Nielsen begins its monthly release of PPM ratings with today’s Day 1 update including New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston/Galveston, Atlanta, Philadelphia, Long Island, Riverside/San Bernardino, San Jose, and Middlesex/Somerset/Union.

All the numbers can be found at RadioInsight.com/Ratings.

Among the numbers of note for the October monthly:

• If anybody ever asks about why radio stations start playing Christmas music in early to mid-November, these numbers should answer any remaining doubts. As Nielsen works on a 13 month calendar of 4 weeks each this December monthly runs from November 7 until December 4 yet you can still see the huge gains provided by holiday music.
• In New York, iHeartMedia AC “106.7 Lite-FM” WLTW retains its market lead but rises from a 7.1 share all the way to a 9.6.
• Thanks to the demise of 95.5 WPLJ’s Hot AC format earlier this year, Entercom Hot AC “New 102.7” WNEW has seen consistent gains and this month surged from 11th to 6th in the market with a 3.4 to 4.1 gain.
• iHeartMedia AC 103.5 KOST Los Angeles uses Christmas music to rise from second with a 5.2 share to first at a 9.3.
• iHeartMedia AC “93.9 Lite-FM” WLIT Chicago doubled its audience as it jumps 4.7 to 9.5 to take its usual spot atop the market at the end of the year.
• The fall has not been friendly to Hubbard Hot AC “101.9 The Mix” WTMX Chicago with a three month trend of 5.5 – 4.4 – 3.4. That movement has seen WTMX fall from the market lead in the October monthly to tenth in December.
• Both Country outlets in Chicago have fallen under a 2.0 share as Entercom’s “US 99” WUSN falls 2.2-1.9, while iHeartMedia’s “Big 95.5” WEBG holds at a 1.5 share.
• The gains were not as significant in San Francisco where Bonneville AC 96.5 KOIT rose 3.5 to 4.8 to move into third place behind the usual leaders News 740 KCBS/106.9 KFRC and Public News/Talk 89.3 KQED with their 7.8 and 7.5 shares respectively.
• iHeartMedia AC “Star 102.1” KDGE Dallas used Christmas music to rise to third with a 3.8 to 6.0 gain behind sister CHR “106.1 Kiss-FM” KHKS and its 5.7 share and Salem Christian AC 94.9 KLTY’s 5.3. KLTY also made the move to Christmas music, but not until the final week of the monthly on the day after Thanksgiving.
• iHeartMedia AC “Sunny 99.1” KODA Houston rose 5.8 to 7.8 to move into the market lead.
• Atlanta is one of the markets where early Christmas music has not become a major tradition. Salem Christian AC “104.7 The Fish” WFSH-FM has made the move in recent years and is rewarded with a 3.9 to 4.8 gain to move into eighth place overall.
• With Cumulus relaunching Country “Kicks 101.5” WKHX Atlanta as “New Country 101.5” on the second week of the monthly, the station continues its upward trend 2.4 – 3.0 – 3.3. During the same timeframe, iHeartMedia Country “94.9 The Bull” WUBL drops 4.3 – 3.8 – 3.7.
• Entercom AC “B101.1” WBEB Philadelphia returns to the market lead with a 5.4 to 8.9 gain. Co-owned Sports 94.1 WIP was not as lucky as it fell from first to third with an 8.2 – 6.7 drop. Beasley Media Classic Rock 102.9 WMGK held in second with a 7.5 share.
• A pair of stations saw big Christmas gains on Long Island. iHeart’s WLTW New York rose 3.2 – 6.7 to move into first, while Connoisseur Media Hot AC 97.5 WALK-FM rose to second with a 4.9 – 6.1 gain.

The December 2019 ratings releases will continue with Day 2 on Thursday, December 26.