KLSX-FM is not missing its old boys’ club one bit

Like a hit song rising with a bullet, Top 40 station KLSX-FM (97.1) continued its ascent up the radio rankings, but KIIS-FM (102.7) remained No. 1 in Los Angeles and Orange counties last month, even putting some distance between itself and the upstart, according to figures released Wednesday.

From April 30 to May 27, top-of-the-pops KIIS increased its audience share from 4.9% to 5.3% of all listeners ages 6 and older, the Arbitron ratings service reported.

Talker KFI-AM (640) and oldies station KRTH-FM (101.1) had tied for second in April, but KFI rose from 4.5% to 4.9% in May while KRTH dropped to third at 4.3%, according to the survey of listeners.

Meanwhile, KLSX cracked the Top 5 for the first time, tying adult-contemporary station KOST-FM (103.5) and Spanish-language pop outlet KLVE-FM (107.5) for fourth place, each claiming 3.9% of the audience.

“Top 40 music is on fire right now,” said John Ivey, vice president of programming for KIIS and its sister Clear Channel stations in Los Angeles. “There are such great artists right now, with Lady Gaga, the new Black Eyed Peas -- things that just sound like L.A.”

KLSX had been a male-oriented talk station, once the home of Howard Stern and more recently featuring Adam Carolla, Danny Bonaduce and Tom Leykis. On Feb. 20 it switched to Top 40, playing the likes of Britney Spears, Katy Perry and Usher, and since has moved from 20th to 11th to seventh and now fourth place in the market. The station has quadrupled its average weekly audience since January, the last month it was all-talk.

Part of its ongoing assault on KIIS includes on-air promotions declaring that KLSX plays fewer commercials than its rival and testimonials from listeners who said they had switched allegiance. At the same time KLSX was increasing its audience, KIIS -- while still remaining in first place -- slipped from a 6% share in January to 4.9% in April, before rebounding in May and extending its lead on KLSX.

“We’re a seasoned radio station that knows how to weather a storm and ride with the fluctuations,” Ivey said, adding that all L.A. stations are competition, declining to address KLSX specifically. “You can’t have every month go up. At some point you’ve got to flatten out or go down a little bit. We figure it will all work out in the wash.”

All-news outlet KNX-AM (1070) stayed about the same as the month before, holding its 16th-place ranking. Meanwhile, sister news station KFWB-AM (980) halted the ratings slide it had been experiencing since February, when it began focusing on news of the entertainment industry.

During the important morning drive period last month, the first- and second-place stations pulled away from the pack. KFI, which from 6 to 10 a.m. features local host Bill Handel and then the first hour of the nationally syndicated Rush Limbaugh, swelled its dominant audience share from 6.5% to 7.5%.

And though Limbaugh has been getting attention for his sparring with the Obama administration, KFI program director Robin Bertolucci said the morning-drive increase came on the back of Handel, who scored a 7.6% during his show, from 5 to 9 a.m.

“What’s the one thing? It’s hard to say. The whole point of this is his consistency,” she said, noting that Handel got a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame last week. “More people listened, and people listened a little bit longer. It’s the best of both worlds.”

KIIS, whose morning show features “American Idol” host Ryan Seacrest, rose from 4.6% in April to 5.4% in May. Ivey said the host’s popularity stems from more than just his connection to the TV show.

“He’s the pulse of L.A. The Lakers win a couple of nights ago. The next day, Phil Jackson was on the show,” followed by Kobe Bryant on Tuesday, Ivey said. “Whoever is huge and popular right now is on his show.”

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How they rank

The area’s top 25 stations and their average share of audience as measured by Arbitron for the last month compared with the previous month.

*--* Rank Station Current Last month 1. KIIS-FM 5.3 4.9 2. KFI-AM 4.9 4.5 3. KRTH-FM 4.3 4.5 4. KLSX-FM 3.9 3.7 KOST-FM 3.9 4.0 KLVE-FM 3.9 3.4 7. KBIG-FM 3.7 3.9 8. KCBS-FM 3.4 3.3 9. KLAX-FM 3.3 3.4 10. KPWR-FM 3.2 3.2 11. KTWV-FM 3.1 3.4 12. KROQ-FM 3.0 2.9 KRCD-FM 3.0 3.8 14. KKGO-FM 2.9 3.3 KYSR-FM 2.9 2.4 16. KNX-AM 2.7 2.8 KSCA-FM 2.7 2.8 KHHT-FM 2.7 2.4 19. KBUE-FM 2.5 2.9 20. KLOS-FM 2.4 2.3 21. KUSC-FM 2.0 1.9 22. KPCC-FM 1.9 1.5 23. KXOL-FM 1.8 1.9 KABC-AM 1.8 1.9 25. KLYY-FM 1.7 1.5 *--*

The rating survey covers people 6 and older listening between 6 a.m. and midnight, from April 30 to May 27.