LA Observed file photo.
For the fourth month in a row, KRTH 101 is the top radio station in Los Angeles. Media watcher Michael Schneider of Franklin Avenue (and TV Guide) saw the Nielsen ratings book for November and says KRTH, the oldies station at 101.1 FM, "has also extended its dominance to mornings, where Gary Bryan's show was No. 1 in the daypart among listeners 12 and older (and in the key listeners 25-54 demo)."
Meanwhile, top 40 KIIS-FM was No. 1 throughout the day with listeners 18-34 (8.1 share) and KBIG "My FM" (104.3) with No. 1 with adults 25-54 (5.6 share).
It was also a strong month for our pals at KCRW, which jumped ahead of competitor KPCC for the first time in recent memory (1.9 share vs. 1.8 share).
Schneider and I both have professional links to KCRW, and friends and colleagues at KPCC and the other public radio stations, so apply filters as you wish. The numbers are what they are. The public radio stations have much lower ratings than the commercial stations, but both KCRW and KPCC pay close attention to the books. From what I see for November, KCRW ranks #23 and KPCC #24 on the overall ratings, with the stations tied at an 1.8 average share and KCRW a bit ahead in weekly cumulative audience of listeners, or cume, 668,800 to 656,500. Public radio station KUSC is #28 with 595,500, KCSN down at #45 and 176,200, and Pacifica's KPFK at #52 and 117,700.
KCRW took the lead in morning drive time (average share of 2.1 to KPCC's 1.9) and in the midday 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. hours (1.7 average share to 1.4 and a weekly cume audience of 325,400 for KCRW to 287,800 for KPCC.) That's when KCRW airs "Morning Becomes Eclectic" followed by Madeleine Brand's "Press Play," Warren Olney's "To the Point" and " Marketplace," and KPCC rolls from the second hour of "Take Two" with A Martinez and Alex Cohen into Larry Mantle's "Airtalk" and two hours of international news.
KPCC, which I believe has generally led in the public radio ratings in recent years, is a little ahead in share for the 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. hours (2.1 to 2.0 for KCRW) but not in weekly cume audience: 389,900 for KCRW and 387,600 for KPCC, per Nielsen. After 7 p.m. weeknights, the audience falls way off for both stations but KPCC leads with a 2.4 average share and 254,700 weekly cume to 1.4 and 201,900 for KCRW. KPCC recently changed up its evening lineup, repeating entertainment news show "The Frame" at 7 p.m. (opposite "Which Way, LA?" and the edited repeat of "To the Point" on KCRW) and moving Terry Gross and "Fresh Air" to 8 p.m.
On weekends, KCRW and KPCC both had an average share of 1.7 in the November ratings, with the larger cume audience on KPCC (339,800 to 275,400.)
From the AM talk and news dial, KFI comes in at #8 with an audience not quite double the two big public radio stations. News station KNX is #10, sports talker KSPN is #27 and right-wing talker KRLA is #37, ahead of KABC #39 and KFWB #41.