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

November '21 PPM Ratings Results

The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. along with the old cowhands from XTRENDS are back in the saddle again. It’s time for our third and final radio rodeo as we lasso the numbers from the NOVEMBER survey. This time we’ll see that several of the markets jumped the gun on this Santa nonsense and started playing holiday music towards the end of the survey. For accounting purposes, this one ran from OCTOBER 14th through NOVEMBER 10th. Here we go …

SEATTLE-TACOMA: 5 For 5

When it comes to the holiday hoopla, this market is a hot mess. Once the pine needles have fallen, there will have been five – count em – five stations playing BING freakin’ CROSBY. Four waited until the DECEMBER survey. One did not. Before we go there, let’s point out that BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO just finished #1 6+ for the fifth book in a row. Oddly, the station was also down for the fourth straight survey (6.8-6.5). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK repeated at #2 (6.3-6.0), while UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW was up for the fourth book in a row to remain #3 (5.5-5.8). Two days prior to the end of the survey, CRISTA Christian Contemporary KCMS (SPIRIT 105.3) became all jolly. The station was up for the third book in a row, landed its largest share in over a year and leapt from #10 to #4 (4.5-5.2). HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM 106.9) was still in regular format as it posted its largest Frosty-free share in over a year (4.6-5.0). This propelled the station from a tie at #8 to #5. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJR (95.7 THE JET) descended to #6 (5.1-4.9) and was tied with LOTUS News KOMO-A (5.4-4.9). KJR repeated as the cume champion (634,700-642,800) – a 1.3% increase. The market rose by 1.7%.

For the tenth straight survey, AUDACY Active Rock KISW (THE ROCK) was #1 25-54. The station broke out of a tie with KZOK, though it did post a fifth straight down book. Nipping at its nose was FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP. Here is how the station has placed over the last four surveys: #12, a tie at #3, #13, and now #2. KZOK slipped to #3 and was tied with KUOW, which stepped up from #4. HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOViN’ 92.5) had its smallest share since MAY as it slid to #5. KIRO dipped to #6 with a small decrease.

A flat KISW finished in first place 18-34 for the fourth straight survey. KZOK went from #4 to #2 with its best outing since JANUARY but was still better than a share off the pace. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KBKS (HITS 106.1) remained at #3 but with its lowest mark since JANUARY. KQMV slid to #4 with its smallest share in over a year. It was paired with KEXP, which rocketed up the chart from #16. HUBBARD Country KNUC (98.9 THE BULL) and KIRO had been tied at #5. KNUC dipped to #6 with a small decrease, while KIRO-fell to #17.

KISW was flat 18-49 but that was good enough to ensure the station’s seventh straight victory. KZOK repeated at a somewhat distant #2 and was joined in that space by KUOW, which stepped up from #3. KQMV was at #4 again with its lowest total since the weather outside was frightful. KIRO remained at #5 as it ended a four-book surge, while KEXP leapt from #14 to #6.

MIAMI-FT.LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: Hot Stuff

The top five players remained the same as before. However, COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) clearly separated itself from the rest of the field. The station moved back to #1 with its largest share in over a year (8.4-9.3). This pushed cluster mate COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) down to #2 (8.5-8.0). These two stations have occupied the top two slots, often trading places, for every 2021 survey. AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) repeated at #3 as it ended a three-book slide (5.7-5.8). UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR 107.5) and SBS Spanish Contemporary WCMQ (Z92.3) traded spaces. WAMR was up to #4 (5.1-5.2), while WCMQ dipped to #5 (5.5-5.1). WFEZ continued to have the largest cume (898,100-908,500) – a 1.2% increase. The market was up by 0.8%.

The top four 25-54 stations were unchanged from last survey. WHQT continued to dominate the demo as it captured the crown for the eleventh book in a row. WFEZ repeated at #2 with a slight decrease and trailed the leader by better than three and a half shares. WLYF was a click behind at #3, while iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TÚ 94.9) remained at #4 with its highest score in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) stepped up to #5 with a small increase. This pushed SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7 FM) down to #6, where it was tied with WAMR.

As with the last survey, there was a tie atop the 18-34 leaderboard. However, only one of the previous pair remained in place. WHQT was the survivor as it ended a two-book slide. Its new dance partner was WFEZ, which moved up from a tie at #3 with its largest share in over a year. COX MEDIA Urban WEDR (99 JAMZ) stood alone at #3 with a slight gain. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (103.5 THE BEAT) stepped up to #4, while two stations were mulling about at #5. AUDACY Country WKIS (KISS COUNTRY 99.9) was up from #7 with its best book in exactly a year. It was joined by WLYF, which fell from a share of first place with its lowest mark since DECEMBER.

WHQT bounced back from a down book to remain the 18-49 leader for the eleventh straight survey. From a tie at #4, WZTU moved up a couple of places to #2 with its highest share in over a year yet still trailed the leader by better than three shares. WFEZ slipped to #3 where it met up with WEDR, which had been in that joint #4 spot. WLYF dropped from #3 to #5 with its lowest score in over a year.

DETROIT: OMG OMC

For the third time in the last four surveys, AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC was #1 6+. The station rebounded from a down book (6.8-7.2) to move up from #3. iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC made its deal with the elves early in the last week of the survey. The station had its best Frosty-free share in over a year (5.9-7.0) as it rose from a tie at #4 to #2. Last month BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX and iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3) were tied at #1. WCSX had its lowest number since MARCH as it slipped to #3 (6.9-6.1). WMXD ended a robust three-book surge (6.9-5.8) and dropped into a tie at #4 with AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) (5.9-5.8). That duo was just ahead of #6 AUDACY News WWJ-A (5.7-5.7). WNIC was still the cume leader (961,100-883,700) – an 8.1% decrease. The market rose by 0.3%.

For the first time since snow was glistening, WNIC was #1 25-54. The station stepped up from a tie at #2 with a rather large share increase. BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF was forced to step down to #2 despite a solid share increase. WXYT moved up to #3 with its fifth straight up book, while WCSX slid to #4 with its lowest mark since MAY. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB rose up to #5 with its best outing since MAY, while BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (105.1 THE BOUNCE) dipped to #6 with a slight decrease. It was just ahead of WOMC, which moved up to #7 as it rebounded from a down book.

WRIF made it two 18-34 wins in a row as it landed its largest share since APRIL. WJLB moved up to #2 as it regained some of last month’s big share loss but was still about two shares off the lead. WCSX ended a three-book slide as it jumped from #7 to #3. WMGC returned all of last month’s huge increase – plus a little extra – as it dropped into a tie at #4 with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955). That duo was only a bit ahead of WOMC, which went from a tie at #8 to #6 as it ended a somewhat steep two-book slide. WMXD fell from #4 to #15.

There were co-leaders in the 18-49 showdown. WRIF stepped up from #2, while WNIC advanced from #4 to forge the tie. WJLB remained at #3 as it bounced back from a down book, while WXYT leapt from #8 to #4 with its best offensive performance in over a year. WOMC got back some of last survey’s big loss as it moved up to #5. On the other hand, WMGC returned most of last month’s big gain as it fell from #1 to #6. CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD and WMXD had been tied at #5. They ended up at #7 and #12, respectively.

PHOENIX: It’s So Easy

Not that iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) needs the help, but the station did start hanging the mistletoe at the beginning of week four of the survey. The station was #1 6+ for the thirteenth book in a row (6.6-6.7). HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX had its best book since MAY as it moved up to #2 (5.1-5.5). iHEARTMEDIA Talk KFYI-A was up to #3 with its best showing since FEBRUARY (4.7-5.1), while MARICOPA N/T KJZZ jumped from #11 to #4 with its best book in over a year (3.3-4.6). It was tied with iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN), which slipped from #2 (5.3-4.6). Close behind and all alone at #6 was iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9) (4.4-4.5). HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD had its lowest total since APRIL (4.7-3.8) as it fell from a tie at #4 to #10. KESZ still had the most cume (943,500-930,800), though it was down 1.3%. The market grew by 1.1%.

Though KUPD had a small 25-54 share loss, the station repeated as the demo leader. KESZ remained at #2, also with a small loss, and was about a share off the lead. KSLX stepped up to #3 with its best showing since JANUARY, while KYOT dipped to #4 with its lowest mark since MAY. KMXP moved up to #5 and was just ahead of ENTRAVISION Spanish Adult Hits KVVA (LA SUAVECITA 106.9/107.1), which advanced from #10. Both stations posted their largest shares in over a year. AUDACY Country KMLE fell from #5 to #12 as it returned all of last month’s big increase. 

KESZ received a massive infusion of 18-34 share as it jumped from #4 to #1. It just edged out a pair of stations at #2. KUPD had been the leader, but it stepped down as it ended a strong four-book surge. KYOT moved up from #3 with a slight increase. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (104.7 KISS FM) slid to #4 as it halted a solid two-book surge, while DESERT VALLEY Top 40/R KKFR (POWER 98.3 & 96.1) remained at #5 with its fifth up book in a row.

KESZ had its best Frosty-free 18-49 share in over a year as it moved up to #1. This ended the two-book winning streak for KUPD as it dipped to #2 with its first down book since APRIL. A flat KYOT repeated at #3, while KZZP was at #4 again with a slight increase. KMXP remained at #5 with its highest score in over a year. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3) had its best showing since MARCH as it jumped from a tie at #11 to #6.

MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL: Now You KNOW

The 6+ race was hotly contested as a new leader emerged. MPR N/T KNOW went from #3 to #1 with its best performance since FEBRUARY (7.3-8.0). It narrowly edged out HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95), which slipped to #2 (8.2-7.9). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) changed to all holiday hits during week four of the survey. The station dipped to #3 with its lowest mark since APRIL (7.8-6.7). iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN FM 100.3) remained at #4 (7.0-6.6), while UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST.PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS advanced from #11 to #5 as it rebounded nicely from a down book (4.8-6.5). AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) stepped down to #6 (5.8-5.7) and was just ahead of #7 CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS (5.4-5.6). KQQL maintained its cume lead (846,300-747,700), though it was off by 11.7%. The market was down 0.4%.

There were two tiers to the 25-54 leaderboard. The top three slots were within about a share of each other, while positions four through eight were separated by a half share. KSTP won the demo for the ninth book in a row, though with its lowest share since JANUARY. KNOW went from a tie at #4 up to #2 with its fourth up book in a row. It just nipped KFXN, which stepped down to #3. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) rose from a tie at #6 to #4 with a slight increase, while KTIS advanced from #9 to #5 as it regained most of last month’s rather large share loss. A flat iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB was close behind as it moved up to #6, while KZJK fell four places to #7 with its lowest total since APRIL. One small step behind was iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97.1), which dropped from the tie at #4 to #8 with its first down book since FEBRUARY.

After taking a couple of books off, KSTP was back at #1 18-34. The station had a small lead over two stations at #2. KQQL ended its two-book double-digit streak, while KXXR remained in place with a small decrease. There was a sizeable gap between that trio of stations and the one that came in at #4 – a flat KDWB. KZJK and KNOW had been tied at #7. Both stations had up books and ended up at #5 and #6, respectively. KTCZ slid from a tie at #4 to #7 with its lowest total since MAY.

KSTP was #1 18-49 for the tenth book in a row – eight of which have been in double digits. It held nearly a three-share lead over a pair of stations at #2. KQQL remained in that spot, though with a large share loss, while KXXR stepped up from #3 with a slight decrease. KDWB was also off slightly as it repeated at #4. It was forced to share the moment as KNOW advanced from #8 with its best book since FEBRUARY. KFXN dropped from #5 to #8.

Just think – in about a month we’ll be basking in the post-holiday glow while dissecting the carnage holiday music has wrought. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. wish you and yours a safe, happy, and healthy holiday!

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