Nielsen Audio: The major markets, continued

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Clark-SmidtMore insights into the majors as flocks of numbers are posting.  All of the Players are reported in the Nielsens (subscribers) putting the action above the line and DNS territory occupied mostly by rim shots, foreign and niche formats.  With digital clouds and advanced delivery, it would be interesting to hear how an AM mass appeal format would connect through advanced channels.  Meanwhile, the 6+ PPM monthly share markets give a great sampling of cluster coordination, positioning and programming trends.  Here’s April/May/June, 2014:


With apologies to D.C., we’re leading off with the Home Team. Disclaimer: I have no horse in this particular race but have started a few, rode winners and betting on Boston numbers since 1971.

10.  BOSTON.  6+ population  4,022,600.  As always, a thrill a minute with plenty of history!  KISS 108 has been king of the hill for years and no exception this time with CCU CHR WXKS/FM still growing and still #1 share & #1 cume scoring 7.6-7.9-8.2 and 1.374 million!  But, Greater Media controls the top slots, ranking 2, 4 and 5th with a best ever for Classic Hits WROR 5.4-5.3-6.3, Country WKLB slips 6.8-7.0-6.0 to 4th and #5 ranked market exclusive A/C WWMJX 6.5-5.7-5.9 with an impressive #2 cume of 1.289 million.  3rd ranked share is CBS Classic Rock WZLX on a growth spurt 5.1-5.8-6.2 to lead the cluster.

Notes:  Demos deliver and the 6+ 6.2 vs. 6.3 ROR/ZLX fight will be telling.  Recently, CCU has thrown its “Bull” into the ring with Country competition from Class A WBWL – already dancing away 1.2-2.6 in its first month with prodding from TV and digital outdoor.  The collection of CHR-RymCHR-RymA/C-HotA/C formats is now down to 5, including KISS.  CBS Hot A/C holding at 4.0-4.3-4.0, Greater Media’s RymA/C WBQT 3.5-3.4-3.8, CCU RymCHR WJMN 3.7-3.6-3.5 and CBS CHR AMP WODS 3.2-3.2-3.3.  CBS legendary News/Talk WBZ/A is 5.5-5.9-5.1, followed by non-comms BostonU News/Talk WBUR 3.6-4.0-3.7 and N/T WGBH Foundation WGBH/FM holding 2.3-2.4-2.4; co-owned Classical WCRB still composing the right symphony 1.5-1.3-1.4.  Without the Patriots, Celtics & Bruins Sports Hub WBZ/FM slumps 5.1-2.9-2.6, just like the Red Sox with Entercom Sports WEEI/FM 3.4-3.3-3.0.  ETM Rock WAAF holds 2.8-2.7-2.8, Talk WRKO hangs 3.0-2.6-2.7 and fuggettaboutit 50kw sports WEEI/AM .04 with a 115k cume compared to Emerson College at 1.0 and 204k.  Greater Media ModRock WBOS slips 3.2-3.5-2.9  25 of 60 stations subscribe for a 42% subscriber index (SI). Total Ethnic 16.3%.  Shares:  Greater Media 24.9, CBS 21.2, CCU 14.7, ETM 8.9.

7.  WASHINGTON, D.C.  4,522,700.  Hubbard Broadcasting News WTOP/F-WTLP holds #1 share 8.1-8.2-8.0 with a close 3rd place cume  Next is News/Talk American University WAMU 6.9-6.2-6.4 and CCU CHR WIHT with #1 cume 1.269 million at 3rd ranked share 6.6-6.2-6.3.  Howard University UrbanA/C WHUR is steady 5.6-5.5-5.6 and CCU takes the 5th with A/C WASH 5.6-5.8-5.1, with a .7 being the markets largest month fluctuation.

Notes:  Radio One (ROI) is 5 & 6 with Gospel WPRS rising 4.3-4.5-4.7, UrbanA/C WMMJ 4.5-4.3-4.5 and cluster mate UrbanContemp WKYS 3.3-3.2-3.6.  CBS RymCHR WPGC/F gains 3.7-4.1-4.2, Hot A/C WIAD 3.8-4.1-3.6, Sports WJFK holds 2.3, Tropical WLZL 1.8-2.0-1.9 and News WNEW/F (great NYC calls) inches up .9-1.0-1.2.  Cumulus (CMLS) N/T WMAL-A/F is 3.4-3.6-3.6 and CHR WRQX 1.8-2.0-1.9, identical to WLZL.  CCU rounds out their cluster with market exclusives (MktExcl) ClassicRock WBIG/F 3.8-3.9-4.2, Country WMZQ 3.6-4.1-4.0 and ModRock WWDC 3.8-3.6-3.5.  Classical works in DC on Greater Washington Educational WETA/WGMS 4.3-3.7-3.8.  Red Zebra Sports WTEM trimulcast and WSPZ combines for 1.9 while Allen Shaw’s suburban Centennial Broadcasting HotA/C pair WBQB/WNIC totals 1.7.  29 of 54 stations report for 54 SI.  Ethnic Comp. Black 27%, Hispanic 14%.  Shares:  CCU 23.1, CBS 13.6, ROI 12.8, Hubbard 8.1.

11.  DETROIT.  3,732,000.  CBS takes 4 out of the Top 5 with #1 Sports WXYT leading off 7.9-7.3-7.2 at 5th cume.  2nd is MktExcl. ClassicHits WOMC 6.7-7.0-6.8, 4th WYCD Country 5.5-6.2-6.0 and 5th News WWJ. #3 share belongs to CCU UrbanA/C WMXD 6.5-6.6-6.4 and CCU CHR WKQI has the #1 cume 1.072 million on the #7 share.

Notes:  The rest of the CCU cluster is UrbanContemp. WJLB 3.9-3.9-4.3, A/C WJLB 4.3-4.5-4.0 and ClassicRock WDTW 2.8-3.3-3.8.  Greater Media growing Classic Rock WCSX moves 4.4-5.3-5.6, Rock WRIF 4.2-4.3-3.8 and Sports WMGC at 1.1. Radio One airs UrbanA/C WDMK 4.2-4.7-4.6, UrbanContemp. WGPR 2.7-3.0-2.7, Gospel WPZR 3.1-2.9-2.3 and Talk WCHB .4.  Bell Media registers from Toronto with AdultAlt CIDR 2.1, ModRock CIMX 1.9, Oldies CKWW .4 and N//T CKLW .2, totaling 4.6.  Others presenting News/Talk are non-coms Wayne State WDET .7 and Michigan Public 1.8-1.5-1.2.  29 of 48 are recorded above the line for an SI (subscriber index) of 60.  Liggett Broadcasting has 4 DNS stations.  Shares:  CBS 28.7, CCU 23.6, CMLS 10.8, GreaterMedia 10.5 and ROI 10.0

12.  MIAMI  3,670,900.  Cox Urban WHQT gas #1 share by 2 full points 8.0-7.9-8.2 on the 11th market cume.  Univision SpanishHits WAMR is 2nd 6.3-6.5-6.2 and 3rd share Lincoln Financial A/C WLYE 5.4-5.8-6.0 has the #1 cume 1.103 million.  CCU CHR WHYI/F is 4th 5.3-4.8-4.8 with a million cume and Cox takes #5 & 6 on Soft A/C WFEZ 5.4-5.7-4.6 and UrbanContemp WEDR 4.6-4.2-4.2.  Cox has runner-up CHR WFLC 3.6-2.9-3.1.

Notes:  Univision combos Tropical WRTO 3.6-3.7-3.8 and SpanishN/T WAQI 3.6-4.0-3.6 with SpanishN/T WQBA .4.  Beasley Broadcasting has RymCHR WPOW 4.2-4.2-3.7, Country WKIS 2.9-2.8-2.8 and Sports WQAM .9.  Spanish Broadcasting (SBS) presents Tropicals WXDJ 4.7-4.4-3.7 and WCMQ 3.2-3.3-3.1, Lincoln Financial includes Classic Hits WMXJ 3.6-4.0-3.6 and Sports WAXY/F 2.5-2.3-2.2.  29 of 48 stations are Nielsen Subscribers for another 60 SI.  Salem has 4 stations below the line.  EC is Hispanic 50%, Black 21%.  Shares:  CCU 18.2, Cox 17.0, Univision 13.9, Lincoln Financial 11.8, Beasley 7.4, SBS 6.8.

13.  SEATTLE.  3,477,300.  Hubbard Wins #1, #2 Share and #1 cume with CHR KQMV leading the way 6.2-5.9-6.4 at 987,500.  Soft A/C KRWM has 2nd share and cume 5.8-6.3-5.7 and 926,900.  CBS ranks 3rd on Classic Rock WZOK 5.2-4.1-5.1, Entercom rides 4th with Country KKWE 4.7-4.5-4.9 and Share #5 is Crista Media ContempChristian KCMS 4.9-4.8-4.8.

Notes:  Very crowded market with 62 stations, 33 reporting for 53%, EthnicComp 14%.  Entercom also owns Rock KISW 5.5-4.5-4.2, ModRock KNDD 2.9-3.0-3.3 and HotA/C KHTP 2.9-2.8-2.8.  News/Talk has a tie between Northwest Public WUOW trimulcast 3.8-4.0-3.4 and Bonneville KIRO/F with an almost identical 3.6-4.0-3.4.  Sinclair Broadcast Group is in the Newsfray with their KPLU/F trimulcast 2.8-2.9-2.7 and Talk KVI 1.6 trailing Bonneville Talk KTTH 2.4-2.3-2.1.  Hubbard ModA/C KLCK holds 3.0-3.4-3.4, Sinclair Hot A/C KPLZ 3.3-3.2-3.3 and CBS Adult Hits 4.0-3.7-3.2.  CBS also has runner-up Country KMPS.F 3.3-3.7-3.1.  Pacific Lutheran U. presents Jazz trimulcast KPLU 2.6-2.0-2.2.  The DNS list includes Salem (4), Chris Bennett (3) and Adelante, D.M. Drucker and J.J. Suh each have a combo.   Shares:  Hubbard 15.5, ETM 15.2.  CBS 11.5, Bonneville 8.6, Sinclair Broadcast 7.6.

14.  PHOENIX   3,222,700.  CBS #1 Share with Classic Hits KOOL/F 5.2-5.8-5.0 and a virtual tie for #3 cume.  CCU ranks 2-3-4 with Country KNIX/F 5.0-6.2-5.6, A/C KESZ 6.1-6.0-5.3 with the #1 cume 1,006,000, and 4th share Hot A/C KMXP 5.4-5.8-5.0.  Yacaipa follows in 5th with their A/C Duo KMVA/KEXX growing 3.4-4.0-4.6.

Notes:  Hubbard Classic Rock KSLX 5.0-4.5-4.5 also co-owns Rock KUPD 4.0-3.7-4.0 and Rock KDKB 2.8-2.4-2.7.  CCU Talk KFYI leads the format 3.5-3.2-4.3 vs. Bonneville N/T KTAR/F 3.8-3.2-3.0 and Maricopa Community College KJZZ 2.1.  CCU also has CHR KZZP 4.3-4.0-4.1, Adult Hits KYOT 3.4-3.6-4.0.  Besides market leading KOOL, CBS has #2 Country KMLE 3.9-4.1-3.7 and RymCHR KZON 3.7-3.5-3.4.  Yacaipa adds RymCHR KKFR 3.5-3.0-3.2 and SpanishHits KVIB 1.6.  32 stations subscribe out of 53 for an SI of 60.  EC 28% Hispanic but lead station in the format is Entravision SpanishAdultHits KVVA/KDVA 2.6-2.7-2.3 at 16th rank.  Entravision also has Mexican KLNZ 2.1 and SpanishSports KBMB .8.  Univision owns SpanishAdultHits KOMR/KKMR 2.0-1.6-2.2, RegMexican KLNZ 2.1 and SpanishUrban1.2. Shares:  CCU 28.9, CBS 13.0, Hubbard 11.7, Yucaipa 5.7.

16.  MINNEAPOLIS   2,756,200.  CCU is 1,4 & 5 with CHR KDWB #1 share 8.3-8.9-8.4 and #1 cume 1,065,300.  CMLS Classic Rock WQRS 2nd 8.4-7.7-8.1, Hubbard 3rd HotA/C KSTP/F 7.3-7.3-7.4 and CCU 4th & 5th with ClassicHits KQQL 6.0-7.3-7.0 and Country KEEY/F 6.9-7.8-6.7.

Notes:  Close on KEEY’s spurs is CBS Country KMNB climbing 5.7-6.0-6.6.  CBS also owns AdultHits KZJK 7.1-7.2-6.4 and News/Talk WCCO/WCCO-HD2 5.1-4.0-3.6, just behind American Public News/Talk WNOW 3.6-3.1-3.7 with their co-owned rapid riser AdultAlt KCMP 2.7-3.1-3.9 and the KCMP AA Stream showing .4.  CMLS also has Rock KXXR 5.1-5.8-5.0 and Sports TriGuy WGVX at .5 while Hubbard Sports KSTP sticks at 1.4 and CCU Sports KFXN dips 4.8-2.9-3.1.  CCU has runner-up Hot A/C KTCZ (tongue twister) gaining 4.6-5.4-6.2 and Talk KTLK 2.1, besting Hubbard Talk KTMY 1.1.  KTWN/F is owned by and broadcasts the Minnesota Twins, offers a ModA/C format but still in the bull pen 1.4-1.4-1.4.  EthnicComp is 13% and 26 of 47 stations’ top lines score a 55 SI.  Shares:  CCU 33.54, CBS 16.6, CMLS 13.1, Hubbard 9.6.

17.  SAN DIEGO.   2,648,300.  Nice turn out!  30 of 39 are on The Nielsen List for a 77 SI.  Again a CCU CHR KHTS is #1 & #1 shares 5.6-5.1-5.7, cume 863,2000.  Lincoln Financial takes 2nd place with SoftA/C KIFM 5.2-5.0-5.2.  CBS A/C KYXY 4.9-5.2-5.0, CCU Hot A/C KMYI 4th 5.0-5.1-4.9 and 5th share is San Diego State News/Talk KPBS/KOVO 4.7-4.4-4.6.  

Notes:  Commercial News/Talk formats trail KBPS with Midwest TV 2.9-2.3-2.0 and CCU KOGO 2.4-1.6-1.6.  CCU music is stronger with Rock KIOZ 4.0-3.9-4.3, Classic Rock KGB/F 3.7-3.6-3.5 and RymA/C KSSX 2.7-2.5-2.3 .  Lincoln Financial adds MktExclu. Country KSON/KSOQ 4.5-4.6-4.5 and ModRock KBZT 3.6-3.2-3.8.  Local Media of San Diego couples RymOldies XHRM 4.3-4.3-4.1, RymCHR XHITZ 4.2-4.0-3.8 and ModRock XETRA/F 3.4-3.7-3.3.  This is not to be confused with Radio San Diego offering Oldies XHPRS 2.6-2.7-3.0, AA KPRI 2.6-2.3-2.0, Sports XEPE .03. and winning Sports format XEPRS 3.5.  CCU Sports KLSD trips along at 1.0.  CBS CHR KEGY is steady at 3.9-3.8-4.0 while Midwest TV Hot A/C KFBM drops 2.9-2.3-2.0  EthicComp Hispanic 31%.  Shares:  CCU 23.3, Lincoln Financial 13.5, Local Media/San Diego 11.2, CBS 9, Radio San Diego 8.6, Univision 5.6 and MidwestTV 4.5.

18.  TAMPA-ST.PETERSBURG  2,441,800.   Cox is #1, #1 and #2.  Soft A/C WDUV has top share and growing 9.4-10.6-11.4 with #1 cume 744,300, outrunning cluster partner Classic Hits WXGL by almost 5 shares, 6.6-6.8-6.6.  CCU is 3rd on CHR WFLZ 6.3-6.-6.5, CBS next at 4th & 5th with the market’s second ClassicHits WRBQ/F gaining 4.8-5.6-5.7 and RymCHR WLLD also up 4.6-4.9-5.2.

Notes:  Good subscriber market with 28 of 50 for 56%.  Ethnic Comp 27%.  Cox fills out their big cluster with CHR WPOI 5.5-5.8-5.0, A/C WWRM sliding 5.0-4.1-3.7, ModRock WSUN/F 1.7-1.9-2.0 and Talk WHPT 4.5-4.2-4.0 winning the format.  CCU Talk WFLA trails at 3.4 and N/T U South Florida WUSE is 2.3-1.7-2.0.  Musically, CCU adds Rock WXTB 4.7-4.4-5.0, UrbanContremp WBTP 4.9-4.8-4.7, Hot A/C WMTX 4.7-4.9-4.2, Classic Rock WMTYX HD-2 1.6-1.6-1.4 and Country WFUS 5.0-4.6-4.7 in a tight battle with CBS Country WQYK 4.5-4.3-4.5.  Rounding out the CBS cluster is SpanishCHR KYUU 4.5-4.1-3.5 and Sports WHFS/F .4 trailing CCU Sports holding 2.4   Shares:  Cox 32.7, CCU 27.9, CBS 19.2.

Right back at you with Majors 20-35.  Big markets, big stations, big value from Radio:  $6 business dollars back for every $1 Ad Dollar spent!  The Great Connector:  Wireless, Everywhere and Free. VOTE RADIO.

–Media Advisor Clark Smidt is spending his 48th summer in broadcasting assisting confidential clients with Content & Business Development, Branding, Strategy and advanced insights from Research Director, Inc, Anapolis, MD.  Having worked in Boston management since WBUR/FM & WBZ AM & FM ’71 and as Nor’east Broadcast Advisor starting in ’82, Clark arranges and implements mass appeal, customized formats with focus on 35+, Boomers, new business and political advertising.  Non duplicated, no cost applications add income.  Start-ups, Turn-arounds and Making Great Stations Even Better.  Please visit www.broadcastideas.com and call for conversation 978 470-2120  [email protected].   

 

 

 

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