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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive February PPM Analysis For Seattle, Phoenix, Minneapolis
March 21, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Seattle-Tacoma: It’s A Sandusky Party
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ALL ACCESS presents FEBRUARY PPM market highlights, compiled by the Ratings Experts at RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. and powered by XTRENDS, radio's #1 PPM and diary analysis tool. All numbers reflect subscriber only data.
Seattle-Tacoma: It’s A Sandusky Party
For the fourth month in a row, SANDUSKY AC KRWM (WARM) was the #1 station (5.8-5.7). For those keeping score at home, two of those months were fueled by PEM (Performance Enhancing Music), but in the two most recent surveys, the station was dishing out its usual WARM fare. Cozying up at #2 was cluster sister SANDUSKY Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN’), which rose from #4 with its best book in over a year (4.9-5.5). As a matter of fact, 14 books ago the station was ranked at #12 with a significantly lower 3.7 share. Slipping one slot to #3 was UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW (5.5-5.4). There was a three-way log jam at #4. CRISTA Christian Contemporary KCMS (SPIRIT) scored its lowest number since OCTOBER (5.0-4.4) to slip from #3. CCM+E Top 40/M KBKS (KISS FM) followed its best book of the previous 13 surveys with something that was not quite as appealing (4.8-4.4) yet managed to rise from #5. Rounding out this triumvirate was CBS RADIO Classic Rock KZOK, which moved up from #6 (4.5-4.4).
There was some serious re-shuffling of the deck chairs in 25-54. KZOK posted its best book in over a year and was happy to take the crown as the new #1 station. ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW, which saw its long string of #1 books end with the arrival of the SANTA sound, bounced back from a tie at #3 and into a tie at #2 with KQMV, which posted its highest total in over a year and moved up from a tie at #5. There was a two-way deadlock at #4 between FISHER Hot AC KPLZ (STAR), which made the move up from #7 and KRWM, which dropped out of the top spot. KCMS was down for the second straight book and slipped from a tie at #3 to #6.
The tumult we saw in the previous two demos had less effect 18-34. CCM+E Top 40/R KUBE had its best book in over a year (for the second straight month) to maintain its hold on #1. However, KQMV dramatically closed the gap as it took over sole possession of the #2 position. Country was suddenly very hot as CBS RADIO Country KMPS rocketed up from #9 to #3 -- a much better place than the #11 it had a year ago. Close behind was ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF), which grew from #5 to #4 – a far cry better than the #12 it had in the most recent HOLIDAY book. KBKS posted its lowest number in exactly a year to slip from #4 to #5 while ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) plunged from a tie at #2 to #6.
KQMV was up for the fourth straight book to remain as the #1 station 18-49. KISW scored its best book since NOVEMBER to remain at #2 while KBKS stayed at #3 despite a slight downturn. Last month, three stations were locked in a death struggle at #6. This month, all three cracked the top 5. KKWF clawed its way to #4 with its best book since AUGUST. The small increases experienced by KUBE and KPLZ were enough to land the stations in a tie at #5.
Phoenix: Things Are Getting Tight
As market compressions go, what is happening in PHOENIX is worth keeping an eye on. Of course, this narrowing of the shares seems to have affected everyone except CCM+E AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ). Though the station continued to shed shares in its post-Sleigh-Bell-influenced phase, it remained #1 for the fourth book in a row (6.9-6.4) and is well ahead of its pace from last year when it was #3 with a 5.1 share. The race is for second place right now and, boy, is it ever tight. CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL was up for the second book in a row (4.6-4.7) and climbed from #4 to a tie at #2 with CCM+E Hot AC KMXP (MIX), which was in the exact same position last month (5.0-4.7). Right on their heels was CCM+E Talk KFYI-A, which slipped from a tie at #2 to #4 (5.0-4.6). Coming up on the outside were two stations that are now tied at #5. BONNEVILLE Talk KTAR rose from #7 (3.9-4.3) with its best showing in over a year while UNIVISION Regional Mexican KHOT (LA NUEVA) jumped from a tie at #10 (3.3-4.3). Two other stations were just this close to breaking into the top 5 and were tied at #7. CCM+E Country KNIX dropped from #5 (4.4-4.2) while CBS RADIO Top 40/R KZON (JAMZ) moved up from a tie at #8 (3.7-4.2). In case you’re keeping track, that’s 7 stations within a half point of each other.
Things were not quite as tight 25-54 as KESZ was #1 for the fourth straight book and opened up a full share point lead over #2 KMXP. KHOT continued its recent surge and attained complete ownership of #3 and was noticeably ahead of two stations that are locked in mortal combat at #4. KNIX and SANDUSKY Classic Rock KSLX both slipped from a tie at #3.
From MAY to OCTOBER KHOT was the market leader 18-34. Then, the station fell on some hard ratings times and fell out of the top 5. Well, its back with its best book since AUGUST to climb from #8 into a tie at #1 with last month’s market leader SANDUSKY Active Rock KUPD. KMXP slipped a slot to #3 while KNIX was off a full share to drop down one position to #4. A year ago, RIVIERA Top 40/R KKFR (POWER) was sitting in a tie at #10, and even though it slipped a bit this book, it is staying the course at #5.
For the second month in a row, the same two stations are tied atop the leaderboard 18-49 -- KMXP and KESZ. This is not unusual for KMXP as it was in the same position a year ago, but back then KESZ was sitting in a tie at #8. KHOT popped its best book since OCTOBER to move from a tie at #5 into a tie at #3 with KUPD. KNIX slipped a spot to #5.
Minneapolis-St. Paul: The Usual Suspects
The only time in the last seven months that CCM+E Top 40/M KDWB was not #1 was when SANTA CLAUS came to town. The station is currently riding a three-book winning streak (8.4-8.5). Back in OCTOBER, NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE Christian Contemporary KTIS was sitting at #9. Well, the station has been on a tear since then and is getting dangerously close to the top spot (7.4-8.0). Last month, three stations were linked arm-in-arm at #3. Through the magic of mathematics the tie has been broken. CCM+E Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL) recovered from its post-elfin malaise to become the sole occupant of #3 (7.0-7.2). HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) was up for the second straight book but had to settle for being #4 – barely (7.0-7.1). And CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS dipped a bit (7.0-6.7) to slip to #5.
KDWB had another strong 25-54 book to remain #1 for the second month in a row. The station widened its lead over the new #2 -- KSTP -- which, despite a down book, moved up from #3. KQRS had its lowest number since JUNE to drop from #2 to #3. The residual benefits of the All-Kringle format are being reaped by KQQL. Last year at this time the station was #10. This time it moved from #7 to #4 with its best non-holly-infused book in over a year. KTIS also popped its best number in over a year to move up a slot to #5. Pity poor CBS RADIO Adult Hits KZJK (JACK FM). The station had a healthy increase for the second straight book yet fell from a tie at #4 to #6.
The soundtrack for 18-34 leaned a little bit country this survey. Sure, KDWB had its usual gargantuan share to completely dominate the demo and CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) was in its customary #2 position. CCM+E Country KEEY (K102) remained at #3 but scored its best book since OCTOBER. KSTP also had a solid book to take over sole possession of #4, comfortably ahead of CBS RADIO Country KMNB (BUZ’N), which leapt from a tie at #10 to #5.
Once again, KDWB had its familiar 3-plus share lead 18-49 over KSTP, which remained #2 despite a slight loss of shares. Two rather dissimilar stations are locked in a stare down at #3 – KTIS, which ascended from #4, and KXXR, which pogoed up from #4. Two stations moving in different directions are locked in at #5 -- KEEY jumped up from a tie at #6 with its best number since NOVEMBER and KQRS, which slumped from #3.
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