The holiday season has brought a mix of ups and downs for radio stations across the country, according to the latest Nielsen Audio PPM ratings. The data, released in a four-day sweep, covers major markets from coast to coast. In New York, iHeartMedia’s AC station “106.7 Lite-FM” saw a dip from its record high last year, registering a 13.1 share.
Three stations tied for second place: MediaCo’s Adult R&B WBLS, Spanish Broadcasting System’s Spanish Tropical WSKQ, and Audacy’s News station 1010 WINS/92.3 WINS-FM. Los Angeles’ iHeartMedia AC station KOST also trended down from previous years, hitting a 12.4 share. Audacy’s Classic Hits station KRTH and iHeart’s CHR station KIIS-FM saw slight declines as well.
In Chicago, iHeartMedia’s Soft AC “93.9 Lite-FM” WLIT dropped from its record high in 2023 to a 12.5 share. Audacy’s News station WBBM/WCFS and iHeart’s Adult R&B station WVAZ held steady in the top spots. Dallas/Fort Worth’s iHeartMedia AC station KDGE saw a small decrease from last year, while Houston’s iHeartMedia AC station KODA matched its record high from 2022 with a 14.7 share.
Holiday listening trends shift nationwide
San Francisco’s Bonneville AC station KOIT trended down from previous years to an 11.6 share, while Atlanta’s Salem Media Group Christian AC station “104.7 The Fish” dropped significantly from its 2023 numbers. Philadelphia’s Audacy AC station WBEB dipped slightly from last year but still maintained a strong 15.7 share.
Long Island’s Connoisseur Media Hot AC station WALK-FM led the market despite a decrease from 2023. Day 2 of the ratings also showed some notable shifts and record highs. In Washington, DC, Classical station WETA-FM marked its best performance since January 2022.
Seattle’s Classical station KING-FM and Phoenix’s Classical station KBAQ both saw increases, with the latter reaching an all-time high. Detroit’s iHeartMedia AC station WNIC rose from last year to an 18.6 share, while the market’s Classical/Jazz station WRCJ surged to more than double its previous share. “The holiday season always brings a mix of changes in radio listening habits,” said one industry analyst.
“It’s interesting to see the shifts in different genres and markets across the country.”
The Nielsen Audio PPM ratings offer a snapshot of listener preferences and trends as the holiday season kicks into gear. With two more days of data yet to be released, the radio industry will be watching closely to see how these numbers continue to evolve.