According to Radio Research Consortium’s analysis of news/talk and all-news radio stations in Nielsen’s PPM markets during Nielsen’s October survey (covering Sept. 12-Oct. 9), it may come as no surprise that the market boasting the largest news share during this Presidential election-driven news cycle is Washington, D.C.
For D.C., close to half (46%) of its 25.4 total news share – based on persons 6+ for Monday-Sunday 6am to midnight – comes from the market’s top station, news/talk pubcaster WAMU, with an 11.8 share. The importance of listeners to news formats in D.C. really comes through taking into account second-ranked Hubbard Radio all-news WTOP, which, combined with WAMU accounts for 82% of the market’s total news share.
Overall, RRC’s analysis of 45 PPM markets shows that AM news/talk stations led in 23, or 51%, of those markets, while public radio news stations such as WAMU were number one in 18, or 40%. Compared to Nielsen’s August survey, total news station shares are up 2% in the October book.
Ranking second following D.C. is Milwaukee, where iHeartMedia “News/Talk 1130” WISN rules with a 15.3 share, responsible for 67% of the market’s 23.0 total news share. Coming in third with a 19.2 news share is Boston, where iHeart’s WBZ-AM’s 5.5 accounts for 29% of that total.
It’s worth noting that only five of Nielsen’s top 10 radio markets finish in the top 10 based on total news station share. Aside from D.C. and Boston, San Francisco, New York and Atlanta rank fifth, sixth, and eighth, respectively. Aside from Chicago placing 19th, the remaining four markets display massive under-delivery for news-based stations, with Los Angeles 28th, Philadelphia 34th, Dallas 37th, and Houston 41st.
Along with Milwaukee, which ranks 43rd among Nielsen’s radio markets, three others in RRC’s news share top 10 significantly over-deliver compared to their market ranks: Cincinnati (ranked 33rd), Austin (29), and Sacramento (28). Add to that the three markets tied for 11th with a 15.0 total news share: Jacksonville, FL (46), Providence, RI (44), and Salt Lake City (27).