December 2020 PPM Data – Information for the December 2020 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 December 2020 survey period covered November 5 – December 2.

Here are highlights from spoken-word stations finishing in their respective markets’ top 20.

NEWS/TALK

• A collective +1.1 in three straight sweeps without a loss (5.9 – 6.0 – 7.0 – 7.0, 6+), Alpha Media Portland’s KXL “FM News 101 – Stay Connected” forfeits seven-tenths to 6.3 (6+) but remains in third-place.
• Repeating at #8 in Portland, iHeartMedia-owned KEX “News Radio 1190 – Depend On Us” is an overall +1.1 through four consecutive positive spikes (2.7 – 3.1 – 3.2 – 3.7 – 3.8, 6+).
• Following four successive up or flat trends that yielded a +1.5 (5.9 – 5.9 – 6.0 – 6.9 – 7.4, 6+), Entercom-owned WBT “Charlotte’s News Talk” (Carolina Panthers) surrenders seven-tenths to 6.7 (second to third, 6+).
• Four upticks in a row by iHeartMedia-owned WOAI resulted in a +2.2 (5.5 – 6.0 – 6.1 – 6.3 – 7.7, 6+), but “News Radio 1200 – San Antonio’s News, Traffic, & Weather” (Spurs) sputters by three-tenths to 7.4 (6+), concluding a November-only #1 visit (first-place tie to second).
• The collective +1.2 that iHeartMedia’s KFBK racked up in four straight improvements (7.9 – 8.0 – 8.1 – 8.5 – 9.1, 6+) evaporates with December’s -1.3 to 7.8 (6+); however, “Sacramento’s News, Weather and Traffic Station” is #1 the fourth month in a row.
• The September 2020 through December 2020 down/up/down topline for iHeartMedia Sacramento’s KSTE “Talk 650” is: 2.1 – 1.5 – 1.6 – 1.2 (#16 to #18, 6+).
• Entercom Pittsburgh’s KDKA-AM continues an alternating down/up sequence that includes December’s loss of four-tenths (6.5 – 5.1 – 5.4 – 5.0 – 5.1 – 4.8 – 5.4 – 5.0, 6+) as “News Radio 1020” drops from fifth to sixth.
• After surrendering two-tenths this time last month, Bonneville Salt Lake City’s KSL “News Radio 102.7 FM & 1160 AM” erases the deficit with a +.3 (7.2 – 7.5, 6+) and carries on in the runner-up slot.
• Six successive increases by iHeartMedia Salt Lake City’s KNRS produced a +4.2 (5.3 – 5.8 – 6.1 – 7.3 – 7.6 – 9.5, 6+), but “Talk Radio 105.9 – Listen And You’ll Know” relinquishes exactly half that windfall and after two months at #1, segues to #2 (7.4, -2.1, 6+).
• Notwithstanding that Entercom Las Vegas’ KXNT is -.6 in three straight reports without an increase (4 – 3.1 – 2.8 – 2.8, 6+), “News Talk Radio 840” advances from #15 to a three-way tie at #14.
• Beasley Media Group’s KDWN “AM 720 Where Las Vegas Comes to Talk” gains three-tenths in November/December (2.0 – 2.1 – 2.3, 6+), jumping from #20 to #17.
• Immediately after picking up two-tenths, iHeartMedia Orlando’s WTKS “Real Radio 104.1 – We Say What We Want” falters by seven-tenths (4.4 – 3.7, seventh to ninth, 6+).
• Having more than doubled (+1.6) its 6+ AQH share through three spikes in succession (1.4 – 2.6 – 2.7 – 3.0, 6+), Cox Media Group-owned WDBO “Orlando’s News Talk” regresses by three-tenths to 2.7 (6+) but remains at #12.
• Off six-tenths in November/December (2.3 – 1.9 – 1.7, 6+), iHeartMedia’s WFLF “News Radio Orlando” is flat at #16.
• Over and above continuing an alternating up/down pattern which includes December’s gain of two-tenths (9.2 – 11.5 – 10.2 – 10.5 – 9.2 – 9.4, 6+), iHeartMedia Cincinnati’s WLW (Bengals) shifts from second to first.
• Directly after logging November’s +2.3 (4.3 – 6.6, 6+), iHeartMedia-owned WKRC erodes by -1.1 to 5.5 (6+) as “55 KRC The Talk Station” dips from fourth to fifth.
• Progressing from fifth to fourth, iHeartMedia-owned WTAM “1100 Cleveland’s News Radio” (Cavaliers), which was a combined -1.6 in October/November (8.7 – 7.8 – 7.1, 6+), adds one-tenth to 2 (6+).
• Forfeiting 75% of October/November’s +1.2 (4.5 – 5.0 – 5.7, 6+) with a December -.9 to 4.8 (6+), Entercom Kansas City’s KMBZ-FM “98.1 News-Traffic-Weather” falls from sixth to eighth.
• Unchanged at #17, KMBZ-FM cluster-mate, KMBZ-AM “Talk 980,” is down a total of three-tenths in its third straight report without an increase (2.7 – 2.4 – 2.4 – 2.4, flat at #17, 6+).
• After posting four bumps in a row for an overall +1.6 (7.6 – 8.1 – 8.7 – 8.8 – 9.2, 6+), iHeartMedia Columbus’ WTVN “News Radio 610” is -1.5 in November/December (9.2 – 9.1 – 7.7, 6+), halting its November-only #1 visit (first to second).

NEWS

• Unlisted in August, September, and October, iHeartMedia Cleveland’s WMMS-HD2 notches a .1 in back-to-back reports (November, December, flat at #18, 6+) and is thus far the only Black Information Network affiliate to reach the top twenty in the December 2020 sweep.

SPORTS/TALK

• In Portland, Entercom-owned KFXX “1080 The Fan” nets a +.7 in three straight gains (1.0 – 1.3 – 1.4 – 1.7, 6+) and cracks the top twenty (#23 to #20).
• As a result of three successive sweeps without an increase, Entercom’s WFNZ “The Fan – Charlotte’s Sports Leader” (Hornets) has its 6+ AQH share sliced in half (-.9) but remains at #18 (8 – .9 – .9 – .9, 6+).
• Entercom Pittsburgh’s KDKA-FM “93.7 The Fan” posts its third gain in a row for an overall +1.6 (5.3 – 6.2 – 6.4 – 6.9, 6+) and is unchanged in fourth-place.
• After gaining six-tenths in October/November (1.3 – 1.5 – 1.9, 6+), iHeartMedia-owned WYGM “FM 96.9 The Game – Orlando’s Sports Leader” (Magic) drops two-tenths to 1.7 (6+) but stays at #16.
• Having more than doubled (+.8) its 6+ AQH share in October/November (.6 – .9 – 1.4, 6+), iHeartMedia-owned WCKY “Cincinnati’s ESPN 1530” forfeits half that boon (1.0, -.4, flat at #18, 6+).
• By dropping four-tenths to 3.3 (steady at #12, 6+), Entercom Cleveland’s WKRK “Sports Radio 92.3 The Fan” (Browns) halts at four its consecutive string of up or flat reports that resulted in a +1.6 (2.1 – 2.2 – 2.2 – 3.1 – 3.7, 6+).
• The July 2020 through December 2020 topline for Union Broadcasting’s WHB “Sports Radio 810” is: 2.9 – 2.9 – 2.4 – 2.9 – 2.7 – 2.6 (flat at #15, 6+).
• Down a combined six-tenths in November/December (2.4 – 2.2 – 1.8, 6+), Entercom Kansas City’s KCSP “610 Sports Radio” drops from #18 to #19.
• A combined +1.8 in October/November (4.4 – 5.5 – 6.2, 6+), Tegna’s WBNS-FM (Blue Jackets) falters by seven-tenths to 5.5 (fifth to sixth, 6+).
• Even though the net loss is one-tenth, Tegna Columbus’ WBNS-AM fails to record an increase the sixth time in succession (.2 – .2 – .1 – .1 – .1 – .1 – .1, flat at #16, 6+).

PUBLIC RADIO NEWS/TALK

• Despite stacking a +1.6 onto November’s +.7 (8.3 – 9.9, 6+), Oregon Public Broadcasting’s KOPB concludes a November-only #1 stay and segues to the runner-up slot.
• Continuing its alternating up/down pattern which includes December’s -.5 (3.2 – 3.4 – 2.9 – 3.2 – 3.1 – 4.2 – 3.7, 6+), University Radio Foundation Charlotte’s WFAE slips from seventh to tenth.
• Unchanged at #20, South Carolina Educational TV’s WNSC, Charlotte has an April 2020 through December 2020 topline of: .3 – .2 – .2 – .2 – .2 – .3 – .3 – .2 – .3 (6+).
• A collective +.8 via three successive up or flat trends (2.7 – 3.3 – 3.5 – 3.5, 6+), Texas Public Radio San Antonio’s KSTX drops one-tenth and one ranker (3.5 – 3.4, #10 to #11, 6+).
• On the heels of logging a +.7 this time last month, Capital Public Radio Sacramento’s KXJZ repeats November’s AQH share and market rank (5.1, #6, 6+).
• A combined -1.2 in October/November (5.1 – 4.8 – 3.9, 6+), Essential Public Media’s WESA “90.5 Pittsburgh’s NPR Station” picks up one-tenth to 4.0 (flat at #10, 6+).
• Off two-tenths this time last month, University of Utah’s KUER roars back with a +1.1 (4.6 – 5.7, seventh in Salt Lake City to fifth, 6+).
• Not only is KNPR a collective +1.2 via four straight sweeps without a loss (2.5 – 2.5 – 2.8 – 3.0 – 3.7, 6+), the Nevada Public Radio outlet cracks Las Vegas’ top ten (#12 to #8).
• In addition to being an overall +1.7 as a result of six consecutive improvements (2.3 – 2.4 – 3.1 – 3.2 – 3.3 – 3.6 – 4.0, 6+), Community Communications’ WMFE “90.7 Public Radio for Central Florida” enters Orlando’s top ten (#11 to #8).
• Six spikes in succession by Cincinnati Public Radio’s WVXU yielded a +2.5 (1.8 – 2.1 – 2.4 – 3.1 – 3.7 – 4.0 – 4.3, 6+), but “Connecting You To A World of Ideas” relinquishes 12% of that windfall (4.0, -.3, steady at #8, 6+).
• Owing to three straight gains, Ideastream Cleveland’s WCPN was an overall +1.3 (3.5 – 3.6 – 4.2 – 4.8, 6+), but the streak ends with a -.2 to 4.6 (flat at #10, 6+).
• Having more than tripled (+.5) its 6+ AQH share through six up or flat moves in succession (.2 – .2 – .4 – .4 – .4 – .5 – .7, 6+), Kent State University’s WKSU drops three-tenths to .4 (#16 to #17, 6+).
• Advancing from seventh in Kansas City to fourth, University of Missouri-owned KCUR is a combined +1.3 in November/December (4.2 – 5.2 – 5.5, 6+).
• Over and above more than doubling (+4.3) its 6+ AQH share in six consecutive positive or neutral reports (9 – 4.1 – 4.8 – 5.2 – 5.2 – 6.9 – 8.2, 6+), Ohio State University’s WOSU zooms from fourth in Columbus to first.

Category: Ratings Takeaways