Format Scorecard: News/Talk, Urban Contemporary Show Gains.

Not even halfway into 2025, it has already been a news year for the ages. So it stands to reason that the news/talk format has benefited, with shares up significantly from a year ago based on Inside Radio’s analysis of cross-market average quarter-hour share data in 45 of Nielsen’s PPM markets, covering Monday-Sunday 6am-midnight.

While news/talk has long been the highest-ranked format among persons 6+, shares downtrended steadily from January-May 2022 to that same period in 2024, off 11% with larger declines in 18-34 (-33%) and 25-54 (-25%). Since the first five months of 2024, however, news/talk has made a comeback in all three demographics, up 6% 6+, 18% 18-34, and 14% 25-54. It’s worth noting that all-news stations have followed suit, with 6+ share up 13% year-over-year.

News/talk isn’t the only format experiencing across-the-board growth. Urban contemporary has made impressive strides since January of this year, up 15% Jan.-May for 6+ as well as 7% 18-34 and 8% 25-54. Hot AC is also seeing gains, up 8% from year-to-date 2024 to Jan.-May 2025 6+ and up 6% using the same comparison for 25-54, while from January to May of this year it's up 12% among 18-34s.

Also worth noting are share gains for modern/alternative rock, which has steadily grown since Jan.-May 2022 for 6+ (+21%) and 25-54 (+20%), while up 10% since January in 18-34. Contemporary Christian continues its steady growth across-the-board, up 31% since year-to-date 2022 in 6+, 52% 18-34, and 33% 25-54.

There’s good news from Nielsen for other formats, including country, which ranks third for 6+ and 18-34, and which since January 2025 has seen an 11% and 6% lift for those demos, respectively. Classic hits, fourth-ranked 6+ and fifth among 18-34, is up 5% since January in the former and 10% year-over-year in the latter. CHR, the number-two format 18-34, gains 4% year-to-date vs. a year ago, while urban AC gets a 7% boost since January of this year.

Adult contemporary, the second-ranked format 6+ and on top 18-34 and 25-54, continues to show year-to-date declines. Comparing Jan.-May 2025 with that of 2024, AC is off by 13% 6+ and 25-54, and 5% 18-34, with shares from January to May for this year down 8% 18-34 and 5% 25-54.

The only other format with noticeable downtrends in all three of these demos is Spanish contemporary, with shares since January down 11% 6+ and 18-34, and 9% 25-54.