Laid Back and Liking It : Graying baby boomers and strong ratings are enough to keep KJOI where it’s been all along--in the easy chair.

On his first working visit to his newly acquired KJOI-FM, Carl Brazell was absolutely certain about one thing: It would not depart from the “easy listening” format that has put it in the top ranks of more than 40 commercial radio stations in the Los Angeles market.

In the recently announced Arbitron ratings for fall, the station climbed to fifth from seventh place last summer.

“It was a great way to start the new year and ownership,” Brazell said.

And doubtless it was one that made him--and his bankers--feel vindicated in the $79-million purchase, which was a record high price in the United States for an FM-only station.

Another reason for optimism is that Los Angeles is “by far” the country’s hottest market in spending on radio advertising--about $340 million in 1988, he said. That figure is 15% above the previous year, or double the 7.4% growth rate for the industry nationally. Los Angeles is forecast to see a 7.5% increase this year, compared to 7.8% for the industry nationally, he said.

Also encouraging KJOI for the long run, as Brazell sees it, are the demographics: The gradual graying of the baby boomers seems to convert a goodly share of them into easy listeners.

“KJOI is one of those wonderful stations that has a franchise in the marketplace,” he enthused. “It is the only easy listening station in the Los Angeles area, and there is strong recognition for its dial position and call letters.” (KJOI, at 98.7 on the dial, specializes in playing the sort of soothing music that critics love to hate but many listeners obviously like.)

The 48-year-old Brazell started a life’s work in radio while still in high school, working as a newscaster for a tiny station in Louisiana’s Cajun country. He had to take a crash course in French from a tutor for the bilingual broadcasts.

Brazell spent much of his career working for Metromedia Inc.’s radio division and became its president in 1982, then led a leveraged buyout of the radio properties from owner John W. Kluge and renamed them Metropolitan Broadcasting.

Long Road

Along the way he was a news anchor for a year at KLAC in Los Angeles in 1969. More recently, as head of Metropolitan, he had his finger in the Los Angeles market again, supervising KLAC and KMET, which two years ago was changed to KTWV-FM and nicknamed “the Wave.”

So Brazell has traveled a long road to become, following a complicated series of transactions worth $160 million, the major owner last year of a string of five broadcasting properties--including KJOI, with the others in Dallas and Denver--under the umbrella of New York-based Command Communications.

The transaction was accomplished with financing from three banks and part ownership by Robert F. X. Sillerman, an investor in broadcasting companies. Among other things, KJOI’s former owner, Legacy Broadcasting, acquired control of Metropolitan. Sillerman is an investor in Metropolitan as well as in Brazell’s firm.

One of Brazell’s properties is Texas State Networks, which broadcasts regional and agricultural news and carries Dallas Cowboys games to 200 stations in 13 states--in both English and Spanish languages. The company also operates a Spanish-language news network that reaches 75% of the Spanish-speaking population of the United States.

Spanish broadcasting, Brazell added, had $490 million in revenue in 1987 and is expected to see a 25% annual growth in advertising for the next five years, making it “an incredible area of opportunity.”

As for KJOI, Brazell anticipates changes only in refining the selection of music and in a more aggressive marketing strategy. Also, he said, the station needs “a little more research in the marketplace” to enable it to reflect the changing tastes of the consumer.

But, no matter how it is sliced, he maintains it still be easy listening.

L.A.’S MOST POPULAR RADIO STATIONS

Arbitron rated KJOI fifth in the Los Angeles market during the fall. Ratings reflect the percentage of the listening audience over 12 years old who tuned in during a given 15-minute period.

Rank Station Format Rating 1. KPWR-FM Contemporary hits 7.2 2. KIIS-FM Top 40 5.8 3. KOST-FM Adult contemporary 5.4 4. KABC-AM Talk 5.3 5. KJOI-FM Easy listening 4.6 6. KLOS-FM Album-oriented rock 3.6 7. KNX-AM All news 3.5 8. KBIG-FM Adult contemporary 3.3 8. KTWV-FM New age, light rock, light jazz 3.3 10. KRTH-FM Oldies 3.2 10. KROQ-FM Contemporary 3.2

Source: Broadcasting Yearbook 1988

MOST REQUESTED SONGS ON KJOI

VOCALS INSTRUMENTALS 1.”All I Ask of You” 1.”Smiles and Smiles to Go” from “Phantom of the Opera” Larry Carlton performed by Sarah Brightman and Cliff Richard 2.”Evergreen” 2.”Coast Highway” Barbra Streisand Carlos Reyes 3.”Midnight Blue” 3.”Take My Breath Away” Louise Tucker Lex De Azevedo 4.”Even Now” 4.”Rachel’s Song” Nana Mousskouri David Combs 5.”For All We Know” 5.”’Round Midnight” Nat King Cole Movin’ Dream Orchestra

Source: KJOI-FM