Can you outdo yourself? That's what Bonneville International might have been asking last week as sister station KSFI ("FM-100") slipped ahead of KSL (AM-1160/FM-102.7) in the latest Arbitron ratings.
KSFI rose to a 7 percent ratings share among listeners ages 12-plus in Part One of the summer rankings, to move into No. 1. KSL had a 6.7 share — the same as it had for the spring book last quarter.
The next two rankings also changed hands, as KXRK ("X-96") pushed into No. 3 with a 5.2 share, while KUBL (FM-93.3) slipped to 5.1. This clearly shows how in these days of single-digit rankings, even a 0.1 percent ratings point can create a significant difference.
Another milestone in the latest ratings doesn't involve a radio station, but rather the largest ethnic group in the Salt Lake radio market, Hispanics. Their proportion of the listening audience is now estimated at 10.6 percent, vs. 9.6 percent last spring.
There are now four Spanish/Mexican format stations in the Salt Lake area, with a combined listening audience of 6.8 percent.
The remainder of the ratings are:
5. (tie) KBER (FM-101.1) and KZHT (FM-97.1), 4.3
7. KJMY ("My 99.5"), 4.0
8. KRSP (FM-103.5), 3.8
9. KNRS (AM-570), 3.7
10. (tie) KODJ (FM-94.1), KUUU ("U-92") and KOSY (FM-106.5), 3.3
13. KDUT (FM-102.3), 3.2
14. KHTB/KRAR (FM-94.9/106.9), 3.0
15. KSOP (FM-104.3), 2.6
16. KENZ ("The End"), 2.5
17. KBEE (FM-98.7), 2.4.
18. KEGA (FM-101.5), 2.3
19. (tie) KBMG (FM-106.1) and KKAT (FM-107.5), 2.2
21. KBZN ("The Breeze"), 1.9
22. KXRV ("The River"), 1.5
23. KUDD/KUDE (FM-107.9/103.9), 1.3
24. (tie) KDYL (AM-1060) and KZNS/KOVO ("The Zone"), 1.1
26. (tie) KBJA (AM-1640) and KJQN (FM-103.1), 1.0
28. KSOP (AM-1370), 0.7
29. (tie) KALL (AM-700) and KFNZ ("K-Fan"), 0.6
31. KLO (AM-1430), 0.5
32. KXTA (AM-1600), 0.4
CHRISTMAS MUSIC IN SEPTEMBER — Talk radio on FM-97.5 disappeared on Sept. 1 as a new kind of evolving musical format took over. The station is calling itself "The Oasis" — KOAY — a "brand-new radio station for families."
Tom Barberi's afternoon show, as well as all other talk shows, have vanished from the station, which had not done well enough in attracting listeners. The station has been playing Christmas music and that will continue for at least the near future.
KLO (AM-1430) has picked up some of KFMS' discarded syndicated programming — including Michael Savage — and will be carrying CBS News 24 hours a day.
KLO's revised lineup is:
4-7 a.m., Bill Bennett
7-10 a.m, Laura Ingraham
10 a.m.-noon, Bill O'Reilly
noon-1 p.m., "Jim Cramer's Real Money"
1-4 p.m., Michael Medved
4-7 p.m., Michael Savage
7-10 p.m., Rusty Humphries
10 p.m.-1 a.m., Michael Prager
1-4 a.m., Midnight Radio Network
NEW SALT LAKE STATION — A brand new station begins Sept. 8 on FM-100.7, KEGH.
As such, FM-106.9 will now be a simulcast ofKEGA, "The Eagle."
RADIO HAPPENINGS — Charla Haley is leaving KBZN, "The Breeze," after eight years — effective today — to become Utah's Health Department spokeswoman. She had previously worked at both KSL and KISN. For the past three years, she was been paired with Kelly Monson in the morning, so now there's a vacancy there.
—Bill Riley has recently replaced Matt Thomas on KALL (AM-700).
—Radio and Records has reported that Bruce Jones, legendary program director at KENZ ("The End") will soon be leaving radio to pursue other interests in Salt Lake City. He's been at the station for a decade.
—KBER , KBEE and KSFIhave been among the stations offering free gasoline to listeners in promotions of recent weeks.
The Deseret Morning News and KSL Newsradio 1160 are involved in an ongoing news-gathering partnership.
E-mail: lynn@desnews.com