the fourth book in a row (6.7-7.0). iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) was again #2 (6.3-6.6) while HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX returned at #3 but with its best book since APRIL (6.0-6.4). ENTERCOM Classic Hits KOOL (94.5 KOOL) bounced back from a down book (5.9-6.2) to repeat at #4. Technically, iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX was again #5 though it did end a four-book surge (5.2-4.3). We say “technically” because ENTERCOM Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5) moved up a spot to tie (4.2-4.3).

Both HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD and KSLX were tied at #1 25-54 last time. Both stations had up books but KUPD’s was a little more upperish as it kept the lead while KSLX slipped to #2 and was tied with KYOT, which moved up a spot. Those three stations were separated by the slimmest of all possible margins. KESZ had its best book since JANUARY to move up three places to #4. KOOL remained tied at #5 but with two new partners. KALV advanced from #9 with a slight increase while a flat iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (104.7 KISS FM) moved in from #8. KNIX dropped five slots to #8, thus ending its three-book surge. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (93.3 ALT AZ) dropped to #9 as it, too, ended a three-book run.

Got live if you want it. Though it posted its lowest share since APRIL, KALV was again #1 18-34. KUPD moved up to a very close #2 with its first up book since FEBRUARY. KZZP stepped up to #3 with a slight increase while KDKB slid to #4 with its lowest score since JUNE. KYOT stood alone at #5 with a slight decrease while its former partner in that space – KNIX – dropped back to #6 and was tied with KESZ.

THE MOUNTAIN gained some altitude. KYOT was #1 18-49 for the third straight survey and posted its largest share since MARCH. KUPD moved up a spot to #2 as it ended a four-book slide but was a share off the lead. KSLX moved up to #3 with its best showing in over a year while KALV dropped to #4 as it returned last month’s small increase. KESZ moved up to #5 as it ended a two-book slide. KNIX ended a strong four-book surge and fell to #7 where it was tied with KDKB.

MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL: Three In A Row

It was a good month for HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95). The station was #1 6+ for the third straight survey and posted its largest share since APRIL (7.2-7.5). It was also a good month for sports in the Twin Cities with the TWINS, VIKINGS, and GOPHERS all being relevant. This must have helped iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (K-FAN) as it moved up to #2 with its best score since NOVEMBER (6.1-6.8). UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST.PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS was up three places to #3 with its highest calling since APRIL (6.0-6.5). MPR N/T KNOW slipped to #4 (6.4-6.3) while ENTERCOM Talk WCCO-A rose a slot to #5 (6.0-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) dropped four slots to #6 with its smallest total in over a year (6.5-5.7). iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB fell to #9 as it, too, scored its smallest share in over a year (6.1-5.2).

KFXN had a huge book – its best in over a year – to win the 25-54 contest again. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) repeated at #2 but with its lowest mark in over a year. The stations were better than a share and a half distant. KSTP moved up to #3 as it bounced back from a down book. ENTERCOM Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) repeated at #4 as it ended a two-book surge. KDWB had its lowest score since JUNE as it slid to #5. It was just ahead of KTIS, which moved up to #6 with a strong increase.

KXXR continued to dominate 18-34. Though the station had its lowest share since NOVEMBER, it remained solidly in double digits. KSTP flirted with that same lofty level but came up a bit short. Still, the station moved up to #2 and was a little more than a share off the lead. KDWB slipped back to #3 but with a slight increase while KFXN remained at #4 but with its best book since NOVEMBER. K-FAN has more than doubled its share since JULY when it was #15. A flat KZJK remained at #5 but was joined by KTIS, which advanced from a tie at #8 with its best book since APRIL.

There was a battle brewing 18-49. KXXR was again #1 but with its lowest share in over a year. KFXN had its best performance in over a year. The net result was that the stations were tied for first place. KSTP stepped up to #3 as it rebounded from a down book but was better than a half share off the lead. KDWB was down for the third book in a row as it slid to #4. KZJK was back at #5 with a slight decrease. KTIS was not far behind as it moved up to #6 with a solid increase.

Thank you for taking the time to peruse this missive. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. appreciate the fact that you even bother, what with your busy schedules and all. Through no fault of our own, we plan on being back in about 28 days for the NOVEMBER book. 

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