Radio AM to FM

Radio AM to FM: October 20, 2000

Summer Arbs

While Spanish music station KSCA ruled Los Angeles again in the Summer Arbitrons released last week, minor adjustments among the runners-up made for the closest ratings race in years. For the quarter, KSCA dominated with a 5.9 share of the audience, but KIIS, KLVE and KROQ all tied for second place with a 4.9 share. Rounding out the top five was KPWR, with a 4.4.

Interestingly, while many observers and listeners (judging from the mail) complain that KROQ "isn't as good as it used to be," the alternative rock station earned its highest rating ever with that 4.9, an increase of 0.4 from last Spring. KIIS, with a drop in mornings most likely related to personality Rick Dees' syndication deal, saw its overall rating drop 0.2 from Spring, a statistically insignificant amount.

KOST won the "adult contemporary" category with its 6th place 3.5 share (up from 3.1), but it doesn't really matter as competitors KYSR (3.1, up from 2.9) and KBIG (2.8, up from 2.7) are both owned by Clear Channel ... which also owns KOST.

KRTH won the oldies category, but just barely, with a 3.2 share (flat). Breathing down its back is the new and improved (signal-wise) Mega 92.3 with a 2.9 share, up from 2.3. My guess is that its nervous time once again at KRTH ... the ratings haven't been that close in almost two years.

Bad news for adult standards fans: it appears the neglect Clear Channel has shown to KLAC is finally showing up in the ratings as the station drops to a 1.5 from Spring's 2.2. I am sure that poor ratings will be offered as the reason if the station does indeed drop music for sports later this year. Speaking of sports, look for KRLA to become ESPN Radio extremely soon under new owner ABC; KRLA's ratings under what is likely the last of its talk format came in at 0.6, down from 0.8.

And why does everyone want to go sports? Why just look at the great success shown by today's current ratings leaders, KXTA and XTRA ... they both earned a 0.6 share, the same as Spring. Competitor KMPC (One on One Sports) didn't show this book.

On the strength of the Howard Stern morning show and Tom Leykis' afternoon program, KLSX was up to 2.4 from 2.1, handily beating KABC which saw a drop to 2.0 from 2.5. KFI beat both talkers, however, with its 3.0 share, a drop from Spring's 3.1.

Those numbers hide a trend that could spell trouble for KFI, however: the leader is down a half point from last Summer, and has been trending down for the last two years. If this continues, KLSX may soon surpass KFI and become the new talk champion in Los Angeles -- it already is in the "key demographics" used for advertising sales -- and I might have to say something nice about manager Bob Moore. That would be awful.

Station-Spring 2000-Summer 2000

KSCA-5.9-5.9

KIIS-5.1-4.9

KLVE-5.0-4.9

KROQ-4.5-4.9

KPWR-4.2-4.4

KOST-3.1-3.5

KRTH-3.2-3.2

KYSR-2.9-3.1

KBUA/KBUE-3.0-3.0

KFI-3.1-3.0

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KCMG (Mega)-2.3-2.9

KBIG-2.7-2.8

KKBT-2.4-2.8

KTWV-2.9-2.8

KCBS-FM-2.3-2.6

KLOS-2.3-2.5

KLSX-2.1-2.4

KZLA-2.1-2.2

KLAX-2.3-2.1

KNX-2.1-2.1

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KABC-2.5-2.0

KFWB-1.8-1.6

KMZT-1.3-1.6

KLAC-2.2-1.5

KRCD/KRCV-2.4-1.5

KSSE-1.7-1.4

KTNQ-1.8-1.4

KJLH-1.8-1.3

KHJ-1.2-1.2

KLYY-0.8-1.0

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KMJR/KNJR-(n/a)-0.7

KWVE-0.4-0.7

KBLA-0.6-0.6

KIEV-0.6-0.6

KKLA-0.5-0.6

KRLA-0.8-0.6

KWIZ-0.5-0.6

KWKW-0.5-0.6

KXTA-0.6-0.6

XTRA-0.6-0.6

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KACD/KBCD-0.6-0.5

KDIS-0.4-0.5

KFSG-0.4-0.4

KXMX-0.4-0.4

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