Chicago radio ratings: V103 widens margin of victory

posted on at by

V103

WVAZ 102.7-FM, the iHeartMedia R&B station, widened its lead over Audacy all-news WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM in the latest Nielsen Audio survey released Monday.

For the third straight month V103 was Chicago’s most popular radio station overall and was No. 1 in evenings with syndicated host Keith Sweat.

WBBM Newsradio ranked first in mornings with Pat Cassidy and in afternoons with Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding, while Hubbard Radio classic rock WDRV 97.1-FM topped middays with Bob Stroud.

V103 tied with WOJO 105.1-FM, the Univision Spanish-language Mexican regional station, for the lead in the advertiser-coveted 25-to-54 age demographic. WOJO also was first in the key demo in mornings, middays and afternoons. V103 was first in evenings.

WOJO's reign coincided with Univision Chicago WGBO-Channel 66's unprecedented first-place finish the 25-to-54 ratings for its 5 and 10 p.m. weekday newscasts in the May sweep.

Here are Chicago’s top 32 radio stations from 6 a.m. to midnight Monday through Sunday, as measured by Nielsen Audio from April 29 to May 26, followed by format and average quarter-hour share of listeners age 6 and older (with previous month’s share in parentheses):

1. WVAZ 102.7-FM R&B, 7.1 (6.9)
2. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM all news, 5.9 (6.3)
3. WLIT 93.9-FM adult contemporary, 5.8 (5.6)
4. WDRV 97.1-FM classic rock, 5.4 (5.1)
5. WBEZ 91.5-FM public radio news talk, 4.2 (4.9)
6. (tie) WOJO 105.1-FM Mexican regional, 3.8 (4.1); WTMX 101.9-FM hot adult contemporary, 3.8 (4.0)
8. WXRT 93.1-FM adult album alternative, 3.5 (3.6)
9. WGN 720-AM news talk, 3.2 (3.4)
10. WLS 94.7-FM classic hits, 3.1 (2.7)
11. WKSC 103.5-FM Top 40, 3.0 (2.8)
12. WRME 87.7-FM soft rock oldies, 2.9 (3.2)
13. (tie) WSCR 670-AM sports talk, 2.8 (2.6); WPPN 106.7-FM Spanish adult contemporary, 2.8 (2.7)
15. WBMX 104.3-FM classic hip-hop, 2.6 (2.8)
16. (tie) WUSN 99.5-FM country, 2.5 (2.2); WFMT 98.7-FM classical, 2.5 (1.9)
18. (tie) WBBM 96.3-FM Top 40, 2.2 (1.8); WLEY 107.9-FM Mexican regional, 2.2 (2.0); WSHE 100.3-FM adult contemporary, 2.2 (2.3)
21. (tie) WGCI 107.5-FM hip-hop, 2.1 (2.0); WKQX 101.1-FM alternative rock, 2.1 (2.5)
23. WLS 890-AM news talk, 1.6 (1.4)
24. WCHI 95.5-FM rock, 1.5 (1.5)
25. (tie) WMVP 1000-AM sports talk, 1.4 (1.1); WPWX 92.3-FM hip-hop, 1.4 (1.4)
27. WVIV 93.5-FM Spanish contemporary, 1.3 (1.1)
28. (tie) WCKL 97.9-FM contemporary Christian music, 1.1 (0.8); WMBI 90.1-FM Christian ministry, 1.1 (1.2)
30. (tie) WCCQ 98.3-FM country, 0.7 (0.6); WSRB 106.3-FM R&B, 0.7 (0.6); WXLC 102.3-FM hot adult contemporary, 0.7 (0.8)

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

1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Pat Cassidy
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM Steve Harvey
3. WBEZ 91.5-FM “Morning Edition”; “BBC Newshour”
4. WLIT 93.9-FM Melissa Forman
5. WDRV 97.1-FM Brian Sherman and Steve Tingle
6. WTMX 101.9-FM Eric Ferguson, Nikki Chuminatto, Brian “Whip” Paruch and Violeta Podrumedic
7. WGN 720-AM Bob Sirott
8. WOJO 105.1-FM Raúl Molinar, Carla Medrano and Andrés Maldonado
9. WSCR 670-AM Mike Mulligan and David Haugh
10. WKSC 103.5-FM Christopher “Fred” Frederick and Kristie Graybill

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. WDRV 97.1-FM Bob Stroud
2. WLIT 93.9-FM Robin Rock
3. WVAZ 102.7-FM Bioncé Foxx
4. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Cisco Cotto
5. WGN 720-AM John Williams; Anna Davlantes
6. WOJO 105.1-FM Rafael “El Primo Rafa” Bautista
7. WTMX 101.9-FM Jenny Valliere
8. WXRT 93.1-FM Lin Brehmer
9. WRME 87.7-FM
10. (tie) WSCR 670-AM Dan Bernstein and Leila Rahimi; Laurence Holmes; WBEZ 91.5-FM “1A”; “Reset”; “Fresh Air”

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

1. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Keith Johnson and Lisa Fielding
2. WVAZ 102.7-FM Joe Soto
3. WLIT 93.9-FM Mick Lee
4. WDRV 97.1-FM Steve Seaver and Janda Lane
5. WOJO 105.1-FM Sylvia del Valle
6. WTMX 101.9-FM Chris Petlak and Lisa Allen
7. WKSC 103.5-FM Brady Broski
8. (tie) WXRT 93.1-FM Marty Lennartz; WBEZ 91.5-FM “All Things Considered”; “Marketplace”
10. WBMX 104.3-FM Sean “Sonic” Leckie

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

1. WVAZ 102.7-FM Keith Sweat
2. WLIT 93.9-FM Delilah Rene
3. WBBM 780-AM/WCFS 105.9-FM Bob Conway; Andy Dahn
4. WBEZ 91.5-FM “Marketplace”; “The Daily”; “Fresh Air”; “1A”; “BBC World Service”
5. WFMT 98.7-FM
6. WBMX 104.3-FM
7. (tie) WUSN 99.5-FM Rob Stone and Holly Hutton; WTMX 101.9-FM Jordan “Dash” Orman-Weiss
9. WLS 94.7-FM Kid Kelly
10. WDRV 97.1-FM John “Byrd” Kempf

(Copyright © 2021 The Nielsen Company.)

Monday's comment of the day: Mark Mardell: We often hear the phrase "speaking truth to power," and the best way to start that conversation is through investigative journalism that digs deep to reveal abuse of power. Congratulations to the Invisible Institute!