Research Director, Inc.: Exclusive August PPM For Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-Hollywood, Seattle-Tacoma, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis-St.Paul

Exclusive Day 3 Analysis From Research Director, Inc.

Remember when our biggest worry in AUGUST was that we were enduring the “dog days” of Summer. Such innocent times. Now it’s hurricanes, wildfires, social unrest, a pandemic, dogs and cats living together … yet, somehow radio soldiers on. This survey covered 7/16 through 8/12 and, besides the above, was notable for the return of real, live professional sports competitions. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the numbers nerds from XTRENDS – plow through it all to distill the essential data. That is our collective super power.

MIAMI-FT.LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: An Easy Move
For the first time since MARCH, COX MEDIA GROUP AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) was #1 6+. The station also posted its largest number since JANUARY (7.0-7.5). This ended the three-book winning streak for COX MEDIA GROUP Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105FM), which slipped to #2 (7.9-7.4). SBS Spanish Contemporary WCMQ (Z92.3) had its best outing in over a year (5.6-6.3) as it stood alone at #3. UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR 107.5) stepped down to #4 with its lowest mark in over a year (5.6-5.2). ENTERCOM AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) repeated at #5 (5.1-5.0). The station also moved back to #1 in cume (747,300-716,700) – a decrease of 4.1%. The market was off by 1.4%. ACTUALIDAD MEDIA Spanish News WURN-A has been on a roll. The station landed at #7 this time (3.2-4.1), up from #12.

WHQT found itself in first place 25-54 for the third straight survey. The station was off a bit and this allowed WCMQ to forge a tie as it was up a bit. Close behind that dynamic duo was WFEZ, which remained in third place as it regained all of last month’s share loss. WLYF stepped up to #4 with a small increase. Last month, iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TU 94.9 FM) and ENTERCOM Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH) were tied at #8. WZTU moved up to #5 with its third up book in a row while a flat WMXJ advanced to #6. WAMR fell to #7 with its smallest share in over a year.

Though COX MEDIA GROUP Urban WEDR (99JAMZ) had its lowest 18-34 share since FEBRUARY, the station captured the demo for the ninth book in a row. However, the object in its rearview mirror was much closer as WFEZ moved up to #2 with its best outing since the pipers were piping. A flat WCMQ repeated at #3 while ENTERCOM Top 40/R WPOW (POWER 96) moved up to #4 with a slight increase. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) dropped to #5 with its lowest score in over a year. WHQT stepped down to #6 with its third straight down book and was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100).

WFEZ posted its best 18-49 share since JANUARY, which pushed the station to #1. WHQT was off slightly and stepped back to an extremely close #2. WCMQ was up two slots to #3 as it ended a two-book slide. WLYF advanced to #4 as it regained all of last month’s loss. WEDR stepped down to #5 with its lowest total in over a year while WZTU stepped up to #6 with its best performance since OCTOBER. WMIB fell six slots to a tie at #9.

SEATTLE-TACOMA: Pick Six
This was the sixth straight 6+ win for BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F (7.1-7.1). This was also the fifth book in a row that iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK was #2 (6.3-6.9). It also featured the narrowest gap between the two stations during that span. ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW was up two places to #3 with its best outing in over a year (5.2-5.7). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJR-F (95.7 THE JET) glided down to #4 (5.5-5.5). The station was also on top of the cume leaderboard for the second book in a row (608,300-635,000) – an increase of 4.4%. The market grew by 1.7%. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON News/Talk KUOW stepped down to #5 (5.4-5.3) while HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN 92.5) was close behind at #6 (4.9-5.1).

As with the previous demo, KISW had its best 25-54 outing in over a year. However, this time that success propelled the station to #1 for the first time since MARCH. KQMV was off slightly as it dipped to #2 while KUOW repeated at #3 with a modest loss. KJR-F ascended to #4 with its best share in over a year. ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (107.7 THE END) stepped down to #5 with its least productive outing since MARCH. KZOK was not far behind as it moved up to #6 with its best book since OCTOBER. ENTERCOM Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) slid to #7 as it returned most of last month’s huge increase.

There was a hard edge to the top of the 18-34 chart. KISW ruled the day with authority with its third straight win and highest share in over a year. KZOK was up to #2 with a huge increase but still trailed the leader by about two shares. KNDD stepped down to #3 despite a slight increase. KQMV ended a two-book slide but still moved back to #4. CLASSICAL RADIO INC. Classical KING-F remained at #5 with a slight increase and was paired with KJR-F, which advanced from a tie at #9 with a large increase.

KISW was the far-and-away 18-49 leader for the third straight survey. KZOK moved up two places to #2 with its best book in over a year while KQMV moved down to #3 with its lowest mark in over a year. KNDD also stepped down – to #4 – where it was met by KJR-F, which rose from #6. KUOW dropped down to #6 with a modest loss and was sharing the moment with HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9).

DETROIT: Triple Play
BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX was the dominant 6+ player for the third book in a row (7.3-7.1). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) ended a three-book slide as it moved up three places to #2 (5.3-5.7). It was a cluster party at #3. ENTERCOM News WWJ-A remained in place (5.5-5.3) but was forced to share with two other stations. ENTERCOM Sports WXYT-F (97.1 THE TICKET) leapt from #12 with its best outing since NOVEMBER (4.1-5.3). ENTERCOM Classic Hits WOMC rose from #6 with its third up book in a row (5.1-5.3). Meanwhile, ENTERCOM Country WYCD dropped to #6 with its first down book since FEBRUARY (6.0-4.9). iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) fell to #7 (5.4-4.8). Though ranked at #10 (4.7-4.5), the cume leader was still iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC (831,100-827,700) – a decline of 0.4%. The market was up a modest 0.4%.

There was a whole lotta shaking going on in the 25-54 ranks. BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF was back at #1 after a short hiatus with its highest share since DECEMBER. WCSX stepped down to #2 as it returned all of last month’s huge increase. WOMC advanced five squares to #3 and WXYT-F rose from #9 to #4 as both stations posted their largest scores in over a year. CUMULUS Country WDRQ (NEW COUNTRY 93.1) accomplished the same feat as it leapt from a tie at #11 to #5. A flat iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WLLZ repeated at #6 while CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD turned it up from a tie at #11 to #7 with its highest mark since MARCH. Three stations were excused from the top five. WKQI and iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB dropped from #3 and #4, respectively, into a tie at #8. WYCD fell six slots to #11 as it ended a very strong five-book surge.

The 18-34 race grew a bit tighter. WKQI was #1 for the fourth book in a row but with a noticeable share loss. WJLB remained #2 with a small gain. That reduced the gap between them to under a half share. WDVD took a step up to #3 with its fourth straight up book. It was partnered with WDRQ, which advanced from #6 with a massive increase. WYCD dropped to #5 as it lost a chunk of share. WRIF slipped to #6 with a modest loss and was tied with WCSX.
Last month WRIF and WCSX were tied at #2 18-49. Both stations were down this time but WRIF ascended the throne while WCSX remained in place. WDVD was up three slots to #3 with its best showing in over a year. Last month’s leader – WKQI – slid to #4 and was tied with WJLB. WOMC was up to #6 with its best book in over a year. WYCD dropped to #7 and was tied with WXYT-F.

PHOENIX: Duel In The Desert
That iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) was #1 6+ again was the least surprising result of the survey. However, the station posted its lowest share in over a year (7.1-6.2) while HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX had a small increase. The net of it all was that the two stations were tied for first. KESZ continued to lead in cume (813,500-826,600) – an increase of 1.6%. The market was down by 0.4%. iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) remained at #3 (5.7-5.5) while ENTERCOM Classic Hits KOOL repeated at #4 (5.4-5.3). BONNEVILLE Talk KTAR made a return engagement at #5 (4.7-4.8) but was forced to perform a duet with iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX, which stepped up from a tie at #6 as it ended a two-book slide (4.4-4.8).

The top of the 25-54 leaderboard remained rocky as HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD repeated at #1 while KSLX remained #2. Both stations were off slightly and hearing footsteps as KNIX was up to a very close #3 as it ended a three-book slide. KYOT stepped down to #4 with a slight loss while ENTRAVISION Regional Mexican KLNZ (LA TRICOLOR 103.5) dipped to #5 with its lowest mark since FEBRUARY. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9) made the leap o’ the month as it rose from a tie at #13 to #6 with a huge increase. As recently as MAY the station was tied at #22. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (104.7 KISS FM) fell to #9 with a rather large loss.

The pandemic has not been kind to KMXP. Just three books ago, the station had sunk to #18 18-49. However, it has been on the rebound ever since and landed at #1 this book with a double-digit share. KLNZ remained at #2 with a small loss and was almost four shares off the lead. KZZP went from first to third while ENTERCOM Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5) moved up three places to #4 as it ended a three-book slide. KUPD and RIVIERA Top 40/R KKFR (POWER 98.3) had been tied at #7. Both stations had the exact same small increase as they strode arm in arm up to #5. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB and KNIX had been an item at #4. Both stations were down this month and landed at #7 and #8, respectively.

The 18-49 demo was embroiled in chaos. KMXP was the new demo leader as it rocketed up from a tie at #9. It just edged out KUPD, which repeated at #2 with a small loss. Two stations running in opposite directions met headlong at #3. KLNZ ended its five-book winning streak with its lowest score since JANUARY. ENTRAVISION Spanish Adult Hits KVVA (JOSE 97.5/107.1) made the bold move, rising from #17 with easily its largest share in over a year. KESZ remained at #5 with a slight gain but was forced to share with two other stations. KSLX was up from #8 as it ended a two-book slide while UNIVISION Regional Mexican KHOT (QUE BUENA 105.9) advanced from a tie at #11 with its best outing in over a year. KYOT dropped to a tie at #8 with a slight loss while KZZP fell eight places to a tie at #11 with its lowest total in over a year.

MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL: Four!
Hubbard Hot AC KSTP (KS95) swept to its fourth straight 6+ victory (8.1-8.0). It had a healthy lead over MPR N/T KNOW, which was up to #2 (7.0-7.2). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) slipped to #3 as it ended a three-book surge (7.5-6.3). The station continued as the cume leader (788,200-730,500) – a loss of 7.3%. The market was up by 0.4%. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) stepped up to #4 (6.3-6.2) while UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST.PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS was up to #5 (6.2-6.0). CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS slipped to #6 with its lowest share since NOVEMBER (6.4-5.8).

For the fifth straight survey, KXXR was #1 25-54. However, its lead did experience some shrinkage. 93X was down a bit while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB was up to #2 with its best book in over a year. The stations were separated by under a half share. KQQL slipped to #3 with its first down book since JANUARY. KTIS stepped up to #4 with its third straight up book while KSTP stepped down to #5 with a slight loss. It was just ahead of a flat iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (K-FAN) at #6. ENTERCOM Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) dropped to #7 with its lowest number since DECEMBER. It was tied with KNOW.

Not only did KXXR win the 18-34 competition for the fifth book in a row, the station remained in double-digits for the fifth straight survey. KSTP remained at #2 but with its best book since MARCH while KDWB was up to #3 with its highest share since JANUARY. iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97.1) had a slight loss but moved up to #4. iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) was flat but stepped up to #5. KZJK dropped to #8 as it ended a very strong two-book surge.

Though KXXR could not duplicate last month’s double-digit 18-49 share, the station did easily capture the demo for the seventh book in a row. KSTP was up to #2 with its best outing since MARCH while KDWB leapt three places to #3 with its highest score since NOVEMBER. KQQL slid to #4 as it ended a six-book surge. KFXN repeated at #5 as it regained all of last month’s large share loss. KZJK slipped to #7 with its smallest share since hosiery was hung on the mantle.

Thank you for your indulgence. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. will be back – threat or promise? – in about 28 days to do this all over again. In the meantime, stay safe and read on.

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About Research Director, Inc.: Research Director, Inc. 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.
 
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