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Research Director, Inc.: Exclusive Holiday PPM Analysis For Detroit, Miami, Seattle, Phoenix & Minneapolis
January 21, 2016
Have an opinion? Add your comment below. Detroit: Jolly Old St. (W)NIC
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SANTA may be relaxing in SOUTH BEACH, but The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC., along with those calculating elves from XTRENDS, continue to hammer away at the HOLIDAY book. This one covered 12/3 through 12/30 and was all about the ho, ho, ho. Our third, and final, phase begins now.
Detroit: Jolly Old St. (W)NIC
This is another market where two major players were in the Yule mood for the entire survey. And, as it turned out, they copped the top spots 6+. iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC was the clear winner (8.0-14.6) as it easily bested last year’s total of a 13.7. Rumbling behind at #2 was CBS RADIO Classic Hits WOMC (7.2-6.9). Though the station actually lost some share thanks to Santa, it was ahead of last year’s 6.5 pace. It all adds up to more than a 20 share for the NORTH POLE gang. GREATER MEDIA Classic Rock WCSX was seemingly unaffected by all the holiday brouhaha as it moved up to #3 (6.2-6.5). CBS RADIO News WWJ-A remained at #4 though with its lowest share since AUGUST (6.2-5.8). CBS RADIO Sports WXYT-F (THE TICKET) dropped two spots to #5 with its lowest score in over a year (6.7-5.4). A couple of stations that may have been affected by all the seasonal cheer were tied at #10. CUMULUS AC WDVD (5.0-3.8) posted its lowest number in exactly a year. CBS RADIO Country WYCD (4.8-3.8) posted its lowest number since MARCH.
WNIC led the 25-54 pack with a huge increase that had the station close to two shares larger than last year. The next three slots were occupied by male-leaning stations. GREATER MEDIA Active Rock WRIF slipped back to #2 but was actually up this survey. WCSX was flat but stepped up to #3. WXYT-F again had its least successful offensive outing in over a year to drop back to #4. WOMC moved up two slots to #5 with its best performance since JUNE while iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX) had its highest share since SEPTEMBER to move up three slots to #6.
We have noticed a little bit of a trend with Christmas music and the 18-34 demo. Many of the CHRISTMAS stations not only did very well here but did much better than last year. This was certainly the case for WNIC, which was #1 for the second straight survey but beat last year’s number by over four shares. WRIF was up and stable at #2 while iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB rebounded from a down book to move up three places to #3. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) was up slightly to take one step forward to #4. WDVD dropped two spots to #5 while WGPR INC. Urban AC WGPR (HOT) dropped to #6, thus ending a strong two-book run. WOMC had its best showing in over a year to rise to #8.
The new 18-49 leader was WNIC, which beat last year’s number by over two shares. #2 WRIF saw its seven-book #1 streak come to an end even though the station had a small increase. WOMC jumped six places to #3 with its best book in over a year. WJLB moved forward three squares to #4 with a small rebound from last month’s downturn. WKQI remained at #5 with a flat performance and was partnered with WXYT-F, which fell from #3. WCSX had its lowest share in exactly a year to slip from a tie at #5 to #7 where it was tied with WDVD, which fell from #4.
Miami-Ft.Lauderdale-Hollywood: The Naughty List
This is one of the few PPM markets that did not have a full-fledged, full market, totally dedicated, Kool Aid-drinking holiday music station. While some dabbled, none dove into the deep end. Therefore, it was just another book. For the ninth book in a row, ENTERCOM AC WLYF (LITE) was your 6+ leader (8.0-8.3). Coming in as runner up for the fifth consecutive survey was COX RADIO Urban AC WHQT (HOT) with its best performance since APRIL (7.1-7.6). UNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR) remained a solid #3 (6.0-5.7) while COX RADIO AC WFEZ (EASY) held on at #4 and ended a four-book slide (5.1-5.5). SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL) posted its highest share since FEBRUARY (4.2-4.8) to advance four paces to #5. COX RADIO Urban WEDR (99JAMZ) dropped four spots to #9 thanks to its lowest share since MARCH (5.0-4.1).
For the third straight survey, WHQT was #1 25-54 and this time the station had its best book in over a year. WLYF was off a bit at #2 while WXDJ moved up to #3 with its best score since FEBRUARY. UNIVISION Tropical WRTO (MIX) took a modest hit as it slipped back to #4 while WFEZ jumped two places to #5 with its highest output since SEPTEMBER. WEDR had its lowest share since SEPTEMBER and, as a result, fell three slots to #7.
Though WEDR posted its lowest 18-34 share since AUGUST, the station remained #1 for the tenth book in a row. All this did was allow iHEARTMEDIA Urban WMIB (THE BEAT) to draw within a share from its customary #2 position. WLYF ended a two-book slide and moved up to #3 while WHQT advanced to #4 with its highest share in over a year. CBS RADIO Top 40/R WPOW (POWER ) fell back to #5 as its two-book surge ended. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WHYI (Y100) had a small decrease, which forced the station to take one step back to #6.
For the first time since JANUARY, WHQT returned to the throne with the 18-49 demo. It helped that the station had its best book in over a year. WLYF moved back to #2 after three months on top. WEDR dropped to #3 with its lowest share since MARCH while WRTO ended a two-book run as it stepped back to #4. WXDJ moved up two slots to #5 while WPOW fell three to #8 with its smallest share since APRIL.
Seattle-Tacoma: The Warm Sound
Here was another market that featured dueling holiday-themed stations but with slightly different flavors. HUBBARD AC KRWM (WARM) was the 800-pound reindeer as it moved to #1 6+ while more than doubling its share from the previous survey (6.5-13.4). What’s more, the station easily outdistanced last year’s number of a 10.7. Moving back to #2 after two books on top was HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOVIN) (7.4-6.8). BONNEVILLE Talk KIRO-F remained at #3 though with its lowest share since AUGUST (6.1-5.6). Two stations lost some share and joined together to commiserate at #4. CBS RADIO Classic Rock KZOK was motionless with its lowest total since MARCH (5.3-4.5) while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJR-FM (THE JET) moved up from #5 with its lowest total since MAY (5.0-4.5). The alternative choice for seasonal tunes was CRISTA Christian Contemporary KCMS (SPIRIT). The station posted its best share since JULY (2.9-3.5) to move up eight places to a tie at #8.
Once again, KRWM more than doubled its share from the previous survey. This time it was 25-54. It also beat last year’s number by three and a half shares. KQMV dropped back to #2 after four straight surveys at #1. ENTERCOM Active Rock KISW had its lowest score in over a year to slip back to #3 while KIRO-F moved up to #4 despite its third straight down book. Two stations moved up for a meeting at #5. ENTERCOM Alternative KNDD (THE END) matched its best book in the last 14 as it rose from #10 while KJR-F moved up from a tie at #6 while being down. KZOK fell to a tie at #7 with its smallest share in over a year. KCMS was also down but moved up to a tie at #11.
How well has KRWM done in the last four surveys 18-34? The station has gone from #13 to #11 to #6 to #1. Santa more than doubled the share from DECEMBER and the station was over three and a half shares stronger than last year. KQMV had its best book since MAY but still slipped back to #2 while KISW dropped to #3 despite being up for the second straight survey. KNDD dropped to #4 with its lowest share since MAY. The recently relocated iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/R KUBE had its best book since SEPTEMBER to advance three pegs to #5. KZOK fell to #7 with its smallest share since JUNE. KCMS was up but only enough to move it up a spot to a tie at #17.
KRWM was up to the task 18-49 as it more than doubled its share again and exceeded last year’s level by almost five shares! KQMV came this close to its third consecutive double-digit book and slid back to #2. KISW was off slightly and down to #3 while KNDD gained slightly and was up to #4. CBS RADIO Adult Hits KJAQ (JACK) was down to #5 and SINCLAIR Hot AC KPLZ (STAR) dropped to #6. KCMS was down but remained at #14.
Phoenix: Easy Like Christmas Morning
Long credited with being the groundbreaker for tripling the twelve days of CHRISTMAS programming, iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9KEZ) outdid itself again. That the station was #1 6+ was no surprise – Santa just ran up the score (9.5-16.5). Last year the station had a mere 14.3 share. HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX was #2 again with a small decrease (6.2-5.8). HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD had a small increase (4.5-4.8) but that was enough to drive the station from #6 to #3. CBS RADIO Classic Hits KOOL dropped to #4 with its lowest share in exactly a year (5.7-4.5). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX) was down for the third book in a row (4.6-4.3) but remained at #5. iHEARTMEDIA Talk KFYI-A fell to #7 with its smallest share in over a year (4.7-4.0).
KESZ was #1 25-54 for the second straight book and this year’s final tally was exactly three shares north of last season’s. KUPD remained at #2 with its highest score since SEPTEMBER while iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (THE MOUNTAIN) was moved to #3 thanks to a small increase. KSLX slipped back to #4 with its lowest score since OCTOBER while KMXP became the sole occupant of the #5 position despite its smallest share since JULY. KOOL dropped to #7 as it, too, had its lowest output since JULY.
The massive increase KESZ found under its tree kept the station at #1 18-34 for the second book in a row. This year’s total was over four shares more productive than last. CBS RADIO Top 40/M KZON (LIVE 101.5) had its best performance since OCTOBER but had to be content with an encore at #2. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KZZP (KISS) moved up a slot to #3 with a slight increase while iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX slipped back to #4, ending a three-book surge. Two stations moved up to #5. KYOT made the big leap from #10 as it stopped a two-book slide while RIVIERA Top 40/R KKFR (POWER) took one step forward despite a small decrease. CBS RADIO Country KMLE had its smallest share since SEPTEMBER and that dropped the station to #8.
Completing the demo grand slam, KESZ had an 18-49 share that exceeded last year’s by nearly four shares. KUPD remained at #2 with a small increase while KYOT inched up to #3 with a very slight raise. KZZP was up to #4 with its fourth up book in a row. Two stations on opposite tracks met head on at #5. KSLX dropped from #3 while KZON rose from a tie at #9. KNIX dropped to #8 with a modest decrease.
Minneapolis-St.Paul: Kool Kills
iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL) caused quite the stir 6+. Yes, the station was #1 (8.5-16.5) and beat last year’s number (15.3). But, what really stood out was how many other stations were down thanks to the audio version of the POLAR VORTEX. HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) remained at #2 but with its lowest score in exactly a year (7.9-6.3). iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (KFAN) moved up to forge a tie at #2 but with its least productive outing since SEPTEMBER (7.5-6.3). CBS RADIO Adult Hits KZJK (JACK) was one of the lone bright spots as it moved up to #4 with its highest total in over a year (5.9-6.1). iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB moved back into the top five but was down for the fourth straight survey (6.3-6.0). CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS dropped to #6 with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER (6.9-5.9) while iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K-102) also skidded to #6, with its lowest score in over a year (7.1-5.9). Oh, there was another holiday player. UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST.PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS remained at #8 (5.5-5.6).
The 25-54 demo had the same scorched-earth feel as the previous one. KQQL was dominant, more than doubling last month’s share and outpacing last year by over a share. KFXN fell to #2 and, though it was down, still posted a rather hefty number. KEEY had its lowest score since OCTOBER and dropped to #3 where it was joined by KZJK, which moved up from #5 despite a slight decrease. KQRS fell to #5 with its smallest share since SEPTEMBER while KSTP moved down to #6 with its lowest output in exactly a year. KTIS moved up two slots to #9 with its best outing since SEPTEMBER.
Last year, KQQL hit double digits 18-34 but remained #2 behind KDWD. History did not repeat. KQQL moved to #1 by more than doubling last month’s share and eclipsing last year’s mark by almost two shares. KDWB missed continuing its string of double-digit books by this much as it fell back to #2. KEEY had been in double digits for the last two surveys but that came to an end as the station stepped back to #3. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) was up but slid back to #4 while MPR AAA KCMP (THE CURRENT) rose five spots to #5 thanks to a healthy increase. KFXN dropped to a tie at #7 with its lowest score since FEBRUARY while KSTP dropped five places to #9 with its smallest share in over a year. KTIS moved up to #10 with its best book since JANUARY.
KQQL did it 18-49, too. The station more than doubled last book’s number and beat last year by over a share. KFXN dropped back to #2 with a down turn while KDWB remained at #3 with its smallest share in over a year. KZJK moved up to #4 despite a slight loss while KEEY fell three places to #5 with its lowest score since JULY. KSTP also fell three places – to #7 – thanks to its smallest total in over a year. KTIS moved forward one square to a tie at #11 with a modest increase.
Time to pack away all the decorations until next year – always a joyous task. We’ll be back in about a month with the JANUARY results. In the meantime, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. stand ready to help you win in the ratings! Check us out.
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