September PPMs: AC Stays Ahead Of News/Talk In Q3 Wins.

With Q3 2026 a wrap in Nielsen’s 20 non-embedded PPM markets reporting on Days 1 and 2, looking at each format’s total wins for the quarter’s three surveys, including September (covering Aug. 20-Sept. 16), adult contemporary stations maintain an edge over news/talk, with AC’s 14 total wins for the three books vs. news/talk’s 13.

How does this line up with the first two quarters of this year? AC racked up 13 wins in Q1 and 16 in Q2, in each case a wider lead over news/talk, with 11 in both quarters. 

Adding news stations to news/talk tells a different story. The combined total comes to 17 for Q3, so three wins ahead of AC. During Q1 the total is 19, further ahead of AC, while in Q2 AC still leads the news/news-talk combo by 16 wins vs. 12.

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

Rankings don’t include stations owned by Cumulus Media, which is in the midst of a re-negotiation of its contract with Nielsen, which expired Dec. 31, 2025.

Q3 2026 has been all about share growth for American University news/talk WAMU, with only gains from June to September. WAMU’s current 11.9 share widens its lead over Hubbard all-news WTOP to 2.2 points. Third-ranked Howard University urban AC WHUR has also seen share lifts since June, up steadily for a 20% increase.

Boston University news/talk pubcaster WBUR hangs on for a third consecutive survey, its fifth on top in 2026. The station is just 0.3 ahead of iHeartMedia CHR “Kiss 108” WXKS-FM, which has been rising since June, with a 25% share gain. Beasley Media Group classic hits WROR and iHeartMedia classic rock WZLX come in third and fourth, while WGBH Educational Foundation classical WCRB makes a rare top five showing at fifth.

After seven surveys finishing second or third, Cox Media Group soft AC “Easy 93.1” WFEZ reclaims the throne, with just a 0.6 edge on Univision Spanish AC “Amor 107.5” WAMR, up from fourth to second. Former champs iHeartMedia Spanish AC “Magic 93.9” WMIA-FM, Audacy AC “101.5 Lite FM” WLYF, and CMG urban AC “Hot 105” WHQT line up at 3-4-5. Where did August’s leader, Audacy classic hits “102.7 The Beach” WMXJ, go? Down to eighth, from a 6.8 share to 3.9.

News/talk pubcaster KUOW-FM hasn’t budged from the top two since December 2024, and it’s just notched a ninth consecutive win, staying ahead of Bonneville “Seattle Sports 710” KIRO-AM by 1.6 share points. iHeartMedia classic hits “95.7 The Jet” KJEB places third, followed by Hubbard AC “Warm 106.9” KRWM and Audacy “Rock 99.9” KISW, both returning to the top five.

Hubbard classic rock KSLX, on top for a third straight survey, adds a full share point while just 0.8 ahead of iHeartMedia AC KESZ. iHeartMedia talk and country sisters, KFYI and KNIX, take third and fourth, followed by Hubbard rock KUPD, making its first top five appearance since April 2025. 

Audacy sports “97.1 The Ticket” WXYT-FM makes it nine straight wins, with a 2.7-point lead over country sister WYCD. iHeartMedia urban AC “Mix 92.3” WMXD makes a 1.1-share gain, up from fifth to third, while Audacy classic hits WOMC and iHeartMedia AC WNIC rank fourth and fifth.

iHeartMedia sports “K-Fan” KFXN stays in double-digit land as it nabs a seventh win in the Twin Cities, 2.9 ahead of classic hits sister “Kool 108” KQQL. Minnesota Public Radio news/talk KNOW holds at third, while both Audacy adult hits “104.1 Jack FM” KZJK and contemporary Christian pubcaster KTIS-FM re-enter the top five.

CMG soft AC “105.5 The Dove” WDUV continues its reign at number-one for an eighth straight survey, keeping its double-digit share. WDUV is 2.6 points ahead of Radio Training Network contemporary Christian “The Joy FM” WCIE, which since June is up 36%, with a 1.2 share gain just since August. Also up 1.2 from August is iHeartMedia AC “Mix 100.7” WMTX, moving from a tie for seventh to third-ranked.

The last time Bonneville AC KOSI didn’t finish first or second was January of 2025, and currently it’s racked up five consecutive surveys at the top. Moving back into the top five at second is iHeartMedia modern/alternative rock “Channel 93.3” KTCL, up from seventh with a 1.4-point gain. Just below, Audacy hot AC “Alice 105.9” KALC and Bonneville country sister KYGO tie for third.

Audacy keeps hold of the top two with classic hits “Sunny 98.1” making it six wins in a row, while sports and Padres’ flagship “97.3 The Fan” KWFN moves up to second. News/talk KPBS and Univision Spanish regional Mexican “Que Buena 106.5” KLNV come in third and fourth.

Urban One urban AC “Magic 95.9” WWIN-FM has been Baltimore’s only leader in 2026-to-date, now 1.5 share points ahead of Audacy AC “Today's 101.9” WLIF, which has ranked second since March. Urban One urban contemporary sister “92Q Jams” WERQ moves back into the top three for the first time since January, with news/talk pubcaster WYPR fourth and Hearst's “98 Rock” WIYY fifth, returning to the top five for the first time since February.

After four surveys out of the top spot, iHeartMedia classic hits KLOU moves back in, squeaking (or should that be squealing) ahead of Hubbard heritage rocker KSHE by half a share point. Gateway Creative Broadcasting contemporary Christian “99.1 Joy FM” KLJY moves back into the top five at third, making a 1.2-share-point gain.