Soft-Rock KOST-FM Back on Top in Arbitron Ratings : Radio: ‘Shock jock’ Howard Stern takes No. 4 overall, ties KLOS’ Mark and Brian in over-18 male category.

Los Angeles radio listeners seem to prefer their music soothing but their deejays jarring, according to the latest Arbitron ratings survey released Tuesday.

While soft-rocking KOST-FM (103.5) coasted back to the top of the ratings heap, after dropping to second for the first time in more than two years last quarter, KLSX-FM (97.1) “shock jock” Howard Stern saw his morning show rise to the No. 4 spot overall and to a tie with the top-rated duo of Mark Thompson and Brian Phelps in the demographic category of men 18 and over.

Stern debuted on KLSX last July 25 and finished 21st in his first ratings. He has risen steadily since then, to 14th and now to fourth, drawing 5.3% of the listening audience during the spring quarter.

“Mark and Brian, it’s all over,” KLSX Program Director Andy Blume quipped Tuesday. “Leave now before the embarrassment gets any worse.”

Mark and Brian of KLOS-FM (95.5), in the No. 1 spot among morning drive-time shows, drew 6.2% of the audience, followed by Pepe Barreto of Spanish-language KLVE-FM (107.5) with a 5.7% share and Ken Minyard and Roger Barkley of KABC-AM (790) with a 5.4% share. In fifth was former No. 1 deejay Rick Dees of KIIS-FM (102.7), with 4.9% of the audience.

KOST had lost its top spot in the last survey to dance hit stations KPWR-FM (105.9) and KIIS, but this time around KIIS tied for second with talk station KABC-AM and Spanish station KLVE-FM. KPWR came in fifth.

Radio Ratings

The area’s Top 15 stations and their Arbitron ratings for the spring quarter and the preceding quarter:

WINTER SPRING 1. KOST-FM 4.8 5.0 2. KABC-AM 3.4 4.4 KLVE-FM 3.3 4.4 KIIS-FM 4.9 4.4 5. KPWR-FM 5.0 4.2 6. KRTH-FM 3.5 4.1 7. KLOS-FM 3.5 4.0 KBIG-FM 4.2 4.0 9. KKBT-FM 3.8 3.8 10. KXEZ-FM 3.2 3.7 11. KWKW-AM 4.2 3.4 12. KLSX-FM 3.0 3.3 13. KTNQ-AM 2.3 3.2 14. KROQ-FM 3.1 3.1 15. KFI-AM 2.5 2.9

Rating period is from April 2 to June 24, 1992.