KPWR, Thomas on Top--Arbitron Poll

KPWR-FM(105.9) is still ruling the airwaves as it has for the past two years, according to the latest quarterly audience survey, released Tuesday by Arbitron Ratings Service. And Jay Thomas, morning drive-time deejay for the station that calls itself “Power 106,” has overtaken Rick Dees of rival KIIS-FM (102.7) as the Los Angeles area’s top-rated morning personality.

Overall, KIIS slipped from No. 2 to No. 4 in the ratings, slightly above the newest rock station, KQLZ-FM “Pirate Radio” (100.3), which jumped to No. 5 in the ratings with a 62% increase in listenership from the previous quarter.

KOST-FM (103.5), which plays “easy listening” hits, has taken over KIIS’ No. 2 spot. KABC-AM (790), Southern California’s well-established talk station, came in at No. 3, maintaining its stronghold as the only talk station in the top five.

Although this quarter generally did not differ markedly from previous ratings periods, the most startling development was hard-rocking newcomer KQLZ. “Pirate Radio” scuttled its easy-listening format on March 17 and, amid a major advertising blitz, has drawn audiences tired of deejay banter, commercials and dance music.

For its first 10 days, the station, which program director and morning deejay Scott Shannon decribes as “free-form Top 40,” had no commercial interruptions and it still has fewer ads than other rock stations.

KIIS, known for its big-money giveaways and top 40 playlist, had ranked No. 2 in the previous quarter and No. 3 for the two previous periods. KIIS officials were unavailable for comment on the station’s ratings drop.

The rest of the Top 10 provided few changes from the previous quarter, with “easy listening” (also known as adult-contemporary) formats placing high. Besides KOST, KBIG-FM (104.3) came in at No. 6, followed by another easy-listening station, KJOI-FM (98.7).

The Arbitron survey covered a 12-week period from March 30 through June 21 and based its data on information recorded by listeners in personal diaries over a seven-day period.

“Power 106,” the teen dance music station, has been No. 1 in Arbitron surveys for the past eight quarters, according to promotions manager Jim Peterson, but Thomas has never before been the top-rated morning morning deejay.

Top morning drive-time personalities behind Thomas were KABC’s Ken Minyard and Bob Arthur and KLOS-FM’s (95.5) Mark Thompson and Brian Phelps. Dees was fourth.

The quarter saw several other format changes besides KQLZ’s. Former rock station KEDG-FM (101.9) bought the easy-listening record library that KQLZ had been using as KIQQ, nicknamed K-LITE, and took over the nickname as well on May 12. Since the switch, its ratings have dropped still lower, from .9 to .7 despite a high-profile advertising campaign.

KNX-FM, which changed its call letters to KODJ-FM (93.1) and its format from album-oriented rock to oldies on March 2, placed 17th, beating out “classic rock” station KLSX-FM (97.1), which came in 21st. KLSX tied with all-talk station KFI-AM (640), which, despite its stronger signal and promotional assaults, has not been able to come close to all-talk leader KABC.

Here are the area’s top 15 stations, followed by their ratings for the most recent spring quarter and the preceding winter quarter, as measured by Arbitron.

Spring Winter

1. KPWR-FM (105.9) 7.1 6.4

2. KOST-FM (103.5) 6.1 5.6

3. KABC-AM (790) 5.2 4.9

4. KIIS-FM (102.7) 4.9 6.2

5. KQLZ-FM (100.3) 4.3 2.7

KBIG-FM (104.3) 4.3 4.0

7. KJOI-FM (98.7) 4.1 4.5

8. KLOS-FM (95.5) 3.8 4.6

9. KNX-AM (1070) 3.3 3.6

10. KRTH-FM (101.1) 3.1 3.3

11. KFWB-AM (980) 3.0 2.9

12. KMPC-AM (710) 2.5 2.3

KTWV-FM (94.7) 2.5 3.4

KTNQ-AM (1020) 2.5 1.6

15. KROQ-FM (106.7) 2.3 3.0