February 2022 PPM Data – Information for the February 2022 sweep has been released for Washington, DC; Boston; Miami; Seattle; Detroit; Phoenix; Minneapolis; San Diego; Tampa; Denver; Baltimore; and St. Louis.
Nielsen Audio’s February 2022 sweep covered February 3 – March 2
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 January 2022 – February 2022 (6+).
WASHINGTON, DC
News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WMAL “105.9 FM – Where Washington Comes To Talk” 3.6 – 4.1, +.5, #12 to #9
News: Hubbard Broadcasting-owned WTOP & WTLP “Washington’s Top News” 8.0 – 7.3, -.7, second to fourth
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WJFK-FM “106.7 The Fan” 3.0 – 2.0, -1.0, #13 to #16
Public Radio News/Talk: American University-owned WAMU 9.6 – 10.8, +1.2, #1
Pacifica’s public radio news/talk-jazz hybrid KPFW steady at .7, #21 to #20
Number One 6+: public radio news/talk WAMU, second month in succession, 9.6 – 10.8, +1.2
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: public radio news/talk WAMU (+1.2)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: classical WETA (-1.1)
BOSTON
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WRKO “AM 680 The Voice Of Boston” 4.5 – 3.6, -.9, seventh to tenth
News – Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WBZ-AM “News Radio 1030” 6.4 – 6.2, -.2, fourth to fifth
Sports Talk: Beasley Media Group’s WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub” (Celtics and Bruins) 8.3 – 6.3, -2.0, first to fourth
Audacy-owned WEEI-FM “93.7 Boston’s Sports Station” 3.1 – 2.7, -.4, #12 to #14
Public Radio News/Talk: Boston University’s WBUR 3.9 – 4.3, +.4, ninth to seventh
WGBH Educational Foundation-owned WGBH 3.4 – 3.0, -.4, #11 to #12
Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group classic hits-oldies WROR, first month, 6.9 – 8.4, +1.5
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies WROR (+1.5)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk WBZ-FM (-2.0)
MIAMI
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WIOD “News Radio 610” unchanged at 2.0, #20 to #19
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Dade County School Board-owned WLRN 2.8 – 2.9, +.1, #14 to #13
Number One 6+: Cox Media Group adult contemporary WFEZ, second consecutive month, 8.3 – 9.1, +.8
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: adult contemporary WFEZ (+.8)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk WQAM (-.5)
SEATTLE
News/Talk: Bonneville-owned KIRO-FM “97.3 FM” 6.9 – 7.4, +.5, #1
News: Lotus Communications’ KNWN-AM/FM “Northwest News Radio” 5.2 – 5.7, +.5, fifth to second
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Northwest Public Radio’s KUOW 5.7 – 5.3, -.4, third to fifth
Number One 6+: news/talk KIRO-FM, second straight month, 6.9 – 7.4, +.5
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: news/talk KVI (+1.0)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk KIRO-AM (-.9)
DETROIT
News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WJR “News Talk 760 AM” 3.0 – 3.2, +.2, #13 to #14
News: Audacy-owned WWJ News Radio 950” (Pistons) 6.2 – 6.1, -.1, locked in fourth-place
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WXYT-FM “97.1 The Ticket” (Pistons and Red Wings) 5.5 – 5.0, -.5, repeats at #7
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Michigan-owned WUOM 2.4 – 2.5, +.1, steady at #15
Wayne State University’s WDET 2.4 – 1.9, -.5, #15 to #20
Number One 6+: Audacy classic hits-oldies WOMC, second consecutive month, 7.8 – 8.3, +.5
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: country WYCD (+1.2)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: the internet stream of sports talk WXYT-FM (-.7)
PHOENIX
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KFYI “News Talk 550” 5.7 – 5.4, -.3, repeats in third-place
Bonneville-owned KTAR-FM “News 92.3 FM” (Sun) 2.9 – 3.2, +.3, #13 to #11
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Maricopa County Community College’s KJZZ 6.5 – 6.3, -.2, anchored at #2
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KESZ, seventeenth consecutive month, 8.4 – 6.5, -1.9
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: regional Mexican KLNZ (+.5)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: adult contemporary KESZ (-1.9)
MINNEAPOLIS
News/Talk: Audacy’s WCCO “News Talk 830” (Minnesota Timberwolves) 5.0 – 4.9, -.1, eighth to seventh
iHeartMedia-owned KTLK-AM “Twin Cities News Talk AM 1130” 3.0 – 3.2, +.2, unchanged at #14
Hubbard Broadcasting’s KTMY “My Talk 107.1” 2.6 – 2.5, -.1, repeats at #15
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFXN “FM 100.3 K-Fan” (Minnesota Wild) 6.5 – 4.9, -1.6, third to seventh
Public Radio News/Talk: Minnesota Public Radio’s KNOW 7.4 – 6.6, -.8, locked in second-place
Number One 6+: Hubbard Broadcasting hot AC KSTP-FM, second month in a row, 10.6 – 10.1, -.5
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: hot AC KTCZ (+1.3)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk KFXN (-1.6)
SAN DIEGO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KOGO “News Radio 600” 2.9 – 3.3, +.4, repeats at #13
News: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: San Diego State University’s KPBS 6.6 – 6.3, -.3, third to second
Number One 6+: Audacy classic hits-oldies KXSN, second consecutive month, 8.2 – 8.1, -.1
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: alternative XTRA-FM (+.9)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: rhythmic hot AC (-.7)
Statistical Oddity: There’s a six-way logjam at #4
TAMPA
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WFLA “News Radio 970” (Lightning) 3.3 – 4.4, +1.1, #11 to #7
Cox Media Group’s WHPT “102.5 The Bone – Real, Raw, Radio” 3.2 – 3.6, +.4, #13 to #11
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WDAE “Tampa Bay’s Sports Radio” 1.9 – 1.2, -.7, #19 to #20
Public Radio News/Talk: University of South Florida’s WUSF 2.6 – 3.3, +.7, #17 to #15
Number One 6+: Cox Media Group adult contemporary WDUV, sixth month in a row, 8.1 – 8.6, +.5
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: classic hits-oldies WXGL (+1.5)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WRBQ (-1.3)
DENVER
News/Talk: In the iHeartMedia cluster, KOA “News Radio 850” 3.3 – 2.6, -.7, #11 to #16; KDFD “Freedom 93.7” 1.9 – 2.3, +.4, #18 to #17; and KHOW “Talk Radio 630” 2.3 – 1.7, -.6, #17 to #19
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Bonneville’s KKFN “104.3 The Fan” (Nuggets) 3.9 – 2.7, -1.2, #9 to #15
Public Radio News/Talk: Colorado Public Radio-owned KCFR 4.3 – 4.2, -.1, repeats in seventh-place
Number One 6+: Audacy classic rock KQMT, first month, 5.4 – 6.6, +1.2
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: classic rock KQMT (+1.2)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: sports talk KKFN (-1.2)
BALTIMORE
News/Talk: WCBM Maryland-owned WCBM “Talk Radio AM 680” 3.8 – 3.2, -.6, #9 to #11
Hearst Television’s WBAL News Radio 1090” 2.5 – 2.8, +.3, #14 to #13
Cumulus Media-owned WMAL “105.9 FM – Where Washington Comes To Talk” .6 – 1.2, +.6, #21 to #20
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WJZ-FM “Baltimore Sports Radio 105.7 The Fan” 4.7 – 3.8, -.9, sixth to eighth
Public Radio News/Talk: Your Public Radio Corporation-owned WYPR 5.7 – 3.8, -1.9, fifth to eighth
Number One 6+: Radio One urban AC WWIN-FM, first month, 7.4 – 8.6, +1.2
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: CHR WWMX (+2.0)*
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: public radio news/talk WYPR (-1.9)
*Represents the largest January 2022 – February 2022 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
ST. LOUIS
News/Talk: In the Audacy cluster, KMOX “The Voice Of St. Louis” 3.6 – 3.8, +.2, #12 to #11; KFTK “Talk 97.1 FM” 4.0 – 3.4, -.6, #11 to #13; and KFTK’s internet stream .8 – .9, +.1, repeats at #19
iHeartMedia-owned KTLK-FM “104.9 The Patriot” .7 – .8, +.1, flat at #20
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Hubbard Broadcasting’s WXOS “101 ESPN” (Blues) 5.5 – 4.7, -.8, ninth to tenth
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri-owned KWMU 2.3 – 2.4, +.1, #16 to #17
Number One 6+: Hubbard Broadcasting rock KSHE, second month in a row, 8.5 – 8.6, +.1
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Increase: adult hits WARH (+1.1)
Largest 6+ January 2022 – February 2022 Decrease: country KSD (-2.8)**
**Represents the largest January 2022 – February 2022 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
Up next: February 2022 overviews for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.
Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com