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Airwaves: May 5, 2006

Spanish Radio Rocks

The growing popularity of spanish-language radio, as well as some refinements in Arbitron's methodology, have combined to give the spanish stations three of the top-five -- and five of the top-ten positions in the Winter Arbitron ratings released last week.

A strong showing by KIIS-FM gave the hit station the number one spot with a 4.9 share of the audience, but biting at its heals was spanish contemporary station KLVE at 4.8, followed by regional Mexican formats on KLAX (4.3) and KSCA (4.2). Talker KFI rounded out the top-five with a 4.0.

A regional Mexican simulcast, KBUE and KBUA, came in seventh with a 3.6, while the spanish oldies format of simulcast KRCD and KRCV was tied at ninth place with Jack-FM at 3.4. That's the highest combined showing for spanish stations ever in Los Angeles.

KFI was the hot talker in town as usual, but KABC worked its way back to the number two position in the format, though it was in 17th overall with a 2.3 share. How is that possible? Easy: KLSX lost most of its audience when Howard Stern left for Sirius, and it dropped all the way to 24th with a 1.5, the lowest rating 97.1 has had since, well, maybe ever. Liberal talker KTLK tied with conservative talker KRLA with a 1.0 share and 29th place, effectively canceling each other out ... just as my wife's votes cancel out mine in general elections.

Country KZLA held on at 1.8, the sports stations all stayed under 1.0, and KKGO finally started showing some growth now that it's the exclusive standards station in town, doubling its Fall rating of 0.3. Can KKGO grow more with a limited signal? Time will tell.

The full story: 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.

Station: Fall-Winter

KIIS-FM: 4.1-4.9; KLVE: 4.3-4.8; KLAX: 3.3-4.3; KSCA: 3.8-4.2; KFI: 4.0-4.0; KOST: 4.4-3.8; KBUE/KBUA: 2.6-3.6; KROQ: 3.9-3.5; Jack-FM: 2.9-3.4; KRCD/KRCV: 2.1-3.4

The Wave: 3.2-3.3; Power 106: 3.5-3.2; KXOL: 3.6-3.2; K-EARTH: 2.7-2.7; Hot 92.3: 2.8-2.4; KSSE: 2.2-2.4; KABC: 2.4-2.3; KBIG: 2.3-2.1; The Beat: 2.4-1.9; KLOS: 2.1-1.9

KZLA: 1.7-1.8; KNX: 1.7-1.6; Star 98.7: 1.8-1.6; KLSX (Free-FM): 2.2-1.5; K-MOZART: 1.5-1.5; KJLH: 1.6-1.4; KFWB: 1.2-1.3; KLYY: 1.2-1.3; KHJ: 0.8-1.0; KRLA: 0.8-1.0

KTLK: 0.7-1.0; KFSH: 0.7-0.8; KTNQ: 0.6-0.8; KLAC: 0.6-0.7; KDAY: 0.9-0.6; KKGO/XSUR: 0.3-0.6; KTLX: 0.4-0.6; KWIZ: 0.6-0.6; KWVE: 0.6-0.6; KDLD/KDLE: 0.5-0.5

KKLA: 0.6-0.5; KSPN: 0.8-0.5; KWKW: 0.4-0.4; KGGI: 0.3-0.3

This Just In

Phil Hendrie is leaving radio to focus on television. His last original broadcast will be June 23rd at 7 PM on KLAC. More details as they develop.

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Copyright © 2006 Richard Wagoner and The Copley Press.

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