Nielsen: Sports Format Hits A Home Run

The release of Nielsen’s October portable people meter (PPM) ratings for U.S. reveals that 2014’s record-setting fall for the All Sports format was not a one-year fluke. Instead, 2015 may be another record-breaking year before the season ends. In fact Nielsen reports, October was a good month for spoken word in general, following the annual seasonal listening trends that see Sports, News/Talk and All News tick up in autumn. History reminds us that the run-up to a presidential election can also swing votes on the dial. And this year is no exception: News/Talk posted its best overall month in nearly two years—a 9.4% share of all listening, which was last matched in November 2013.

However, Sports stole the show in October, jumping a full share-point among all listeners aged 6+ from 4.6% in September to 5.6%. This marks a new record for the format.

In the 25-54 demographic, October’s 6% (up from 5.1% in September) tied the record set in October and November of 2014. Fall is the yearly high point for this radio format thanks to baseball pennant races and playoffs and the return of football. Audiences spike again around the NFL playoffs and Super Bowl, and then again when baseball returns in the spring.

Other format highlights during October:

• Pop Contemporary Hit Radio (CHR) listening share fell from 8.4% to 7.4% between June and October, respectively;
• Country declined slightly from 8.2% in each of the past three months to 7.9% this month;
• Urban Contemporary dropped from last month’s record 3.7% to 3.5% this month; and
• Hot Adult Contemporary (AC) was down from July’s record 6.9% to 6.4% in October.