-
Research Director, Inc. Presents Exclusive January PPM Analysis For Detroit, Miami, Seattle, Phoenix And Minneapolis
February 19, 2015
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. DETROIT: Good Football, Bad Weather
-
We’re back. Like that recurring dream you have about being in the studio, the song is ending and you have nothing to say. Except, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. have a lot to say about the JANUARY survey. We just can’t find the log. Maybe the gang at XTRENDS has it.
As has been noted to this point, this book covered 1/1-1/28 and felt the effect of two different holidays, some pretty severe winter weather, and the regression to the mean from those stations infused with egg nog. Here we go …
DETROIT: Good Football, Bad Weather
Isn’t it kind of amazing, with all the talk about how radio is losing relevance – when the snow hits the fan, where do they turn for information? You guessed it. CBS RADIO News WWJ-A. The station had its best 6+ book since FEBRUARY (5.0-7.3) to jump from #6 to #1. At the same time, CBS RADIO Sports WXYT-F (THE TICKET) benefited from the LIONS brief and ultimately doomed playoff run to move up two spots to #2 (6.2-7.0). The two stations knotted at #2 last book took steps back. iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX) dropped to #3 with its lowest share since AUGUST (6.5-6.3) while CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOMC ended up at #4 (6.5-6.2). GREATER MEDIA Classic Rock WCSX had its highest share since AUGUST (4.9-5.5) to move forward two squares to #5. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB slipped a bit (5.1-4.8) and dropped back into a three-way tie at #7. Its cohabitants included CUMULUS Talk WJR-A, which bounced back from its lowest share in over a year (4.1-4.8) to advance from a tie at #9. And then there was our jingle-bell outlet – iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC. Its numbers shrunk dramatically (13.7-4.8) as it fell from #1. This year’s outcome was not as robust as last when it was #6 with a 5.5 share.
It was all about the games as WXYT-F returned to #1 25-54 with its best book since OCTOBER. GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WRIF ended a two-book slide as it rose three places to #2. WMXD was up a bit to remain at #3 while WCSX used its best book since JULY to move forward three places to #4. WJLB dropped to #5 as it couldn’t quite match its HOLIDAY book’s best share of the year. Of note was WWJ-A, which jumped from #13 to #8 with its highest number since MARCH. The post-holiday blues were particularly evident at WNIC. The station was in free fall as it landed at #12 with about a third of what it had before all the festivities began. Last year it only dropped back to a tie at #3 with nearly two points more share.
After taking a book off, iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) returned to the top of the 18-34 heap with a nice increase. It just edged out WJLB, which remained at #2 with a slight share loss. WRIF moved up a spot to #3 while WXYT-F advanced to #4. Both stations scored their highest share since NOVEMBER. CUMULUS Hot AC WDVD had its best book in over a year to jump from #9 to #5. WNIC skittered from #1 to a tie at #10. Last year it fell to #7.
The 18-49 leaderboard featured changes at every position. WXYT-F rose two spots to #1 while WRIF made the same advance to #2. WJLB slipped back to #3 while WKQI continued its recovery from all the jingle juice while moving up to #4. WMXD was flat but still advanced to #5. WNIC ended up almost exactly where it was in NOVEMBER as it dropped to #9. Last year it was tied at #7.
MIAMI-FT.LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: No Shirt, No Shoes, No Santa
Santa may be spending his down time on SOUTH BEACH but he was not a permanent presence on the radio, so this is just another book. Which means COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) was again #1 6+, though it was down for the second straight survey (8.6-8.5). LINCOLN AC WLYF (LITE) was flat (6.9-6.9) and happy at #2 while UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR) advanced to #3 with its highest share since OCTOBER (5.4-5.9). COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY) couldn’t quite match its best book in over a year (6.1-5.3) as it fell back to #4. LINCOLN Classic Hits WMXJ (MAGIC) remained a fixture at #5 despite a small loss (4.8-4.6). SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL) made a strong move, posting its best number since JUNE (3.8-4.4) to rise three spots to a tie at #6.
WHQT remained #1 25-54 and landed its best book since JULY in the process. This only increased its lead over #2 WFEZ, which was up for the third straight survey. There was a meeting of the minds at #3. WLYF remained in place by being flat while WAMR moved up from #5 with its best book since OCTOBER. There was also a locking of the arms at #5. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) dropped back from #4 with a flat book while WXDJ used its highest share since JUNE to move up from a tie at #6.
Though it posted its lowest number in over a year, COX RADIO Urban WEDR (JAMZ) remained #1 18-34 for the third consecutive survey. WHYI did manage to move into the coveted #2 position even though it was off slightly. Two stations set up residence at #3. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (THE BEAT) remained in place with its smallest number since JUNE while CBS RADIO Top 40/R WPOW (POWER) dropped from #2 with its lowest share in over a year. WXDJ made the leap of the month as it rose from a tie at #11 to #5 with its strongest showing since FEBRUARY. WHQT slipped back to #7 with a slight decrease.
This was the third straight 18-49 win for WHQT, which really upped its game starting in DECEMBER. WHYI ended a two-book slide as it slid into the #2 position. WLYF jumped three places to #3 while ending a three-book slide. WFEZ couldn’t quite duplicate last month’s big number as it fell two slots to #4. There was a three-some on the #5 tee. WEDR fell from a tie at #3 with its lowest share since OCTOBER. WAMR advanced from #8 with its highest share since OCTOBER. WXDJ made the leap from a tie at #9 with its best score since JUNE. WPOW had its smallest total in over a year and that led to a five-place retreat to #10.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: Bustin’ A Move
HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN) returned to glory as it reacquired the #1 6+ position (5.6-5.8). Prior to the elfin invasion, the station had been on top for five straight surveys. Cluster sister HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) cooled off a bit (10.7-5.6) as it dropped back to #2. Last year it was tied at #1 with MOVIN with a 5.2 share. We think the folks in the halls at BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F were screaming “run the darn ball” even though football was very, very good to them. The station moved up two spots to #3 (4.5-5.3). ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW dropped back a spot and into a tie at #4 despite being up for the second straight survey (5.0-5.2). It was joined in that space by UNIV. OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW, which advanced from #7 with its best book in over a year (4.1-5.2). The other football station – BONNEVILLE Sports KIRO-A – was saying “you threw that pass?” even though it moved up four spots to #6 with its best score in over a year (3.6-4.8). This was a market with two holiday-infused stations. The other one was CRISTA Christian Contemporary KCMS (SPIRIT) and it was off a bit (4.6-4.2), which caused the station to fall four notches to #8.
Since AUGUST KISW has been throwing down some consistently strong 25-54 numbers. This time it had another typically large share and moved to the head of the pack. KQMV also had a nice increase, which raised the station to #2. ENTERCOM Country KKWF (THE WOLF) was howling about its best book since SEPTEMBER as it moved up a spot to #3. KCMS was completely flat but also managed to move forward a hair to #4. Not only do the two stations at #5 share the same building, they share the same call letters. KIRO-F was up from a tie at #7 while KIRO-A moved in from #9 with its best book in over a year. KRWM was practically frozen as it fell from #1 to #10. Last year it landed in a tie at #4 with a number that was a share larger.
KISW lost a smidge of share 18-34 but moved back to the leadership position for the first time since MAY. KQMV was up to #2 even though it posted its lowest score since FEBRUARY. ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) had its highest number in over a year as it moved forward two squares to #3. KKWF remained at #4 despite shedding a small chunk of share. CBS RADIO Adult Hits KJAQ (JACK FM) bounced back from an off book to move back up to #5. KIRO-A – that’s AM, kids – moved up five spots to #6 with its best score in over a year. As recently as DECEMBER it was in a tie at #15. Its FM counterpart – KIRO-F – only advanced three spots to a tie at #9. KRWM joined KIRO-F at #9, dropping from #1 with more share than last year when it ended up at #7. Go figure.
SANTA was not the biggest 18-49 game in town last survey. That title belonged to KISW. It remained in place with its best book since OCTOBER. However, it was forced to share the podium as KQMV moved up from a tie at #2 with a solid increase. KKWF was off slightly as it rose to #3 while KCMS advanced to #4 with a modest increase. KNDD jumped up to #5 thanks to its highest total in over a year. KIRO-A – yes, AM – moved forward six paces to #6. And, KRWM dropped from a tie at #2 down to a tie at #11. Last year it finished at #7.
PHOENIX: Residual Benefits
The fact that iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9KEZ) lost 6+ share this survey was a forgone conclusion (14.3-6.0). However, it could not be assumed that it would remain #1 (it did) or that its post-holiday share would be better than its pre-holiday one (it was – 6.0 vs 4.6). The fly in the ointment was that this year’s number was not quite up to last year’s 6.3. iHEARTMEDIA Talk KFYI-A remained a solid – and closer #2 – after chatting up its best book in over a year (5.1-5.7). HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD remained at #3 even though it also landed its largest number in over a year (4.6-5.6). CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL ended a five-book slide (4.4-5.1) to advance one stage to #4 while HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX dropped to #5 despite an up book (4.6-5.0). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX) had its lowest total in over a year (4.4-4.3) to fall back to #7. Meanwhile, iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX may have received a late holiday gift card as it moved up to #6 with its best share since NOVEMBER (3.9-4.6).
Before the full impact of SANTA’s wrath was felt, KUPD was on a six-book winning streak 25-54. This time the station returned with a vengeance as it posted its highest number in over a year. KESZ took one step back to #2. Last year it managed to hold on to the top spot with a somewhat heftier share. KSLX moved up to a share of the second position because it scored its best book since MAY. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) garnered its highest share since AUGUST. As a result, the station moved up three places to #4. KNIX remained at #5 with a slight increase. A couple of other stations made major moves but in opposite directions. HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ) jumped five places to #7 with its most productive outing since AUGUST. On the other hand, iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (THE MOUNTAIN) had its least productive outing since MARCH to drop six spots to #10.
Back in APRIL KUPD assumed control of the 18-34 demo and only the steely fist of the great white elf could pry the crown from the station’s hands. KUPD resumed control this time and pushed KESZ back to #2 (it was #3 a year ago). KZZP also benefitted from a lack of jingling bells. The station advanced four spots to #3. KNIX felt the same freedom as it moved ahead five paces to #4 with its highest share since JUNE. CBS RADIO Top 40/M KZON (LIVE 101.5) ended a three-book slide as it moved up to #5. RIVIERA Top 40/R KKFR (POWER) posted its lowest number in over a year and fell three places to #6. Its cluster-mate – RIVIERA Hot AC KMVA (HOT) – jumped six spots to #7 with its best showing in over a year. Last book, two stations were tied at #4. They remained tied this time but much farther down the survey – #12. KMXP had its lowest share in over a year while KSLX returned to about where it was in DECEMBER.
KUPD was back in the 18-49 saddle again with a huge increase. KZZP moved up to #2 with a very respectable gain but trailed the leader by four full shares. KESZ slid into a tie at #3 (it was #4 last year) with KMVA, which moved up a notch with its best book since JULY. KNIX fell back to #5 despite a modest increase. KSLX had a small decrease but that drove it from #3 into a tie at #6 with hard chargin’ CBS RADIO Country KMLE, which moved up from #10 with its best book since SEPTEMBER. There was a tie at #4 in this demo, as well. And, as previously seen, both stations tumbled in the standings – though they landed in different spots. KMXP stopped at #8 while KYOT dropped a little farther to a tie at #11.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST.PAUL: I Heart Ratings
Of the top-seven stations 6+, five of them shared the same e-mail suffix. We begin with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB. It is not often we see a station in this size market crash the double-digit ceiling (8.5-10.1) but you saw it here first (kind of). iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL) did a pretty good job in its post-holiday incarnation (15.3-7.3) but had to settle for being a distant #2. Last year it settled at #4 with a 6.5 share. HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) crashed the party by moving up to #3 (5.5-6.9) with its grandest total since OCTOBER. CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS remained at #4 as it ended a six-book slide (5.7-6.1). Two brothers from the same cluster were together in harmony at #5. iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K-102) slipped from #3 with its smallest share since OCTOBER (6.5-6.0) while iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KTCZ (CITIES 97) moved in from #10 with its highest share since SEPTEMBER (4.6-6.0). iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN) did fall two notches to #7 even though it added share (5.5-5.9).
KDWB crashed the double-digit barrier 25-54 but that was not that unusual. The station has done that in five of the last fourteen surveys. Yes, it was #1. KSTP moved up two spots to #2 thanks to a huge share increase while KQRS advanced three squares to #3 as it ended a three-book slide. Two stations were doing the “couples thing” at #4. KFXN remained in place with a nice increase while CBS RADIO Adult Hits KZJK (JACK FM) slipped from #3 despite its best book since SEPTEMBER. KQQL tumbled from the lead to #6 with a better number than last year when it ended up at #8.
It would be news if KDWB did not achieve double-digit shares 18-34 but this time it drew the monster card with its best book in over a year. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) also drew double digits as it moved up to #2 with its best showing since JUNE. KZJK lost some share but moved up to #3 while KSTP advanced to #4 with a healthy increase. CBS RADIO Country KMNB (BUZ’N) won the format battle here as it moved up two spots to #5 with a modest increase. By comparison, KEEY remained tied at #7 with a modest decrease. MPR Triple A KCMP (THE CURRENT) dropped four places to #9 with its lowest total since OCTOBER. KQQL fell from #2 to #12 and was not as strong as last year when it landed at #10.
Completing the double-digit sweep, KDWB moved back on top 18-49 with its best showing in over a year. KXXR also hit a 14-book high as it moved up to #2 while KSTP advanced to #3 with its best showing since OCTOBER. KZJK was off a bit but remained at #4. KFXN moved up in the standings to #5 with a nice increase. KQQL dropped from the lead to a tie at #8, which was better than last year’s #11 finish.
Thank you for taking the time to wade through our exclusive analysis for ALL ACCESS. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. stand ready to serve. Just contact us via any of the platforms below. We suggest e-mail. It’s quicker.
E-mail: sallan@researchdirectorinc.com
TWITTER: @ResearchDirectr
FACEBOOK: www.facebook.com/ResearchDirectorInc
Web: www.researchdirectorinc.com -
-