Stern Gets a Bit of a Ratings Shock : He Drops to No. 5 in Lowest L.A. Radio Mark in 2 Years; KLAX Still No. 1

Raunchy morning personality Howard Stern appeared to be slipping off his “king of all media” throne, drawing his lowest ratings in Los Angeles in two years. At the same time, Spanish-language KLAX-FM (97.9) remained at the top of the radio heap during the final three months of 1994, after nearly three years reigning the local radio airwaves.

Stern, whose syndicated radio show is heard locally on KLSX-FM (97.1), dropped from first to fifth place during the fall ratings period of Sept. 22 through Dec. 14, 1994, according to Arbitron figures released Friday. That put him in a tie with his nemesis Rick Dees, the veteran morning man of KIIS-FM (102.7) and KIIS-AM (1150).

“I’m sure Howard will have some comment about (tying with Dees),” said KLSX program director Warren Williams, adding that he did not believe Stern’s ratings drop signaled a serious decline in his popularity.

“It looks like Howard was a little bit off in the month of November and it looks like he bounced back in December,” Williams said. “Ratings are subject to some strange wobbles at times. But, over the long haul, I have no doubt in my mind that Howard Stern is the premier morning talent in America and in Los Angeles.”

Top honors for the hotly contested morning drive-time race went to the zany KLAX-FM (97.9) team of Juan Carlos Hidalgo and Jesus (El Peladillo) Garcia, who have been in first place several times during the past few years.

In second place for the period of 6-10 a.m. was talk station KFI-AM (640), which features attorney Bill Handel from 5 to 9 a.m., followed by Rush Limbaugh’s syndicated show from 9 a.m. to noon. KFI had been fourth in the previous quarter, and 10th before that.

“I think Rush was benefited by the election in the middle of the (survey period),” said KFI program director David Hall. “But Bill Handel was Mr. (Proposition) 187 and I think that was a big part of this. I think both of them contributed to (the ratings increase). Handel’s been in the job for a little over a year now and people are really getting to know him and see what he’s all about.”

KPWR’s morning team of Tha Baka Boyz(Eric and Nick Vidal), the only pair of brothers on Los Angeles radio, were in third place, up from sixth in the last survey. Veteran broadcasters Ken Minyard and Roger Barkley, the morning duo at KABC-AM (790), were in fourth place, down from second the last time around.

In the overall ratings, KLAX captured the top spot with 5.6% of the audience, and hip-hop station KPWR-FM (105.9) came in second with 5.5%. KFI was third, netting 4.6%, followed by alternative rock station KROQ-FM (106.7) with 4.5%.

The public’s appetite for ‘60s and ‘70s rock seemed to drop during this survey period. KCBS--whose ARROW moniker stands for “all rock ‘n’ roll oldies”--and classic rocker KLSX tied for 16th place, down from 11th and 12th place, respectively, while one of Los Angeles’ oldest rock stations, KLOS-FM (95.5), finished 12th (up from 16th).

Spanish rock station KLVE-FM (107.5) climbed from 16th place to 11th this time out and Spanish banda station KXED-AM (1540) jumped from 27th to 19th, doubling its share of audience to 2.2%. Urban station KACE, recently purchased by Cox Communications, which also owns KFI and KOST, rose from 34th to 28th place.

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Radio Ratings

The area’s Top 25 stations and their Arbitron ratings for October, November and December of 1994 compared with the preceding three months:

CURRENT LAST QUARTER 1. KLAX-FM 5.6 5.4 2. KPWR-FM 5.5 5.4 3. KFI-AM 4.6 4.7 4. KROQ-FM 4.5 4.6 5. KIIS-FM/AM 4.1 3.9 6. KOST-FM 4.0 3.8 7. KKBT-FM 3.8 3.2 KRTH-FM 3.8 3.9 9. KBIG-FM 3.6 3.6 10. KABC-AM 3.2 3.7 11. KLVE-FM 3.0 2.5 12. KLOS-FM 2.7 2.5 13. KYSR-FM 2.6 2.7 14. KFWB-AM 2.5 2.3 15. KTWV-FM 2.5 2.6 16. KLSX-FM 2.4 2.7 KCBS-FM 2.4 2.9 18. KZLA-FM 2.3 2.5 19. KNX-AM 2.2 2.6 KXED-AM 2.2 1.0 21. KXEZ-FM 1.9 2.1 22. KTNQ-AM 1.8 2.1 23. KKHJ-AM 1.7 1.3 KLAC-AM 1.7 1.6 25. KRLA-AM 1.5 1.5 KWKW-AM 1.5 1.0

The ratings survey covers people 12 and older listening between 6 a.m. and midnight, from Sept. 22 to Dec. 14, 1994.