Tampa Ratings December 2024 - Vibe Closing In On Holiday Dove

[DToTheJ]

In an unbelievable turn of events, The Dove's first place lead is now 0.8 thanks to sister station The Vibe, which exploded to 8.5 remaining in 2nd. Mind you, this is while The Dove is in Christmas mode, which makes this all the more interesting. I honestly believe Vibe will dethrone Dove after the holidays, It's not a matter of if, but when.

Meanwhile, wake the kids and alert the neighbors - Q105 has risen from the dead! No longer the lowest rated non-public non-translator non-Hispanic FM station in the market (that honor now belongs to WBTP and its 0.5 - but since it's Sarasota, does it really matter?) Q has surged almost a full ratings point to finish in 9th place. Some of the traffic may have come from listeners who didn't much care for holiday hits - note that both The Dove and Mix actually LOST a fraction of a point heading into December! However, Joy 91.5 gained almost a point to return to the Top 5 - were they in holiday mode in November, as well?

Also, Rumba on its new signal drops almost one point, as does WFLA which, now that Trump is coming back, how will they fare moving forward?

 

[RMarino]

You may recall that Q105 also had similar increases during last year’s December and Holiday periods. That was likely caused by the anti-Christmas music crowd coming over from Mix and Dove. Then they saw a dip in January. The real question is, can Q105 hold those numbers this January?

I wouldn’t count WBTP as the lowest rated non-Spanish FM signal since it’s really a Sarasota signal mixed with a Tampa translator. That honor would go to WFLZ.

And yes I believe Joy FM was already in Christmas music mode for this period.

 

[Gregg.]

It is amazing how, in a little over a year, The Vibe has become a solid #2 station in Tampa. Cox acquired 101.5 in 1999 and tried various formats over the last quarter century. All 80s, then 80s and 90s, then Top 40 (competing with iHeart's WFLZ), then a Classic Top 40 sound in WPOI's final months. It flipped to Urban AC "The Vibe" WTBV in September of 2023. The ratings have gone up ever since.

You look back and say, why didn't anyone realize Tampa needed a full-power, professionally-run Urban AC station? It's especially puzzling that Cox owns a 100,000 watt Urban AC in nearby Orlando, WCFB, that is a solid #2 in that market. That station also uses Rickey Smiley as its syndicated morning show. Didn't anyone say "What works 75 miles to the northeast on I-4 might work here too"?

Notice in Jacksonville, Cox has also switched 106.5 from Alternative to Urban AC, also with Rickey Smiley's morning show.

 

[Huff]

In an unbelievable turn of events, The Dove's first place lead is now 0.8 thanks to sister station The Vibe, which exploded to 8.5 remaining in 2nd.

And it's #1 now where it counts (P25-54)

 

[RMarino]

You look back and say, why didn't anyone realize Tampa needed a full-power, professionally-run Urban AC station?

The opening for it may never have been as large as it was until recently. Going back 20 years, that niche was partially filled by WSJT. And before that JO 101.5 and the three Urban AC AM signals. After all of those stations went away, there was still 95.7 The Beat until it decided to skew younger about a year or two ago. It was at that point when Urban AC became wide open.

 

[DToTheJ]

Heard the open of MJ's show yesterday addressing Roxanne's departure to "be a mommy" but said there will be a "nationwide search" to find a replacement