Power 106 keeps its hold on L.A.

Hip-hop station Power 106 maintained its preeminence in local radio ratings, while talk station KFI-AM (640) shot to second place, fueled by the wildfires and the furor over the recall and replacement of former Gov. Gray Davis, according to the latest figures from the Arbitron ratings service.

KPWR-FM (105.9) has been the top-rated radio station in the Los Angeles market since winter 2002; in the recently ended fall ratings period, it extended its lead by increasing its audience share from 4.8% of local listeners ages 12 and older in the summer to 5.1%. Alternative music out- let KROQ-FM (106.7) slipped from a close second to third, dropping from 4.7% to 4.4% of the audience, during the ratings period that ran from Sept. 18 to Dec. 10.

With its hosts throughout the day fanning the flames of the recall discussion and with the rash of Southland wildfires to discuss and dissect, KFI shot from third to second, increasing its audience share from 4.2% to 4.7%. Officials at Clear Channel Radio, which owns KFI, said Tuesday that the station surpassed WABC-AM in New York to become the most-listened-to talk station in the country.

KFI’s rival talk station, KABC-AM, also reaped the rewards of election interest, surging from 2.2% to 2.9% of the local audience and pushing it from 17th to 12th.

But news of the election and fires apparently didn’t help the area’s two all-news stations, with KFWB-AM (980) and KNX-AM (1070) each dipping slightly -- .1% -- from their summer numbers. The former slipped to 1.6%, remaining in 25th place, while KNX fell to 2%, a share still good enough to boost the station from 23rd to a tie for 20th place.

Among others falling in the autumn survey were Spanish-language station KSCA-FM (101.9) and pop station KIIS-FM (102.7), each falling half a point from the summer. KSCA’s share of the local audience fell from 4% to 3.5%, dropping it from fourth place to a fifth-place tie with sister station KLVE-FM (107.5), a Spanish-language adult-contemporary outlet. KIIS dropped from fifth to ninth, falling from 3.6% to 3.1%.

Among the morning shows -- the most listened-to and most competitive time slots on radio -- KFI’s Bill Handel raced far ahead of the pack, extending his lead from the summer and spring and garnering 6.3% of the morning audience, compared with the pair of stations tied at 4.7% for second place. Of those, Big Boy at KPWR rebounded from three straight quarters of declining ratings, improving on his fourth-place, 4.1% finish in the summer. Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo at KSCA stayed in second but declined from his 5.1% showing in the summer. The duo of Kevin Ryder and Gene “Bean” Baxter on KROQ finished a close fourth at 4.6%, after dropping from third place and 5%, while Steve Harvey on KKBT-FM (100.3) was fifth at 4% this time around, dipping from a fourth-place, 4.1% showing in the summer.

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Radio Ratings

The area’s Top 25 stations and their average share of audience as measured by Arbitron for the fall months compared with the previous three-month period.

*--* Current Last Quarter 1 KPWR-FM 5.1 4.8 2 KFI-AM 4.7 4.2 3 KROQ-FM 4.4 4.7 4 KOST-FM 3.7 3.5 5 KLVE-FM 3.5 3.5 KSCA-FM 3.5 4.0 7 KKBT-FM 3.4 3.3 KTWV-FM 3.4 3.5 9 KIIS-FM 3.1 3.6 10 KLAX-FM 3.0 3.0 KRTH-FM 3.0 2.9 12 KABC-AM 2.9 2.2 13 KZLA-FM 2.6 2.2 14 KHHT-FM 2.4 2.2 15 KLSX-FM 2.3 2.2 16 KBUE-FM 2.2 2.2 KLOS-FM 2.2 2.3 18 KSSE-FM 2.1 2.2 KCBS-FM 2.1 2.4 20 KXOL-FM 2.0 2.3 KBIG-AM 2.0 2.6 KNX-AM 2.0 2.1 23 KYSR-FM 1.9 2.2 24 KMZT-FM 1.7 1.4 25 KFWB-AM 1.6 1.7

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The ratings survey covers people 12 and older listening between 6 a.m. and midnight, from Sept. 18 to Dec. 10.