KSSK-FM continues its streak as the top station overall among listeners 12 and older, according to the winter Arbitron radio ratings survey. KSSK atop
radio dial, as usualBy Erika Engle
eengle@starbulletin.com
Adult contemporary KSSK's top-rated morning show with Michael W. Perry and Larry Price, simulcast on its AM sister-station, rakes in 24.3 percent of the 12 and older audience and 22.8 percent of the 25- to 54-year-old audience from 6 to 10 a.m. weekdays.
KSSK is among the seven stations owned by Texas-based Clear Channel Communications Inc., four of them in the top 10. Cox Radio Inc. owns three and operates another. Only two among the top tier are owned by companies which are not publicly traded, Maverick Media and New Wave Broadcasting LP.
The Clear Channel stations have recently offered listeners a chance to win $1 million as part of a corporate nationwide contest, but Hawaii General Manager Chuck Cotton does not credit corporate largesse for the stations' performance.
"I attribute it to the little things that we do," he said. "All the small things make the difference over the long haul."
Ratings battles are still about getting the most listeners most of the time, about dominance within a format or demographic and attracting the most advertising dollars.
Several areas of growth turned up at Cox Radio Hawaii, including KRTR-FM dominance in several female demographics. KXME-FM saw growth among adults 25 to 34 after format adjustments away from teen listeners, said Austin Vali, vice president and general manager.
Sweeping changes at New Wave Broadcasting LP's stations since the fall 2001 Arbitron survey including format changes and personnel departures.
On April 12 the soft rock format of KORL-FM was flipped to contemporary Hawaiian music and its call letters and moniker were changed to KHUI.
Neither the new format at KHUI, a new on-air lineup at KQMQ-FM which became official this week, nor the month-old morning show on KPOI-FM are reflected in this ratings survey, General Manager Jeff Schatz said.
