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Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive Feb. PPM Analysis For Detroit, Miami, Seattle, Phoenix And Minneapolis
March 20, 2014
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. DETROIT: The Winter Blues
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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. Welcome back for our third and final installment of the FEBRUARY 2014 ratings round up. As with our earlier episodes, this takes place from 1/30 through 2/26. However, this one is completely different because we have a whole new cast of characters. Kind of like what TRUE DETECTIVE is going to do – but you’ll be able to understand what we say.
Now, back to the show …
DETROIT: The Winter Blues
The folks in the Motor City are a hardy lot. Besides being the brunt of too many late-night TV jokes, they have to deal with some nasty winter weather. This year’s brutal onslaught has likely helped fuel CBS RADIO News WWJ-A as the station led the way for the second straight month (8.4-7.9). As a point of comparison, the station was also #1 a year ago with a 9.0 share. Cluster mate CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOMC was up for the fourth straight survey and copped its best book in over a year (6.9-7.6) to remain at #2. CCM+E Urban AC WMXD (MIX) held on at #3 despite being down for the second straight month (6.6-6.4). On the other hand, CCM+E AC WNIC had its best KRINGLE-free book in over a year (5.5-6.1) and moved up in the world from #6 to #4. CBS RADIO Country WYCD – which had a string of #1 books in the middle of 2013 – may be feeling the nagging effects of additional competition as the station scored its lowest number in over a year (5.9-5.5) to slip one square to #5. Speaking of competition, CUMULUS Country WDRQ (NASH FM) remained at #18 but did experience a bit of ratings elevation (1.9-2.3). Bouncing out of the top five was CUMULUS Talk WJR-A, which dropped down to #6 (5.7-5.4).
For the second straight survey, WMXD took top honors 25-54 with another stellar performance. Perhaps we were a bit hasty in commenting on WYCD’s competitive angst as the station ended a three-book slide to move up a spot to #2. WWJ-A was off a bit so it fell one place to #3 while WNIC dropped one to #4 even though it was up slightly. WOMC again had its best book in over a year to move up one spot to #5. As recently as DECEMBER, the station was sitting at #15 in this demo, so it is on a hot streak. CCM+E Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) dumped a little bit of share but lost a bit more in rank as it dropped from a tie at #3 to #6. WDRQ remained at #17 but did add some share to its portfolio.
Just moments ago we mentioned that WKQI was down a bit but now we look at 18-34. The station was still at #1 – for the second book in a row with a robust double-digit share. Though it was down, it did manage to widen its lead over #2 WYCD as that station fell out of the double-digit club. CCM+E Urban WJLB saw its three-book surge come to an end, but it still held firm at #3. GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WRIF moved up a spot to #4 with its best book in over a year while WGPR INC Urban AC WGPR used its best book since OCTOBER to take one step forward to #5. WMXD’s good fortune in the previous demo was not duplicated here as the station had its lowest number since NOVEMBER to fall from #4 into a tie at #6. Meanwhile, the new ranch hand in town – WDRQ – had a solid book as it rose from #11 to #9.
Even though WYCD had its lowest 18-49 share since MAY, the station managed to remain #1 for the second straight book. WKQI remained at #2 but could not gain any ground as it had its lowest share since OCTOBER. WJLB also had a down book but it was able to move up in the ranks one spot to #3 while WMXD ended a five-book run and fell back one place to #4. WRIF maintained its #5 position with its best showing since OCTOBER. Though WDRQ did not budge from #17, it was likely delighted with its share increase.
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: More Heat, Please
Book after book, year after year, COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) keeps laying down big numbers and dominating the market. This particular survey was on the lower end of their usual range (8.6-8.8), but the station was still crushing the rest of the market by three full shares. The brother from the same cluster, COX RADIO Urban WEDR, had its best book since NOVEMBER (5.0-5.8) to rise from a tie at #5 to #2 – which was great, just not enough to get close to the top. UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR) suffered its third straight down book (5.7-5.6) and slipped back a spot to #3. CCM+E Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) ended its two-book slide (5.0-5.3) to move up one space to #4 while LINCOLN AC WLYF (LITE) had its lowest total since JUNE (5.4-5.2) to take one step back to #5. As you can see, once you get past HOT’s dominance, the market is pretty compressed. Dropping out of the top five was COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY), which dropped from #3 to #7 with its lowest total in over a year (5.6-5.0). This was the first full survey for COX RADIO Top 40/M WFLC (HITS) and it was flat (3.4-3.4) as it slipped from a tie at #11 to #13.
The fact that WQHT had its best 25-54 book since SEPTEMBER only meant it was allowed to stay at #1. However, #2 WEDR did manage to get the gap under two shares as it posted its best number since NOVEMBER. SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL) remained at #3 with its best book in over a year. As a matter of fact, the station has more than doubled its share in the last year and moved up to this lofty perch from #14. WHYI was up slightly to gain a spot to #4 while WAMR was also up a bit as it moved forward two squares to #5. WLYF had some tough sledding after posting its lowest total since JUNE. It fell two spots to #6. WFLC’s new format debut was flat but it did move from #14 into a tie at #11.
Last month, market watchers were a bit surprised to see WEDR fail to post a double-digit share 18-34. That anomaly has been corrected as the station returned to the ratings stratosphere with its best book since NOVEMBER. BEASLEY Top 40/R WPOW (POWER) remained at #2 even though it posted its lowest number since AUGUST – for the second book in a row. WXDJ was down a bit but remained at #3. WHYI also shed some share while holding steady at #4. CCM+E Urban WMIB (THE BEAT) matched its new format high to remain at #5. WFLC’s debut saw the station drop some share as it fell from #10 into a tie at #11.
The natural order of all things 18-49 remained relatively unchanged. WEDR was in its customary position at #1 as it ended a four-book slide. WXDJ took over sole possession of #2 with its best book in over a year while WHYI dropped out of that second-place tie to land at #3 with its third straight down book. WHQT was up a bit but stayed put at #4 while WPOW stayed at #5 with its lowest output in over a year. WFLC shed a little share but did move up from #13 into a tie at #11.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: Everybody Tighten Up
This is one of the tightest, most contested markets in the country. Last month, we had three stations tied at #1 and a fourth just one tenth behind. This survey, the top six stations are all within two tenths of a point of each other. We may have to go to strength of schedule to declare an eventual winner. No, wait, there is only one #1 station this time and it was UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW, which actually moved up from #4 by being flat (5.1-5.1). Three stations tied the knot at #2. CBS RADIO Classic Rock KZOK fell from its share of the #1 tie by going 5.2-5.0. HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN) did the exact same thing (5.2-5.0) while ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW came all the way in from #7 (4.6-5.0). The third member of last month’s #1 triumvirate – HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) – dropped into a tie at #5 (5.2-4.9) with CCM+E Top 40/M KBKS (KISS), which didn’t bother moving a muscle (4.8-4.9) even though it had its best book in over a year.
The spread was a little wider 25-54 and, this time, featured a new #1 station. KISW reclaimed the top spot after a two-month hiatus. This bumped KQMV back a spot to #2 after the station had a very slight down trend. KZOK remained at #3 even though it secured its lowest number since MARCH. KBKS was flat and remained at #4. This was not a bad thing as the station matched its best book of the last 14. FISHER Hot AC KPLZ (STAR) was ascendant as its best book since MARCH drove the station from a tie at #13 all the way up to #5. KRWM’s post-SANTA malaise continued as it fell from a tie at #4 to #8 – well off its pace from a year ago.
The surprise move of the survey may belong to KISW, which rocketed to the top spot 18-34 (from a tie at #5) with its best book in over a year. The station has gained over two shares since the jolly elf left town. KQMV dropped back to #2 as its three-book surge came to an end. KBKS is also on a hot streak as it landed its best number since JUNE to remain at #3. ENTERCOM Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT) – which took the market by storm when it launched last fall – was down for the fourth straight survey and slid two places to #4. CCM+E Top 40/R KUBE had its fourth straight up book and remained at #5. ENTERCOM Country KKWF (WOLF) was snarling a bit after capturing its lowest number in over a year and falling two spots to #6.
With its best book since NOVEMBER, KISW moved back to the top spot it vacated in DECEMBER. This pushed KQMV back to #2 as the station’s three-book surge came to an end. KBKS rode its best book in over a year to, nowhere, as it stayed in place at #3. KHTP ended a three-book slide and inched up a spot to #4. KZOK posted its lowest score since MARCH to drop a spot to #5 where it stood side-by-side with KKWF, which was down but did not move.
PHOENIX: Mixing Things Up
Sometimes, things happen in the PPM world that make you go “huh?” For no obvious reason, CCM+E Hot AC KMXP (MIX) had the book of its career as it jumped from #4 to #1 (4.9-8.1). As recently as DECEMBER, the station was sitting in a tie at #9 with a 3.8 share. That is quite the move. Cluster mate CCM+E AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) took a step back to #2 by matching its pre-SANTA number (6.3-5.6). Keeping it in the cluster, CCM+E Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) also dropped back a spot to #3 (5.5-5.4). HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX was down slightly (5.1-4.9) as it slid down one place to #4. CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL was up for the second straight month (4.4-4.6) and was rewarded with a one-spot elevation to #5. CCM+E Country KNIX was off enough (4.7-4.4) to drop from #5 into a tie at #6. There were a few format alterations that had their first full report card this month. CCM+E Adult Hits KYOT (THE MOUNTAIN) – which flipped from Rhythmic AC – saw a little lift as it climbed from #17 into a tie at #14 (2.5-2.8). BONNEVILLE Sports KMVP – which flipped from Adult Hits – moved from a tie at #27 into a tie at #21 (1.2-2.0).
KMXP’s magical mystery tour continued 25-54 as the station moved from #5 to #1 with another ridiculously large share increase. It has more than doubled its share from the HOLIDAY book. KZZP came off its best book in over a year with something almost as nice to remain at #2, while HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD did almost the exact same thing to remain at #3. KSLX was off slightly but stayed at #4 while KESZ reverted to its pre-jingle number and slid from #1 to #5.
KZZP remained the hottest thing in town 18-34 as it captured the #1 flag for the second book in a row. The station has more than doubled its share from a year ago when it was sitting at #11. KUPD scored its best book since SEPTEMBER to move forward two places to #2 while KMXP had its highest share since JULY to rise three spots to #3. RIVIERA Top 40/R KKFR (POWER) had been up or flat for the last seven surveys. That streak came to an end as the station fell two spots to #4. CBS RADIO Top 40/R KZON (LIVE 101.5) was off a bit to remain at #5 where it was tied with KNIX, which rocketed up from #10 with its highest share since SEPTEMBER. Once again, KESZ returned to its pre-reindeer roots as it dropped from #3 to #8.
With more than twice the share it had in the HOLIDAY book, KMXP claimed the gold medal in the 18-49 category – moving in from the #5 position. KZZP was off a bit as it dropped to #2 but it is still far stronger than a year ago. KUPD also shed some share as it fell back to #3 while KZON did the exact same thing in its journey back to #4. KESZ dropped to #5. By comparison, a year ago the station was tied at #1 with a number that was a full share heftier.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: Radio Nine
For the third straight survey, CCM+E Top 40/M KDWB cracked the nine-share barrier (9.4-9.1) to remain at #1. Over the last 14 surveys, the station has been #1 in 11 of those. Twice, it had been usurped by HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95). More often, KSTP finds itself right where it was this time – at #2 (7.0-7.5). U OF NORTHWESTERN-ST. PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS is on a five-book surge and just posted its best number in exactly a year (7.0-7.4). Alas, it still dropped from a tie at #2 to #3. CCM+E Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) had its best jingle-free book since JULY (6.5-6.6) but remained at #4. CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS put an end to its five-book slide (6.1-6.3) to move into a tie at #5 with CBS RADIO Adult Hits KZJK (JACK FM), which was flat (6.3-6.3). CCM+E Country KEEY (K102) has been up and down over the last few surveys. This was a down one as the station fell three places to #8 (6.4-5.8).
Two stations tend to dominate 25-54 and they were one-two, again. KDWB reached the lofty double-digit plateau to remain in the top perch while #2 KSTP was close behind. KQRS was up for the second straight survey to remain at #3 while KZJK had its best book since JULY to move ahead two spaces to #4. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) shed a bit of share in dropping to #5 while CCM+E Sports KFXN (KFAN) dropped three places to #8 with its lowest total since SEPTEMBER.
When you’re sporting 18-34 numbers in the mid-teens and you have a “down” book – you’re still in pretty good shape. That was the story for KDWB, which was #1 by about five shares over KXXR, which also had a pretty good book. CBS RADIO Country KMNB (BUZ’N) ended a rather stark two-book slide with a strong showing to remain at #3 while KSTP had its best book since OCTOBER to move up to #4. KEEY was down as it dropped two places to #5 while CCM+E Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97) saw its two-book surge come to a crashing halt as it dropped four spots to #9.
KDWB just kept plodding along with another double-digit 18-49 share and a dominant #1 ranking. KSTP had a strong showing as it moved up a spot to #2 while KXXR was off enough to drop back to #3. Last month we had a record of sorts as five stations were all tied at #4. They all scattered to the wind this survey. KMNB remained in place with a solid performance. KTIS had its best book since APRIL but still dropped into a tie at #5 with KZJK, which scored its best number since AUGUST. KQRS was flat and fell to #7 while KFXN had its smallest share since SEPTEMBER as it dropped to #11.
So concludes our monthly excursion through the ratings jungle. We’ll be back next month. In the meantime, feel free to reach out to us with comments or criticisms … or … if you have any questions about your ratings and how we may help. As always, we are available through the massive Internet.
E-mail: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
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