by Steve Allen
Courtesy of Research Director Inc.,
and All Access
March 23, 2023
FEBRUARY may be the shortest month but it is also – apparently – the most difficult to pronounce. Too many times we hear people say FEB-YOU-ARY. People, that is NOT how it is said. Sorry to get off on this rant, but it is something that The Ratings Experts from RESEARCH DIRECTOR, INC. – along with the linguists from XTRENDS – think is a direct result of relying too much on spellcheck. Don’t even get us started on the people who add an “s” to Daylight Saving Time. OK, back to the point of all this. FEBRUARY. A survey that began on FEBRUARY 2nd and finished up on MARCH 1ST. It went something like this…
SEATTLE-TACOMA: A Disturbance In The Force
The last two surveys have revealed some sudden and dramatic movements for a couple of stations. Last month iHEARTMEDIA Classic Hits KJEB (95.7 THE JET) soared from #7 to #1 6+. This time it dipped to #2 (6.3-5.9). Replacing it at the top of the leaderboard was iHEARTMEDIA Classic Rock KZOK, which had its largest share in over a year (4.3-6.5) to vault from #9 to #1. FRIENDS OF KEXP Alternative KEXP stepped up to #3, also with its best outing in over a year (5.3-5.6). UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON News-Talk KUOW landed its largest number since MAY (4.9-5.5) to move up to #4, while BONNEVILLE News-Talk KIRO-F had its lowest score in over a year (6.1-5.4) to slip three places to #5. It just nipped #6 AUDACY Active Rock KISW (4.9-5.3). Two stations exited the top five. AUDACY AC KSWD (94.1 THE SOUND) (5.1-5.0) slid to a tie at #7 with AUDACY Country KKWF (100.7 THE WOLF) (3.8-5.0), while LOTUS News KNWN-A-F fell from #3 to #9 (5.5-4.3). KJEB soared into the cume lead for the first time since OCTOBER with a 2.8% increase (526,500-541,000). The market was up 0.5%.
The top three stations 25-54 were the same as last survey. KEXP rebounded from a down book to remain in the lead by about a share over the flat KISW at #2. It, in turn, maintained a narrow advantage over an equally flat HUBBARD Top 40 KQMV (MOViN’ 92.5) at #3. KJEB was up to #4 with its highest mark since NOVEMBER, while AUDACY Rhythmic AC KHTP (HOT 103.7) stepped down to #5. It was partnered with iHEARTMEDIA Top 40 KBKS (HITS 106.1), which arrived from #9 with its best outing in over a year.
Last month KZOK and KEXP were tied at #2 18-34. Both stations had their best books in over a year. KZOK hit double digits to move into first place while KEXP was a little under a share behind. KISW moved up to #3 with its largest number since JUNE. KUOW and KQMV had been tied at #6. Both stations had solid increases to advance to #4 and #5, respectively. KHTP returned most of last month’s massive increase to fall from #1 to #6. KKWF slid from #4 into a tie at #9 with KBKS.
The 18-49 leaderboard had an edge to it. KEXP remained #1 as it regained some of last survey’s lost share. KISW repeated at #2 with a small increase. It was joined there by KZOK, which rose from #9. The station has more than doubled its share since the HOLIDAY book. KQMV narrowly missed making it a three-way tie as it dipped to #4, despite posting its best score since SEPTEMBER. KJEB moved up to #5. KKWF and KHTP had been tied at #4 but dropped to #7 and #8, respectively.
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