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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive May PPM Analysis For Detroit, Miami, Seattle, Phoenix And Minneapolis
June 12, 2013
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. DETROIT: Don’t Change The Channel
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ALL ACCESS presents MAY 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.
DETROIT: Don’t Change The Channel
The top six slots in the MOTOR CITY were equally split between two companies. CBS RADIO News WWJ-A held down the top spot for the fifth straight book despite reporting its lowest number since the HOLIDAY book (8.5-7.6). Last month, CCM+E Urban AC WMXD (MIX) was forced to share the #2 position but decided to be selfish and take it over for itself. This had a lot to do with the fact that the station was up for the fifth straight survey (6.5-6.7), a run that has seen it add more than two shares to its cache. When you combined TIGERS baseball with the RED WINGS' ill-fated run for the cup, you got a pretty strong showing for CBS RADIO Sports WXYT-F (THE TICKET). The station scored its best number since NOVEMBER to move up in the standings from #5 to #3 (6.1-6.6). Cluster brother CBS RADIO Country WYCD fell out of a tie at #2 to #4 (6.5-6.4) while its other brother from the same cluster, CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOMC, slipped from #4 to #5 with its third straight down book (6.3-6.1). Keep an eye on CCM+E Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955). As recently as the HOLIDAY book it was #15 with a 3.4 share. More recently, it posted its best score in over a year (4.5-5.1) to move from #9 to #6.
Sports continued to be the topic of discussion 25-54 as WXYT-F matched its huge share from APRIL to remain at #1. WMXD followed its "best book in over a year" with something a little less robust. It remained at #2 but is now tied with WYCD, which moved up from #3 even though its shares dipped slightly. For the fourth straight survey, CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD experienced the dreaded ratings erosion. The station is still #4 but was caught by GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WRIF, which inched up from #5. The WKQI express continued to roll on. The station was tied at #14 in the HOLIDAY book but just surged from a tie at #8 to #6 with another best-book-in-over-a-year performance.
This is the fourth month in a row that WKQI owned or shared the #1 spot 18-34. This time, it was all theirs as the station had -- yep -- another best book in over a year. How "best" was it? Try almost five shares better than last MAY. Last month’s co-leader, CCM+E Urban WJLB, could not keep pace and slid back to a very solid #2 position. WYCD was up for the second book in a row to hold on to #3 while WGPR INC Urban AC WGPR (HOT) remained at #4. WMXD fell out of a tie at #4 with WGPR into a tie at #5 with upwardly trending WXYT-F, which rose from #6.
What is in the water at WKQI? The station had a monster book 18-49 to rocket from #3 to #1. A year ago it was sitting at #8, over three shares lighter than it stands today. WXYT-F equaled its stellar APRIL but was forced to back pedal to #2. This ripple effect also affected WJLB as it slipped a spot to #3. Two stations swapped places, with WYCD climbing to #4 and WMXD slipping to #5. Three stations are battling it out at #6 – WGPR, WDVD and WRIF.
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: The Usual Suspects
Every month, we approach this market looking for new and unique story lines. And, each month we are faced with the fact that things do not seem to change all that much. Something those consistently in the top 5 are not upset with, but it does leave us with a lack of drama. Once again, COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) was the market’s dominant player as it stretched its formidable lead to a full three shares (8.7-9.1). Cluster mate COX RADIO Urban WEDR had its lowest number since AUGUST (6.4-6.1) to remain at #2, though it is now in a full-blown dead heat with UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR), which moved up from #3 (6.2-6.1). COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY) landed its best number since the HOLIDAY book to remain at #4 (5.4-6.0) while CCM+E Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) held steady at #5 (5.1-5.3). There was a little drama bubbling beneath the top 5 as UNIVISION Tropical WRTO (MIX) had its best book in over a year (3.6-4.3) to move from a tie at #11 to #8.
There was also a little drama 25-54 but it did not involve the top 3 players. WHQT rebounded from a couple of slow books to remain a strong #1. WEDR had its second straight down book but held on at #2 while WHYI was up slightly to stay at #3. Here is where the drama begins: WFEZ had its best showing since the HOLIDAY book to bounce from #6 to #4. WRTO nabbed its best total in over a year to soar from #9 to #5. This upward movement did have its consequences. WAMR slipped for the second straight survey to fall from a tie at #4 to #6 while BEASLEY Top 40/R WPOW (POWER) scored its lowest number since JUNE to drop from #5 into a tie at #8.
The 18-34 demo was another relatively drama-free zone. WEDR posted yet another market-dominating, double-digit number to claim the top spot. While it appeared from the above demo that WPOW might be headed for bad news here, the station held on to its traditional #2 spot. WHYI was comfortably entrenched at #3 while WRTO remained at #4 despite earning its best number in over a year. As recently as FEBRUARY, WAMR was sitting at #12 but its dramatic surge since then has the station moving up this month from a tie at #6 to #5. This forced CCM+E Spanish Contemporary WMGE (MEGA) to slip out of the top 5 to #6 even though it had its best book since JANUARY.
Even though WEDR had its lowest number since AUGUST, the station still remained atop the standings 18-49. WHYI was up for the third straight book to stay at #2 while WHQT ended a two-book slide to move from #4 to #3. WPOW scored its lowest number since JUNE to drop a spot to #4 while WRTO had another "best in over a year" performance to move from #6 to #5. This forced WAMR out of the top five to #6.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: Things Are Really Movin’
When you surprise a market and move into the #1 position, people can write it off as a fluke. When you do it a second time, it can be written off as an anomaly. However, when you top the charts three months in a row, you have to say this is a trend. That is what SANDUSKY Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN) has done, as it posted its best book in over a year (5.2-6.0) to strengthen its hold on the top position. This was possibly one of the most competitive markets in the U.S. as the top-five spots were separated by one share point. ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF) moved out of a tie at #3 into the #2 position with its best performance in over a year (5.0-5.6). SANDUSKY AC KRWM (WARM) was up for the second straight survey (5.0-5.2) to remain in a tie at #3, though it was sharing the space with CBS RADIO Classic Rock KZOK, which moved up from #5 (4.8-5.2) by posting -- you guessed it -- the station’s best book in over a year. UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW reversed a three-book slide to move up a notch to #5 (4.6-5.0). To prove how tight the market is, CRISTA Contemporary Christian KCMS (SPIRIT) had a slight down trend (5.1-4.9) yet fell from #2 to #6.
During the HOLIDAY book, KKWF was licking its paws as it sat at #12 25-54. Well, the station had been up in every survey since, and this month climbed from #3 to #1 to, ahem, lead the pack (we have been waiting a long time to use that line). KZOK had also been on a pretty substantial two-book run that saw the station rise from a tie at #7 to its second consecutive second-place finish. KQMV reversed a minor two-book slide to post its best number in over a year and glide from #4 to #3. The market was very compressed in this demo and ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW illustrated that point. The station had an ever-so-slight down trend yet it fell from #1 to #4. Exactly one year ago, KCMS was in a tie at #17. This station also experienced a slight down trend this go around but managed to hold on to its #5 position.
For the third straight survey, KKWF popped a huge number to remain #1 18-34. How rapid has the station’s rise been? During the HOLIDAY survey it was sitting at #12 and has added over six shares to its wiry frame since then. KQMV ended a two-book slide and matched its best book of the last year to take over sole possession of #2. CCM+E Top 40/R KUBE slipped out of a tie at #2 to the #3 spot while CBS RADIO Country KMPS became the lone resident at #4. CCM+E Top 40/M KBKS (KISS) was off slightly yet managed to move up a spot to #5. ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) was also down a bit and dropped from a tie at #4 into a tie at #6 with KISW.
KQMV ended a two-book sabbatical and returned to the top spot (from #3) 18-49 by landing its best book in over a year. This forced last month’s co-leaders to take some steps back. KKWF dropped to #2 even though it, too, had its best book in over a year, and KISW dropped to #3. KZOK has been on a tear the last couple of months that has seen the station sky rocket from #14 to #6 to its latest incarnation at #4. KBKS slipped a bit and dropped from #4 to #5 while KNDD slid from #5 to #7.
PHOENIX: Nice And Easy
Back in DECEMBER, CCM+E AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) grabbed control of the market in large part because of all those Yule tunes it was playing. Well, the station has refused to give its crown back and, for the seventh book in a row, it sat at #1 even though this was the lowest number it had scored during the run (6.6-6.2). CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL held on to the #2 position for the fourth straight survey (5.2-5.0) despite being on a two-book ratings slide. Out of the blue and into the black (my, my, hey hey) came SANDUSKY Classic Rock KSLX, which jumped from #8 to #3 with, easily, its best showing in over a year (3.9-4.9). Not to be outdone, CCM+E Country KNIX also produced its best book in over a year (4.3-4.7) to surge from #6 to #4. Last month, three stations were tied at #3 but the trio has disbanded. CCM+E Talk KFYI-A was up for the second month in a row (4.4-4.5) but slipped to #5. BONNEVILLE Talk KTAR was down for the second straight survey and fell to #7 (4.4-4.2). CCM+E Hot AC KMXP (MIX) slid to #8 after posting its lowest number in over a year (4.4-3.9).
Meet the new boss: KESZ was in the driver’s seat for the seventh straight survey 25-54 but now it had a co-pilot. KSLX posted its best book since AUGUST to come screaming up from a tie at #6 to a share of the lead. KNIX scored its best number in over a year to move from a tie at #4 to #3 while KMXP was down for the fourth book in a row to slide from #2 to #4. Three stations were in a dead heat at #5. SANDUSKY Rock KDKB slipped from a tie at #4 while its cluster bro’ SANDUSKY Active rock KUPD came roaring in from a tie at #12. KOOL was up for the fifth straight book to inch up from a tie at #6. KTAR followed its best book in over a year by falling from #3 into a tie at #8.
A year ago, KNIX was hanging around at #11 18-34. The station had been on a three-book tear and now found itself sitting atop the leaderboard, rising all the way from #5 to #1 in this book. KUPD reversed a three-book trend but was content to stay at #2, albeit without last month’s company. APRIL’s market leader, RIVIERA Top 40/R KKFR (POWER), had an ever-so-slight down book but still fell from the top spot to #3. CBS RADIO Top 40/R KZON (JAMZ) and UNIVISION Regional Mexican KHOT (LA NUEVA) were tied at #2 last month. This time, KZON slid to #4 followed by KHOT at #5. KSLX continued to make noise as it rose from #10 to #6.
Four demos and four (okay, five) different #1 radio stations. There was a lot of turmoil 18-49 but KUPD held on to the top spot for the third month in a row. Both KNIX and KSLX had their best books in over a year. The former rose from a tie at #5 to #2 while the latter jumped from a tie at #12 to #3. Only to be outdone a little, KZON had its best performance since DECEMBER to leap from #7 to #4. CCM+E Top 40/M KZZP (KISS FM) dropped from a tie at #2 to #5. Three stations left the top five last month. KHOT dropped from a tie at #5 into a tie at #6 with KESZ, which fell from a tie at #2. KMXP, which was tied for #1 just two books ago, plunged from #4 to #12.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: A Changing Of The Guard
You’ve probably heard the old coaching adage about celebrating a score -- act like you’ve been there before. Well, you could probably excuse the folks at HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) for doing an end zone dance. Yes, the station had been #1 before but it’s been a while -- last AUGUST to be precise. This time, the station matched its lofty number from last month (8.4-8.4) but was able to leap to the top spot. This forced CCM+E Top 40/M KDWB’s four-month run at #1 to slide to #2 (8.8-8.3) by the narrowest of margins. CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS scored its best number in over a year (7.4-7.9) to remain at #3. The two stations that were tied at #5 last month are no longer welded together. CCM+E Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL) was flat (7.0-7.0) but moved up to #4 while cluster compadre CCM+E Country KEEY (K102) became the sole proprietor of #5 (7.0-6.7). NORTHWESTERN COLLEGE Christian Contemporary KTIS posted its lowest number since DECEMBER to drop from #4 to #6 (7.2-6.5).
The top three 25-54 finishers from last month stayed right where they were. KSTP scored its best book since JULY to remain #1, widening its lead over #2 KDWB. KQRS was in the #3 position for the fourth straight book. KEEY also remained in place at #4. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) landed its best book since SEPTEMBER to jump from #8 to #5. This forced KTIS to drop from #5 into a tie at #6 with KQQL.
Though it may have abdicated the overall crown, KDWB continued its stranglehold on 18-34 with another huge double-digit performance. KSTP remained at #2, though through a combination of number shrinkage and #3 KXXR’s big rebound, the gap between the two narrowed considerably. KEEY ended a two-book slide to remain at #4 though it was now living in sin with CBS RADIO Adult Hits KZJK (JACK FM), which had a huge book to move up from #7. KQRS dropped from #5 to #7.
As is the norm 18-49, KDWB threw down another monster double-digit share to dominate the market. KSTP held its own but had to settle for its customary bride’s maid role. KXXR remained at #3 despite posting its highest number since SEPTEMBER. KZJK played the number it wanted and rose from #7 to #4 with, easily, its best book in over a year. KQRS was off slightly but that was enough to drop the station from a tie at #3 into a tie at #5 with KEEY, which inched up from #6. KTIS scored its lowest number since DECEMBER to drop from #5 to #8.
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