February 2024 PPM Ratings – Part Two
February 2024 PPM Data – Information for the February 2024 ratings period (February 1 – February 28) has been released for: Washington, Boston, Miami, Seattle, Detroit, Phoenix, Minneapolis, San Diego, Tampa, Denver, Baltimore, and St. Louis.
The only requirement for a spoken-word station to be included below is that they be a Nielsen Audiosubscriber – 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+).
WASHINGTON, DC
News/Talk
WMAL 4.5 – 4.5, #7 – #7
WFED .1 – .1, #29 – #30 (Capitals)
News
WTOP & WTLP 8.3 – 7.6, #2 – #2
WDCH .6 – .7, #23 – #22
WDCH Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Sports Talk
WJFK-FM 2.8 – 2.3, #15 – #16 (Capitals)
WJFK-FM Stream 1.0 – .8, #20 – #21 (Capitals)
WTEM .4 – .4, #25 – #24 (Wizards)
WTEM Stream .3 – .3, #26 – #27 (Wizards)
WJFK-AM .1 – DNA, #29 – DNA (Capitals)
WSBN .1 – .1, #29 – #30
Public Radio News/Talk
WAMU 12.7 – 13.0, 28th month in succession at #1
Note: News WTOP & WTLP’s -.7 (8.3- 7.6) represents Washington, DC’s largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decrease.
BOSTON
News/Talk
WRKO 2.8 – 3.2, #15 – #13
WXKS-AM .7 – .8, #23 – #23
News
News – Talk WBZ-AM 4.6 – 4.9, #6 – #6
Business news WRCA .1 – .2, #28 – #26
Sports Talk
WBZ-FM 11.2 – 9.1, second straight month at #1 (Celtics, Bruins)
WEEI-FM 3.9 – 3.3, #11 – #12
WEEI-AM DNA – .1, DNA – #30
WEEI-FM Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WBUR 6.0 – 6.1, #3 – #3
WGBH 4.2 – 4.6, #9 – #8
Note: Sports talk WBZ-FM’s -2.1 (11.2- 9.1) represents Boston’s largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decrease.
MIAMI
News/Talk
WIOD 1.4 – 1.2, #23 – #25
News
None
Sports Talk
WQAM 1.2 – 1.2, #25 – #25 (Heat, Florida Panthers)
WINZ .5 – .6, #27 – #28
WMEN .2 – .1, #33 – #36
WQAM Stream .1 – .1, #36 – #36 (Heat, Florida Panthers)
WSFS-HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
WAXY DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WLRN 4.1 – 5.1, #6 – #5
WLRN-HD2 DNA – .1, DNA – #36
Note: Public radio news/talk WLRN’s +1.0 (4.1- 5.1) represents Miami’s largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 increase.
SEATTLE
News/Talk
KIRO-FM 4.2 – 4.1, #7 – #10
KTTH 1.9 – 1.6, #21 – #22
KVI 1.3 – 1.0, #24 – #24
KPTR DNA – .1, DNA – #28
News
KNWN-AM & KNWN-FM 2.6 – 2.5, #19 – #17
KHHO DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Sports Talk
KJR-FM 4.2 – 2.4, #7 – #18 (Kraken)
KIRO-AM 3.3 – 2.3, #14 – #19
KJR-AM .8 – .7, #25 – #26
Public Radio News/Talk
KUOW 6.9 – 7.2, #2 – #1
KSWS DNA – .1, DNA – #28
Note: Sports talk KJR-FM’s -1.8 (4.2- 2.4) represents Seattle’s largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decrease.
DETROIT
News/Talk
WJR 2.1 – 2.5, #16 – #14
WFDF .5 – .6, #23 – #22
WJR Stream .1 – .1, #29 – #29
News
WWJ 5.6 – 5.3, #8 – #9 (Pistons)
WWJ Stream .4 – .4, #24 – #25 (Pistons)
WDFN .1 – .1, #29 – #29
Sports Talk
WXYT-FM 9.8 – 7.1, #1 – #3 (Pistons, Red Wings)
WXYT-FM Stream 1.8 – 1.1, #17 – #21 (Pistons, Red Wings)
WXYT-AM .3 – .2, #28 – #28
WXYT-AM Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WDET 1.6 – 1.8, #19 – #18
WUOM 1.1 – 1.2, #21 – #20
Note: Sports talk WXYT-FM’s -2.7 (9.8- 7.1) is the largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decreaseby any station in the 24 PPM-markets analyzed thus far.
PHOENIX
News/Talk
KFYI 3.1 – 3.5, #10 – #9
KTAR-FM 2.6 – 2.7, #14 – #12 (Suns)
News
None
Sports Talk
KMVP-FM 1.9 – 2.2, #20 – #18 (Suns, Arizona Coyotes)
KGME .1 – .1, #31 – #34
KTAR-AM .1 – .1, #31 – #34 (Suns, Arizona Coyotes)
KDUS .1 – DNA, #31 – DNA
KTAR-AM Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA (Suns, Arizona Coyotes)
KTAR-FM HD2 DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
KJZZ 3.0 – 2.3, #11 – #15
MINNEAPOLIS
News/Talk
WCCO 4.7 – 4.7, #10 – #8 (Minnesota Timberwolves)
KTMY 2.9 – 3.0, #14 – #14
KTLK-AM 1.8 – 2.2, #19 – #15
WCCO Stream .1 – .3, #31 – #29 (Minnesota Timberwolves)
News
KQQL-HD2 .1 – .1, #31 – #31
Sports Talk
KFXN 7.5 – 7.1, #2 – #3 (Minnesota Wild)
KQQL-HD3 .2 – .1, #27 – #31
KSTP-AM .1 – .1, #31 – #31
Public Radio News/Talk
KNOW 6.6 – 7.4, #4 – #2
KNOW Stream .8 – .7, #23 – #23
SAN DIEGO
News/Talk
KOGO 4.9 – 4.6, #5 – #7
KLSD .4 – .5, #25 – #25
News
None
Sports Talk
KWFN 3.9 – 3.0, #10 – #16
KGB-AM .8 – .8, #21 – #21
KWFN Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
KPBS 6.2 – 7.3, #2 – #1
Note: Sports talk KWFN’s -.9 (3.9- 3.0) represents San Diego’s largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decrease.
TAMPA
News/Talk
WHPT 5.3 – 4.9, #3 – #6 (Lightning)
WFLA 4.1 – 4.2, #11 – #10
News
Business news WHNZ .1 – .2, #34 – #28
Sports Talk
WDAE 2.1– 1.7, #17 – #18
Public Radio News/Talk
WUSF 2.3 – 1.9, #16 – #16
WMNF-HD3 Stream .4 – .2, #26 – #28
WUSF Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
DENVER
News/Talk
KOA 3.0 – 2.6, #14 – #17
KDFD 1.4 – 1.4, #22 – #22
KHOW 1.4 – 1.2, #22 – #24
News
None
Sports Talk
KKFN 4.0 – 3.7, #10 – #10
KKSE-FM 3.0 – 2.2, #14 – #18 (Nuggets, Colorado Avalanche)
KAMP .1 – .1, #35 – #36
KEPN DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
KKSE-AM DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
KCFR 4.5 – 3.7, #7 – #10
KUNC 1.0 – 1.1, #25 – #27
BALTIMORE
News/Talk
WBAL 4.3 – 3.3, #9 – #10
WCBM 1.9 – 2.0, #15 – #14
News
WTOP & WTLP 1.4 – 1.3, #17 – #18
WDCH .9 – .6, #19 – #20
WQLL DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Sports Talk
WJZ-FM 4.8 – 3.1, #6 – #12
WJZ-FM Stream DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
WJZ-AM DNA – DNA, DNA – DNA
Public Radio News/Talk
WYPR 3.4 – 3.2, #12 – #11
WYPR HD2 Stream DNA – .3, DNA – #26
Note: Sports talk WJZ-FM’s -1.7 (4.8- 3.1) represents Baltimore’s largest (6+) January 2024 – February 2024 decrease.
ST. LOUIS
News/Talk
KMOX 3.7 – 2.8, #13 – #14
KFTK 2.2 – 2.1, #15 – #17
KTLK-FM 1.3 – 1.1, #18 – #18
KMOX Stream .4 – .2, #23 – #24
KFTK Stream .2 – .2, #28 – #24
News
KATZ-FM HD2 .3 – .2, #25 – #24
Sports Talk
WXOS 5.7 – 5.0, #7 – #9 (Blues)
Public Radio News/Talk
KWMU 5.1 – 4.9, #9 – #10
Up next: February 2024 overviews for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.
Reach Mike Kinosian at: Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.
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.
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).
and WEPN-AM), but Karmazin said the move had nothing to do with his company not renewing its lease on WEPN-FM (which ends later this summer) but that it’s a company decision. TALKERS noticed that news/talk WTMJ, Milwaukee did not appear in Nielsen’s January PPM survey and reached out to GKB for an explanation, but the company did not reply to our request. Karmazin told Best, “It’s outdated to use one form of media to measure a show, especially one that doesn’t reflect the entire listening audience and viewing audience across all the different ways we distribute our media now.”
The fourth of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s January 2024 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. The survey covered January 4 – 31. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Milwaukee, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN adds 2.5 shares to finish with an 11.5 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) good for its fifth straight month ranked #1, while Good Karma Brands’ crosstown news/talk WTMJ does not appear in this survey. (TALKERS has reached out to GKB for clarification.) In Nashville, Cumulus Media Group’s news/talk WWTN-FM rises 1.5 shares to finish with a 5.4 share that lifts it to the #6 rank, while iHeartMedia’s news/talk WLAC adds nine-tenths for a 2.1 share finish good for the #18 rank. In Providence, Cumulus Media Group’s news/talk WPRO-AM/WEAN-FM tacks on a full share to wrap the survey with a 6.9 share, lifting it to the #4 rank, while iHeartMedia’s news/talk WHJJ-AM is up two-tenths for a 1.0 share finish and the #13 rank.
January 2024 PPM Data – Information for the January 2024 ratings period (January 4 – January 31) 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).
Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian does a deep-dive into the recent performances of the all-news format during Nielsen Audio’s “Holiday” PPM ratings period. He writes, “Ever since Arbitron (now Nielsen Audio) instituted the Portable People Meter as ratings currency in 2007, the ‘Holiday’ ratings period has been a veritable goldmine for stations employing the wall-to-wall Christmas music programming strategy. Adult contemporary comprises the overwhelming majority of those outlets. Usually substantial, however, is the negative impact on many other formats in ‘Holiday’ sweeps.”
The fourth of four rounds of ratings data from Nielsen Audio’s Holiday 2023 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. The survey period covers December 7, 2023 – January 3, 2024. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Raleigh, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WTKK-FM falls a full share to finish with a 5.0 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) that leaves it ranked #5, while Curtis Media’s news/talk WPTF loses two-tenths for a .6 share finish good for the #22 rank. In Milwaukee, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN sheds six-tenths to wrap the survey with a 9.0 share, but remains ranked #1 for the fourth consecutive survey, while Good Karma Brands’ news/talk WTMJ declines 1.2 shares for a 6.4 share finish that leaves it ranked #5. In Nashville, Cumulus Media’s news/talk WWTN-FM falls four-tenths to a 3.9 share good for the #12 rank, while iHeartMedia’s news/talk WLAC-AM dips three-tenths to a 1.2 share and remains ranked #19.
Holiday 2023 PPM Data – Information for the Holiday 2023 ratings period (December 7, 2023 – January 3, 2024) 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).
Over the Christmas and New Year’s holiday break, Nielsen Audio released data from the December 2023 ratings period for all 48 PPM markets that covered November 9 through December 6. TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from all PPM markets. Some of the notable ratings stories from the December 2023 period include in New York City, Red Apple Media’s news/talk WABC falls two-tenths to a 2.8 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) good for the #11 rank, while iHeartMedia’s news/talk WOR also dips two-tenths to a 1.1 share and remains ranked #22. In Washington, Cumulus Media’s news/talk WMAL-FM, sheds 1.1 shares for a 3.5 share finish that leaves it ranked #9, while Hubbard Broadcasting’s all-news WTOP-FM falls a half share to a 6.9 share but remains ranked #3. In Seattle, Bonneville’s news/talk KIRO-FM loses six-tenths for a 4.1 share finish and falls to the #9 rank, while the company’s sister news/talk KTTH-AM is steady with a 1.6 share good for the #22 rank, and Lotus Communications’ talk KVI-AM, rises one-tenth to a 1.6 share and ties for the #22 rank. In San Antonio, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WOAI falls four-tenths to a 2.7 share but remains ranked #14, while Alpha Media’s news/talk dips two-tenths to a 2.0 share that leaves it ranked #19. In Orlando, iHeartMedia’s talk WTKS-FM loses three-tenths for a 3.6 share finish but remains ranked #10, while Cox Media Group’s news/talk WDBO-AM sheds four-tenths for a 3.2 share and stays locked in the #13 rank. And in Milwaukee, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN finishes its third month in a row at #1 even though it lost 1.1 shares to finish with a 9.6 share, while Good Karma Brands’ news/talk WTMJ-AM is down one-tenth for a 7.6 share that pushes its back to the #3 rank.
The fourth of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s November PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. The survey period covered October 12 through November 8. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Milwaukee, iHeartMedia news/talk WISN adds a full share for a 10.7 share (weekly, 6+ AQH share) finish that keeps it ranked #1, while Good Karma Brands news/talk WTMJ loses 1.9 shares for a 7.7 share but remains ranked #2. In Nashville, Cumulus Media news/talk WWTN-FM is flat with a 5.7 share and remains ranked #5, while iHeartMedia news/talk WLAC-AM inches up one-tenth and remains ranked #19. In West Palm Beach, Hubbard Broadcasting news/talk WFTL adds four-tenths for a 2.7 share and stays locked in the #9 rank, while iHeartMedia talk WZZR-FM adds two-tenths for a 2.0 share and climbs to the #11 rank, and iHeartMedia’s news/talk WJNO is flat with a 1.2 share but falls back to the #15 rank.
November 2023 PPM Data – Information for the November 2023 ratings period (October 12 – November 8) 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).
Here’s actual news copy, from Joe Connolly’s business report one morning on WCBS, NY: “One third of all domestic flights are now late, by an average of one hour.”
The fourth of four rounds of ratings information from Nielsen Audio’s October 2023 PPM survey has been released for 12 markets including Austin, Raleigh, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Nashville, Providence, Norfolk, Jacksonville, West Palm Beach, Greensboro, Memphis, and Hartford. The survey period covers September 14 through October 11. Today, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents his Ratings Takeaways from this group of markets. In Austin, Waterloo Media’s news/talk KLBJ-AM adds 1.3 shares (weekly, 6+ AQH share) to finish with a 4.7 share that lifts it from the #10 rank to #5. In Milwaukee, iHeartMedia’s news/talk WISN adds one-tenth for a 9.7 share finish that’s good enough to lift it to the #1 rank, as Good Karma Brands’ news/talk WTMJ sheds two-tenths for a 9.6 share and the #2 rank. In West Palm Beach, Hubbard Broadcasting’s news/talk WFTL rises half a share to a 2.3 share and jumps to the #9 rank, as iHeartMedia’s talk WZZR loses one-tenth to finish with a 1.8 share good for the #13 rank and sister news/talk WJNO is up one-tenth to a 1.2 share and is ranked #14 for the fourth consecutive month.
October 2023 PPM Data – Information for the October 2023 ratings period (September 14 – October 11) has been released for New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas, Houston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Nassau-Suffolk (Long Island), and Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario.
though the stations (WABC-AM and WLIR-FM) were listed as having a 3.9 share in the Long Island (Nassau-Suffolk) market. Now, Nielsen has corrected the 6+ report that is available to the media (versus the more detailed information that is only available to subscribers) and lists WABC as having a 3.4 share good for the #11 rank in the New York City market for the September 2023 survey