Holiday music affected radio ratings

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Clark-SmidtAccording to Clark Smidt, the first station to hit the market with a temporary holiday format stood the best chance to succeed with it, and the holiday winner was generally some form of AC station. Here’s a look at Nielsen Audio results from #16 Minneapolis to #25 Pittsburgh.


PPM Holiday Summary. Nielsen Audio PPM Markets #16 Minneapolis to #25 Pittsburgh
by Clark Smidt, Broadcast Connections.

In the 14 top markets, we found Xmas programming remains a big boost for the first station in – usually AC or Soft AC. Trends that were already strong, stayed that way and some of the tailspins began before the start of Santa. We’re taking a special look at November (October 9-November 4) / December (November 6 – December 3) / Holiday (December 4 – 31) PPM collective results to see the hot and not, with indications for how 2015 could shape up. Our presentation checks the three surveys, total Top 10 shares, cumes, fluctuations and stand-out trends. Very nice for some, a bit naughty for more. So far, this next group of major PPM Subscriber Only Nielsen Audio markets, with just one exception, continue to show increased radio listening when in the spirit.

16. MINNEAPOLIS, MN. 6+ population 2,756,200. Black 8%, Spanish 5%. Station Subscription Rate 50%. A big +9.2 leap as iHeart Classic Hits KQQL takes #1 share (6.1-7.7-15.3) by 6.8 and #1 cume with 288,000 (10.5% of the market total) over 2nd place – 0.8 iHeart CHR KDWB-F (9.3-9.0-8.5). The only other market gains are + 0.3 at both University of NW St. Paul Christian KTIS-F (5.0-4.9-4.3) and American Public AA KCMP (3.1-3.2-3.4). Lots of stocking coal: – 1.9 CBS Country KNMB (6.3-6.3-4.4), -1.3 Hubbard Hot A/C KSTP-F (6.8-6.6-9.5), – 1.0 iHeart Sports KFXN-F (6.5-6.7-5.5), – 1.0 American Public News/Talk KNOW-F (5.1-4.9-4.1), -0.7 Cumulus Classic Rock KTSP-F (6.8-6.6-6.5) and -0.7 iHeart Hot A/C KTCZ-F (5.3-5.7-4.6). Top 10 shares: November 62.2, Holiday 67.2 Total listening share: + 9.3%.

17. SAN DIEGO, CA. 2,648,300. Spanish 31%, Black 5%. Subscribing stations 73%. More gainers than losers here as + 3.3 CBS A/C KYXY takes top spot (3.7-3.4-7.0) on #3 cume and just 0.7 ahead of 2nd place + 1.0 iHeart CHR KHTS-F (5.3-6.1-6.3) with a top cume 83,000 over + 0.7, 4th place iHeart Hot A/C KMYI (4.7-5.1-5.4). +1.6 Lincoln Financial Soft A/C KIFM (4.4-4.8-6.0) is 3rd. Those off include: – 1.2 Local Media SD Modern Rock XETRA-F (3.2-2.7-2.4), – 0.9 Lincoln Country KSON/KSOQ (5.3-5.2-4.2), – 0.9 iHeart Rock KIOZ (3.8-3.2-2.9), 0.7 for both Univision Regional Mexican KLNV (3.7-3.1-3.0) and Midwest TV News/Talk KFMB (2.2-2.1-1.5). Top 10: November 44.4, Holiday 50.3. Increased listening share + 12%.

18. TAMPA, FL. 2,441,800. Spanish 16%, Black 11%. Subscribers 57%. No big moves as big #1 Cox Soft A/C WDUV is actually down – 0.2 (13.2-13.6-13.0), holding top cume by 124,000 ahead of + 0.6 iHeart CHR WFLZ-F 5.3-5.2-5.9) at #3. 2nd place is – 0.3 Cox Classic Hits WXGL (6.3-5.9-6.0). Largest gain: + 1.4 Radio Training Network Christian WCIE (2.5-2.5-3.9) followed by + 0.9 Beasley (format TBA) WHFS-F (0.7-0.7-1.8). Losses include – 0.9 Beasley Country WQYK-F (5.3-5.1-4.4), – 0.8 Cox Talk WHPT (3.0-2.8-2.2), – 0.6 iHeart Urban WBTP (4.6-4.1-4.0) and – 0.5 iHeart Hot A/C WMTX (4.2-4.3-3.7). Top 10: November 53.6, Holiday 57.3. + 6.5%.

19. LONG ISLAND, NY. 2,423,700. Spanish 15%, Black 9%. Subscribers 63%. (most are from NYC). Connoisseur local A/C WALK-F gets some holiday spirit for + 3.2 (7.4-6.9-10.4) and #2 cume, just 41,000 behind +4.3 iHeart big city Santa A/C WLTW (3.6-4.3-7.9) playing “Dueling Kringle.” + 0.2 Connoisseur local Rock WWSK as other risers from NYC led by + 0.6 Emmis Urban A/C WBLS (3.6-3.9-4.2). Largest dips are – 1.4 iHeart NYC Classic Rock WAXQ (4.4-4.1-3.0) and – 1.3 Cox local CHR WBLI (4.9-4.9-3.6). Connoisseur local Classic Hits WBZO is off – 0.5 (3.2-3.4-2.7). Top 10: November 48.8, Holiday 52.6. + 7.2%.

20. DENVER, CO. 2,362,700. Spanish 21%, Black 5.6%. Subscribers 71%. Large + 7.8 for Entercom Soft A/C KOSI (4.6-6.5-12.4) leading #2 + 0.3 Entercom Classic Rock KQMT (5.1-5.3-5.4) by 8 full shares! Cume advantage is 468.000 ahead of 2nd cume, 16th share – 0.5 iHeart Rhythmic CHR KPTT (3.8-3.4-3.3). Only other gainers are: + 0.5 Entercom Standards KEZW (0.8-1.4-1.3) and + 0.4 Colorado Public News/Talk KCFR (4.7-5.2-5.1), #3 overall. Taking a Holiday Hit: -1.4 iHeart News/Talk KOA (5.4-4.5-4.0), – 1.0 Lincoln Financial Country KYGO (5.2-5.2-4.2) and – 0.8 iHeart Modern rock KTCL (5.3-5.2-4.9). Top 10: November 49.6, Holiday 53.9. + 8%.

21. BALTIMORE, MD. 2,317,700. Black 29%, Spanish 5%. Subs 78%. Big + 8.9 at CBS A/C WLIF (5.7-7.0-14.6), for a 7.6 share over + 0.6 Radio One Urban WERQ-F (6.6-7.3-7.2) and 453,400 cume (roughly 20% market population) above 6th place -1.1 CBS Hot A/C WWMX (5.6-5.0-4.5). Also, -1.1 iHeart Country WPOC (7.7-8.6-6.6), loss leader – 1.4 Hearst TV News/Talk WBAL (5.1-3.9-3.7) and – 0.8 dips by iHeart Rhythmic CHR WZFT (4.4-3.9-3.5), Peter & John Christian WRBS-F (3.1-2.6-2.3) and Your Public News/Talk WYPR (2.2-2.1-1.4). Only other gain: + 0.1 iHeart Adult Hits WQSR (3.6-3.8-3.7). Top 10 November 54.7, Holiday 59.1. + 9.3%.

22. ST. LOUIS, MO. 2,310,500. Black 19%, Spanish 2%. Subs 50%. + 4.5 CBS A/C KEZK-F wins by a hair (4.0-4.9-8.5) over + 2.5 iHeart Oldies KLOU (5.9-4.8-8.4) with a cume lead of 62,300. + 1.0 iHeart CHR KSLZ (4.7-4.8-5.7) and + 0.9 Emmis Rock KSHE (6.2-6.2-7.1). Going the other way: – 2.5 CBS News/Talk KMOX (6.8-5.4-4.3), – 1.9 University of Missouri News/Talk KWMU (5.3-4.4-3.4), -1.2 Hubbard Sports (4.3-3.5-3.1) and – 0.8 for both CBS Hot A/C KYKY (5.3-5.7-4.5) and iHeart Country KSD (4.9-4.6-4.1). Top 10 November 51.4, Holiday 60.1. + 14.5%.

23. PORTLAND, OR. 2,124,500. Spanish 12%, Black 3%. Subs 54%. The +10.1 advance score a PPM record high for iHeart A/C KKCW (8.0-9.8-18.1) with a 13.5% population cume of ½ million way above #3 iHeart CHR KKRZ (6.0-5.8-5.8) and a full 11.0 shares topping 2nd place Oregon Public News/Talk (7.2-7.3-7.1). Next gains: + 0.5 Entercom Hot A/C (4.7-5.4-5.2) and + 0.3 Salem Regional Mexican KRYP (2.2-2.9-2.5). Losses: – 1.8 Alpha Country KUPL (5.0-4.1-3.2), – 0.9 Entercom Adult Hits KYCH (4.5-3.9-3.4) and – 0.7 at each of 4 stations: iHeart Classic Hits KLTH (6.1-5.8-5.4), Alpha News/Talk KXL-F (3.9-3.4-3.2), iHeart Classic Rock KFBW (3.6-3.2-2.9) and Entercom Sports KFXX (1.8-1.4-1.1). Top 10 November 54.0, Holiday 62.4. 13.5%.

24. CHARLOTTE, NC. 2,058,800. Black 22%, Spanish 8%. Subs 38%. + 6.1 Beasley A/C WKQC gets the blue wreath (4.4-6.4-10.5) leading by 3.5 over #2, + 0.2 Beasley Urban WPEG (6.8-6.4-7.0) with a 246,000 cume lead (12% market total) over #10 iHeart CHR WHQC (4.3-4.1-4.4). Other ups: + 0.9 Radio One R&B Oldies WOSF (4.5-5.0-5.4) and + 0.3 iHeart Modern Rock WEND (3.0-3.0-3.3). Downs: – 2.0 iHeart Adult Hits WLKO (6.4-6.2-4.4), – 1.4 Beasley Country WSOC-F (7.8-7.7-6.4), – 0.7 Radio One Gospel WPZS/WQNC (5.1-4.6-4.4) and – 0.6 for both Greater Media stations Hot A/C WLNK (4.6-4.3-4.0) and News/Talk WBT/WBT-F (3.5-3.5-2.9). Top 10 November 57.7, Holiday 59.7. + 3.5%.

25. PITTSBURGH, PA. 1,990,400. Black 9%, Spanish 1%. Subscribers just 29%. + 6.1 iHeart Classic Hits WWSW-F (7.9-7.8-14.0) leads in cume by 254,800 (13% of the market population) and 5.9 share over 2nd place – 0.6 iHeart Rock WDVE (8.7-8.5-8.1). Other dips: – 1.6 Steele City Hot A/C WLTJ (4.6-4.1-3.0), – 1.4 CBS Country WDSY-F (5.5-4.9-4.1), -1.0 iHeart CHR WKST-F (7.3-6.8-6.3), – 0.9 CBS Hot A/C WBZZ (4.3-3.6-3.4), – 0.7 Steel City Adult Hits WRRK (8.0-8.0-7.3) and – 0.5 iHeart Modern Rock WXDX-F (4.1-4.0-3.6). Just one other increase: + 0.1 iHeart Country WPGB (3.1-3.3-3.2). Pittsburgh is the only major market to post a smaller Holiday listening share, so far: Top 10 November 63.2, Holiday 59.3. – 6%.

Average November-Holiday share gain for Markets 16 – 25: + 7.8.

Takeaways:
* Where’s my snow shovel?
* Radio: Essential during Nor’easter 2015.
* PPM is quick to record program change.
* Can content refresh AM & HD?
* Great product delivers dollars.

Broadcast Connector Clark Smidt improves bottom line results. Hands-on since ’66, Advising since ’82. Conversation: 978 470-2120, Andover, MA. www.broadcastideas.com [email protected]