Not to be redundant, but it’s another winning month for WLTW/Lite-FM.

The Clear Channel number one mainstay kept residence in its familiar spot with a 7.6 in the overall Arbitron ratings. That’s a .4 boost from January.

By contrast, WCBS-FM slipped to a 6.2 in the current PPM.

• Related: FishbowlNY, Radio Ratings Status Quo: WLTW Remains Number One Overall

WBLS also dropped by .2 to 5.5, while WHTZ/Z100 lost .3 to 5.1.

WINS was next with 4.7, a .2 gain. Sister station WCBS 880 also saw a .2 upgrade to 3.8.

The big news is tracking NASH-FM/WNSH, the city’s first Country station in more than 15 years. NASH in its first full ratings survey notched a 1.6. Just below NASH was ESPN’s WEPN-FM at 1.3, a drop from 1.6. More dramatically, ESPN has lost a point since November.

• Related: FishbowlNY, NASH-FM 94.7 Welcomes First Air Personalities

WFAN-FM kept its distance from its rival. But the ‘FAN, which simulcasts on 660 AM and 101.9 FM, had an uncharacteristic drop of 1.2 to 2.5 for February.

There’s more from the monthly ratings after the jump.

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The tree is now mulch and the lights are back in the attic. But the holidays aren’t over until Arbitron releases its seasonal ratings… and it has!.

Lite-FM/WLTW got a big boost from its annual Christmas programming. The Clear Channel perennial number one had an 11.3 for the holidays, up from an 8.4 in December.

By contrast, number two remains WCBS-FM, which slipped .2 to 6.6.

WBLS is still a powerhouse with new YMF owners. The Urban station stands at number three with a 5.9, although losing .2 for the book.

But Z100/WHTZ had a .5 drop to 4.6.

Spanish station WSKQ was next at 4.5, off .3 from December’s figures. Rival WXNY was also on the negative side of the ledger (.1) at 4.2.

WINS saw gains, jumping .5 to 4.2. WCBS 880 slipped .1 to 3.5.

In the sports on FM battle, WFAN is the clear winner! The original all-sports station registered a 3.1, off .1, while WEPN (ESPN)/98.7, is still trying to find its footing on FM. It scored no gains at 1.8.

Also of note, the final rating for WOR under the ownership of Buckley Radio, was 1.1, down .4.

Cumulus made waves this week with the flip to Country at 94.7. That station hasn’t made the survey yet, but the company’s WPLJ was 2.3, off .3. WABC dropped .6 to 2.2.

Connoisseur Media has lost on its claim with the FCC. Connoisseur was fighting the sale of Buckley’s WOR Radio to Clear Channel. The media company also complained about the WHTZ/Z100 license renewal.

At issue for Connoisseur was that Clear Channel and its Aloha Station Trust had not divested all of the stations placed in trust when Clear Channel went private, All Access reports. Additionally, Connoisseur contends, Clear Channel’s bid for one of the Trust stations would violate the Commission’s order.

Connoisseur asked the FCC to set a six-month deadline for divestiture.

In response, the Commission noted that the Trust is not a party to either the WOR deal or the Z100 renewal and that the evidence does not show improper influence nor control of the trust stations by Clear Channel. Furthermore, Radio Online reports, it found that Clear Channel is qualified to hold the WOR and WHTZ station licenses and that the grant of the Assignment Application is consistent with the public interest.

It’s no news that WLTW/Lite FM is the city’s top-rated station. The September Arbitron overall ratings show Lite FM increasing its audience slightly to 7.2.

However, its cushion is slipping. WCBS-FM is back in second place, within .6 of the Clear Channel mainstay. CBS’ Classic Hits offering had an impressive month, gaining .5 after dropping to third position for August.

CBS-FM leapfrogs WBLS, which took a .5 nosedive to 5.8.

As for WHTZ/Z100, a perennial Top 5 participant, is fourth but fell .6 for the month. Its sister station WKTU also went in negative territory, also lost .3 to stand at 4.7.

It’s a steady month for Spanish station WSKQ, holding at 4.2. It’s rival WXNY saw slight gains to 3.8.

Erasing the memory of WEMP and FM News, Merlin’s Alternative Rocker WRXP jumped .5 to 2.1. As a news station, WEMP never eclipsed a .6.

Among current news stations, WINS was tops with a 3.9, although down .2 for September. WCBS 880 had a .4 leap to 3.5.

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The annual Marconi Awards were presented at last night’s NAB gala in Dallas. There is a touch of New York sprinkled in the awards that recognize the best in radio.

Mike Francesa was named Major Market Personality of the Year. The WFAN afternoon host since 1989, Francesa has been solo since 2008. Last week, Francesa, 58, made news of a different kind by briefly falling asleep on the air, which was captured on the YES Network simulcast.

WFAN, which celebrated its 25th anniversary in July, was nominated as legendary station for the first time. But KSTP-FM in Minneapolis/St. Paul took home the honor.

The whirlwind 2012 continues for WBLS. It was chosen as Urban Station of the Year. ‘BLS went from bankruptcy with floundering ratings, to new found popularity with an assist from ESPN, which moved to the former spot on the dial of KISS FM /WRKS 98.7. In the most recent Arbitron ratings, WBLS took solo possession of number two.

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The big news of the August PPM is all about WBLS. The Urban Adult Contemporary station is finding new life since the ESPN/KISS FM deal in April. WBLS, now the only game in town for that format, jumped to number two, up .4 to 6.3.

Despite the great WBLS showing, WLTW continues to rule the radio roost. The Clear Channel heavyweight added a .1 to 7.0, but Lite-FM lost a chunk of its lead to ‘BLS in the latest Arbition figures.

WBLS’ good fortune means a backtracking for perennial number two, WCBS-FM. The Classic Hits station slipped into a third-place tie with WHTZ/Z100. However, the two stations got there in slightly different scenarios. CBS-FM gained .2, while Z100 lost .2 for the month.

The homecoming of WRXP to Merlin Media’s Alternative Rocker at 101.9 reaped the rewards. The station shot up a full ratings point to a 1.6.

More from the Top 10 after the jump

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Here’s a look at what FishbowlNY stories made the most buzz this week.

1. Z100 Names New Co-Host (left) for Elvis Duran‘s Morning Show, August 10
2. Fareed Zakaria Definitely Plagiarized The New Yorker, August 10
3. New York Times Public Editor Says Lolo Jones Piece Was Too Harsh, August 9
4. Clear Channel to Purchase WOR Radio, August 13
5. Helen Gurley Brown, Iconic Editor, Dead at 90, August 13
6. Kelly Ripa Gets $20 Million A Year to Act an Idiot, August 9

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Elvis Duran finally has his woman!

Bethany Watson is joining Duran’s Z100-based, nationally syndicated morning show. Watson fills the slot vacated by Carolina Bermudez, who left for WLNY’s The Couch at the end of June.

Watson comes to New York by way of Minneapolis. After graduating from the University of Minnesota, where she studied theater and improvisational comedy, Watson was working at a desk job. She decided to to contact her favorite radio show. Expediting her career path, she applied for the co-host position on The Dave Ryan in the Morning Show at KDWB. She remained with the broadcast for more than four years.

“After an exhausting worldwide search, we found her! Bethany brings lots of baggage, but the kind of baggage that makes for a fun, playful and thoughtful co-host,” Duran says. “We can’t wait to introduce her to our listeners Monday morning.”

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WFAN, which celebrated its 25th anniversary earlier this month, is nominated for a pair of Marconi Awards. The Marconis are awarded to stations and personalities for excellence in broadcasting.

WFAN gets named in the legendary station category for this first time ever.

The station is nominated with KYW-AM in Philadelphia, KFOR-AM in Lincoln, Nebraska, KSTP in St. Paul, and WBT-AM in Charlotte.

Mike Francesa, WFAN’s stalwart afternoon host, is recognized as a major market personality. Francesa, flying solo without Chris Russo (“Mad Dog”) since 2008, is the only New York personalty with a nomination.

“[We're] very happy to have finalists in two categories,” Mark Chernoff, WFAN operations manager, tells FishbowlNY.

Emmis’ Hot 97/WQHT is in the major market category, along with KPWR-FM in Los Angeles, WBBM-FM in Chicago, WMMR-FM in Philadelphia, and WTOP-FM in Washington.

Z100′s Elvis Duran and the Morning Show is nominated for Best Network/Syndicated Personality. Among the other nominees is Tom Joyner, formerly heard in New York on KISS FM/WRKS, and Fox Sports Radio’s Dan Patrick.

Winners will be announced September 20 at the NAB Marconi Radio Awards in Dallas.

The calendar says July, and next week is the Baseball All-Star Game. But don’t be fooled. Today was opening day!

A confluence of events created a trio of local morning changes.

The biggest is at independent station WLNY 10/55, now under the auspices of WCBS, which makes its first foray into daytime news.

Live from the Couch brings WCBS morning weathercaster John Elliott and sports anchor Lisa Kerney to the sofa with TV newcomer Carolina Bermudez.

The program is a mix of news, lifestyle and entertainment features. However, the accent is definitely on the lighter fare. There is the typical news and weather update on the half-hour.

Despite he fact that Bermudez comes to WLNY from her time as news reader on WHTZ/Z100, every aspect of the show is shared. Although Elliott goes to his other “day job” with the forecast.

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