By Mike Kinosian
TALKERS magazine
Managing Editor
Last week, we recapped how all-news stations have recently performed in Nielsen Audio‘s (volatile) “Holiday” PPM survey periods.
As a companion piece, the following summarizes ratings performances of news/talk stations in the two most recent “Holiday” sweeps.
“Holiday” 2022 – “Holiday” 2023 6+ Increase, 43%.
“Holiday” 2022 – “Holiday” 2023 6+ Decrease, 50%.
“Holiday” 2022 – “Holiday” 2023 6+ Flat, 7%.
Average “Holiday” 2022 – “Holiday” 6+ 2023 Increase, +.61.
Average “Holiday” 2022 – “Holiday” 6+ 2023 Decrease, -.98.
Typical “Holiday” 6+ Share, 3.19 (2022), versus 3.01 (2023).
Representative “Holiday” 6+ Market Rank, #12.42 (2022), versus #12.26 (2023).
News/Talk Composite 6+ Share/Rank Arranged By Market Size
“Hol” “Hol”
2022 2023
WABC, New York 3.1 #10 3.0 #11
KFI, Los Angeles 4.4 #3 4.6 #4
WGN, Chicago 2.8 #12 2.6 #11
WLS-AM, Chicago 0.9 #24 1.7 #19
KSFO, San Francisco 1.7 #18 1.4 #22
WBAP, Dallas 3.7 #8 2.8 #14
KTRH, Houston 3.3 #12 2.6 #17
WSB-AM & WSBB, Atlanta 4.4 #7 7.4 #2
WMAL, Washington 3.4 #7 3.1 #9
WPHT, Philadelphia 0.8 #24 1.7 #19
WKXW, Philadelphia 1.2 #20 1.2 #23
WRKO, Boston 2.8 #13 3.1 #9
KIRO-FM, Seattle 5.5 #3 4.0 #6
KFYI, Phoenix 3.3 #8 2.9 #8
KTAR-FM, Phoenix 1.7 #22 2.2 #14
WJR, Detroit 2.3 #15 2.4 #15
WCCO, Minneapolis 3.7 #12 3.8 #10
KTMY, Minneapolis 3.1 #14 1.9 #17
KTLK, Minneapolis 2.0 #17 1.6 #19
WHPT, Tampa 3.7 #12 4.1 #7
WFLA, Tampa 2.2 #17 3.2 #13
KOA, Denver 2.4 #16 2.7 #14
KHOW, Denver 1.5 #20 1.4 #19
KOGO, San Diego 5.4 #5 3.9 #6
WABC, Long Island 1.1 #21 1.1 #20
WBT, Charlotte 3.7 #10 4.0 #9
KXL, Portland 6.0 #5 4.9 #6
KEX, Portland 2.2 #16 1.1 #21
WBAL, Baltimore 3.6 #10 2.7 #11
WCBM, Baltimore 1.6 #17 1.5 #17
WMAL, Baltimore 0.6 #20 DNA DNA
KMOX, St. Louis 4.4 #9 2.8 #14
KFTK, St. Louis 1.4 #17 1.5 #17
KTLK-FM, St. Louis 0.5 #23 1.1 #18
WOAI, San Antonio 2.6 #13 2.4 #15
KTSA, San Antonio 2.5 #14 1.8 #19
KSL, Salt Lake City 4.6 #5 3.6 #9
KNRS, Salt Lake City 4.4 #6 2.2 #17
KFBK, Sacramento 8.8 #2 6.1 #3
KSTE-AM, Sacramento 3.2 #8 2.1 #16
KLBJ-AM, Austin 4.4 #5 4.1 #6
WTKS, Orlando 5.1 #7 3.1 #12
WDBO, Orlando 4.6 #8 3.1 #12
WFLF, Orlando 0.7 #22 0.6 #20
KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh 2.8 #13 3.6 #8
KDKA-AM Stream, Pittsburgh 0.7 #19 0.4 #22
KDWN, Las Vegas 2.3 #16 DNA DNA
WLW, Cincinnati 10.7 #1 10.8 #2
WKRC, Cincinnati 2.8 #13 4.5 #6
KMBZ-FM, Kansas City 3.2 #11 4.1 #7
KCMO-AM, Kansas City 0.4 #25 1.8 #17
KMBZ-AM, Kansas City 1.4 #20 1.4 #19
WTAM, Cleveland 4.6 #8 4.8 #8
WTVN, Columbus 5.3 #8 4.5 #7
WTKK, Raleigh 10.4 #2 5.0 #5
WIBC, Indianapolis 5.7 #3 4.8 #8
KSFO, San Jose 1.1 #22 1.5 #19
WWTN, Nashville 4.9 #7 3.9 #12
WLAC, Nashville 1.2 #17 1.2 #19
WKXW, Middlesex 6.2 #4 5.7 #4
WOR, Middlesex 0.4 #26 1.6 #15
WKXW-Stream, Middlesex DNA DNA 0.7 #20
WISN, Milwaukee 8.8 #3 9.0 #1
WTMJ, Milwaukee 6.2 #5 6.4 #5
WPRO-AM, Providence 4.5 #7 5.9 #5
WHJJ, Providence 0.5 #18 0.8 #15
WNIS, Norfolk 2.8 #11 2.0 #14
WOKV-FM, Jacksonville 6.1 #5 6.5 #3
WPTI, Greensboro 3.2 #8 3.3 #8
WFTL, West Palm Beach 1.0 #15 2.1 #9
WZZR, West Palm Beach 1.7 #10 1.3 #13
WJNO, West Palm Beach 1.1 #13 0.6 #15
WREC, Memphis 2.6 #13 1.0 #11
WKIM, Memphis 2.1 #15 DNA DNA
KWAM, Memphis 0.4 #21 0.4 #13
WTIC-AM, Hartford 5.1 #6 5.2 #6
WDRC-AM, Hartford 1.0 #17 1.5 #15
WTIC-AM-Stream, Hartford 0.2 #20 0.4 #19
WPOP, Hartford 0.2 #20 DNA DNA
“Holiday” 2023 6+ Share (Highest to Lowest)
WLW, Cincinnati 10.8
WISN, Milwaukee 9.0
WSB-AM & WSBB, Atlanta 7.4
WOKV-FM, Jacksonville 6.5
WTMJ, Milwaukee 6.4
KFBK, Sacramento 6.1
WPRO-AM, Providence 5.9
WKXW, Middlesex 5.7
WTIC-AM, Hartford 5.2
WTKK, Raleigh 5.0
KXL, Portland 4.9
WTAM, Cleveland 4.8
WIBC, Indianapolis 4.8
KFI, Los Angeles 4.6
WKRC, Cincinnati 4.5
WTVN, Columbus 4.5
WHPT, Tampa 4.1
KLBJ-AM, Austin 4.1
KMBZ-FM, Kansas City 4.1
KIRO-FM, Seattle 4.0
WBT, Charlotte 4.0
KOGO, San Diego 3.9
WWTN, Nashville 3.9
WCCO, Minneapolis 3.8
KSL, Salt Lake City 3.6
KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh 3.6
WPTI, Greensboro 3.3
WFLA, Tampa 3.2
WMAL, Washington 3.1
WRKO, Boston 3.1
WDBO, Orlando 3.1
WTKS, Orlando 3.1
WABC, New York 3.0
KFYI, Phoenix 2.9
WBAP, Dallas 2.8
KMOX, St. Louis 2.8
KOA, Denver 2.7
WBAL, Baltimore 2.7
WGN, Chicago 2.6
KTRH, Houston 2.6
WJR, Detroit 2.4
WOAI, San Antonio 2.4
KTAR-FM, Phoenix 2.2
KNRS, Salt Lake City 2.2
KSTE-AM, Sacramento 2.1
WFTL, West Palm Beach 2.1
WNIS, Norfolk 2.0
KTMY, Minneapolis 1.9
KTSA, San Antonio 1.8
KCMO-AM, Kansas City 1.8
WLS-AM, Chicago 1.7
WPHT, Philadelphia 1.7
KTLK, Minneapolis 1.6
WOR, Middlesex 1.6
WCBM, Baltimore 1.5
KFTK, St. Louis 1.5
KSFO, San Jose 1.5
WDRC-AM, Hartford 1.5
KHOW, Denver 1.4
KMBZ-AM, Kansas City 1.4
WZZR, West Palm Beach 1.3
WLAC, Nashville 1.2
WABC, Long Island 1.1
KTLK-FM, St. Louis 1.1
WREC, Memphis 1.0
WHJJ, Providence 0.8
WKXW-Stream, Middlesex 0.7
WFLF, Orlando 0.6
WJNO, West Palm Beach 0.6
KWAM, Memphis 0.4
WTIC-AM-Stream, Hartford 0.4
“Holiday” 2023 6+ Market Rank
WISN, Milwaukee #1
WSB-AM & WSBB, Atlanta #2
WLW, Cincinnati #2
KFBK, Sacramento #3
WOKV-FM, Jacksonville #3
KFI, Los Angeles #4
WKXW, Middlesex #4
WTKK, Raleigh #5
WTMJ, Milwaukee #5
WPRO-AM, Providence #5
KIRO-FM, Seattle #6
KOGO, San Diego #6
KXL, Portland #6
KLBJ-AM, Austin #6
WKRC, Cincinnati #6
WTIC-AM, Hartford #6
WHPT, Tampa #7
KMBZ-FM, Kansas City #7
WTVN, Columbus #7
KFYI, Phoenix #8
KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh #8
WTAM, Cleveland #8
WIBC, Indianapolis #8
WPTI, Greensboro #8
WMAL, Washington #9
WRKO, Boston #9
WBT, Charlotte #9
KSL, Salt Lake City #9
WFTL, West Palm Beach #9
WCCO, Minneapolis #10
WABC, New York #11
WGN, Chicago #11
WBAL, Baltimore #11
WREC, Memphis #11
WDBO, Orlando #12
WTKS, Orlando #12
WWTN, Nashville #12
WFLA, Tampa #13
WZZR, West Palm Beach #13
KWAM, Memphis #13
WBAP, Dallas #14
KTAR-FM, Phoenix #14
KOA, Denver #14
KMOX, St. Louis #14
WNIS, Norfolk #14
WJR, Detroit #15
WOAI, San Antonio #15
WOR, Middlesex #15
WHJJ, Providence #15
WJNO, West Palm Beach #15
WDRC-AM, Hartford #15
KSTE-AM, Sacramento #16
KTRH, Houston #17
KTMY, Minneapolis #17
WCBM, Baltimore #17
KFTK, St. Louis #17
KNRS, Salt Lake City #17
KCMO-AM, Kansas City #17
KTLK-FM, St. Louis #18
WLS-AM, Chicago #19
WPHT, Philadelphia #19
KTLK, Minneapolis #19
KHOW, Denver #19
KTSA, San Antonio #19
KMBZ-AM, Kansas City #19
KSFO, San Jose #19
WLAC, Nashville #19
WTIC-AM-Stream, Hartford #19
WABC, Long Island #20
WFLF, Orlando #20
WKXW-Stream, Middlesex #20
“Holiday” 2022 6+ Share (Highest to Lowest)
WLW, Cincinnati 10.7
WTKK, Raleigh 10.4
KFBK, Sacramento 8.8
WISN, Milwaukee 8.8
WKXW, Middlesex 6.2
WTMJ, Milwaukee 6.2
WOKV-FM, Jacksonville 6.1
KXL, Portland 6.0
WIBC, Indianapolis 5.7
KIRO-FM, Seattle 5.5
KOGO, San Diego 5.4
WTVN, Columbus 5.3
WTKS, Orlando 5.1
WTIC-AM, Hartford 5.1
WWTN, Nashville 4.9
KSL, Salt Lake City 4.6
WDBO, Orlando 4.6
WTAM, Cleveland 4.6
WPRO-AM, Providence 4.5
KFI, Los Angeles 4.4
WSB-AM & WSBB, Atlanta 4.4
KMOX, St. Louis 4.4
KNRS, Salt Lake City 4.4
KLBJ-AM, Austin 4.4
WBAP, Dallas 3.7
WCCO, Minneapolis 3.7
WHPT, Tampa 3.7
WBT, Charlotte 3.7
WBAL, Baltimore 3.6
WMAL, Washington 3.4
KTRH, Houston 3.3
KFYI, Phoenix 3.3
KSTE-AM, Sacramento 3.2
KMBZ-FM, Kansas City 3.2
WPTI, Greensboro 3.2
WABC, New York 3.1
KTMY, Minneapolis 3.1
WGN, Chicago 2.8
WRKO, Boston 2.8
KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh 2.8
WKRC, Cincinnati 2.8
WNIS, Norfolk 2.8
WOAI, San Antonio 2.6
WREC, Memphis 2.6
KTSA, San Antonio 2.5
KOA, Denver 2.4
WJR, Detroit 2.3
KDWN, Las Vegas 2.3
WFLA, Tampa 2.2
KEX, Portland 2.2
WKIM, Memphis 2.1
KTLK, Minneapolis 2.0
KSFO, San Francisco 1.7
WZZR, West Palm Beach 1.7
WCBM, Baltimore 1.6
KHOW, Denver 1.5
KFTK, St. Louis 1.4
KMBZ-AM, Kansas City 1.4
WKXW, Philadelphia 1.2
WLAC, Nashville 1.2
WJNO, West Palm Beach 1.1
WFTL, West Palm Beach 1.0
WDRC-AM, Hartford 1.0
KDKA-AM Stream, Pittsburgh 0.7
WMAL, Baltimore 0.6
WHJJ, Providence 0.5
WPOP, Hartford 0.2
WTIC-AM-Stream, Hartford 0.2
“Holiday” 2022 6+ Market Rank
WLW, Cincinnati #1
KFBK, Sacramento #2
WTKK, Raleigh #2
KFI, Los Angeles #3
KIRO-FM, Seattle #3
WIBC, Indianapolis #3
WISN, Milwaukee #3
WKXW, Middlesex #4
KOGO, San Diego #5
KXL, Portland #5
KSL, Salt Lake City #5
KLBJ-AM, Austin #5
WTMJ, Milwaukee #5
WOKV-FM, Jacksonville #5
KNRS, Salt Lake City #6
WTIC-AM, Hartford #6
WSB-AM & WSBB, Atlanta #7
WMAL, Washington #7
WTKS, Orlando #7
WWTN, Nashville #7
WPRO-AM, Providence #7
WBAP, Dallas #8
KFYI, Phoenix #8
KSTE-AM, Sacramento #8
WDBO, Orlando #8
WTAM, Cleveland #8
WTVN, Columbus #8
WPTI, Greensboro #8
KMOX, St. Louis #9
WABC, New York #10
WBT, Charlotte #10
WBAL, Baltimore #10
WZZR, West Palm Beach #10
KMBZ-FM, Kansas City #11
WNIS, Norfolk #11
WGN, Chicago #12
KTRH, Houston #12
WCCO, Minneapolis #12
WHPT, Tampa #12
WRKO, Boston #13
WOAI, San Antonio #13
KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh #13
WKRC, Cincinnati #13
WJNO, West Palm Beach #13
WREC, Memphis #13
KTMY, Minneapolis #14
KTSA, San Antonio #14
WJR, Detroit #15
WFTL, West Palm Beach #15
WKIM, Memphis #15
KOA, Denver #16
KEX, Portland #16
KDWN, Las Vegas #16
KTLK, Minneapolis #17
WFLA, Tampa #17
WCBM, Baltimore #17
KFTK, St. Louis #17
WLAC, Nashville #17
WDRC-AM, Hartford #17
KSFO, San Francisco #18
WHJJ, Providence #18
KDKA-AM Stream, Pittsburgh #19
WKXW, Philadelphia #20
KHOW, Denver #20
WMAL, Baltimore #20
KMBZ-AM, Kansas City #20
WTIC-AM-Stream, Hartford #20
WPOP, Hartford #20
“Holiday” 2023 6+ Fluctuation from “Holiday” 2022
WSB-AM & WSBB, Atlanta +3.0
WKRC, Cincinnati +1.7
KCMO-AM, Kansas City +1.4
WPRO-AM, Providence +1.4
WOR, Middlesex +1.2
WFTL, West Palm Beach +1.1
WFLA, Tampa +1.0
WPHT, Philadelphia +.9
KMBZ-FM, Kansas City +.9
WLS-AM, Chicago +.8
KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh +.8
KTLK-FM, St. Louis +.6
KTAR-FM, Phoenix +.5
WDRC-AM, Hartford +.5
WHPT, Tampa +.4
KSFO, San Jose +.4
WOKV-FM, Jacksonville +.4
WRKO, Boston +.3
KOA, Denver +.3
WBT, Charlotte +.3
WHJJ, Providence +.3
KFI, Los Angeles +.2
WTAM, Cleveland +.2
WISN, Milwaukee +.2
WTMJ, Milwaukee +.2
WTIC-AM-Stream, Hartford +.2
WJR, Detroit +.1
WCCO, Minneapolis +.1
KFTK, St. Louis +.1
WLW, Cincinnati +.1
WPTI, Greensboro +.1
WTIC-AM, Hartford +.1
WKXW, Philadelphia Flat
WABC, Long Island Flat
KMBZ-AM, Kansas City Flat
WLAC, Nashville Flat
KWAM, Memphis Flat
WTKK, Raleigh -5.4
KFBK, Sacramento -2.7
KNRS, Salt Lake City -2.2
WTKS, Orlando -2.0
KMOX, St. Louis -1.6
WREC, Memphis -1.6
KIRO-FM, Seattle -1.5
KOGO, San Diego -1.5
WDBO, Orlando -1.5
KTMY, Minneapolis -1.2
KXL, Portland -1.1
KEX, Portland -1.1
KSTE-AM, Sacramento -1.1
KSL, Salt Lake City -1.0
WWTN, Nashville -1.0
WBAP, Dallas -.9
WBAL, Baltimore -.9
WIBC, Indianapolis -.9
WTVN, Columbus -.8
WNIS, Norfolk -.8
KTRH, Houston -.7
KTSA, San Antonio -.7
WKXW, Middlesex -.5
WJNO, West Palm Beach -.5
KFYI, Phoenix -.4
KTLK, Minneapolis -.4
WZZR, West Palm Beach -.4
KSFO, San Francisco -.3
WMAL, Washington -.3
KLBJ-AM, Austin -.3
KDKA-AM Stream, Pittsburgh -.3
WGN, Chicago -.2
WOAI, San Antonio -.2
WABC, New York -.1
KHOW, Denver -.1
WCBM, Baltimore -.1
WFLF, Orlando -.1
Notes
- News/talk stations appearing above typically posted a “Holiday” 2022 6+ share of 19, compared to “Holiday” 2023’s 3.01.
- Even though news/talk’s year-to-year 6+ share dropped slightly, market rank managed to improve – albeit by a razor thin margin (#12.42 – #12.26, 6+).
- Exactly half the news/talk stations in our sample (50%) faltered from “Holiday” 2022 – “Holiday” 2023, with the average dip roughly being a full-share (-.98).
- Among all news/talk stations in the 48 PPM markets, Cincinnati’s WLW boasts the strongest 6+ share in “Holiday” 2023 (8) and “Holiday” 2022 (10.7).
- Precisely four of every ten (40%) news/talk stations listed finished in the top ten (“Holiday” 2023, 6+), off marginally from “Holiday” 2022’s 43%.
- Whereas WSB-AM & WSBB notches news/talk’s loftiest 6+ “Holiday” 2022 – “Holiday” 2023 gain (4.4 – 7.4, +3.0) – enabling “Atlanta’s News & Talk” to vault from seventh to second – WTKK suffers a more than 50% year-to-year erosion (10.4 – 5.0, -5.4, 6+), dropping from second in Raleigh to fifth.
- All above data is based on news/talk stations that appeared in the top twenty in the “Holiday” 2022 and/or “Holiday” 2023 survey period.
- “DNA” indicates a station “Did Not Appear” in that particular survey and/or wasn’t a Nielsen Audio subscriber in that sweep.
Contact managing editor Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com