Sunday, September 12, 2021
August 2021 PPM Data – Information for the August 2021 ratings period has been released for Portland; Charlotte; San Antonio; Sacramento; Pittsburgh; Salt Lake City; Las Vegas; Orlando; Cincinnati; Cleveland; Kansas City; and Columbus.
Nielsen Audio’s August 2021 sweep covered July 22 – August 18.
Mike Kinosian provides “Takeaways” for spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top twenty. He also cites each particular city’s #1 station (6+) and loftiest (6+) upticks and drop-offs.
All comparisons noted are July 2021 – August 2021 (6+).
PORTLAND
News/Talk: Alpha Media’s KXL “FM 101 News” 5.5 – 5.2, -.3, repeats in fourth-place
iHeartMedia-owned KEX “News Radio 1190” 2.2 – 2.5, +.3, steady at #18
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Alpha Media-owned KXTG “750 The Game” 1.3 – 1.7, +.4, #21 to #20
Public Radio News/Talk: Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB 8.2 – 8.1, -.1, #1
Number One 6+: Oregon Public Broadcasting public radio news/talk KOPB, eighth month in a row, 8.2 – 8.1, -.1
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase (Tie): hot AC KRSK; CHR KBFF; and jazz KMHD (+.6)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: country KWJJ (-.9)
CHARLOTTE
News/Talk: Radio One-owned WBT AM & WBT-FM “Charlotte’s News Talk” 3.8 – 4.0, +.2, ninth to tenth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WFNZ “Sports Radio The Fan” flat at .8, remains at #18
Public Radio News/Talk: University Radio Foundation-owned WFAE 3.5 – 3.6, +.1, repeats at #11
South Carolina Educational Television Commission’s WNSC .6 – .5, -.1, #19 to #20
Number One 6+: Radio One urban-rhythmic oldies WOSF, first month, 5.5 – 6.2, +.7
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: urban-rhythmic oldies WOSF (+.7)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: classic rock WRFX (-1.3)
SAN ANTONIO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WOAI “News Radio 1200” 4.5 – 5.2, +.7, tenth to fifth
Alpha Media-owned KTSA “Stay Connected” flat at 1.5, #17 to #19
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Texas Public Radio’s KSTX 4.5 – 3.7, -.8, #10 to #11
Number One 6+ (Tie): Cox Media Group classic hits-oldies KONO-FM, eighth consecutive month, 7.9 – 7.7, -.2 and co-owned hot AC KSMG, first month, 6.5 – 7.7, +1.2
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: hot AC KSMG (+1.2)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: CHR KXXM (-.7)
SACRAMENTO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned KFBK-AM & KFBK-FM “News 1530 AM & 93.1 FM” steady at 8.7, #1 and cluster-mate KSTE “Talk 650” 3.2 – 3.6, +.4, #13 to #10
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: Capital Public Radio’s KXJZ 4.9 – 5.4, +.5, anchored in seventh-place
Number One 6+ (Tie): news/talk KFBK AM & KFBK-FM, second month in a row, unchanged at 8.7 and Audacy classic rock KSEG, first month, 8.2 – 8.7, +.5
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: adult contemporary KBEB (+1.0)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: country KNCI (-1.8)
PITTSBURGH
News/Talk: Audacy’s KDKA-AM “News Radio 1020 AM” 4.9 – 5.4, +.5, sixth to fifth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan All Sports All The Time” (Pirates) 6.7 – 8.2, +1.5, fourth to third
Public Radio News/Talk: Pittsburgh Community Broadcasting’s WESA 3.0 – 3.1, +.1, #12 to #11
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia rock WDVE, third consecutive month, 11.1 – 9.6, -1.5
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: news/talk KDKA-FM (+1.5)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: rock WDVE (-1.5)
SALT LAKE CITY
News/Talk: Bonneville-owned KSL “News Radio” 6.9 – 6.8, -.1, repeats in third-place
iHeartMedia’s KNRS-AM & KNRS-FM “Talk Radio” flat at 5.0, remains at #7
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Utah’s KUER 4.7 – 5.0, +.3, eighth to seventh
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia classic hits-oldies KODJ first month, 7.2 – 7.6, +.4
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: classic hits-oldies KODJ (+1.5)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: classical KBYU (-1.6)
LAS VEGAS
News/Talk: Audacy’s KXNT “News Talk 840” 1.7 – 1.8, +.1, anchored at #20
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: None in the top twenty
Number One 6+: Beasley Media Group classic hits-oldies KKLZ, fifth consecutive month, 7.1 – 7.4, +.3
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: Spanish adult hits KWID (+1.1)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: contemporary Christian KSOS (-.9)
ORLANDO
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1” 6.1 – 5.9, -.2, continues in seventh-place
Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” 1.9 – 2.2, +.3, #15 to #16
iHeartMedia’s WFLF “Orlando News Radio” 1.2 – 1.9, +.7, #19 to #17
Spanish News/Talk: Star Over Orlando’s WRSO “Acción 97.9” flat at 1.4, #18 to #20
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WYGM “96.9 The Game” 1.2 – 1.7, +.5, unchanged at #19
Public Radio News/Talk: Community Connections’ WMFE flat at 3.2, #13 to #11
Number One 6+: Audacy classic hits-oldies WOCL, eighth successive month, 10.2 – 7.5, -2.7
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: country WWKA (+3.1)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: classic hits-oldies WOCL (-2.7)
CINCINNATI
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WLW “700 Cincinnati’s News Radio” (Reds) 13.1 – 14.1, +1.0, #1 and cluster-mate WKRC “55 KRC The Talk Station” 4.6 – 4.7, +.1, sixth to fifth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: iHeartMedia’s WCKY “ESPN 1530” .6 – .8, +.2, flat at #19
Public Radio News/Talk: Cincinnati Public Radio-owned WVXU 4.3 – 4.1, -.2, eighth to ninth
Number One 6+: iHeartMedia news/talk WLW fifth successive month, 13.1 – 14.1, +1.0
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: news/talk WLW (+1.0)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: adult contemporary WRRM (-.6)
CLEVELAND
News/Talk: iHeartMedia’s WTAM “News Radio 1100” (Indians) 7.9 – 6.4, -1.5, fourth to seventh
News: iHeartMedia-owned WMMS-HD2 “BIN 99.1 Because Truth Matters” .1 – .2, +.1, steady at #19
Sports Talk: Audacy’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” 2.6 – 3.3, +.7, #12 to #10
Public Radio News/Talk: Ideastream-owned WCPN 2.2 – 2.8, +.6, unchanged at #13
Kent State University’s WKSU .5 – .9, +.4, #17 to #16
Number One 6+: Audacy classic rock WNCX second straight month, 10.7 – 10.2, -.5
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: urban AC WZAK (+.9)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: news/talk WTAM (-1.5)
KANSAS CITY
News/Talk: Audacy’s KMBZ-FM “98.1 FM News, Traffic, Weather” 5.8 – 5.2, -.6, remains at #4 and cluster-mate KMBZ-AM “Talk 980 AM” flat at 1.0, steady at #20
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Audacy-owned KCSP “Sports Radio 610 Our Teams, Our Town” (Royals) 2.6 – 2.8, +.2, carries on at #16
Public Radio News/Talk: University of Missouri’s KCUR 6.0 – 5.3, -.7, anchored in third-place
Number One 6+: Cumulus Media classic hits-oldies KCMO-FM, second successive month, 9.1 – 9.4, +.3
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: alternative KCJK (+.8)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: country WDAF (-1.2)
COLUMBUS
News/Talk: iHeartMedia-owned WTVN “News Radio 610” 5.9 – 6.7, +.8, sixth to fourth
News: None in the top twenty
Sports Talk: Tegna’s WBNS-FM “97.1 FM The Fan” 6.3 – 5.6, -.7, fourth to sixth and cluster-mate WBNS-AM “ESPN 1460 AM” .5 – .6, +.1, flat at #16
Public Radio News/Talk: Ohio State University’s WOSU 7.8 – 8.1, +.3, second to first
Number One 6+: Ohio State University public radio news/talk WOSU, first month, 7.8 – 8.1, +.3
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Increase: adult contemporary WSNY (+1.0)
Largest 6+ July 2021 – August 2021 Decrease: country WCOL (-2.0)
Up next: August 2021 overviews for Austin; Raleigh; Indianapolis; Milwaukee; Nashville; Providence; Norfolk; Jacksonville; West Palm Beach; Greensboro; Memphis; and Hartford.
Email Mike Kinosian at Mike.Kinosian@gmail.com.
Category: Ratings Takeaways