Nielsen begins its monthly release of PPM ratings with today’s Day 1 update including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/Galveston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Long Island, Riverside/San Bernardino, San Jose, and Middlesex/Somerset/Union.
All the numbers can be found at RadioInsight.com/Ratings.
New York
iHeartMedia AC “106.7 Lite-FM” WLTW registered a 10.4 share with Christmas Music down from its 11.2 in 2021 and 12.8 in 2020.
Beasley Media AC “Magic 98.3” WMGQ New Brunswick NJ set a New York market record high for itself with an additional 1.5 shares of Christmas music.
Audacy’s News 1010 WINS/92.3 WINS-FM simulcast continues to rise at it moves up 3.5 – 4.2 – 4.6 to place fifth overall in the market.
iHeartMedia Hot AC 103.5 WKTU is one of the few non-Christmas music station gains rising 3.2 to 3.8.
Los Angeles
iHeartMedia AC 103.5 KOST registered a 13.1 share this year down from 13.4 in 2021 and 13.9 in 2020. Mount Wilson FM’s “Go Country 105.1” KKGO added an additional 2.5 shares of Christmas music.
Chicago
iHeartMedia AC “93.9 Lite-FM” WLIT sets a new station record high with a 14.8 share rising from its 14.4 in 2021 and 14.3 in 2020. Ratings Expert Chris Huff notes it is the largest share for any Chicago station since WGN in 1974.
iHeart CHR “103.5 Kiss-FM” WKSC rises 2.3 to 2.9.
For the second straight month, Hubbard’s 90s/2000s Hits “The New 100.3” WSHE set a station record low dropping 1.3 to 1.2.
San Francisco
Bonneville AC 96.5 KOIT set a new station record high with a 15.5 share up from an 11.1 in 2021. This year it lacked competition from Alpha Media’s 94.5 KBAY, which had a 2.3 share last year.
iHeartMedia Hip Hop 106.1 KMEL rises 3.3 to 4.0. Audacy Variety Hits “105.3 Dave-FM” KITS is up 1.1 to 1.7.
Dallas/Fort Worth
iHeartMedia AC “Star 102.1” KDGE registers a 9.1 share with Christmas music in 2022 down from its 10.6 last year. Salem Christian AC 94.9 KLTY’s Christmas music registers a 3.2 share down from its 4.0 last year.
After running all-Classical Christmas ahead of its conversion to non-commercial operation, 101.1 WRR registered a 1.6 to 2.1 month-to-month gain.
Audacy Sports “105.3 The Fan” KRLD-FM rose 2.9 to 3.7, while Cumulus’ “96.7/1310 The Ticket” KTCK/KTCK-FM fell from its record high last month 5.1 to 3.8. iHeartMedia’s new Hot Talk “97.1 The Freak” KEGL dips 1.3 to 0.9 to set a new record low since becoming KEGL in 1981.
Radio One Hip Hop “97.9 The Beat” KBFB rises 1.6 to 2.1.
Houston/Galveston
iHeartMedia AC “Sunny 99.1” KODA sets a new station record for the second straight year up to a 14.7 share this year from a 12.8 in 2021 and 12.1 in 2020. Hope Media Group Christian AC 89.3 KSBJ registered a second ranked 5.8 share with Holiday music down from its record high 6.9 in 2021.
For the second straight month, Houston Christian Broadcasters’ Christian Preaching 105.7 KHCB-FM sets a new high trending up 1.5 – 1.8 – 2.2.
Atlanta
While having an established hold on Christmas music usually leads to a significant gain from the December to Holiday monthlies, Salem Christian AC “104.7 The Fish” WFSH-FM fell from a station record high 9.2 share in December to an 8.1. WFSH-FM had a market leading 8.8 in 2021. Radio Training Network Christian AC “The Joy-FM” 93.3 WVFJ added an additional 2.8 share of Christmas music share.
Cox AC “B98.5” WSB-FM only played three Christmas songs per hour, which was enough for a 6.3 to 6.9 month-to-month gain.
Radio One Adult R&B “Majic 107.5/97.5” WAMJ/WUMJ was the benefactor of WFSH-FM’s fall as its 8.6 to 8.3 move gave it the market lead for which Huff notes is its first time atop Atlanta since June 2013. Audacy Hip Hop/R&B “V103” WVEE trends up 3.9 – 4.6 – 5.6, while sister Rhythmic AC “Star 94” WSTR is up 1.9 to 2.4.
Cumulus Media’s relaunch of the “99X” brand on the former “Rock 100.5” WNNX led to a quick doubling of its shares rising 1.1 to 2.2 after flipping a couple of days before the monthly survey started.
Cox News/Talk 750 WSB/95.5 WSB-FM fell 7.0 – 5.4 – 4.4, which Huff adds just narrowly avoided a station record low of 4.2 set in September 2010. Public News/Talk 90.1 WABE also trends down 6.4 – 3.8 – 3.0.
Philadelphia
Audacy AC “B101.1” WBEB jumps to a 16.8 share up from a 14.4 in 2021 and 13.2 in 2020, but below its all-time high of 18.6 set in Holiday 2019.
Public News/Talk 90.9 WHYY-FM falls from 5.2 to 3.6.
Long Island
Connoisseur Media Hot AC 97.5 WALK and iHeartMedia AC “106.7 Lite-FM” WLTW take the top two spots with Christmas music but move in opposite directions. WALK rises from a 9.8 share in 2021 to 10.7 this year, while WLTW falls from 8.3 in 2021 to 6.7.
Riverside/San Bernardino
With regular Christmas music leader 103.5 KOST Los Angeles not showing in the Inland Empire public release after generating a 9.2 share in Holiday 2021, Anaheim Broadcasting Classic Hits 99.9 KOLA-FM takes the public lead with a 9.2 – 8.3 – 7.6 trend.
Good News Radio Christian AC 89.7 KSGN adds an additional 5.7 share for Christmas music, which Huff notes ties its station record high set in April 2020.
San Jose
With Alpha Media’s “Bay Country” 94.5 KBAY’s flip to Country earlier this year it didn’t make a move to Christmas music, which opened the door for Bonneville AC 96.5 KOIT San Francisco to own the Christmas position in the Bay Area and nearly set a record in doing so. KOIT registered a 22.7 share up significantly from its 12.1 in 2021. That 22.7 share becomes the second highest ever recorded in PPM behind Bonneville sister “FM 100” KSFI Salt Lake City’s 23.2 share in Holiday 2017.
KBAY had an 8.4 share in Holiday 2021, but by sticking with Country this year it dropped from a 4.1 in December to a 2.5.
Middlesex/Somerset/Union
The three-way Christmas battle nearly took a significant shift atop the lead.
iHeartMedia AC “106.7 Lite-FM” WLTW New York rose to an 11.2 share from 9.2 in Holiday 2021. Beasley AC “Magic 98.3” WMGQ jumped to a 10.9 share from a 5.9 share a year ago after starting the seasonal music a week earlier than usual in early November. Pillar of Fire Christian AC “Star 99.1” WAWZ falls from 5.2 to 2.3 this year after making a later than usual move.