Country station KMPS is back on top

By BILL VIRGIN
seattlepi.com
Saturday October 21st, 2006

The presence of a heavily marketed competitor in its country music format wasn't enough to keep KMPS-FM (94.1) from reclaiming the top spot among Seattle-Tacoma radio stations in the summer quarter, according to ratings and rankings released Friday by The Arbitron Co.

KMPS, which had put together a string of first-place finishes, lost the top spot in the spring book to urban-contemporary station KUBE-FM (93.3), in large part due to the emergence of country competitor KKWF-FM (100.7).

But in the summer book, KMPS moved ahead of KUBE. KOMO-AM (1000), aided by Mariners baseball, placed third, followed by soft-rock station KRWM-FM (106.9).

The ratings measure listeners age 12 and older tuned in Monday through Sunday 6 a.m. to midnight. They do not include non-commercial stations such as KUOW-FM (94.9) and KPLU-FM (88.5), although that will change with the release of the fall book. Arbitron plans to merge non-commercial stations into the main list; separate tallies of listening of non-commercial stations in the past have shown KUOW and KPLU to be among the most popular in this market. Stations managers and advertisers also say they pay less attention to the overall numbers than to their performance in demographic target audiences.

KWJZ-FM (98.9), KCMS-FM (105.3) and KZOK-FM (102.5) tied for fifth. KKWF slipped slightly from its sixth place finish in the spring book, placing eighth in summer. KIRO-AM (710) and KBSG-FM (97.3) tied for ninth, followed by KISW-FM (99.9), KJR-FM (95.7); KING-FM (98.1) and KQMV-FM (92.5), tied for 13th; KTTH-AM (770), KMTT-FM (103.7), KPLZ-FM (101.5) and KBKS-FM (106.1) all tied for 15th; KVI-AM (570), KJAQ-FM (96.5) and KNDD-FM (107.7) tied for 19th.

They were followed by KPTK-AM (1090); KIXI-AM (880); KJR-AM (950); KDDS-FM (99.3) and KNBQ-FM (102.9), tied for 25th; KFNK-FM (104.9); KXXO-FM (96.1); KFMY-FM (97.7); KKMO-AM (1360), KCIS-AM (630) and KGNW-AM (820), tied for 30th; and KWMG-AM (1210).

KQMV, in its first full quarter with a rhythmic format marketed as Movin' (and with its own TV campaign), saw a healthy climb from spring, gaining a full share point and climbing from 22nd to a tie for 13th; it switched from hot-adult-contemporary KLSY in May. The decision to convert adult standards KIXI from local announcers to a syndicated service known as "Music of Your Life" in early June wasn't so successful; the station dropped two places in the standings and lost nearly half a point of audience share.

KMPS also won first in the 6-10 a.m. weekday segment, followed by KIRO, KZOK, KOMO and KISW. KMPS was also the winner for 10 a.m.-3 p.m. and 3-7 p.m. weekdays, while KOMO was tops for 7 p.m.-midnight weekdays. KMPS and KUBE tied for first for weekend listening, followed closely by KOMO.
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P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.

http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/tv/289466_arbitron21.html