February 2023 PPM Ratings Takeaways – Part Four
February 2023 PPM Data – Information for the February 2023 survey period has been released for Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford.
Nielsen Audio’s February 2023 sweep covered February 2 – March 1.
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 January 2023 – February 2023 (6+).
AUSTIN
News/Talk: Waterloo Media Group’s KLBJ-AM “News Radio” 5.1 – 5.5, +.4, anchored in fifth-place
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Genuine Austin Radio-owned KTXX “The Horn” 2.1 – 1.9, -.2, flat at #19
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Texas’ KUT 5.3 – 5.6, +.3, remains in fourth-place
Number One 6+: Waterloo Media Group adult hits KBPA, second month in succession, 9.9 – 9.6, -.3
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: hot AC KAMX (+1.4)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: regional Mexican KLQB (-1.0)
RALEIGH
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKK “106.1 FM Talk” 8.3 – 8.0, -.3, locked in second-place
News: Curtis Media Group-owned WPTF “News Radio 680” 1.8 – 2.4, +.6, #16 to #14
Sports Talk: Capitol Broadcasting’s WCMC-FM “99.9 FM The Fan” (Carolina Hurricanes) 3.1 – 2.7, -.4, repeats at #13
Public Radio News/Talk: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-owned WUNC 8.3 – 7.4, -.9, second to third
Number One 6+: Urban One urban AC WFXC, second straight month, 8.5 – 10.5, +2.0
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: urban AC WFXC (+2.0)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: gospel WNNL (-1.1)
INDIANAPOLIS
News/Talk: Urban One’s WIBC “93.1 FM Indy’s Mobile News” 7.2 – 8.0, +.8, carries on in third-place
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Urban One-owned WIBC-HD2 “The Fan” 3.0 – 2.9, -.1, locked at #12
iHeartMedia’s WNDE “Fox Sports 1260” .7 – .5, -.2, #18 to #19
Audacy’s WXNT “CBS Sports 1430” flat at .4, #21 to #20
Public Radio News/Talk: Metropolitan Indianapolis Public Broadcasting-owned WFYI 4.3 – 4.8, +.5, tenth to eighth
Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies WJJK, second month in a row, 10.4 – 9.2, -1.2 and Urban One adult contemporary WYXB, first month, 9.3 – 9.2, -.1
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: news/talk WIBC (+.8)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: country WLHK (-1.4)
MILWAUKEE
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WISN “News Talk 1130” 9.6 – 9.8, +.2, #1
Good Karma Brands-owned WTMJ “Wisconsin’s Radio Station” (Bucks) 7.5 – 7.0, -.5, fifth to fourth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Good Karma Brands-owned WKTI “ESPN Milwaukee” steady at 1.1, #16 to #15
iHeartMedia’s WRNW “97.3 The Game” 1.7 – 1.0, -.7, #15 to #18
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Wisconsin-owned WUWM 4.5 – 3.9, -.6, #7 to #11
Wisconsin Educational Communications Board’s WHAD unchanged at 1.1, #16 to #15
Number One 6+: news/talk WISN, second successive month, 9.6 – 9.8, +.2
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: adult contemporary WLDB (+1.0)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: country WMIL (-1.2)
NASHVILLE
News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WWTN “Super Talk 99.7” 6.2 – 6.6, +.4, sixth to fourth
iHeartMedia-owned WLAC “Talk Radio 1510” 1.0 – 1.1, +.1, #19 to #18
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Cumulus Media’s WGFX “104.5 The Zone” 5.5 – 4.4, -1.1, seventh to eighth
Cromwell Radio Group-owned WPRT “102.5 The Game” (Predators) 1.2 – 1.1, -.1, locked at #18
Public Radio News/Talk: Nashville Public Radio’s WPLN-FM 3.8 – 3.0, -.8, #10 to #12
Number One 6+: Midwest Communications adult contemporary WJXA, first month, 7.5 – 14.3, +6.8
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: adult contemporary WJXA (+6.8)*
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: urban contemporary WUBT (-1.8)
*Represents the largest January 2023 – February 2023 increase (6+) of any station from the 48 PPM-markets
PROVIDENCE
News/Talk: Cumulus Media’s WPRO-AM & WEAN “News Talk 630 AM & 99.7 FM” 5.0 – 4.9, -.1, anchored in seventh-place
iHeartMedia-owned WHJJ “News Radio 920” flat at .4, repeats at #17
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Beasley Media Group-owned WBZ-FM “98.5 The Sports Hub” (Bruins, Celtics) 4.2 – 3.8, -.4, continues in eighth-place
Audacy’s WVEI “Sports Radio 103.7” steady at 2.5, #12 to #11
Public Radio News/Talk: WGBH Educational Foundation-owned WGBH 3.2 – 3.8, +.6, ninth to eighth
Rhode Island Public Radio’s WNPN 2.6 – 2.0, -.6, #11 to #13
Number One 6+: Cumulus Media adult contemporary WWLI, fifth month in succession, 10.5 – 8.2, -2.3
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: CHR WPRO-FM (+1.6)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: adult contemporary WWLI (-2.3)**
**Represents the largest January 2023 – February 2023 decrease (6+) of any station from these 12 PPM-markets
NORFOLK
News/Talk: Sinclair’s WNIS “News Talk AM 790” 2.8 – 2.6, -.2, #13 to #12
News: iHeartMedia-owned WNOH “BIN 105.3 Because Truth Matters” flat at .3, locked at #20
Sports Talk: Max Broadcast Group’s WVSP “94.1 ESPN” steady at 1.8, repeats at #16
Sinclair’s WTAR “Sports Radio 850” .2 – .3, +.1, #21 to #20
Public Radio News/Talk: None in the top twenty
Number One 6+: Audacy urban AC WVKL, second straight month, 10.1 – 10.0, -.1
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: adult contemporary WTWV (+1.7)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: rhythmic CHR WNVZ (-1.2)
JACKSONVILLE
News/Talk: Cox Media Group’s WOKV-FM “104.5 Jacksonville’s News & Talk” 7.8 – 7.4 -.4, repeats in third-place
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: WJCT, Inc.’s WJCT 3.0 – 3.8, +.8, #13 to #10
Number One 6+: Renda Broadcasting adult contemporary WEJZ, first month, 8.1 – 9.3, +1.2
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: adult contemporary WEJZ (+1.2)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: urban contemporary WJBT (-1.1)
WEST PALM BEACH
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WZZR “92.1 Real Radio” 1.7 – 2.1, +.4, #11 to #10
cluster-mate WJNO “News Radio 1290” 1.7 – 1.5, -.2, #11 to #13
Hubbard Broadcasting-owned WFTL “News Talk 850” .9 -1.0, +.1, repeats at #14
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Hubbard Broadcasting’s WMEN “Fox Sports 640 AM South Florida” (Florida Panthers) .9 – .7, -.2, #14 to #16
iHeartMedia-owned WBZT “Sports Radio 1230 The Gambler” flat at .2, #18 to #20
Public Radio News/Talk: Dade County School Board’s WLRN 3.1 – 2.6, -.5, seventh to eighth
co-owned WLRN-HD2’s internet stream flat at .2, #18 to #20
Number One 6+: Hubbard Broadcasting classic hits-oldies WEAT, first month, 7.3 – 10.2, +2.9
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: classic hits-oldies WEAT (+2.9)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: classic rock WKGR (-.7)
GREENSBORO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WPTI “News Talk 94.5” 3.9 – 4.9, +1.0, remains in eighth-place
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Wake Forest University’s WFDD 2.8 – 2.4, -.4, stays at #10
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill-owned WUNC 1.9 – 1.5, -.4, #14 to #15
Number One 6+: Audacy adult hits WSMW, second month in a row, 12.2 – 12.5, +.3
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: country WTQR (+1.1)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: adult contemporary WMAG (-.9)
MEMPHIS
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WREC “News Talk 600 AM” 3.9 – 2.9, -1.0, #8 to #13
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WMFS “Sports Radio 92.9” (Grizzlies) 3.9 – 4.0, +.1, eighth to seventh
WFMS’ internet stream .4 – .5, +.1, stays at #19
Public Radio News/Talk: Mid-South Public Communications-owned WKNO 1.4 – 1.1, -.3, #15 to #16
Number One 6+: Cumulus Media urban-rhythmic oldies WRBO, 15th successive month, 11.8 – 10.6, -1.2
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: adult contemporary WRVR (+1.5)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: hot AC WMC-FM (-1.3)
HARTFORD
News/Talk: Audacy’s WTIC-AM “News Talk 1080” 5.1 – 5.7, +.6, eighth to sixth
Red Wolf Broadcasting-owned WDRC-AM “The Talk of Connecticut” unchanged at 1.0, continues at #16
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WUCS “97.9 ESPN” 2.0 – 1.6, -.4, repeats at #14
Public Radio News/Talk: Connecticut Educational Communications-owned WNPR 5.7 – 5.3, -.4, remains in seventh-place
New England Public Media’s WFCR and its internet stream are both steady at .4 and stay at #19
Number One 6+: Audacy adult contemporary WRCH, 37th month in a row, 10.9 – 13.7, +2.8
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Increase: adult contemporary WRCH (+2.8)
Largest 6+ January 2023 – February 2023 Decrease: CHR WKSS (-2.0)
Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.
million. NPR CEO John Lansing says, “We literally are fighting to secure the future of NPR at this very moment by restructuring our cost structure. It’s that important. It’s existential.” The report notes that “NPR intends to cut back its workforce from approximately 1,200 to about 1,050 employees. The nonprofit network’s layoffs represent its largest reduction in staff since the 2008 recession.” In other moves, NPR is bringing its newsroom and programming divisions together as Lansing notes the “current separation artificially cleaved NPR’s journalism and editorial creations.” At this time, none of the NPR radio programs have been canceled. 
Communications Partners LP, a 39-station group which he later sold to Cumulus Broadcasting in 2000 for $258 million. At this time, he pioneered notable progress in integrating legacy media with emerging digital technology. In 2004, he formed Connoisseur Media which now operates 13 radio station brands and digital assets in five markets. Highly respected and celebrated industry-wide for his outspoken candor and bullish approach to radio station ownership, Jeff Warshaw serves on the board of directors of the National Association of Broadcasters, the executive committee of the Radio Advertising Bureau, and is chairman of the Nielsen Audio advisory council. Harrison describes Warshaw as “one of the most knowledgeable, emerging forces to be reckoned with among radio industry leaders.”
Christopher Ruddy founded Newsmax in 1998 to publish online and offline content in the fields of news, politics, health and finance. Newsmax.com ranks consistently as one of the country’s most-trafficked news websites. Newsmax TV, a cable and over-the-top media service news channel started in 2014, has shown remarkable growth becoming one of the nation’s leading television news and political opinion sources. Newsmax recently entered the field of talk radio with a syndication arm and is reportedly exploring expansion into radio station ownership. As a journalist, Christopher Ruddy previously worked at the New York Post and the Pittsburgh Tribune Review. He was also awarded a Media Fellowship at the Hoover Institution on War, Revolution and Peace at Stanford University. He holds a BA summa cum laude in history from St. John’s University and a Master’s in Public Policy from the London School of Economics. Harrison describes Ruddy as “a key player in emerging 21st century media.”
commentators as well as up-and-comers. Trader tells TALKERS he “honestly believes AUN is one of the fastest growing TV and streaming networks in the country.” He states, “Now it is time to expand once again. Our goal is to be broadcasting in every major market in the next two years! This is maybe where an ambitious, hard-working manager can become part of this dream. I am looking to develop a management team to make it happen. If a candidate has expertise in managing finances and accounting, recruiting, human resources, overseeing and developing technologies, as well as creating company policy, sales and marketing, then such an individual might be looking for the challenge of a lifetime.” Trader continues, “I am looking to work with conservative/faithful, passionate ideologs like myself who are concerned with the direction our great republic is heading and want to return it to the Judeo-Christian, faith-based patriotic roots our founding fathers created! Here is the catch: all our progress and success has been achieved on a very tight budget! In fact, we cannot offer salaries. What we can offer is incentives for those who produce to be rewarded.” Interested candidates can contact Rick Trader, president/CEO, AUN TV Network at 
February 2023 PPM Data – Information for the February 2023 ratings period 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.
businesses of high-profile radio and podcast personalities as well as production companies. He also serves as a strategic advisor to Oxford Road, a media placement agency specializing in audio advertising, with a focus on podcasts and audio integrations. The nine-year-old agency is a leader in the audio space on behalf of more than 50 clients. Kitchin also serves as chairman of the National Radio Hall of Fame to which he was appointed in 2014. Since assuming the role, he has reinstituted national public voting for two of the six categories of induction and has doubled the voting participant panel. Under his leadership, more than 75 radio icons have been inducted. Prior to launching his own firm, Kitchin was one of the founders of Premiere Radio Networks, Inc., in 1987. The company grew to be the number one radio network in the country syndicating 90 radio programs and services to more than 4,600 radio affiliates, reaching 190 million listeners weekly. He started as executive vice president of sales and by 1998 at the age of 37, he assumed the role of president/COO, one of the youngest in the country to run a $300 multi-million-plus radio company. During his 10-year tenure at Premiere, Kitchin directed and oversaw all talk and music programming and services featuring the nation’s most popular personalities like Limbaugh, Delilah, Jim Rome, Glenn Beck, Casey Kasem, Bill Handel, Ryan Seacrest, Bob (Kevoian) and Tom (Griswold), Steve Harvey, Whoopi Goldberg, Blair Garner, George Noory, Maria Bartiromo, Jim Cramer, Matt Drudge, the late Art Bell, Donald Trump, Bob Costas and others. In addition, he supervised Premiere Radio’s other properties: Mediabase 24/7, the industry’s leading music monitoring service, MJI Programming, and FOX Sports Radio. Kitchin started his career in station management at WFMK-FM in Lansing, MI, and KTYD-FM in Santa Barbara, CA before serving as sales manager of the Katz Radio Group Network in Los Angeles. Kitchin will be one of 60 industry leaders speaking at TALKERS 2023. For more information, see story below.
notable exceptions. Thom Hartmann is one of the leading examples of a progressive talk radio host operating successfully within the commercial arena. Year after year, going back well over a decade-and-a-half, TALKERS has ranked this political thought leader among the top 10 in its annual list of the 100 Most Important Radio Talk Show Hosts In America – the Heavy Hundred. Hartmann is also the prolific author of more than 35 books on politics, the environment and social issues. He puts out a daily multi-distribution point program heard on commercial broadcast radio, non-commercial public radio, SiriusXM Satellite Radio, streaming services, mobile app, cable radio and subscription and ad-supported podcasts. The show is also seen on Free Speech TV, and YouTube. Harrison and Hartmann discuss a variety of modern media-related issues and phenomena including the host’s liberal perspective on the current blockbuster Donald Trump indictment drama. Not to be missed. 
my original idea for over two years now on my national radio and TV shows. Then Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene picked it up and ran with my idea.” Root says the idea is to build a “parallel conservative patriot economy” consisting of conservative-owned businesses and his book lays out the plan. Root adds, “My co-author Nicky Billou (an Iranian immigrant) and our team of researchers spent over a year researching and identifying the 123 most patriotic companies in America to buy from and to invest your savings and retirement accounts in (some are publicly traded).” 
politics to parenting, Dixon – a businesswoman, breast-cancer survivor, and working mom of four girls – will dive deep into a wide variety of topics that touch our lives, while welcoming experts, insiders and headline makers for candid conversations.” Dixon comments, “I’m thrilled to take this leap into the podcasting world and am incredibly grateful to both Clay and Buck for encouraging and supporting me in this new venture. Listeners can expect to hear unique and unabashedly American stories not covered by the corporate media, as well as commentary from expert guests who will get to the truth about the issues impacting you and your family. I look forward to starting this new journey and bringing these stories to the forefront!”
Westfield most recently served with Champaign, Illinois radio company Illini Radio Group voicing commercials and hosting on-air shows. “Radio Health Journal” was launched in 1992 and is distributed by American Urban Radio Networks to more than 630 affiliate stations. AURN says, “The addition of Westfield rings in a new era for the show in that it’s now largely female-led, produced and voiced. With March being Women’s History Month, it’s important to honor the contributions of the countless women across history who’ve fought tirelessly for equal rights and opportunities.”
censorship” from conservatives. The rhetoric surrounding these deals is part and parcel of the politicized nature of media in the modern world. In the piece, Montlake observes, “The $60 million takeover – and the reactions it has sparked – is another flashpoint in the national battle to win over Latino voters, a fast-growing demographic that has long leaned Democratic but has lately grown more receptive to Republicans. So far, most Spanish-language radio in the U.S. has been focused on music and entertainment, not news or commentary. Which in the eyes of many makes it an untapped and lucrative means of political persuasion.” 
Talk show talent, program directors, show producers and broadcast business decision-makers represent the core readership of this publication. Sometimes we are so close to something that we fail to see it for what it really is. That is the case of the “talk show host” in American radio. Michael Harrison refers to the often-shameless targeting of audiences as “the daily dance of affirmation.” I view the daily process of radio talk show hosting at its very core, as “the daily dance of freedom.”
hopefully find a donor for his own situation. Auerbach hosts “ArtsBeat,” “On The Mark,” and “Athenaeum Spotlight,” on WCPC-TV 15 and WSKB, Westfield, MA. He’s also the ArtsBeat reporter for Pioneer Valley Radio. Auerbach says people can help by taking any of three steps: 1) becoming an organ donor upon your death; 2) consider donating while you’re alive (get details at kidney.org); and 3) donating to him at Mass General Hospital’s living donors program (
noon to 3:00 pm ET. Erickson says, “We are thrilled to embark on this next chapter of our growth and are so appreciative of our friends and partners who have supported us.” Compass Media Networks CEO and founder Peter Kosann states, “At a critical time in our nation’s history and just as the public starts to turn their attention to the upcoming presidential election cycle, we are thrilled to bring Erick Erickson to the national stage. Erick is a winner by every metric, and we are lucky to call him our friend and colleague.”
Whenever possible, USA consumers will pay cash, and they’re paying-down credit card balances, per recently released 
unsolved cases. He later served as press secretary for Baltimore County executive John Olszewski and ran for mayor of Baltimore in 2020. He takes over the midday show after Kimberly Klacik exited the position following seven months on the job. WBAL director of programming Jeff Wade says, “The WBAL audience has known and respected T.J. for years for his frank and honest dialogue on the issues that matter most to people living and working in Baltimore. Whether it’s policing, politics, or talking 
Orioles and Ravens, we can’t think of anyone better suited to sit behind the WBAL microphone weekdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.” Smith comments, “As a native Baltimorean who has gone to school, worked, run for office and even suffered loss in the city, I’m very familiar with the feel of the public from west Baltimore to the waterfront. I couldn’t be more excited to join the WBAL Radio family. I look forward to delivering straight talk and sharing my opinion based on my experience working in government and in law enforcement. I’m ready to ‘tell it like it is’ in a reasonable manner.”
own. It remains competitive with podcasts and DSPs (Digital Streaming Providers, such as Spotify, Apple Music, Pandora, and others) when consumers are in vehicles or public transit during the early morning and late afternoon commutes, and on weekends.” Respondents were asked to select a top preference from a list of audio entertainment choices and their top choices were (for morning commuters), broadcast FM/AM radio with 19% of the sample, followed closely by podcasts, with streaming coming in at third. The study indicates the competition is closer during the late afternoon commute, where podcasts and streaming barely eclipse radio as the top choice among commuters at 15% vs. 14% of the sample, respectively. And radio remains competitive as an audio entertainment favorite among listeners on the go during the weekend, sharing the top spot with DSP’s and eking ahead of podcasts. 
Local news sponsorship is an opportunity to “fish for whales,” institutional advertisers who can associate with something special. And, well-done, local news sure is special, because:
January 2023 PPM Data – Information for the January 2023 survey period has been released for Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford.
advertising, she co-founded and co-owned Daynet Radio Broadcasting in the early 1990s with the late Barry Farber and Alan Colmes. Daynet was one of the early independent networks established in the modern era of talk radio that had a significant influence on the business models of many syndication firms that followed it. Its initial talent roster included Farber, Colmes, Dr. Joy Browne and several other high-profile figures. Greenwald was also a theater producer on and off-Broadway, and owned theaters in New York and London. She was a member of the Lotos Club, Harmonie Club and the Friar’s Club, where she co-founded the “Gift of Laughter” philanthropy for wounded warriors. She was predeceased by her former husband James L. Greenwald, chairman emeritus of Katz Media Group. A memorial service is being planned. In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the ASPCA.
eliminating filled positions, we are talking about our colleagues – people whose skills, spirit and talents help make NPR what it is today. This will be a major loss.” The story goes on to state, “On an annual budget of roughly $300 million, Lansing says, revenues are likely to fall short by close to $30 million, although that gap could reach $32 million.” Folkenflik notes, “The layoffs are in keeping with an increasingly grim landscape for media companies over recent months. Vox Media cut jobs by 7%; Gannett and Spotify by 6%. The Washington Post, owned by Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, eliminated its Sunday magazine and a handful of other jobs. After becoming part of Warner Bros. Discovery, CNN cut hundreds of jobs and killed off its brand-new streaming service, CNN+.”