February 2024 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Three
February 2024 PPM Data – Information for the February 2024 ratings period (February 1 – February 28) has been released for Portland, Charlotte, San Antonio, Sacramento, Pittsburgh, Salt Lake City, Las Vegas, Orlando, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Kansas City, and Columbus.
The only requirement for a spoken-word station to be included here is that they be a Nielsen Audio subscriber – there are no share or rank thresholds.
NBA and NHL team names of corresponding spoken-word flagship(s) are bolded.
DNA – DNA = Did Not Appear – Does Not Appear
Comparisons are January 2024 – February 2024 (6+).
PORTLAND
News/Talk
KXL 7.0 – 6.9, #2 – #2
KEX 1.2 – 1.5, #22 – #21
KUFO .5 – .8, #26 – #24
KPAM .1 – .1, #32 – #34
News
None
Sports Talk
KFXX 1.6 – 1.6, #19 – #20
KXTG 1.9 – 1.2, #18 – #22
KPOJ .6 – .6, #25 – #26 (Trailblazers)
KMTT .1 – .1, #32 – #34
KFXX Stream .1 – DNA, #32 – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
KOPB 6.0 – 5.1, #4 – #4
KOPB Stream 1.2 – 1.0, #22 – #23
CHARLOTTE
News/Talk
WBT-AM 4.3– 4.6, #10 – #8
News
WRFX-HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Sports Talk
WFNZ-FM 3.3 – 3.4, #13 – #14 (Hornets)
WSOC-HD3 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WFAE 5.7 – 4.9, #5 – #6
WNSC 1.2 – .8, #18 – #18
WFAE-HD3 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
SAN ANTONIO
News/Talk
WOAI 3.0– 2.7, #13 – #14 (Spurs)
KTSA 2.3 – 2.3, #18 – #16
News
None
Sports Talk
KTFM 1.5 – .9, #21 – #25
KTKR .8 – .5, #26 – #30
KZDC .3 – .3, #35 – #33
Public Radio News/Talk
KSTX 2.9 – 2.3, #14 – #16
SACRAMENTO
News/Talk
KFBK-AM 7.6 – 7.3 #3 – #3
KSTE-AM 3.5 – 2.9, #9 – #12
News
None
Sports Talk
KHTK 1.9 – 1.4, #18 – #18 (Kings)
KIFM .9 – .9, #25 – #23
KIFM Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
KXJZ 2.8 – 2.8, #14 – #13
KQEI .3 – .3, #28 – #27
KQED .3 – .1, #28 – #29
KUOP DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
PITTSBURGH
News/Talk
KDKA-AM 4.3 – 4.5, #9 – #9
KDKA-AM Stream .4 – .3, #21 – #23
News
None
Sports Talk
KDKA-FM 8.3 – 7.6, #3 – #3
KDKA-FM Stream .4 – .6, #21 – #19
WBGG DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WESA 5.5 – 5.2, #6 – #8
SALT LAKE CITY
News/Talk
KSL-AM 5.5 – 6.4, #3 – #3
KNRS-FM 3.5 – 3.1, #13 – #13
KKAT DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
News
None
Sports Talk
KALL .8 – .8, #24 – #23
KZNS-FM .7 – .7, #25 – #24 (Utah Jazz)
KZNS-AM .4 – .1, #27 – #28 (Utah Jazz)
KZNS-AM Stream .1 – .1, #28 – #28 (Utah Jazz)
KZNS-FM Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA (Utah Jazz)
KOVO DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
KUER 3.6 – 2.8, #11 – #15
KBYU-HD2 Stream .1 – .3, #28 – #27
KUMT DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
LAS VEGAS
News/Talk
KMXB-HD3 .8 – .9, #28 – #26
KXNT .3 – .6, #32 – #29
KXNT Stream .1 – .1, #35 – #36
KMZQ .1 – DNA, #35 – DNA
News
None
Sports Talk
KWWN .9 – .6, #26 – #29
KKGK .5 – .3, #29 – #32 (Golden Knights)
KRLV .3 – .2, #32 – #34
KENO .1 – DNA, #35 – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
KNPR 1.4 – 1.6, #24 – #22
ORLANDO
News/Talk
WTKS 4.3 – 5.0, #10 – #7
WDBO 3.5 – 3.1, #13 – #13
WFLF .6 – .8, #21 – #19
WFYY-HD3 DNA – .3, DNA – #24
News
None
Sports Talk
WYGM 1.0 – .8, #19 – #19 (Magic)
WOCL-HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WMFE 3.4 – 2.4, #14 – #14
CINCINNATI
News/Talk
WLW 12.1 – 10.2, #1 – #2
WKRC 6.1 – 6.1, #5 – #5
News
None
Sports Talk
WCKY 1.5 – 1.1, #18 – #19
WSAI .7 – .6, #21 – #21
Public Radio News/Talk
WVXU 3.8 – 3.1, #8 – #10
Note: News/talk WLW’s -1.9 (12.1 – 10.2) represents Cincinnati’s largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decrease.
CLEVELAND
News/Talk
WTAM 5.6 – 5.8, #10 – #9 (Cavaliers)
News
WMMS-HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Sports Talk
WKRK 5.9 – 3.7, #8 – #11
WKRK Stream .9 – .4, #19 – #21
WARF .2 – .2, #22 – #22
Public Radio News/Talk
WKSU 6.1 – 6.4, #7 – #6
WKSU-HD4 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Note: Sports/talk WKRK’s -2.2 (5.9 – 3.7) is the largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decrease by any station in these 12 PPM-markets.
KANSAS CITY
News/Talk
KMBZ-FM 5.0 – 4.4, #4 – #6
KCMO-AM 2.2 – 2.3, #15 – #14
KMBZ-AM 1.7 – 1.8, #17 – #17
KMBZ-FM Stream 1.0 – .8, #21 – #22
KCMO-AM Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
KMBZ-FM HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
News
None
Sports Talk
KCSP 3.1 – 3.0, #14 – #12
KCSP Stream .2 – .3, #27 – #25
KWOD .1 – .1, #29 – #28
Public Radio News/Talk
KCUR 3.2 – 2.9, #12 – #13
KANU-HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
COLUMBUS
News/Talk
WTVN 5.2 – 5.3, #7 – #7
News
WYTS DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Sports Talk
WBNS-FM 7.8 – 7.2, #2 – #2 (Blue Jackets)
WBNS-AM .3 – .3, #21 #21 (Blue Jackets)
WMNI .1 – .1, #22 – #22
WBNS-FM HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WOSU 4.7 – 5.6, #8 – #6
Up next: February 2024 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.
Reach Mike Kinosian at: Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com
outlets. Hartman currently serves in the same role for the company’s Chattanooga stations, a position she will continue to hold. In Memphis, Hartman succeeds Dan Barron, who was recently named SVP and market manager in New Orleans. Audacy regional president Claudia Menegus comments, “Memphis and Chattanooga are lucky to have Nichole’s leadership as a vital building block to local market success. She continues on a path of consistent career growth and will elevate our Memphis market by delivering exceptional performance for our team, partners, and audiences.” 
unique visitors and CNN.com had 110.9 million (down 6% from last year). FOX News Digital has led CNN.com and NYTimes.com in multiplatform total views and multiplatform total minutes in recent years but CNN.com relinquishes the lead in multiplatform unique visitors (similar to radio’s cume) for the first time since Comscore has been reporting digital ratings. 
1. Financial solvency laws. Consolidation is not the problem; it actually saved the radio industry. The problem is the 1986 rule change that dropped financial solvency requirements for station ownership. Prior to 1986, stations could not be purchased with debt. A potential owner had to prove that they could meet the expenses of a station through the duration of its license. Once the financial efficacy rule was dropped and stations could be purchased with debt, the industry was financially decimated. Prediction: Financial solvency laws will be re-instated.
Greenville-Spartanburg, South Carolina “The Fan Upstate.” The program takes over for “Offsides with Marc Ryan,” as Ryan moves to the company’s WXYT-FM, Detroit “97.1 The Ticket.” Audacy Greenville-Spartanburg SVP and market manager Steve Sinicropi states, “‘WIRE 2 WIRE’ allows us to elevate Diesel, who has worked alongside Marc for years, and Cole, who has done a great job with every sports assignment we’ve given him. ‘WIRE 2 WIRE’ will be a live, local sports show with knowledgeable, well-known local talent, and I know sports fans will love it.”
February 2024 PPM Data – Information for the February 2024 ratings period (February 1 – February 28) has been released for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, San Jose, and Middlesex-Somerset-Union (New Jersey).
March is half over, and the Madness is just beginning.
For spring break this year, Sarah and I revisited Sandals Grand Bahamian all-inclusive resort – NOT inexpensive, and very worth it. We’ve already booked same-week-next-year, and we think we know who we’ll see there then.
news/talk/sports WXLM-AM, New London. The first match aired last Saturday (3/16) versus New Mexico United. An additional nine matches will air on the two stations. Cumulus regional vice president Holly Paras says, “I am delighted that our stations will enter into this new broadcasting partnership with Rhode Island FC and help to bring the Southern New England community the passion and drama of this new team and exciting sport.”
weakness in the national and network marketplace, and first-time hurdles in our Subscription Digital Marketing Solutions segment. In total, Digital now represents 51% of Townsquare’s 2023 net revenue and 55% of our 2023 Adjusted Operating Income, and maintained a 30% Adjusted Operating Income margin, consistent with 2022’s margin. The strong cash generation characteristics of our assets allowed us to produce $68 million of cash flow from operations in 2023, an increase of $18 million, or +35%, as compared to the prior year. We could not be more pleased to share that given our strong cash position, we were able to repurchase and retire approximately $27 million of our Unsecured Senior Notes at a discount during the year. In addition, we repurchased $17 million of our common stock, and paid a high-yielding dividend while also investing in our business. We also ended the year with a strong cash balance of $61 million and net leverage of 4.43x, retaining financial flexibility moving forward. Despite the lack of tailwinds at our back in 2023, I am very pleased with how the Townsquare team navigated the progressively challenging economic landscape. We outperformed competitors and gained market share due to our local focus and our digital platform. I believe that our performance over the past several years has demonstrated the efficacy of our Digital First Local Media strategy and validated our focus on local markets outside of the Top 50 U.S. cities, reinvigorating my confidence in our business model and our path moving forward.”
firm to complete its audits of the consolidated financial statements and internal control over financial reporting included in the Form 10-K. Urban One expects its auditor will issue an unqualified opinion on the consolidated financial statements. The reason for the delay is that Urban One has identified material weaknesses in its internal control over financial reporting and as a result, expects some of its internal controls over financial reporting and disclosure controls will be ineffective as of December 31, 2023. The Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, will describe these material weaknesses, and the Company is implementing plans to remediate them. The company says it does not anticipate any changes to its previously audited financial statements, nor does it expect to report financial results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023 that are materially different from the financial guidance range previously provided by the company during its third quarter earnings call.
from 8:00 am to 10:00 am ET on 90 Audacy stations nationwide. Led by Nick Kostos and Ken Barkley, co-hosts of “You Better You Bet,” “BetQL Countdown to Tip-Off” will serve as breakdowns of the men’s college basketball tournament, featuring a mix of sports betting insight. The show will also welcome talent from across Audacy’s portfolio of sports stations.
NBCUniversal News Group’s “Dateline NBC” jumps two spots to #2, bumping audiochuck’s “Crime Junkie” to #4. NPR’s “Up First” remains in the #3 position. Other radio-related podcasts of note include Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Dan Bongino Show” rising one spot to #6, Salem Podcast Network’s “The Charlie Kirk Show” slipping two places to #17, and Cumulus Podcast Network’s “The Mark Levin Show” falling three spots to #27. 
February 20.” Audacy awaits FCC approval to complete its restructuring and plans to file its 2023 10-K later this month. The company says it experienced revenue growth of 1% in January, led by a 1% increase in radio revenue and a 7% increase in digital revenue. Audacy chairman, president and CEO David Field comments, “Audacy is off to a strong start in 2024, driving accelerated financial and operating performance, including solid early growth in revenues, key digital metrics, and audience and revenue shares. We look forward to a bright future, capitalizing on our best-in-class balance sheet and our scaled leadership position in the dynamic audio market, distinguished by our exclusive premium content and top positions across the country’s largest markets.”
local political and other key local vertical ad spend, and significant ad growth for connected TV/over-the-top (CTV/OTT), TV OTA, and TV Digital. BIA VP of forecasting & analysis Nicole Ovadia states, “As expected, local political advertising will be substantial this year, and it’s fueling spend across the media landscape. Our slight adjustment down for this year is mainly due to mixed economic signals, a slowdown in certain consumer purchases, and lower than expected spending in Digital and Direct Mail advertising at the end of 2023 that may flow into this year. However, we still anticipate 2024 to be better for local advertising than 2023 and certain media like TV OTA, TV Digital, and CTV/OTT are growing substantially.”
community at-large. The 2024 Leadership Awards honorees are: Don Bouloukos, CBS and ABC Radio executive; Frank Comerford, chief revenue office, president, commercial operations, NBCU Local; Traug Keller, president, ABC Radio Network/SVP, ESPN Radio; Kathleen Kirby, partner, Wiley; Mike McVay, president, McVay Media Consulting; and John Rouse, EVP, ABC Affiliate Relations, Disney Platform Distribution. The Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award is bestowed annually on an individual in broadcasting whose work exemplifies innovation, community service, advocacy, and entrepreneurship. The 2024 Lowry Mays Excellence in Broadcasting Award recipient is Erica Farber, president & CEO, RAB. The Broadcasters Foundation Breakfast is complimentary to all in broadcasting. 
at age 69 after suffering a heart attack. St. Pierre served with WABC, New York during his career but worked much of his career in Rhode Island radio and TV. He programmed talk outlets including WPRO-AM, WHJJ-AM, and sports talk WPRV-AM in Providence and anchored sports on WPRI-TV, Providence. He is a member of both the Rhode Island Radio and Television and the City of Pawtucket Halls of Fame. He is survived by his wife Patti. 
dramatically understate AM/FM radio’s shares; 2) AM/FM radio represents the dominant ad-supported audio platform with a 68% overall share and a massive 86% in-car share; 3) In a typical day in America, 95% of Americans never listen to ad-supported Spotify. 94% never listen to ad-supported Pandora; 4) Podcasts’ audience soars. At a 20% share of ad-supported audio, podcasts now represent one out of every five minutes of U.S. ad-supported audio; 5) Among registered voters, AM/FM radio leads in ad-supported audience share (68%) followed by podcasts (21%); 6) After a pandemic lull, the proportion of AM/FM radio listening occurring in-car roars back; and 7) Powered by podcasts, spoken word is on a tear: 40% of all time with ad-supported audio goes to spoken word, up from 27% pre-pandemic.