Chicago radio ratings: 93.9 Lite FM back on top with Christmas music

Melissa Forman

Christmas came early for WLIT 93.9-FM, which again catapulted to the top of Chicago's radio ratings with its nonstop holiday music.

Nielsen Audio figures released Monday showed the iHeartMedia adult contemporary station jumping from fifth place to first, doubling its total audience share from 4.7 to 9.5 percent.

As "Chicago's Christmas Station" for the 19th consecutive year, 93.9 Lite FM swept all four dayparts, with first-place rankings for Melissa Forman in mornings, Robin Rock in middays, Mick Lee in afternoons and the syndicated Delilah Rene in evenings.

Starting two days after 93.9 Lite FM began its Christmas music cavalcade, the latest Nielsen Audio survey ran from November 7 to December 4.

Among the month's biggest losers was Hubbard Radio hot adult-contemporary WTMX 101.9-FM, which appears to be in freefall. Since October, 101.9 The Mix plunged from first place with a 5.5 share to a tie for 10th with a 3.4 share. That's a 38 percent decline in two months.

Also on the critical list is country music, with both Entercom WUSN 99.5-FM and iHeartMedia WEBG 95.5-FM ranking in the 20s and under a 2.0 share.

Note: In accordance with Nielsen’s publishing guidelines, I cannot report actual audience shares other than those for the full week (below). For mornings, middays afternoons and evenings, I can list only their rankings — not specific shares.

Here are Chicago’s top 30 radio stations from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, as measured by Nielsen Audio from November 7 to December 4, followed by format and average quarter-hour share of listeners age 6 and older (with previous month’s share in parentheses):

1. WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 9.5 (4.7)
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM urban adult contemporary, 5.4 (5.1)
3. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM all news, 5.0 (5.1)
4. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 4.8 (5.1)
5. WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 4.7 (4.8)
6. WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 3.8 (3.8)
7. (tie) WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 3.5 (3.5); WGN 720-AM news talk, 3.5 (4.0); WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 3.5 (3.6)
10. (tie) WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 3.4 (4.1); WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 3.4 (4.4)
12. WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 3.3 (3.5)
13. WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 3.2 (3.2)
14. WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 3.1 (3.4)
15. (tie) WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip hop, 2.9 (2.9); WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 2.9 (3.1)
17. WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.7 (2.6)
18. WLS 890-AM news talk, 2.3 (2.3)
19. WGCI 107.5-FM urban contemporary, 2.2 (2.2)
20. (tie) WUSN 99.5-FM country, 1.9 (2.2); WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 1.9 (2.1); WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 1.9 (1.6)
23. WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.6 (1.9)
24. (tie) WCKL 97.9-FM contemporary Christian, 1.5 (1.2); WEBG 95.5-FM country, 1.5 (1.5)
26. WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 1.2 (1.3)
27. WSRB 106.3-FM urban adult contemporary, 1.1 (1.0)
28. (tie) WMBI 90.1-FM Christian ministry, 1.0 (1.1); WPWX 92.3-FM urban contemporary, 1.0 (1.20
30. WFMT 98.7-FM classical 0.8 (0.7)

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 morning shows from 6 to 10 a.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio:

1. WLIT 93.9-FM Melissa Forman
2. (tie) WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Felicia Middlebrooks and Pat Cassidy; WVAZ 102.7-FM Steve Harvey
4. WTMX 101.9-FM Eric Ferguson, Melissa McGurren and Brian “Whip” Paruch
5. WGN 720-AM Steve Cochran
6. (tie) WDRV 97.1-FM Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle; WLS 94.7-FM Dave Fogel and Kim Berk
8. WSCR 670-AM Mike Mulligan and David Haugh
9. WBEZ 91.5-FM “Morning Edition” and “BBC Newshour”
10. WOJO 105.1-FM Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 midday shows from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio:

1. WLIT 93.9-FM Robin Rock
2. WDRV 97.1-FM Bob Stroud
3. WLS 94.7-FM Greg Brown
4. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Cisco Cotto and Rob Hart
5. WVAZ 102.7-FM Bioncé Foxx
6. WXRT 93.1-FM Richard Milne
7. WLS 890-AM Chris Plante; Rush Limbaugh
8. WOJO 105.1-FM Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista
9. WRME 87.7-FM
10. WSHE 100.3-FM Lisa Kosty

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 afternoon shows from 3 to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio:

1. WLIT 93.9-FM Mick Lee
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM Joe Soto
3. WDRV 97.1-FM Steve Seaver and Janda Lane
4. (tie) WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding; WLS 94.7-FM Erin Carman
6. WXRT 93.1-FM Marty Lennartz
7. WBEZ 91.5-FM “All Things Considered” and “Marketplace”
8. (tie) WKSC 103.5-FM Brady Broski; WSHE 100.3-FM Jay Styles
10. WRME 87.7-FM

Here are Chicago radio’s top 10 evening shows from 7 p.m. to midnight Monday through Friday, as measured by Nielsen Audio:

1. WLIT 93.9-FM Delilah Rene
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM Chris Michaels
3. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Bob Conway
4. (tie) WLS 94.7-FM Brian Peck; WRME 87.7-FM
6. WKQX 101.1-FM Jon Manley
7. WBMX 104.3-FM Julian Jumpin’ Perez
8. (tie) WBBM 96.3-FM Julia Lepidi; WKSC 103.5-FM Jordan Foster
10. (tie) WXRT 93.1-FM Ryan Arnold; WBEZ 91.5-FM “Marketplace,” “The Daily,” “Fresh Air with Terry Gross,” “BBC Newsday,” “1A,” “BBC World Service”; WDRV 97.1-FM Phil Manicki; WGN 720-AM Justin Kaufmann; Chicago Blackhawks hockey

(Copyright © 2019 The Nielsen Company.)

Monday's comment of the day: Howard Sudberry: Give Tony Lossano’s Christmas Special podcast extravaganza a listen. And not just because my Back 2 You partner, Steve Baskerville, and I are on it. Many talented people from the radiomisfits.com podcast network. Proud to have our show on the network and can’t thank Tony enough for his creativity, hard work and loyalty.