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Radio AM to FM: July 27, 2001

Spring Arbitrons

A big jump from KROQ (106.7 FM) did what some thought impossible: brought the alternative rock station to the top-spot in the Los Angeles Spring Arbitron ratings released last week, marking for the first time in recent memory that an English-language radio station has led the ratings race.

For the quarter, KROQ was up to 5.1 from 4.5; KPWR (105.9 FM) was also up -- to 4.8 from 3.9 -- good for a second-place tie with KSCA (101.9 FM) which was flat.

KRTH (101.1 FM) was down a notch to 3.0 from Winter's 3.1, but still held onto the oldies lead with an 11th-place tie with former Spanish music leader KLAX (97.9 FM). KCBS-FM (Arrow 93.1 FM), was up slightly to 2.4 from 2.2 and 16th place. KLAX, for its part, had a huge jump from 2.1 to 3.0 -- the highest rating it has earned in over a year.

Spring and Summer must be good months for FM talk radio, as KLSX (97.1 FM) had its highest rating since it played music with a 2.5 share, up from 2.1. Last time KLSX was this high was last Summer when it had a 2.4.

KABC (790 AM) -- the station that invented talk radio in Los Angeles -- rebounded slightly from its miserable showing last quarter with a 1.9 share, up from 1.8. KRLA (870 AM) wasn't far behind, with a flat 1.3 share. Interestingly, the station that was once called KRLA but is now sports-talk KSPN (1110 AM) didn't show in the ratings at all ... Of course neither did competitor KMPC (1540 AM).

The news was not so good for all-news stations KNX (1070 AM) and KFWB (980 AM). For the quarter, KNX was down half a point to 2.2, while KFWB was declined 0.4 to 1.7. Perhaps people are getting their news from the many talk stations; maybe there aren't any big breaking news stories. Maybe its time for the return of Color Radio Channel 98 ...

In spite of a signal that makes it impossible to receive throughout most of Los Angeles Metro, Orange County's KMXN (Cool 94.3 FM) earned a 0.3 share, up an infinite amount from last quarter's 0.0 (a little math humor there). If that doesn't show that people are fed up with LA music stations, I don't know what does. Somehow we need to get a better signal for Cool along with a station for former Mix 95.9 programmer Craig Carpenter to program in Los Angeles. Then I'd be a happy camper.

Each rating is an estimate of the percentage of listeners aged 12 and over tuned to a station between the hours of 6 am and 12 midnight. The full story:

Station: Winter-Spring

KROQ: 4.5-5.1

KPWR: 3.9-4.8

KSCA: 4.8-4.8

KIIS/KAVS: 4.6-4.7

KLVE: 4.6-4.3

KFI: 3.1-3.6

KKBT: 3.6-3.4

KTWV: 3.8-3.3

KOST: 3.7-3.2

KYSR: 2.5-3.2

KLAX: 2.1-3.0

KRTH: 3.1-3.0

KBUA/KBUE: 3.0-2.6

KCMG: 2.3-2.6

KLOS: 2.7-2.6

KBIG: 2.5-2.5

KLSX: 2.1-2.5

KCBS-FM: 2.2-2.4

KZLA: 2.9-2.3

KNX: 2.7-2.2

KABC: 1.8-1.9

KFWB: 2.1-1.7

KJLH: 1.7-1.7

KLAC: 1.4-1.6

KRLA: 1.3-1.3

KLYY: 1.6-1.2

KMZT: 1.6-1.2

KRCD/KRCV: 1.3-1.2

KSSC/KSSD/KSSE: 1.6-1.2

KXOL: 0.0-1.2

KHJ: 1.5-0.9

KTNQ: 1.0-0.9

KBLA: 0.8-0.8

KFSH: 0.6-0.6

KKLA: 0.5-0.6

KWKW: 0.5-0.6

KXTA: 0.4-0.6

KLTX: 0.4-0.5

KWVE: 0.6-0.5

XTRA: 0.5-0.5

KDIS: 0.5-0.4

KMXN: 0.0-0.3

KWIZ: 0.4-0.3

Ratings are Copyright 2001 Arbitron. May not be reproduced without prior written permission of Arbitron.

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Copyright © 2001 Richard Wagoner and The Copley Press.

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