October 7.cwk

Airwaves: October 7, 2011

KIIS-FM tops September Arbitrons

Continuing a truly impressive reign of leadership, KIIS-FM once again took the top spot the top-40 station is so used to holding in the September Arbitron ratings released last week. KIIS has been at the top so long, I cannot remember offhand when they did not hold the position.

But that’s not the whole story. Rather than knocking out the competition they, and competitor Amp Radio, seem to be bringing listeners into the fold. Or maybe the story is switched ... instead of hurting KIIS on the way up, Amp Radio is actually helping. Regardless, both stations had their highest ratings in recent history, KIIS with it’s 1st place 5.6 share of the audience, Amp with a 3rd place 4.6.

Proving that they are, indeed, one of the best-programmed stations in Los Angeles with a strong lineup of hosts and an on-air identity that can’t be beat, KFI also earned its highest rating in years, 2nd place with a 5.3 share. I heard someone recently describe KFI as a top-40 station that happens to play talk, and I agree. It is one of the best sounding stations as far as tight formatics I have heard since KIIS-FM -- or top-40 KFI -- of the 1980s.

And if you want to do just a little math, the on-line stream of KFI earned a 0.2 share ... added to the main signal, KFI is at 5.5 ... just shy of a first place finish.

KOST hung in at 4th place, but it wasn’t exactly pretty. Could the marathon DJ shifts and the obvious other cost-cutting be taking its toll? Hard to tell right now but the reality is that the station suffered its second straight monthly decline and at a 3.7 share tie with KRTH finds itself almost a full point down from the 4.6 it saw in July.

Is it the Rick Dees influence affecting Hot 92.3? Written off by many prior to his arrival, the station now stands firmly in the top 10, this time tied with The Wave at 8th place with a 3.4 share of the audience.

Go Country continued its rise to the top-10, coming in at 10th with a 3.2 share. This is another example of a well-programmed station with a great on-air image combined with a superb modern Country music selection. As you know, it is one of my personal favorites.

Just one-tenth of a share now separates classic rock leader KLOS and challenger The Sound. For the month, KLOS was tied with Spanish KSCA at 16th place with a 2.5 share; The Sound was in 18th at 2.4.

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:

1. KIIS-FM (5.6) 2. KFI (5.3) 3. KAMP - Amp Radio (4.6) 4. KOST, KRTH (3.7) 6. KLVE (3.6) 7. KPWR - Power 106 (3.5) 8. KHHT - Hot 92.3, KTWV - The Wave (3.4) 10. KKGO - Go Country 105 (3.2)

11. KBIG - My FM, KCBS-FM - Jack, KNX (2.9) 14. KRCD, KROQ (2.8) 16. KLOS, KSCA (2.5) 18. KSWD - The Sound (2.4) 19. KLAX, KYSR (2.3)

21. KBUE (2.2) 22. KXOL (2.1) 23. KPCC (2.0) 24. KFSH (1.7) 25. KDAY, KUSC (1.5) 27. KDLD, KHJ, KSSE, KXOS (1.3)
31. KABC, KLYY (1.0) 33. KJLH (0.9) 34. KTLK (0.8) 35. KKJZ, KRLA, KSPN, KWIZ (0.7) 39. KCRW, KJLL - Playlist 92.7, KLAC (0.6)

42. KFWB, KWKW (0.5) 44. KCEL, KGGI, KKLA, KLAA, KOLA, KTNQ (0.3) 50. KCAQ, KDIS, KFI Stream, KFRG, KLTX, KMRO, KSFV, KWVE (0.2) 58. KGBB, KGMX, KMYI, KPFK, KQAV, KOCL, XPRS, XTRA (0.1)

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