Q106’s Arbitron Success Brings New Competitor

The release Tuesday of winter-quarter Arbitron ratings brought good news and new competition for KKLQ (Q106), reigning ratings champion of San Diego.

The station posted a double-digit overall ratings share, the first in recent history, according to the Arbitron survey. Simulcast on FM (106.5) and AM (600), Q106, which had been in first place with its contemporary hits format for nine consecutive ratings periods, won the market again with a 10.3 share among listeners 12 and older.

But, with success comes competition. XHTZ (Z90), which posted a .8 share for the winter book, Tuesday switched from an album-oriented rock format to a format of contemporary hits and urban music, placing it in direct competition with Q106.

Another big winner in the winter book was the country music of KSON-FM (97.3), which finished second among listeners 12 and older with a 6.2 rating share. It won the competition for adults 25-54, a key demographic group, by jumping from a 5.6 to an 8.0 rating share.

In the competition for rock ‘n’ roll listeners between KGB-FM (101.5) and XTRA-FM (91X), fueled earlier this year by the defection of KGB’s morning team, Mike Berger ad Jeff Prescott, both stations showed slight decreases among listeners 12 and older. In the morning, 91X showed increases among listeners 18 to 34, while KGB’s morning show took a steep drop in overall audience size.

In addition to Q106, KSON, KGB and 91X, the list of top 10 stations overall includes KSDO-AM (1130) with a 6.0 share; KJQY-FM (103.7), which slipped from 6.5 to 5.3; KYXY-FM (96.5) with a 5.0; KPOP-AM (1360) with a 4.8; KFMB-AM (760) with a 4.6; and KFMB-FM (B100) with a 4.5.

Z90 has never been able to find an audience with a blend of rock and middle-of-the-road hits, competing against the more established KGB and 91X.

“If we had a five share I guarantee we would not have switched,” said Z90 general manager Ed Diaz, who joined the station two weeks ago.

Diaz described the new format as “churban,” a combination of contemporary hits and urban formats. It is the same term used by management at XHRM-FM (92.5), where Diaz worked for eight weeks before joining Z90.

Like XHRM, Diaz hopes to attract black and Latino listeners by adding rap and heavy rhythm songs to the contemporary hits play list. Although they will be competing against each other, the big goal is a slice of Q106’s huge ratings pie.

Although Q106 is mostly known for its teen audience, it improved in almost every demographic group in the winter book.

“It always comes back to people,” said Q106 general manager Bob Bolinger. “Kevin Weatherly has been here a year now as music director and he’s proven to be one of the best in the country at picking hits.”

The competition between 91X and KGB attracted widespread attention, primarily due to 91X’s commercials touting the defection of Berger and Prescott.

Despite the promotional campaign, 91X’s overall audience actually dropped from 4.8 to 4.3. KGB also slipped overall, from 7.0 to 6.1.

However, the overall rating for the 91X morning show increased from 3.7 to 4.2, while KGB’s plummeted from 8.3 to 5.9.

XTRA-FM general manager Mike Glickenhaus also pointed out that the station’s morning rating among listeners 18 to 34, a key target audience, jumped from 6.4 to 9.2.

“We know it takes time,” Glickenhaus said. “I’m not going to tell you I’m not disappointed (with the 12 years and older number), but we’re up in 18 to 34, and that’s really reassuring.”