Dr. Laura's Latest Ratings at One-Year Low

By JUDITH MICHAELSON

Feb. 19, 2000 12 AM PT

TIMES STAFF WRITER

Between the lines of Arbitron survey numbers, one can see shifts in the landscape of Southland radio, particularly the ups and downs of hosts who move from one station to another, or come from another market. Yet in the most recent survey, among listeners 12 and older, the major development involves one of the most familiar voices of all--Laura Schlessinger.

Her often controversial advice show has lost significant ground, posting its lowest audience numbers in the Los Angeles-Orange County market in a year, according to figures just released for the September-December ratings period. On KFI-AM (640) from noon to 3 p.m., Dr. Laura, who takes pride in her shtick to “preach, teach and nag” about moral and ethical values, now ranks seventh among other hosts; she was fourth in the previous ratings period.

Schlessinger spokeswoman Keven Bellows noted that while her numbers may have dropped, “Dr. Laura is the No. 3 English-speaking radio host in L.A.” Last summer she was second. Added Bellows: “Music stations have had a great year in Los Angeles, no doubt in large measure due to Ricky Martin, Marc Anthony and Celine Dion. Rick Dees [on KIIS-FM (102.7)] has benefited from the hot music scene, too.”

While listenership on KFI declined overall, conservative political talker Rush Limbaugh, whose 9 a.m.-noon show precedes Schlessinger’s, scored a bit better. Limbaugh is now in second place overall, and the No. 1 English-language host.

Comic morning-driver Renan Almendarez Coello, on top-ranked Mexican regional music station KSCA-FM (101.9), retained the top spot among all radio hosts in the most recent quarter, averaging 262,500 listeners.

Dees, KIIS’ 18-year morning-drive veteran whose comic tone is peppy and upbeat, saw his average quarter-hour listenership jump to 123,500, compared to last quarter’s 86,400, putting him in fourth place. The performance of “Rick Dees in the Morning” helped propel the Top 40s station into second place overall. .

Spanish-language KSCA midday deejay Maria Nava moved into third place, up from last quarter when she was sixth.

Both Bellows and Kraig Kitchen, president of Premiere Radio Networks, which syndicates Limbaugh, Schlessinger and Dees, dismissed suggestions that Schlessinger’s decline might be related to recent disputes between the talk-show host and the gay community over her views on homosexuality.

“When you look at the Arbitron diaries,” said Kitchen, “the loss of [her] listeners is directly attributed to the increase of listeners on [music stations] KOST-FM [103.5], KBIG-FM [104.3] and KYSR-FM [98.7].”

In other developments:

* John Kobylt and Ken Chiampou, the irreverent, often irascible pair better known as “John and Ken”--who took their topical show to KABC-AM (790) morning drive, 5-9 a.m., on July 1--dropped to a 1.9% share, down from 2.1%.

KFI’s Karel Bouley and Andrew Howard--the openly gay couple who do topical issues and in March got the last three hours of “John and Ken’s” 3-7 p.m. afternoon-drive show--rose to a 1.9% audience share from 1.6% in their spring debut.

* In the 3-4 p.m. KFI slot, syndicated consumer host Clark Howard has seen his audience rise, with average listenership at 77,700, up from 55,500.

* The pairing of “Partridge Family” personality Danny Bonaduce in September with veteran Jamie White on KYSR morning drive brought some improvement, with audience share increasing a sliver to 2.7% from 2.6%.

* The movement on Aug. 30 of “John London & the House Party,” a 6-10 a.m. morning-drive show, to KCMG-FM (100.3) or “Mega 100” from its long-standing home at urban hip-hop station KKBT-FM (92.3), did not immediately bode well for “The Beat.”

The station dropped to a 1.8% audience share from 3%, coming in 21st, down from ninth place, despite acquiring New York imports Dr. Dre and Ed Lover. The KKBT hosts have a real hip-hop sensibility as opposed to London, whose style is closer to that of Dees. Despite the lower numbers, Dre and Lover, who debuted Aug. 30, would seem to be a better match for KKBT. In the ‘80s, they pioneered MTV’s “Yo! MTV Raps.”

And with London and crew, KCMG, a rhythmic oldies station geared to an English-speaking Latino audience, held steady with a 1.9% audience share. Meanwhile, Irma Blanco replaced Shirley Strawberry as a member of the “House Party” crew.

* The Baka Boyz--Nick and Eric Vidal--in their move to KKBT’s afternoon drive (2-7 p.m.) from KPWR-FM (105.9)’s afternoon drive (3-7 p.m.) so far have not played well in their new home, with the listener share dropping to 2.8% share from 3.9%.

Nancy Leichter, KKBT’s vice president and general manager, insisted she was not concerned. “Any time you make changes, people get disenchanted. It takes time to grow and build momentum,” she said.

At KABC, Erik Braverman, speaking of John and Ken, said virtually the same thing. After noting that the station initially had a big advertising campaign promoting their arrival last summer, he said: “We’re building long term. It doesn’t happen overnight.”

Freelance writer Steve Hochman contributed to this report.

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Radio’s Top 10

Top 10 Host Parade: The market’s most listened-to personalities last fall were:

1. Renan Almendarez Coello, KSCA-FM (101.9)

2. Rush Limbaugh, KFI-AM (640)

3. Maria Nava, KSCA-FM

4. Rick Dees, KIIS-FM (102.7)

5. Martha Shalhoub, KLVE-FM (107.5)

6. Pepe Barreto, KLVE-FM

7. Dr. Laura, KFI-AM

8. Sean Valentine, KIIS-FM