May ’23 PPM Ratings
As predicted, The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. are back with another revealing episode of the numbers game. We take a deep dive into the MAY survey to determine where the chips have fallen – which programming teams were smiling and which had furrowed brows. This book was devoid of any “work-free” holidays and ran from APRIL 27th through MAY 24th. And, as always, we could not complete this task without the efforts of the algorithmic alchemists from XTRENDS.
SEATTLE-TACOMA: The Jet Stream
Last month iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) experienced some unexpected turbulence as it descended from first to second. This month the station got back most of that lost share and returned to the top spot with the 6+ crowd (5.9-6.9). AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) was forced to step down to #2 (6.6-6.5), while iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK dipped to #3 as it ended a two-book slide (5.9-6.1). AUDACY AC KSWD (94.1 THE SOUND) was up two places to #4 (5.1-5.0), while HUBBARD Top 40/M KQMV (MOViN’ 92.5) posted its best number in over a year (4.0-4.9) to rise from #10 to #5. AUDACY Active Rock KISW was close behind at #6 as it also halted a two-book slide (4.4-4.8). iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KJAQ (96.5 JACK FM) returned a good portion of last survey’s large increase as it slid to #7 (5.3-4.5). UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON N/T KUOW had its lowest score in over a year as it fell from #4 to #10 (5.5-4.0). KJEB continued to soar with the most cume (592,000-617,300) – a 4.3% increase. The market rose by 2.0%.
In the all-important money demo of 25-54, the top four stations were within a share of one another. KISW had its best showing since OCTOBER as it jumped from #6 to #1. KJEB and KQMV were tied at #2. Both stations had the identical solid increase to remain in their previous positions. KKWF was the market leader last survey. The station was off slightly as it slid to #4. AUDACY Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT 103.7) dipped to #5, while FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP had its third down book in a row as it slipped to #6.
KEXP fared far better in the 18-34 space as it led the way for the third book in a row. KJEB has had quite the journey over the past couple of books. Last month the station lost more than half its share to tumble from #2 to #12. This time it more than doubled its previous share to claim a share of the title. KQMV stepped down to #3 with a slight decrease. KZOK moved down to #4 with its smallest share since pa-rum-pum-pum-pumming was a thing. It was tied with KISW, which stepped up from #5 with a solid increase. KUOW went from #4 to #6 with its third straight down book.
KISW had its best 18-49 book since AUGUST to leap from #6 to #1. KJEB rebounded from a down book to advance from #4 to #2. KKWF and KQMV had been tied at #1. Both stations remained tied but at #3, despite receiving a solid share increase. KHTP repeated at #5 with a slight decrease, while KEXP dropped three places to #6 with its smallest share in exactly a year.
MIAMI-FT. LAUDERDALE-HOLLYWOOD: Same As It Ever Was
Very little changes atop the 6+ leaderboard. Two stations dominate and three are left to fight over third place. COX MEDIA Urban AC WHQT (HOT 105) was #1 for the third straight survey (8.9-9.1), while its cluster sister COX MEDIA AC WFEZ (EASY 93.1) was in second place (8.5-8.7). For the fifth book in a row, TELEVISAUNIVISION Spanish Contemporary WAMR (AMOR 107.5 FM) was in third place but with its smallest share since Santa was making the rounds (6.2-5.6). AUDACY AC WLYF (101.5 LITE FM) had its smallest share in over a year (5.2-4.9) to repeat at #4. However, this opened the door for it to share the space with COX MEDIA Urban WEDR (99 JAMZ), which moved up from #5 with its best outing in over a year (4.3-4.9). WFEZ remained the cume champion, despite a 3.6% decrease (847,400-817,100). The market fell by 0.6%.
WHQT continued as the runaway 25-54 leader, though its lead shrank to its lowest level since DECEMBER. WEDR and SBS Tropical WXDJ (EL ZOL 106.7 FM) were tied at #5. WEDR again had its best book in over a year to climb up to #2, while WXDJ bounced back from a down book to land at #3. WFEZ slid to #4 with its lowest score since OCTOBER. WAMR dipped to #5, while iHEARTMEDIA Spanish Contemporary WZTU (TÚ 94.9) dropped three places to #6.
WEDR dominated the 18-34 space for the second straight survey and cracked the double-digit barrier. WHQT repeated at #2 with a small decrease and trailed the leader by nearly four shares. WFEZ was up two places to #3, which pushed TELEVISAUNIVISION Tropical WRTO (MIX 98.3 FM) down to #4. Two stations moved up and into a tie at #5. WXDJ was up slightly to advance from #9, while WZTU arrived from #7 despite a small share loss. WLYF slipped to #7. It was tied with AUDACY Top 40/R WPOW (POWER 96), which had its third up book in a row, and SBS Spanish Contemporary WRMA (RITMO 95.7), which fell from #3.
WEDR had its best 18-49 book in over a year as it assumed command of the demo. This ended the ten-book solo winning streak for WHQT, which hung on to tie at #1 with its smallest share since DECEMBER. WXDJ posted its largest number since SEPTEMBER to advance three spaces to #3. WFEZ repeated at #4 with a slight decrease. WZTU dropped to #5, while WAMR fell into a tie at #7 with WRTO.
PHOENIX: Easy Does It – Again
iHEARTMEDIA AC KESZ (99.9 KEZ) was the 6+ leader for the second straight survey, though it did end a two-book surge (8.1-7.6). HUBBARD Classic Rock KSLX returned as the #2 station (7.4-6.5). DESERT VALLEY Adult Hits KOAI (95.1/94.9 THE WOW FACTOR) was wowed by its best outing since JUNE (4.9-5.7) to step up to #3. MARICOPA N/T KJZZ dipped to #4 with its fifth straight down book (6.1-5.6). iHEARTMEDIA Hot AC KMXP (MIX 96.9) remained at #5 but with its highest score in over a year (4.2-4.9). KESZ continued to lay claim to the largest cume, despite a 7.0% decrease (1,029,600-958,000). The market was off by 0.7%.
KMXP caught 25-54 lightning in a bottle as it jumped from #3 to #1 with its largest share in over a year. This ended the four-book winning streak for KSLX, as it dipped to #2 after posting a scorching two-book run. It was tied with KESZ, which remained in place with its best Frosty-free share since NOVEMBER. HUBBARD Active Rock KUPD repeated at #4 with a small decrease, while HUBBARD Alternative KDKB (ALT AZ 93.3) had its best showing in over a year to advance from #9 to #5. AUDACY Top 40/M KALV (LIVE 101.5) slipped to #7 with a slight decrease.
The 18-34 battle became hotly contested. KESZ won for the third book in a row but was less than a half share clear of #2 KDKB, which had its best book in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Country KNIX moved up to a distant #3, also with its highest share in over a year. KALV repeated at #4 but with its third down book in a row. KMXP slipped to #5 as it returned most of last survey’s large increase. AUDACY Country KMLE dipped to #6, despite ending a three-book slide.
KESZ was up a bit 18-49 to extend its long-running winning streak. However, #2 KMXP closed the gap to the smallest possible margin by securing its largest share in over a year. KDKB was back as a distant #3 with its third straight up book, while KALV remained at #4 with a small decrease. KNIX vaulted from #11 to #5 with a rather large share increase. KUPD moved down and into a tie at #6 with iHEARTMEDIA Adult Hits KYOT (95.5 THE MOUNTAIN).
DETROIT: A Tight Race
The top five 6+ players were in the same positions as last time with the top three in a hotly contested battle. BEASLEY Classic Rock WCSX repeated at #1 with its highest mark in over a year (7.5-7.7). AUDACY Sports WXYT (97.1 THE TICKET) was back at #2 (7.4-7.6). The station also garnered an additional 2.0 share from its stream. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M WKQI (CHANNEL 955) was still sitting at #3 as it got back a little of last month’s huge share loss (6.9-7.2). iHEARTMEDIA AC WNIC posted its lowest share since NOVEMBER (6.4-5.9) to remain at #4. AUDACY Country WYCD held firm at #5 (6.1-5.7) as it narrowly edged #6 AUDACY Classic Hits WOMC (5.5-5.6). Despite a 1.5% decrease, WNIC remained the cume leader (971,300-956,800). The market was up by 1.3%.
Last month BEASLEY Active Rock WRIF just beat out WKQI for the 25-54 crown. WKQI came roaring back this survey to retake the lead by better than a share as WRIF drifted down to #2 with its lowest score since some random kid was hoping to be gifted with dental work. WXYT remained at #3 with a slight increase, while WNIC moved up to #4 with a slight decrease. It was tied with WCSX, which advanced from #7 with its best outing since JANUARY. WYCD slipped to #6 as it returned all of last month’s modest share increase.
This was the fifth book in a row that WKQI crushed it with the 18-34 crowd. The station has been in double digits for the entire span. WXYT stepped up to #2 with its highest score in over a year and was still about five shares behind the leader. WRIF slipped to #3 with its lowest total in over a year. BEASLEY Rhythmic AC WMGC (105.1 THE BOUNCE) moved from #8 to #4 with its best showing since JANUARY. It was joined there by iHEARTMEDIA Urban AC WMXD (MIX 92.3), which advanced from #9 with its highest mark in over a year. iHEARTMEDIA Urban WJLB slid into a tie at #6 with WYCD. WNIC fell from #5 to #9.
WKQI was the 18-49 winner for the fourth consecutive survey and landed in double-digit territory for the second time during this streak. WRIF repeated at #2, though it returned about half of last month’s large increase. A flat WXYT remained at #3, while WMGC moved up to #4 with its biggest share since JULY. WYCD dipped to #5, while WJLB fell four slots to #9 with its lowest total in over a year.
MINNEAPOLIS-ST. PAUL: Higher Ground
This was the second straight survey that UNIVERSITY OF NORTHWESTERN-ST. PAUL Christian Contemporary KTIS was the dominant 6+ player. The station was up for the fourth book in a row with its highest share in over a year (8.5-9.5). The scuffle was on for second place. iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KQQL (KOOL 108) moved up to that spot with its best Frosty-free share since SEPTEMBER (6.6-7.8). HUBBARD Hot AC KSTP (KS95) dipped to #3 as it regained a bit of last month’s large share loss (6.9-7.2). iHEARTMEDIA Country KEEY (K102) moved up to #4 with its highest mark in over a year (6.1-7.0). MPR N/T KNOW dipped to #5 with its lowest score since NOVEMBER (6.4-6.1). It was tied with CUMULUS Classic Rock KQRS, which rose from #7 with its largest share since JUNE (5.3-6.1). iHEARTMEDIA Sports KFXN (K-FAN FM 100.3) slipped to #7 with its least productive outing since JULY (6.4-5.4). KQQL still had the most listeners (742,100-817,500) – a 10.2% increase. The market rose by 2.2%.
KSTP was the 25-54 leader for the third book in a row and got dangerously close to surpassing the double-digit threshold. KQQL zoomed from #7 to #2 with a huge share increase yet still trailed the leader by about two shares. CUMULUS Active Rock KXXR (93X) landed its lowest share since AUGUST. It remained at #3 but was joined there by KEEY, which rose from #5 as it broke a two-book slide. iHEARTMEDIA Top 40/M KDWB remained at #5 but with its best performance since NOVEMBER. KFXN dropped four slots to #6, while AUDACY Adult Hits KZJK (104.1 JACK FM) slid to #7 and was tied with KTIS.
KDWB was in double digits 18-34 for the sixth straight survey. However, this was only the second book in a row that had the station at #1. Coming in at #2 again was KEEY, which notched its fourth consecutive double-digit performance. These two stations combined for about a quarter of all the demo share. KQRS jumped from #8 to #3 with its best number in over a year. Last month four – count ‘em – four stations were tied at #3. MPR AAA KCMP (THE CURRENT) dipped to #4 despite a strong rebound from a down book. KXXR slid to #5 as it ended a three-book slide. KQQL and KZJK fell into a tie at #6.
This was the fifth book in a row that KSTP was the leading 18-49 station. The station was also back in double-digit land for the third time during this period. KDWB stepped up to #2 with its best showing since JANUARY, while KEEY advanced three spaces to #3 as it bounced back from a down book. KXXR was off slightly but remained at #4, while KQQL moved up to #5 with its best Frosty-free share since SEPTEMBER. KFXN dropped from #2 into a tie at #6 with KZJK.
This may seem an odd thing to write but – we appreciate your eyeballs. We know Joel appreciates the clicks. Thank you for slogging through this with us. The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. bid you adieu until the JUNE numbers are revealed. Have a great month.
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