Houston Radio: Top Groups Report Revenue Off In 2012

It’s not often you read a story in a general circulation newspaper concerning radio revenues, but according to the Houston Chronicle radio was off in 2012.

The six major radio groups in Houston that report revenue to the Miller Kaplan accounting firm recorded a 3.8 percent drop in revenue during 2012. The groups totaled $280 million during 2012, down from $291 million the previous year.

Clear Channel continues to be the overwhelming market leader at $92.9 million, but that was down 7.6 percent from  $100.6 million in 2011.  CBS was second at $55.3 million, down 7.2 million from $59.9 million. Cumulus totaled $17.9 million, down from $19.9 million, but remember that two of its three stations, KFNC and KHJK, were spun off in September to new owners.

Cox Radio has the largest percentage increase, moving to $28.5 million from $25.4 million a year ago, up 12.3 percent. Univision was up 2.1 percent to $43.3 million from $42.4 million, and Radio One was down 2.3 percent to $42 million from $43 million, due in large part to a large dropoff for KROI (92.1 FM).

The top five individual stations were Clear Channel’s KODA (99.1 FM) at $28.5 million, down 11 percent from a year ago; Clear Channel’s KTBZ at $24.7 million, down 8 percent; Univision’s KLTN at $22.9 million, up 5.4 percent; Radio One’s KBXX at $20.5 million, up 0.8 percent; and Clear Channel’s KTRH at $19.4 million, up 4.3 percent.

On the sports front, CBS’ KILT-AM totaled $9 million, up from $8.3 million a year ago, and Clear Channel’s KBME totaled $5.1 million, up 20.6 percent from $4.2 million last year, the second-largest increase for any station among the groups reporting to Miller Kaplan.

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