July 15.cwk

Airwaves: July 15

July Arbitrons

The champagne must be flowing over at the Clear Channel building in Burbank, due to the fact that the company swept the top-three in the Arbitron Ratings released this week. For the month of June, KIIS-FM, KFI, and KOST earned shares of 5.4, 4.8 and 4.3 respectively. And proving that it wasn’t a fluke, they didn’t do it just for the month of June ... the three dominated the entire last quarter and then some.

That KIIS-FM is still at the top spot is even more remarkable when you consider that the competition hasn’t exactly bowed down to the leader. Amp Radio, in fact, earned its highest rating ever (4th place tie with KRTH, 4.0 share) while Power 106 was just slightly behind in 6th place with a 3.7 share. It seems top-40, or what passes for top-40 these days, is a very healthy format.

When you think talk, you think KFI. Why? KFI’s 4.8 share of the ratings is higher than all other general talk stations in town ... combined. Add in KFI’s internet streaming rating and the station hits a 5 share, the highest rating seen by a Los Angeles AM station in decades.

It was a good month for country, with Go Country continuing its ascent to 2.9 and a tie with Spanish adult hits station KRCD. Go Country has not had a down month in a long time; the staff and management must be very proud.

Sports-talk stations continue to limp along with a combined rating of 1.3 ... low enough that most station owners would have changed formats years ago had they been an individual station, especially when you consider how powerful those signals are and what they earned as music stations in the past. KSPN was the “winner” here at 0.8 and a 36th-place tie with conservative talker KRLA; KLAC followed with a 0.5 share and a tie with KTLK at 40th.

I know the question will come up, due to all the emails I still receive: what about K-Mozart, the station that until recently played a mix of oldies and standards on 1260 AM? As classical they have disappeared from the ratings list. I know from speaking with him that owner Saul Levine (who also owns Go Country) doesn’t mind. He receives letters from fans of the classical format daily and is pleased with the buzz surrounding the station and its HD Radio simulcast (105.1 HD3).

The top-rated public station? As a Bruin I hate to say this, but since UCLA has no broadcast station I suppose it is OK ... KUSC came in with a 1.8 share at 23rd place.

The full story: Each rating is an estimate of the percentage of listeners aged 6 and over tuned to a station between the hours of 6 AM and 12 Midnight as determined by Arbitron.

1. KIIS-FM (5.4) 2. KFI (4.8) 3. KOST (4.3) 4. Amp Radio (4.0) KRTH (4.0) 6. Power 106 (3.7) 7. KLVE (3.6) 8. My FM (3.5) 9. The Wave (3.3) 10. Jack-FM (3.1)

11. Hot 92.3 (3.0) 12. Go Country, KRCD (2.9) 14. KNX (2.8) 15. KLOS (2.7) 16. KROQ (2.6) 17 KLAX (2.5) 18. 98-7 (2.4) 19. KBUE, KSCA (2.3)

21. The Sound (2.1) 22. KXOL (1.9) 23. KUSC (1.8) 24. KXOS (1.7) 25. KPCC (1.6) 26. KDAY, KHJ (1.5) 28. KDLD (1.4) 29. KLYY, KSSE (1.3)

31. KABC, The Fish, KJLH (1.1) 34. KCRW (1.0) 35. KWKW (0.9) 36. KRLA, KSPN (0.8) 38. Playlist 92.7, KWIZ (0.6) 40. KLAC, KTLK (0.5)

42. KFWB, K-Jazz, KLAA, KLTX, KOLA (0.4) 47. KDIS, K-Frog, KGGI, KKLA, KSFV, KTNQ, (0.3) 53. KCAQ, KFI Stream, KTPI (0.2) 56. KGMX, KPFK, KQAV, KWVE, XEWW, XPRS (0.1)

///

To subscribe to The Daily Breeze, call (310) 540-5511