May 2023 PPM Data – Information for the May 2023 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 May 2023 sweep covered April 27 – May 24.
TALKERS magazine 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 April 2023 – May 2023 (6+).
PORTLAND
News/Talk: Alpha Media’s KXL “FM 101 News” 5.3 – 5.8, +.5, fourth to third
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB 7.5 – 5.8, -1.7, locked in third-place
KOPB’s internet stream 2.0 – 2.1, +.1, #19 to #18
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KKCW, third straight month, 10.4 – 9.0, -1.4
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: triple A KINK (+1.1)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: public radio news/talk KOPB (-1.7)
CHARLOTTE
News/Talk: Urban One-owned WBT AM & WBT-FM “Charlotte’s News Talk” 5.2 – 4.7, -.5, fifth to seventh
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Urban One’s WFNZ-FM “Sports Radio 92.7” flat at 2.0, anchored at #16
Public Radio News/Talk: University Radio Foundation’s WFAE 3.7 – 4.6, +.9, tenth to eighth
South Carolina Educational Television Commission-owned WNSC .7 – .5, -.2, remains at #20
Number One 6+: Urban One urban-rhythmic oldies WOSF, first month, 6.0 – 6.9, +.9
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: urban contemporary WPEG (+1.2)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: urban AC WBAV (-2.1)
SAN ANTONIO
News/Talk: Alpha Media-owned KTSA “Stay Connected” 3.6 – 3.3, -.3, #10 to #12
iHeartMedia’s WOAI “News Radio 1200” 3.4 – 3.1, -.3, #12 to #14
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty
Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies KONO-FM, fifth consecutive month, 8.3 – 7.6, -.7
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: country KCYY (+1.6)*
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: country (-.8)
*Represents a (three-way) tie for the largest April 2023 – May 2023 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
SACRAMENTO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” 9.4 – 9.9, +.5, #1
KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM cluster-mate KSTE-AM “Talk 650” 3.7 – 4.2, +.5, repeats in ninth-place
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Bonneville-owned KHTK “Sacramento Sports 1140” 1.7 – 1.6, -.1, flat at #17
Public Radio News/Talk: Capital Public Radio-owned KXJZ 3.1 – 3.2, +.1, unchanged at #12
Number One 6+: news/talk KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM, fifth month in succession, 9.4 – 9.9, +.5, #1
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: adult contemporary KBEB (+1.5)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: country KNCI (-1.5)
PITTSBURGH
News/Talk: Audacy’s KDKA-AM “News Radio 1020 AM” 3.8 – 3.7, -.1, repeats at #11
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan All Sports All The Time” (Pirates) 7.1 – 7.3, +.2, locked in fourth-place
Public Radio News/Talk: Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting’s WESA 4.0 – 4.1, +.1, ninth to eighth
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies WWSW, sixth month in a row, 10.1 – 11.5, +1.4
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: classic hits-oldies WWSW (+1.4)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: alternative WXDX (-1.4)
SALT LAKE CITY
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” 5.0 – 5.7, +.7, sixth to third
Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” 6.5 – 4.9, -1.6, second to seventh
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Utah’s KUER 3.0 – 2.6, -.4, #14 to #17
Number One 6+: Bonneville adult contemporary KSFI, seventh straight month, 11.9 – 11.3, -.6
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: classic rock KAAZ (+.9)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: news/talk KSL (-1.6)
LAS VEGAS
News/Talk: Audacy-owned KMXB-HD3 “101.5 K-Dawn The Talk Of Las Vegas” 1.8 – 1.9, +.1, #20 to #18
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia adult contemporary KSNE, eighth successive month, 11.2 – 7.5, -3.7
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: country KWNR and classic rock KXPT (+1.1)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: adult contemporary KSNE (-3.7)**
**Represents the largest April 2023 – May 2023 decrease (6+) of any station from all 36 PPM-markets analyzed thus far
ORLANDO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1” 5.1 – 4.5, -.6, eighth to tenth
Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” 3.5 – 3.7, +.2, locked at #11
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WYGM “96.9 The Game” flat at .7, continues at #20
Public Radio News/Talk: Community Connections-owned WMFE 2.2 – 2.5, +.3, #14 to #15
Number One 6+: Cox Media Group classic rock WMMO, second month in a row, 9.4 – 9.5, +.1
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: classic rock WOMX (+1.6)*
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: country WWKA (-.7)
*Represents a (three-way) tie for the largest April 2023 – May 2023 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
CINCINNATI
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” (Reds) 11.6 – 12.0, +.4, #1
cluster-mate WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” 3.5 – 4.2, +.7, ninth to seventh
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Cincinnati Public Radio’s WVXU flat at 4.9, repeats in sixth-place
Number One 6+: news/talk WLW, 16th consecutive month, 11.6 – 12.0, +.4
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: news/talk WKRC and classic country WNKR (+.7)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: rock WEBN and classical WGUC (-1.2)
CLEVELAND
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTAM “News Radio 1100” (Guardians) 6.6 – 5.9, -.7, sixth to eighth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” 4.4 – 4.1, -.3, #10 to #11
WKRK’s internet stream 1.1 – .6, -.5, #16 to #18
Public Radio News/Talk: Kent State University-owned WKSU 6.0 – 6.5, +.5, ninth to sixth
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies WMJI, seventh month in a row, steady at 10.0
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: classic rock WNCX’s internet stream (+.6)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: news/talk WTAM (-.7)
KANSAS CITY
News/Talk: Audacy-owned KMBZ-FM “98.1 FM News, Traffic, Weather” 4.6 – 4.8, +.2, ninth to fifth
KMBZ-FM cluster-mate KMBZ-AM “Talk 980 AM” 1.3 – 1.5, +.2, #20 to #19
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy’s KCSP “Sports Radio 610 Our Teams, Our Town” (Royals) 3.2 – 2.8, -.4, #13 to #14
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri-owned KCUR 4.6 – 3.8, -.8, ninth to tenth
Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM, first month, 8.4 – 10.0, +1.6
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM (+1.6)*
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: adult contemporary KCKC (-1.6)
*Represents a (three-way) tie for the largest April 2023 – May 2023 increase (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
COLUMBUS
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WTVN “News Radio 610” 6.4 – 7.1, +.7, third to second
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Tegna-owned WBNS-FM “97.1 FM The Fan” 5.3 – 5.8, +.5, fourth to fifth
Public Radio News/Talk: Ohio State University’s WOSU 4.9 – 4.3, -.6, eighth to ninth
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia country WCOL, seventh straight month, 9.2 – 10.2, +1.0
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Increase: country WCOL and classic rock WLVQ (+1.0)
Largest 6+ April 2023 – May 2023 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WNND (-.8)
Up next: May 2023 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.