Tampa Ratings March 2026

[DToTheJ]

The Dove extends their lead by over a full ratings point. The Joy is 2nd but has dropped almost 2 points since January. Is the Bay Area finally discovering the new 98.7 K-Love? I guess we'll never know since WKVZ doesn't subscribe.

Q105 remains in 4th place. Remember a couple of years ago when they were in 2nd place? Then they slid so far down the rankings they were the lowest-rated English commercial station in the market at one point (that honor goes to Wild these days).

So has the move to 95.7 FM helped WDAE? Well, they went from 3.0 in February to when the change was implemented, to a 3.4 in March. If the Rays have something to play for this year, DAE may find themselves in the Top 10.

And The Vibe has been slowly trending up since December. A far cry from when they first hit the scene, but higher nonetheless.

Thoughts?

Tampa/St. Petersburg

Nielsen Audio PPM Monthly Ratings Tampa/St. Petersburg/Clearwater (Market #16) Population: 3,006,600 Black: 370,500 – Hispanic: 627,100 Average Quarter Hour Share for Persons 6+, Mon-Sun 6AM-Mid All ratings are Copyright © 2005-2024 The Nielsen Company. All rights reserved. Nielsen radio...

radioinsight.com

 

[RMarino]

I never thought I’d see the day when Maxima has a higher share than WQYK.

Of course Maxima likely benefited from Rumba’s signal change (which lost almost its entire audience). Also WAMA and WTIS are no-shows this time, when they usually hover around a 1 share.

 

[WLCY/WALT]

I never thought I’d see the day when Maxima has a higher share than WQYK.

Of course Maxima likely benefited from Rumba’s signal change (which lost almost its entire audience). Also WAMA and WTIS are no-shows this time, when they usually hover around a 1 share.

Rumba is now on 3 frequencies. How can its audience be accurately measured?

 

[billalm]

All 3 signals put out the same digital code or whatever the meters are "hearing". Rumba is officially registered in the ratings as WDAE-HD3 which includes the 95.3 and 102.9. It doesn't matter which frequency they're listening too... it's combined into one "rating" score.

 

[davideduardo]

Rumba is now on 3 frequencies. How can its audience be accurately measured?

Each signal has separate PPM encoding, and the station selected “single line reporting” with Nielsen. In that situation, all the. Listening to the sum of each of the signals is reported under one station which has been selected as the “master” or lead station for the combo.

 

[davideduardo]

All 3 signals put out the same digital code or whatever the meters are "hearing".

Not so. Each signal has a separe code and encoder. The stations selected “single line reporting” so that the sum of all three appears as one listing, the same way they sell advertising.

Rumba is officially registered in the ratings as WDAE-HD3 which includes the 95.3 and 102.9. It doesn't matter which frequency they're listening too... it's combined into one "rating" score.

Correct, but each one, including HD channel, has its own code. Nielsen then combines them.

 

[WLCY/WALT]

Not so. Each signal has a separe code and encoder. The stations selected “single line reporting” so that the sum of all three appears as one listing, the same way they sell advertising.

Correct, but each one, including HD channel, has its own code. Nielsen then combines them.

It seems somewhat unlikely that Rumba would have lost almost all its audience when it was moved out of 95.7 HD1; however, their playlist is undistinguishable from that of ElZol97.1 or Maxima92.5, so anything is possible. Mega 101.1, Ritmo 101.9 and SuperQ 106.7 ara also after much of the same audience.

 

[101.9 La Kalle]

It seems somewhat unlikely that Rumba would have lost almost all its audience when it was moved out of 95.7 HD1; however, their playlist is undistinguishable from that of ElZol97.1 or Maxima92.5, so anything is possible. Mega 101.1, Ritmo 101.9 and SuperQ 106.7 are also after much of the same audience.

El Zol, Maxima and Rumba seem to share the same playlist, targeting 18-34 Hispanics I presume. Mega, Ritmo and Super Q target more older audiences, but Mega is more of a soft AC as opposed to Ritmo and Super Q.