“Holiday” 2021 PPM Data – Information for the December 2021 ratings period has been released for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.
Nielsen Audio’s “Holiday” 2021 sweep covered December 9 (2021) – January 5 (2022)
Managing editor Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty.
Cited as well are each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.
All comparisons noted are December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 (6+).
PORTLAND
News/Talk: Alpha Media’s KXL “FM 101 News” 7.1 – 5.9, -1.2, fourth to fifth
iHeartMedia-owned KEX “News Radio 1190” 2.5 – 2.3, -.2, flat at #16
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB 7.2 – 8.3, +1.1, third to second and KOPB’s internet stream 2.2 – 2.7, +.5, #17 to #13
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KKCW, second month in succession, 12.4 – 17.0, +4.6
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult contemporary KKCW (+4.6)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: classic hits-oldies KLTH (-1.9)
CHARLOTTE
News/Talk: Radio One-owned WBT AM & WBT-FM “Charlotte’s News Talk” (Carolina Panthers) 3.8 – 2.9, -.9, #11 to #15
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WFNZ “Sports Radio The Fan” (Hornets) 1.1 – .8, -.3, #18 to #19
Public Radio News/Talk: University Radio Foundation-owned WFAE 4.3 – 3.1, -1.2, #9 to #14
South Carolina Educational Television Commission’s WNSC .5 – .4, -.1, anchored at #20
Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group adult contemporary WKQC, second month in a row, 8.8 – 10.2, +1.4
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult hits WLKO (+2.7)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: country WKKT (-2.8)*
*Represents the largest December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
SAN ANTONIO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WOAI “News Radio 1200” (Spurs) 4.2 – 3.7, -.5, repeats in eighth-place
Alpha Media-owned KTSA “Stay Connected” 2.2 – 1.8, -.4, #14 to #16
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Texas Public Radio’s KSTX 3.1 – 3.3, +.2, #12 to #11
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KQXT, second straight month, 10.8 – 15.9, +5.1
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult contemporary KQXT (+5.1)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: adult hits KJXK (-1.3)
SACRAMENTO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” 7.3 – 6.7, -.6, repeats in third-place and cluster-mate KSTE “Talk 650” 2.9 – 2.1, -.8, #12 to #14
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy’s KIFM-AM “ESPN 1320” .9 – 1.1, +.2, #19 to #17
Public Radio News/Talk: Capital Public Radio-owned KXJZ 4.5 – 4.0, -.5, eighth to seventh
Number One 6+: Bonneville adult contemporary KYMX, first month, 9.9 – 15.8, +5.9
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult contemporary KYMX (+5.9)**
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: classic rock KSEG (-2.1)
**Represents the largest December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
PITTSBURGH
News/Talk: Audacy’s KDKA-AM “News Radio 1020 AM” 3.7 – 4.4, +.7, ninth to eighth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan All Sports All The Time” 7.8 – 7.6, -.2, remains at #4
Public Radio News/Talk: Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting’s WESA 2.7 – 2.2, -.5, #13 to #12
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies WWSW, second month in succession, 11.1 – 15.5, +4.4
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: classic hits-oldies WWSW (+4.4)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: adult hits WRRK (-1.1)
SALT LAKE CITY
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” 7.1 – 5.7, -1.4, second to sixth
Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” 6.0 – 5.3, -.7, fifth to seventh
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Utah’s KUER 4.1 – 3.7, -.4, eighth to ninth
Number One 6+: Bonneville adult contemporary KSFI, second consecutive month, 10.9 – 16.3, +5.4
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult contemporary KSFI (+5.4)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: CHR KZHT (-1.5)
LAS VEGAS
News/Talk: None in the top twenty
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Nevada Public Radio’s KNPR 1.6 – 1.7, +.1, #23 to #18
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KSNE, second month in a row, 13.1 – 14.7, +1.6
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult contemporary KSNE (+1.6)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: classic hits-oldies KKLZ (-1.4)
ORLANDO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1” 5.3 – 4.8, -.5, remains in eighth-place
Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” 1.9 – 1.5, -.4, #16 to #17
iHeartMedia’s WFLF “Orlando News Radio” 1.3 – 1.2, -.1, #19 to #18
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WYGM “96.9 The Game” (Magic) 2.2 – 1.7, -.5, flat at #14
Public Radio News/Talk: Community Connections’ WMFE unchanged at 1.7, #17 to #14
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary WMGF, second month in succession, 12.0 – 12.8, +.8
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: urban AC WCFB (+1.5)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WOCL (-1.2)
CINCINNATI
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” 10.2 – 10.0, -.2, locked at #2 and cluster-mate WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” 5.2 – 4.7, -.5, repeats in sixth-place
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WCKY “ESPN 1530” (Bengals) 1.4 – 1.3, -.1, #17 to #16
Public Radio News/Talk: Cincinnati Public Radio-owned WVXU 3.9 – 4.1, +.2, eighth to seventh
Number One 6+: Cumulus Media adult contemporary WRRM, first month, 6.2 – 10.4, +4.2
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult contemporary WRRM (+4.2)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WGRR (-1.5)
CLEVELAND
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTAM “News Radio 1100” (Cavaliers) 4.0 – 4.4, +.4, ninth to seventh
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy-owned WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” (Browns) 4.6 – 5.6, +1.0, eighth to sixth and WKRK’s internet stream 1.5 – 1.1, -.4, #14 to #17
Public Radio News/Talk: Ideastream’s WCPN 2.6 – 3.0, +.4, unchanged at #12
Kent State University-owned WKSU 1.1 – 1.6, +.5, #17 to #14
Number One 6+: Audacy adult contemporary WDOK second successive month, 10.4 – 12.4, +2.0
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: classic hits-oldies WMJI (+2.3)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: country WGAR (-1.4)
KANSAS CITY
News/Talk: Audacy’s KMBZ-FM “98.1 FM News, Traffic, Weather” 4.6 – 5.0, +.4, sixth to fifth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KCSP “Sports Radio 610 Our Teams, Our Town” 2.3 – 2.2, -.1, #16 to #17
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri’s KCUR 6.1 – 4.8, -1.3, third to seventh
Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic rock KCFX, fourth consecutive month, 9.7 – 8.5, -1.2
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult contemporary KCKC (+1.0)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: public radio news/talk KCUR (-1.3)
COLUMBUS
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WTVN “News Radio 610” 6.5 – 6.0, -.5, fourth to fifth
News: iHeartMedia’s WYTS “Columbus’ BIN 1230” flat at .1, #19 to #20
Sports Talk: Tegna-owned WBNS-FM “97.1 FM The Fan” (Blue Jackets) 10.3 – 8.2, -2.1, four straight months at #1 to #2 and cluster-mate WBNS-AM “ESPN 1460 AM” .5 – .7, +.2, #18 to #15
Public Radio News/Talk: Ohio State University’s WOSU 6.5 – 6.6, +.1, repeats in fourth-place
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult hits WODC, first month, 6.5 – 10.1, +3.6
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Increase: adult hits WODC (+3.6)
Largest 6+ December 2021 – “Holiday” 2021 Decrease: sports talk WBNS-FM (-2.1)
Up next: “Holiday” 2021 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.
Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.