KIIS-FM leads radio rating -- but who's counting?

The new L.A. radio ratings are out -- amid controversy. According to Steve Carney, Arbitron is using a new system that minority radio stations say unfairly reduces their ratings. It's been a major controversy around the nation, with New York Atty. Gen. Andrew Cuomo threatening last week to go to court to attempt to block Arbitron from releasing the data, alleging that it undercounted black and Latino listeners. So what are the L.A. numbers?

According to the new rating figures, measuring listening tastes from June 26 to Sept. 17, KIIS dominated the Los Angeles-Orange County market among listeners ages 12 and up, averaging a 5.8% audience share. A distant second was talk station KFI-AM (640), which took 4.4% of the summer audience, while oldies station KRTH-FM (101.1) placed third at 4.2%. In the spring, under the old diary system, KIIS had placed second, with a 4.9% share, between Spanish-language stations KLVE-FM (107.5) at 5.6% and KSCA-FM (101.9) at 4.4%. In this week's rankings, though, KLVE placed fourth at 4.1%, while KSCA got 3.8%, tied for sixth with KCBS-FM (93.1). Comparisons are difficult, however, because the survey methods from spring to summer are so different -- a key element of minority broadcasters' accusations.

--Shelby Grad