Shuffle Continues Among L.A.’s Top Three in Latest Arbitron Ratings

The three top-rated Los Angeles radio stations, which have been playing musical chairs for the last year, switched places again in the latest Arbitron Ratings survey, released this week.

Winter-quarter listener preferences show KIIS-FM (102.7) and AM (1190) in the No. 1 spot, followed by all-talk KABC-AM (790) and KPWR-FM (105.9).

KIIS, which simulcasts a Top 40 format over both its AM and FM frequencies, had been in second place last fall while KPWR, another Top 40 station, was No. 1.

During the summer of 1986, KIIS was No. 1., KABC was No. 2 and KPWR No.3. The previous spring, it was KABC that was in the top spot.

The only minor surprises among the top 10 for the most recent ratings period were:

--All-news KFWB-AM (980), which climbed to sixth place ahead of arch-rival KNX-AM (1070).

KNX, which was plagued by a strike of its news writers throughout March, the final month of the ratings period, fell to 11th place in the rankings. Its sister station, easy rock music KNX-FM (93.1), fell even farther--from 23rd place to 30th. Last week, KNX-FM announced the resignation of its program director, Bill Minckler. His replacement, Andy Beaubien, starts work Monday, according to station manager Rob Nelson.

--KLSX-FM (97.1), which rose from 13th to 10th place.

KLSX, which is a very loose transmogrification of “classics,” launched a classic rock and roll format in the fall that has apparently found its audience. Until retrenching to pop music of the ‘60s and ‘70s last September, the station seemed to change call letters and formats every year. It was KBZT last summer--attracting less than half the audience it has now--and it was KHTZ before that.

When KMET-FM (94.7) became KTWV-FM, “the Wave,” in February, several of the KMET veteran rock deejays, such as Jim Ladd and Dr. Demento, migrated to KLSX. In a move designed to draw even further on the former KMET listeners, KLSX management has begun regular promotional ads featuring the voices of the KMET alumni and a promise that the classic rock pioneered on KMET in the ‘70s will continue to be heard on KLSX.

Meanwhile, at KTWV, the Arbitron ratings are up .3% and station management is cautiously claiming that “the Wave’s” mix of “new age” jazz and soft rock is a success (see accompanying story).

At KPWR, promotion director Howard Freshman said that ratings for “shock jock” Jay Thomas had dipped from 5.5 in the previous ratings period to 5.1 this time, but that they are still well above what the station was getting in the morning drive-time slot prior to his hiring. Thomas has been the subject of increased attention since the Federal Communications Commission said last week that it would be cracking down on what it considered “indecent” radio programming.

The following is the winter-quarter ranking of Los Angeles stations as measured by Arbitron, followed by their market share. Market share is defined by Arbitron as the average percentage of radio listeners tuned to a station at a particular time. Stations’ ranking and market share for the fall quarter are shown in parentheses.

1--KIIS-FM & AM: 6.4 (No.2: 6.3)

2--KABC-AM: 6.1 (No.3: 5.4)

3--KPWR-FM: 5.7 (No.1: 6.5)

4--KOST-FM: 4.8 (No.5: 4.1)

5--KJOI-FM: 4.7 (No.4: 4.9)

6--KFWB-AM: 4.2 (No.11: 3.4)

7--KROQ-FM: 4.0 (tied for No.7: 3.9)

8--KBIG-FM: 3.8 (tied for No.7: 3.9)

9--KRTH-FM: 3.6 (No.6: 4.0)

10--KLSX-FM: 3.6 (No.13: 3.1)

11--KNX-AM: 3.3 (tied for No.9: 3.6)

12--KLVE-FM: 3.2 (tied for No.15: 2.3)

13--KIQQ-FM: 2.9 (tied for No.9: 3.6)

14--KLOS-FM: 2.8 (tied for No.15: 2.3)

15--KJLH-FM: 2.4 (tied for No.17: 1.8)