Research Director Inc., Exclusive May 2021 PPM Analysis For Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-Hollywood, Seattle-Tacoma, Detroit, Phoenix & Minneapolis-St. Paul

May 2021

For those of you binge viewing the MAY ratings results, we are happy to drop episode three of this continuing series – right now. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., along with those folks in the back office at XTRENDS, have poured over the data and sifted through the numbers so you don’t have to. This survey ran from APRIL 29th through MAY 26th. It was devoid of any major holidays or life-changing cultural events. It did, however, feature plenty of vaccines and higher volumes of vehicular traffic. Let’s go inside the numbers, shall we?

MIAMI-FT.LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: Six For Six

History repeated itself this month as the top six 6+ stations were exactly as we left them. COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105FM) won for the second straight survey but with its first down book since DECEMBER (9.0-8.5). COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) repeated at #2 but with its lowest total since JANUARY (8.3-7.7). The station still had the most cume (944,300-917,700) though it was off by 2.8%. The market was down by 1.2%. AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) was #3 again as it returned most of last month’s solid increase (6.7-6.2). Coming in at #4 was SBS Spanish Contemporary WCMQ (ZETA 92.3) (6.0-5.7) while UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR 107.5) was right behind at #5 with its lowest mark since NOVEMBER (5.7-5.3). AUDACY Classic Hits WMXJ (102.7 THE BEACH) was at #6 (4.9-4.8).

Things were not as static 25-54, though WHQT did repeat as the demo champion for the fifth book in a row. WMXJ was up two places to #2 with a slight increase, but trailed the leader by over two shares. WFEZ dipped to #3 with its second straight down book and met up with WLYF, which remained in place with a small share loss. SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7) held steady at #5 with a slight increase. It was joined by the fast-rising iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100), which advanced from #9 with its best performance in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock WBGG (BIG 105.9) slipped to #7 despite a slight increase.

For the third book in a row, WLYF led the way 18-34. The station did not duplicate last month’s double-digit performance but had a comfortable lead over cluster mate WMXJ, which advanced four squares to #2 with its highest share in over a year. WFEZ stood alone at #3 with a slight increase, while WHQT slid to #4 as it ended a strong four-book surge. COX MEDIA Urban WEDR (99 JAMZ) held steady at #5 with a slight decrease. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) was down for the third straight survey as it fell to #6.

The top five slots on the 18-49 leaderboard have been unaltered since last month. WHQT was #1 for the fifth book in a row as its five-book surge came to an end. WLYF, repeated at #2 but with its first down book since JANUARY. WFEZ was #3 again with a slight share loss, while WMXJ was back at #4 with its best book in over a year. WXDJ rounded out the top five with its highest score since DECEMBER.

SEATTLE-TACOMA: Trading Spaces

Last month AUDACY Active Rock KISW (THE ROCK OF SEATTLE) ended the five-book 6+ winning streak for BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F. The tables turned this time as KIRO-F was back on top (6.2-6.6) while KISW stepped down to #2 (6.3-6.5). UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW moved up to #3 as it ended a three-book slide (5.4-6.0). Speaking of ending a streak, the last time FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP had a down book was in AUGUST. This time the station dipped to #4 (5.7-4.7). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK repeated at #5 but with its lowest share in over a year (4.8-4.5). It was paired with HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) which advanced from #7 (4.7-4.5). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJR-F (95.7 THE JET) slipped to #7 (4.8-4.4). However, the station did cruise into the cume lead (548,100-589,200) with a 7.5% increase. The market grew by 1.0%.

The top five 25-54 contained the same players as before with one minor adjustment. Last month, KISW and KEXP had been tied for the top spot. Both stations had down books but KISW had enough left in the tank to win for the fourth straight survey, while KEXP slipped to #2. Both were well ahead of KUOW, which repeated at #3 as it ended a three-book slide. A couple of format rivals were duking it out on the next rung. HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN’ 92.5) was at #4 with a slight loss while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KBKS (HITS 106.1) repeated at #5 with a slight gain. There was precious little daylight between the two stations.

The 18-34 arena continued to be an alternative universe. KISW was #1 for the seventh straight survey, while #2 KEXP suffered its first down book since DECEMBER (when it was tied at #19). KBKS had its best performance in over a year as it stepped up to #3. It narrowly defeated KQMV, which slipped to #4 with its smallest share since Ma was in her kerchief. KUOW moved up to #5 with a small loss while AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) ended a robust five-book surge while slipping to #6.

Last month, KEXP and KISW were #1 and #2 respectively, 18-49 and had each landed in double digits. This time they fell out of that rarefied position as KISW moved back to the top spot and KEXP dipped to #2.  Staying at a solid, if distant, #3 was KUOW with its best book since JANUARY. KQMV repeated at #4 with a slight increase and held a healthy advantage over KBKS, which remained at #5 with a small gain.

DETROIT: Bounce-Back Book

Last month, AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC dropped from #1 to #2 6+. This time, the station regained all of that lost share (6.7-7.2) to move back to the top spot. BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX had its win vacated as it stepped down to #2 (6.9-6.8). iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) stepped up to #3 despite posting its lowest number since OCTOBER (6.1-5.8). BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF dipped to #4 with its first down book since we were playing reindeer games (6.2-5.5). Stepping up to #5 was iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC, which got back all of last month’s lost share (4.8-5.3). It also continued as the cume leader (815,000-900,900) – an increase of 10.5%. The market rose by 3.0%. A flat AUDACY Sports WXYT-F (97.1 THE TICKET) slipped to #6 (5.2-5.2).

WRIF was the 25-54 leader for the fifth book in a row as it posted its largest share since OCTOBER. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB stood alone at #2 with a small increase, while WOMC advanced two spaces to #3 as it got back all of last month’s share loss. WCSX slid to #4 as it returned a good portion of last month’s rather large increase. It met up with WNIC, which stepped up with a slight increase. WXYT-F slid to #6 with its third down book in a row.

What a difference a month can make. In APRIL, WRIF was #1 18-34 with a double-digit share and smoked #2 WJLB by more than four shares. This month, WJLB moved up to #1 and narrowly defeated WRIF, which slipped to #2. WCSX stood alone at #3 after landing its largest share in over a year. AUDACY Country WYCD stepped down to #4 while iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) repeated at #5. Both stations had slight losses. WNIC advanced from a tie at #9 to #6 with a strong increase, while CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD leapt from #13 to #7 as it ended a somewhat steep two-book slide.

The gap between the top two 18-49 stations experienced a bit of shrinkage. WRIF was #1 for the fifth straight survey but saw its lead over #2 WJLB cut by over two shares. WCSX stepped up to #3 with its best showing since SEPTEMBER, while WOMC slipped to #4 despite a slight share gain. WNIC repeated at #5 with a small gain, while WXYT-F advanced two slots to #6 with a modest increase.

PHOENIX: Taking The Easy Way

Though iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) posted its lowest 6+ share since NOVEMBER (7.0-6.2), the station landed on top of the heap for the seventh straight survey. The station continued to lead in cume (1,056,100-948,000) but with a 10.2% decline. The market was also down, by 1.9%. HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX rebounded nicely from a down book as it landed its largest share since SEPTEMBER and moved up to #2 (4.9-5.6). iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX slipped to #3 as it ended a very strong four-book surge (6.5-5.5). Standing at #4 was iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN) (4.6-4.6). It had company as AUDACY Classic Hits KOOL stepped up from a tie at #5 thus ending a two-book slide (4.1-4.6). iHEARTMEDIA Talk KFYI-A slid to a tie at #7 with its smallest share in over a year (4.1-3.8).

Who said that 50% of success is just showing up? ENTRAVISION Regional Mexican KLNZ (LA TRICOLOR 103.5) was flat 25-54 but that was enough to push the station to #1 for the first time since JANUARY. KNIX had been the demo leader over the last two surveys but returned most of last month’s huge increase as it dropped back to #2. KESZ slipped to #3 as it too surrendered most of the big share increase it received last survey. KSLX inched up to #4 with its best outing since JANUARY, while KOOL advanced three spaces to #5 with its highest score in over a year. KYOT dropped three places to #7 with only a slight share loss.

KNIX was #1 18-34 for the third book in a row, but that does not paint the full picture. Last month, the station had a massive share infusion that propelled it into the double-digit stratosphere. This month, that all evaporated. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (104.7 KISS FM) remained at #2 but with its best book since JULY and was about a half share off the pace. HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD had dropped to a tie at #7 last book but regained all of that large share loss to pop back up to #3. KYOT dipped to #4 with a slight increase. SIERRA H Top 40/R KZCE (101.1 THE BEAT) was flat as it slipped to #5 and was joined by AUDACY Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5), which moved up from a tie at #7 and ended its three-book slide. KLNZ fell from #5 to a tie at #9.

Back in JANUARY, KLNZ was #1 18-49 but slowly slid to #7 before returning to the top spot this survey with its best share since it was last #1. KNIX stepped down to #2 as it ended a very sturdy three-book surge. KESZ dipped to #3 with a modest share loss, while two stations took up residence at #4. KYOT remained in place with a small loss, while KZZP stepped up from a tie at #6 with its best showing since NOVEMBER. A couple of other stations were also upwardly mobile. KUPD advanced from a tie at #10 to #6, while KALV leapt from a tie at #13 to #7. KZCE slid from #5 to a tie at #8.

MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: KS Kicks Ess

The story here is all about HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP-F (KS95) which (spoiler alert) completed the demo sweep for the third book in a row. Starting with 6+, the station cracked the nine-share barrier for the fourth straight survey (9.1-9.0). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) was the closest pursuer as it moved up to #2 with its best Frosty-free share since JULY (6.6-7.3). KQQL was still the cume leader (780,800-812,200) with a 4.0% increase. The market was up by 3.3%. MPR N/T KNOW dipped to #3 with its lowest score in exactly a year (7.7-6.6). Moving up to #4 was iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102), which had its best book in over a year (5.7-6.2). iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN) slipped to #5 with its fourth straight down book (6.6-6.0). AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) stepped up to #6 with its best outing since JULY (5.4-5.9). Slipping to #7 was AUDACY Talk WCCO-A (6.2-5.8).

Cruising to its third 25-54 win in a row, KSTP landed its largest share in over a year. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) stepped up to #2 but was a share and a half behind the leader. KFXN slid to #3 with its lowest score since SEPTEMBER. KQQL took one step up to #4 with a large share increase. It was joined by KZJK which advanced from #8 with its best showing in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB dipped to #6 despite a slight increase and was tied with KEEY. KNOW fell from #4 to #8.

Make it four 18-34 wins in a row for KSTP as the station just missed duplicating last month’s double-digit experience. Moving up three places on the survey to #2 was KZJK, which posted its largest share in over a year. KEEY was up from #7 to #3, also with its best book in over a year. KDWB slipped to #4 despite landing a solid share increase. KXXR fell from a share of first place to #5 with its lowest mark since we were simply having a wonderful time. KQQL and iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97.1) both had strong books as they moved up and into a tie at #6. UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST.PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS-F dropped from #4 to #8.

KSTP not only finished in first place 18-49 for the fourth book in a row, it also landed a double-digit share for the third time in that span. KXXR repeated at #2 with a slight increase but was better than two shares off the lead. KZJK had its best performance in over a year as it advanced three spaces to #3. Two stations were standing as one at #4. KDWB remained in place with a small increase while KFXN dipped from #3 with its lowest score since SEPTEMBER. KNOW fell from a tie at #4 to #10.

And, so it ends. Thank you for taking the time to not only click on this bait but actually consume it. Hopefully, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. have hooked you for the next round. See you in about a month.

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