Yesterday’s (1/3) Top News/Talk Media Stories
The bombing at a memorial for slain Iranian military leader Qassim Suleimani kills 84 people; Israel’s suspected assassination of Hamas leader Saleh al-Arouri in Beruit; the November presidential election; the U.S. migrant crisis and the Biden administration sues Texas over its immigration policy; the House moves to impeach Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas; the unsealing of the Jeffrey Epstein Johns and Jane Does; and embattled Harvard president Claudine Gay resigns were some of the most-talked-about stories in news/talk media yesterday, according to ongoing research from TALKERS magazine.
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. 
As TALKERS magazine reported yesterday, rock radio personality Jim Ladd died over the weekend at age 75 after suffering a heart attack. In remembering Ladd and his contributions to the radio industry, TALKERS magazine managing editor Mike Kinosian presents a profile piece on Ladd that he wrote years ago while serving as special features editor for Inside Radio. 
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.