January 2025 Ratings Update
To start a new year, a question: Is this America's Favorite Radio Station's best ever month??
The Ticket is coming off of the holiday break with a January overflowing with content and programming changes. Once you get past the Musers/Invasion hours change, consider all the sports drama that happened just in this ratings window - Cowboys, NFL Playoffs, Super Bowl, and yeah, that Luka trade.
All of that powered not only all weekday shows being #1, with double-digit shares, but includes being #1 6+ (total market), Adults 25-54, and even now #3 with Women 25-54. There's also a load of underlying data that supports the idea this may be the biggest month in the station's history, and unique for any station in a Top 10 market.
In the core demo M25-54, the station is basically 2x share points above the #2 in full week data, and as much as 3x share over the next station (KLNO or KMVK) in specific day parts.
It will be interesting to watch and see if this is one of those flair-up months (the "bigger they are harder they fall" idea) or if this is the beginning of another 2023 type run. February may be a bit lighter on the sports drama - although the Luka story will have legs, last week's very successful Ticketstock and certainly Jerry will tire of not being the headline turmoil.
Also, looking at the 1st effects of the Musers change may actually push their numbers as it may have removed the hour that was their (relative) least listened to. Invasion's adding of that 9 a.m. hour, inversely, may give them the push needed to consistently run at #1.
I get a lot of questions about the "current state of radio" or concerns over methodology, etc. - I have been a rather open and honest critic of how radio ratings are executed, both in its current format and the prior. But, the reality is all stations are swimming in the same waters, and all stations have the same access to the same content to work with. So, while I agree the overall strength of radio nationally is not what it once was (and hasn't been for years), you can only play the schedule you're handed. If you look around Top 10 markets, what The Ticket has been achieving over the last several years is unusual, and we should admire it for as long as it continues.
Just for comparison, the only other sports station in a top 10 market, in a top 10 total listenership (6+) position for January, was WIP in Philly, and Super Bowls will do that. (Boston is not out yet, and WBZ is regularly a 6+ performer). In every other Top 10 market the sports station(s) is well outside the 6+ top 10. Now, in each of these markets, the respective sports stations may do really well in their core demo (don't have that data), but that just strengthens the point that the Ticket's consistent performance in 6+ is not a common place thing.
Great to see y'all at Ticketstock!
house rule: Remember, you compare dayparts across the different stations but not a station across the dayparts. This ratings period runs from January 9- February 5, 2025.
