An active January news-cycle results in news/talkers leading the market in Washington (WAMU), Boston (WBZ) and Minneapolis (KNOW-FM), while Detroit and San Diego also crown new market leaders, WMXB and KXSN, respectively. The fall from the Christmas mountain was evident with double-digit cume losses for WASH, WMJX, KRWM, WNIC, KESZ and KYXY.
As the Christmas glow faded it was insurrection and inauguration that had the ears of DC radio listeners. American University news/talk WAMU added five-plus shares (9.5-8.3-13.4) and moved up a rank to first. WAMU’s cume popped 13% month-over-month. Taking second in the market is Hubbard all-news WTOP-FM, which closed in on a ten-share, moving 9.7-8.1-9.9, while Howard University adult R&B WHUR-FM (7.2-7.5-7.3) is also up a rank to third. As expected with the first month after the Christmas-fueled Holiday survey, iHeartMedia AC WASH lost more than half its AQH (9.8-15.2-6.0) and 36% of its cume month-over-month, the results of which facilitated a first to fourth drop in the January 2021 PPM survey.
A ten-share drop greets Entercom AC WMJX Boston in the new year (7.3-15.8-5.9), as it moves from first to fourth and sheds 36% of its cume from the Holiday 2020 book. The AQH share for iHeartMedia’s WBZ surged 26% (6.8-6.5-8.2) as the all-news outlet moves from second to first, followed by a pair of classics – Beasley Media Group classic hits WROR-FM (7.5-5.6-7.5) and iHeartMedia classic rock WZLX (7.1-6.4-6.1). Politics and the pandemic led to big increases at the market’s NPR outlet news/talk WGBH (4.5-4.5-5.6), iHeartMedia talk WRKO (5.8-4.3-5.2) and Boston University news/talk WBUR-FM (4.0-3.5-5.1), which also increases cume by 17%.
In Miami, Cox Media Group soft AC WFEZ (7.1-8.1-7.6) remains on top of the market, but is tied with adult R&B cluster-mate WHQT (6.6-7.1-7.6). Univision Spanish hits WAMR-FM (5.5-5.6-6.0) moves up a rank to third. Entercom AC WLYF, which rose to second with its all-Christmas format, slides to fifth (5.2-8.0-5.7) and loses 16% of its holiday-driven cume. Dade County School Board news/talk/jazz WLRN-FM is another public media outlet gaining share (3.2-2.9-4.0) and cume (+16%) last month.
It’s steady in Seattle as Bonneville news/talk KIRO-FM (7.2-7.2-7.4) and Northwest Public Radio news/talk KUOW-AM/FM (6.9-6.4-7.3) remain in first and second, respectively. Marking its 50th anniversary, Entercom rock KISW (5.0-5.4-6.2) is up a rank to third. Hubbard AC KRWM cools off after its all-Christmas rise, dropping cume by 35% and moving 3.4-6.0-3.6, after peaking at No. 3 in the Holiday 2020 survey.
In Detroit, iHeartMedia adult R&B WMXD (6.1-6.1-6.3) moves from second to first, followed by Entercom classic hits WOMC (5.3-4.7-6.1). iHeartMedia AC WNIC suffers the post-Christmas blues, with a double-digit drop in AQH (10.0-16.6-5.5) and a 35% dip in cume. Still, the station is tied for third with Beasley Media Group classic rock WCSX (5.6-4.8-5.5). There were moderate month-over-month increases for Cumulus Media Group news/talk WJR (4.6-4.2-4.8) and Entercom news WWJ (5.1-4.5-4.8).
iHeartMedia talk KFYI Phoenix adds more than a share month-over-month (6.3-4.6-6.0) and rises from fourth to second, trailing AC sister KESZ, which still leads the market even after dropping nearly 10 shares (11.4-16.7-7.3) and 38% of its cume. Hubbard classic rock KSLX-FM (5.4-4.6-5.3), which was tied with KFYI for fourth place last month, is up a rank. Bonneville news/talk KTAR-FM adds a share-plus, moving 3.6-3.1-4.2, and increases cume by 18%.
In Minneapolis, iHeartMedia’s KQQL moves from first to fifth shedding share (7.8-11.5-5.5) and cume (-34%), after returning to classic hits from classic Christmas. Minnesota Public Radio news/talk KNOW-FM (9.0-8.3-9.5) moves from second to first, followed by iHeartMedia sports KFXN-FM (7.4-7.8-8.4) and Hubbard hot AC KSTP-FM (7.0-6.2-7.5). iHeartMedia talk KTLK moves 3.7-3.4-4.2, thanks to an active news cycle that induced plenty of chatter from its lineup of conservative hosts.
Entercom AC KYXY San Diego drops 40% of its cume month-over-month and slides from first to ninth (5.7-9.4-3.6). Classic hits sister KXSN (6.4-5.7-6.7) moves from third to first, followed by San Diego State University news/talk KPBS-FM (6.6-5.9-6.2), which remains in second. Univision regional Mexican KLNV (5.5-4.6-5.9) advances from fifth to third (5.5-4.6-5.9), closely trailed by iHeartMedia news/talk KOGO (4.9-5.1-5.7).
The Nielsen January 2021 PPM survey covers the period from Jan 7-Feb 3. All shares quoted are Persons 6+, Mon-Sun 6am-Mid.