Radio ratings show Honolulu's market changes
POSTED: Tuesday, October 21, 2008
Nobody has toppled the Perry and Price show from the top of the morning radio hill, according to the just-released Summer 2008 Arbitron ratings.
The FM side of its radio home, KSSK-FM 92.3, remains the No. 1 overall station, though its sibling, KSSK-AM 590, is losing steam. It has gone from No. 7 a year ago to No. 9 in the last survey and is now at No. 12 among listeners 12 and older.
The station isn't targeted to a youth demographic, however. Its ratings among adults are higher.
After 10 a.m., “;music listening on the AM ... tends to be a bit challenging,”; said Chuck Cotton, vice president and general manager of the seven-station cluster owned by Texas-based Clear Channel Communications Inc.
“;The audience tends to go more to the FM side for music,”; he said.
Among other Clear Channel developments among listeners 12 and older, the KIKI-FM 93.9 morning show is up from a 15th-place tie to No. 9; the morning show at KUCD-FM 101.9 is up from No. 15 a year ago to No. 10; and from 6 a.m. to midnight, KDNN-FM 98.5 was No. 13 a year ago and is now at No. 9.
Perhaps oddly in an election year, conservatively-oriented news/talk KHVH-AM 830 has fallen out of the top 10 morning shows since last summer.
“;Looking at our ratings and looking around the marketplace, I'm pretty happy with what we have,”; Cotton said. “;I don't hang my hat on one book (ratings survey) and I don't treat my people that way either. It's a year-to-year game.”;
The three-way hip-hop station battle was won by KDDB-FM 102.7 this time.
“;The last book (ratings survey) was heavy Hawaiian and KCCN and KDNN were one and two,”; said John Aeto, general manager of the Oahu stations belonging to Visionary Related Entertainment LLC. “;This book goes more rhythmic ... and it's great for 'The Bomb' to be back on top.”;
Also at VRE, KUMU-FM 94.7 morning team Frank B. Shaner and Mandy Suganuma surged from No. 10 a year ago to No. 3 among adults 25 to 54.
The second and fifth stations among adult morning radio listeners, KRTR-FM 96.3 and KINE-FM 105.1, belong to Atlanta-based Cox Radio Inc. It has three stations in the overall top five, including KCCN-FM 100.3.
The survey ended Sept. 17 and since then, some stations have made significant programming changes.
Chris Reiser left Krater near the end of September. The station has been interviewing candidates to join his former co-host, Sistah Sherry, on the morning show.
KGMZ-FM 107.9 won fourth place in the morning show battle with hosts Ed Kanoi and Paul “;The Kap'n”; Stewart, but just prior to the end of the ratings period, the team was split up. Stewart now hosts mornings on sister-station KHCM-FM 97.5. The stations are owned by Calif.-based Salem Communications Corp.
Additionally, KGMZ switched to satellite oldies music programming from the mainland and eliminated the jobs of a handful of local personalities.
The changes are not reflected in this Arbitron survey.
Honolulu's Top-Rated Stations
| Station | Summer '07 (rank) | Summer '08 Share |
| 1. KSSK-FM 92.3 | 9.5 (1) | 9.9 |
| 2. KINE-FM 105.1 | 7.0 (3) | 7.3 |
| 3. KGMZ-FM 107.9 | 5.0 (6) | 5.5 |
| 3. KRTR-FM 96.3 | 7.8 (2) | 5.5 |
| 5. KCCN-FM 100.3 | 5.4 (5) | 5.3 |
Top Morning Shows
| Station | '07 Share (rank) | '08 Share |
| 1. KSSK-FM 92.3/AM* 590 | 21.1(1) | 19.6 |
| 2. KINE-FM 105.1 | 6.5 (3) | 6.2 |
| 3. KUMU-FM 94.7 | 3.8 (7) | 5.7 |
| 4. KGMZ-FM 107.9 | 4.6 (5) | 5.0 |
| 5. KRTR-FM 96.3 | 7.4 (2) | 4.6 |
Share is the percentage of audience listening (ages 12 and older). *The Perry and Price morning show is simulcast on FM and AM. Survey dates: June 26 to Sept. 17.
Source: Arbitron Inc.
