All-News And News/Talk Stay Strong In PPM Days 1 And 2.

In Nielsen’s November and December 2025 surveys, prior to the Holiday book, all-news and news/talk stations dominated in four of the 20 non-embedded PPM markets reporting in Days 1 and 2. In January’s and February’s surveys (the latter covering Feb. 5-March 4), that total jumped to seven.

It’s worth noting that February’s leading stations in those formats weren’t exactly the same as in January, as public news/talk outlet KPBS San Diego nabbed its first win since June 2024, while Cox Media Group’s WSB-AM Atlanta placed third after six books on top. Additionally, both news/talk pubcasters KERA Dallas and WBUR Boston re-entered top five territory in February.

For Days 1 and 2 in these 20 markets, the leaderboard shows AC and news/talk with four wins each, three for both all-news and urban AC, two for both rock and classic rock, and one each for hot AC, soft AC and sports.

Rankings exclude stations owned by Cumulus Media, which is in the midst of a re-negotiation of its contract with Nielsen, which expired Dec. 31, 2025.

Not only does Hubbard Radio all-news WTOP rack up a ninth straight victory in DC, it delivers a 15.2 persons 6+ share — a rarity for any Day 1 or 2 PPM station over the past four years, with the exception of those flipping to all-Christmas during December and Holiday surveys. WTOP even passes American University news/talk WAMU’s best showing over that period, a 13.4 in January 2025. With a 1.7-share-point gain from January, WTOP extends its lead over WAMU from 2.6 to 3.4. As for the rest of the top five, it’s Howard University urban AC WHUR still third, followed by iHeartMedia’s modern/alternative rock “DC101” WWDC-FM and AC sister WASH.

Audacy AC “Magic 106.7” WMJX returns to No. 1, where it’s been for 10 of the 13 surveys over the past year. ‘Magic’ holds a slim 0.5 lead over Beasley Media Group classic hits WROR, while January’s champ, Beasley’s “98.5 The Sports Hub” WBZ-FM, sees a 2.2-share drop to tie for third with Audacy hot AC “Mix 104.1” WBMX, which moves up from eighth.

With the exception of two surveys during 2025, Cox Media Group has had top station honors in Miami for the past four years. For most of that time, urban AC “Hot 105” WHQT has been out front, with 27 consecutive books at No. 1 from March 2023 to March 2025. That’s where it is for February, and for the first time on top since November 2025, but it’s a very close win as CMG’s other station to take up residency at No. 1, soft AC “Easy 93.1” WFEZ, is just two-tenths of a share point behind.

University of Washington news/talk KUOW-FM remains in its usual spot, now 3.9 share points up on iHeartMedia classic hits “95.7 The Jet” KJEB, which flips with Crista Media contemporary Christian “Spirit 105.3” KCMS to take second place. Audacy’s “Rock 99.9” KISW moves back into the top five at fourth, while modern/alternative rock-leaning pubcaster KEXP, up from ninth, makes its first top-five appearance since March 2023.

It’s a fifth consecutive win for iHeartMedia AC “99.9 K-EZ” KESZ, keeping a 1.2-share lead over Hubbard classic rock KSLX. iHeart talker KFYI comes in third, followed by four stations in a tie for fourth: classical pubcaster “K-Bach” KBAQ, iHeartMedia’s country KNIX and adult hits “95.5 The Mountain” KYOT, and Audacy classic hits “Big 94.5” KOOL-FM.

Audacy keeps its hold on the Motor City’s top two, as sports “97.1 The Ticket” WXYT-FM, with its eighth victory in the past year, stays on top, 0.9 ahead of classic hits sister WOMC. iHeartMedia’s AC WNIC and urban AC “Mix 92.3” WMXD finish third and fourth, respectively, while Audacy country WYCD takes fifth.

Minnesota Public Radio news/talk KNOW, which tied for the top spot in January, now has the crown all to itself even though it loses a share point. That’s because the other station in that tie, iHeartMedia sports “K-FAN” KFXN, is off by 1.4 from January and settles for second place. iHeartMedia claims two of the Twin Cities’ top three, though, as classic hits sister “Kool 108” KQQL moves up to third.

For most of the past year, CMG soft AC “105.5 The Dove” WDUV and Radio Training Network contemporary Christian “The Joy FM” WCIE have gone back and forth at No. 1 in Tampa. In February’s survey the two switch spots again, with WDUV ahead of WCIE by 1.3. CMG classic rock “The Eagle 107.3” WXGL, which sneaked in at No. 2 last November, adds a share point to move from fourth to third.

For the first time since July 2023, Audacy classic rock “99.5 The Mountain” KQMT is Denver’s top station, unseating the champ since March 2025, Bonneville AC KOSI. Bonneville’s country sister KYGO and Audacy hot AC “Alice 105.9” KALC stay ranked third and fourth, while KSE Radio Ventures classic hits “Kool 105” KXKL re-enters the top five.

For the first time since June 2024, San Diego State University news/talk KPBS is No. 1 in another close race, out front by just 0.4 over Audacy classic hits “Sunny 98.1” KXSN. Comunicacion XERSA hot AC “Magic 92.5” XHRM and Audacy AC sister KYXY remain at third and fourth, while iHeartMedia CHR “Channel 93.3” KHTS moves from a tie for 11th to fifth, for its first top-five showing since March 2024.

It’s another win for Urban One urban AC “Magic 95.9” WWIN-FM, which over the past year has missed the top rung just once, during this past Holiday survey when Audacy AC “Today's 101.9” WLIF, currently ranked fifth, took over during its annual all-Christmas format. In this book, Audacy’s hot AC “Mix 106.5” WWMX jumps from ninth to second with a 1.7-share-point lift., pushing iHeart country WPOC from second in January down to third.

Hubbard rocker KSHE suddenly finds itself in a close race for the top as Gateway Creative contemporary Christian “99.1 Joy FM” KLJY gains 1.4 share points to move from fourth to second, just 0.3 behind KSHE. Both iHeartMedia classic hits KLOU and Audacy AC KEZK slip down a notch, while iHeartMedia country “93.7 The Bull” KSD-FM stays fifth-ranked.