Christmas Creams 60% Of Country Stations (As IR's Mike Kinosian Does His Country Tabs)

Inside Radio offers yet another initial mixed-methodology "Inside The Numbers" scoreboard. Up first is a recap of fall-fall (2007-2008) progress of more than 50 Country outlets in top 40 metros where Arbitron still uses diary-based results followed by PPM tracking of country which is very exciting. Read this exclusive report HERE.

• In a slight irony, the smallest market in Kinosian's sample (Indianapolis) proves to be the format’s most potent locale, while the largest (Boston) comes in next to last.
• Cox Radio/Orlando’s “K92” (WWKA) is the only outlet in our Country sample notching at least a one-share fall-fall increase (+1.7).
• Approximately six of ten (59%) Country stations in our sample were down year-to-year; 39%
improved; and one station (2%) was flat.
• Typical gains were +.40 while average losses were -.66.
• One in five declines (20%) was by at least one full share.
• Clear Channel maintains a commanding lead (better than two-to-one) and, in total, is down less than one share (year-year). With the exception of KWLI/Denver, all CBS Radio Country stations listed decline fall-fall whereas all three Cox Radio Country outlets are up.
• Approximately one of three (35%) Country stations in the PPM sample were up year-to-year and 65% were down.
• Typical gains were +.45 while average losses were -.35.

Tempering the bad news was the fact that January 2009 Arbitron PPM monthly ratings also came out yesterday and there were more increases than decreases.

UP: In Los Angeles KKGO rose 2.3-2.7 (20t-17), and it's back to being America's highest cuming country station with 1,132,700 6+ listeners. CBS Radio's WUSN, Chicago is up to its highest PPM share yet with a 3.9-4.4 move. Also growing: Entercom's KBWF, San Francisco 1.9-2.6, The Wolf, Dallas, 4.5-4.9 and crosstown KSCS 4.5-4.7. WXTU, Philadelphia was up 3.5-3.9, after being down for the last three months, causing concern that ethnic treatments of the PPM panel were harming country and WXTU's cume was down again by 67,100 to just 571,600, the station's lowest PPM cume since the market converted from diaries to meters. KFRG, Riverside's cume went up 19,800 to 317,200 and The Frog's PPM share was up 4.0-4.1.

DOWN: Two out of three in Houston, as KKBQ dipped 4.0-3.3, Classic Country flew 2.0-3.2, topping KILT, which slid 2.9-2.7. KRTY, San Jose eroded 3.8-2.9 as their cume also dropped.