WAMU IS WASHINGTON, DC’S T-O-P NEWS STATION, AGAIN

In the December 2018 Nielsen Audio PPM ratings, WAMU moved back into first place in average-quarter-hour (AQH) share, the place where they were two years ago. 

In the three-station news/talk competition, commercial all-news WTOP was the top news/talk station in estimated weekly listeners.

WTOP is typically the leading commercial radio station in the nation, as measured by advertising revenue. 

WTOP billed over $68,000,000 in 2017, the most recent data available. They are owned by Hubbard Broadcasting, a privately-held company that has become one of the nation’s leading commercial broadcasters.

As you can see in the six-month trend chart on the left, WAMU climbed its way back by increasing AQH share month by month.

Note that even as WAMU’s share grew, its number of estimated weekly listeners fell during the same period. 

This means that even though fewer people listened to WAMU, those that did listened for longer periods of time and/or tuned in my frequently. In today’s multi-channel, multi-platform world, loyal and engaged listeners are the most valuable asset in broadcast radio.

We also included data for WMAL AM/FM, a commercial conservative talk station owned by Cumulus Media. Conservative talk is a lucrative commodity in the nation’s capital.

WTOP recently ventured into long-form programming by launching a new podcast limited series, Going Under: The Story of Tangier Island.  

Going Under is a five-episode series that tells the story of Tangier, a small isolated island in the middle of Chesapeake Bay. 

There about 400 residents and they speak in a unique English dialect. Tangier Island is newsworthy because rising water levels threaten its future.

DECEMBER 2018 PPM MARKETS

WAMU is one of three DC-area noncommercial stations that subscribe to Nielsen's PPM rating.

Locally owned WGTS is one of country’s most successful Contemporary Christian music (CCM) stations.

Classical WETA will be featured in an upcoming Spark News special about the enduring appeal of classical music on the radio.

In the New York December PPM ratings, WNYC-FM further secured its position as the noncom station leader. 

The station’s one-month jump from a 3.0 AQH share to a 3.6 AQH share demonstrates the same engaging qualities as WAMU. 

Simply put, the loyalty of NPR News listeners is growing in these two markets.

WKLV, New York’s K-Love repeater, had a big boost in audience from November to December. 

For a chuckle, check out WBAI’s pathetic performance.   

In a normal business situation, WBAI’s PPM numbers would lead to to firing everyone involved in the station's management

Pacifica’s KPFK is doing better than their comrades in New York. 

Friends in LA tell us that the station is having fewer of the endless “save us” pledge drives.   

Memo to Maxie: If all else fails, make KPFK a national station by putting it on the bird and simulcast 24/7 on all of the other Pacfica stations.