Radio Waves Podcast #182

Radio: July 21, 2017

Officially, “My FM” KBIG (104.3 FM) is a “Hot Adult Contemporary” station, playing music that is “hotter” or more upbeat than traditional adult contemporary stations that in the past were designed in large part to be unoffensive.

But a closer listen shows that My FM is really modern top-40, or as close as one can get. Much of the music played -- from such artists as Maroon 5, Ed Sheeran, Justin Bieber, and Imagine Dragons -- sounds similar to what one-time top-40 giant KIIS-FM (102.7 FM) played in its heyday of the mid 1980s. In fact, My FM sounds more like a 2017 version of KIIS-FM than does KIIS-FM itself.

So perhaps it is fitting that My FM has taken the crown from KIIS-FM to become the city’s number one station for most of this year, including the most recent ratings for June released last week. My FM’s 5.8 share keeps the station solidly in 1st, followed by The Wave KTWV (94.7 FM) at 5.4, KRTH (101.1 FM) at 5.1, KIIS at 5.0 and KOST (103.5 FM) at 4.8.

Some interesting pairings came out of the report. For example, the two top-rated AM stations in Los Angeles were tied at at 8th place with a 3.3 percent share of the audience. Real KRRL (92.3 FM), which tried to destroy Power 106 KPWR (106.1 FM) by stealing the Big Boy morning show -- and did so for a while -- found itself humbled and tied with Power (and Go Country) at 11th place with a 2.9 share. And KKJZ (88.1 FM), licensed to Cal State Long Beach but run under a deal with Saul Levine’s Mt. Wilson Broadcasters, tied Mt. Wilson’s own oldies station KSUR (1260 AM, 105.1 HD2) (and religious hit music station KFSH, 95.9 FM) at 38th with a 0.5 share.

KRTH beat Jack (KCBS-FM, 93.1) in oldies, 5.4 to 3.5. But “old school” oldies KTWV The Wave beat them both with its 5.4 share. I wonder if the suits at Real 92.3 think dropping old school for urban top-40 was such a brilliant idea after all ...

Classic Rock The Sound (KSWD, 100.3 FM) beat KLOS (95.5 FM) by almost half a point: 2.7 to 2.3. KYSR -- Alt 98.7 FM -- beat KROQ (106.7 FM) by half a point: 2.9 to 2.4. The highest-rated Sports station -- by a nose -- was KSPN (710 AM) with a 1.0 share; KLAC (570 AM) was right behind at 0.9. It must be noted that when both sports stations played music, their ratings were in the 2’s ... but who needs ratings and listeners when you can have programmer and consultant egos?

The top-rated public stations? Another interesting combo ... KCRW (89.9 FM), KUSC (91.5 FM) and KPCC (89.3 FM) tied with KJLH (102.3 FM) at 25th with a 1.5 share.

Looking closer at KFI, it is interesting that Bill Handel mornings and Tim Conway, Jr. evenings truly drive the station with Handel earning a 4.2 share during his time period and mostly Conway (the rating period is 7 p.m. to midnight; Conway is off at 10:00) earning 4.5 -- the highest ratings of the station’s broadcast day. This proves that entertaining content will attract an audience or all ages, even on AM ... that rating for Conway is a 4th place tie with KRTH in the time slot. 

Each rating is an estimate of the percentage of listeners tuned to a station between the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 midnight as determined by Nielsen:

1. KBIG (5.8) 2. KTWV (5.4) 3. KRTH (5.1) 4. KIIS (5.0) 5. KOST (4.8) 6. KOST, KCBS-FM (3.5) 8. KFI, KNX (3.3) 10. KAMP (3.0)

11. KPWR, KRRL, KYSR (2.9) 14. KKGO, KSCA (2.8) 16. KSWD (2.7) 17. KRCD (2.6) 18. KXOL (2.5) 19. KROQ (2.4) 20. KLOS (2.3)

21. KLAX (1.9) 22. KBUE, KXOS (1.7) 24. KLYY (1.6) 25. KCRW, KJLH, KPCC, KUSC (1.5) 29. KDAY, KSSE (1.3)

31. KRLA, KSPN (1.0) 33. KLAC, KWIZ (0.9) 35. KEIB (0.8) 36. KABC, KFWB (0.6) 38. KFSH, KKJZ, KSUR (0.5) 41. KWKW, KYLA (0.4) 43. KTNQ (0.3) 44. KKLA, KLAA (0.2)

Leno Does Conway

Yes, that WAS Jay Leno filling in for Conway on June 12th. Missed it? Head over to KFI640.com and click on the Conway page ... the full recording is there via Conway on Demand.