Something very significant happened in the latest Arbitron ratio ratings that hasn't occurred in the past 17 years — a station other than KSL or KSFI has topped the all-age ratings.
For the month of July, KXRK (X-96) was the most-listened-to radio station for ages 6 and up.
"We were all very surprised and pleased," said G. Craig Hanson, president of Simmons Media (KXRK and six other Salt Lake stations). "That's quite a bench mark."
X-96 has usually ranked third or fourth in the all age ratings.
Hanson said that many people don't realize that X-96 has perennially been the No. 1 or No. 2 station among listeners under age 50.
It's just that somehow the station's reach for July expanded more than ever. He has several possible reasons:
1. Utah has the youngest median age in the nation and perhaps the new Portable People Meter measurements in radio are capturing that.
2. Summer might be the strongest season for X-96.
3. With KENZ dropping its alternative format and going to adult contemporary, X-96 may have added some former KENZ listeners.
"PPM is capturing more of the real nuances of (radio) listening," Hanson said. "X-96 has become more of a mass appeal station."
He also credits this to the hard work of the station's staff, but stressed the station may not be No. 1 in the next ratings because of seasonal fluctuations. He also believes X-96 doesn't need to always be No. 1 to be successful.
Hanson said a big challenge now will be actually converting it to more revenue.
Here are the Arbitron ratings for July:
1. KXRK (X-96), 7.5 percent share; 2. KSFI (FM-100), 6.9; 3. KSL (AM-1160/FM-102.7), 6.6; 4. KUBL (FM-93.3), 5.0; 5. (tie) KRSP (FM-103.5) and KODJ (FM-94.1), 4.3; 7. KUDD (FM-107.9), 4.1; 8. KOSY (FM-106.5), 4.0; 9. KBZN (FM-97.9), 3.9; 10. KZHT (FM-97.1), 3.8.
11. (tie) KSOP (FM-104.3) and KJMY (FM-99.5), 3.7; 13. KUUU (U-92), 3.3; 14. KBEE (FM-98.7), 3.1; 15. KNRS (FM-105.7), 3.0; 16. (tie), KHTB (FM-94.9) and KEGA (FM-101.5), 2.5; 18. (tie) KBER FM-101.1) and KYMV (FM-100.7), 2.3; 20. KUER (FM-FM-90.1), 2.1.
21. KJQN (FM-103.1). 2.0; 22. KYLZ (FM-104.7), 1.9; 23. KBYU (FM-89.1), 1.7; 24. KENZ, FM-101.9), 1.6; 25. KZZQ (FM-97.5), 1.4; 26. KFNZ (AM-1320), 1.1; 27. KBMG (FM-106.1), 1.0; 28. (tie) KDUT (FM-102.3), KKAT (FM-107.5), KDYL (AM-1060), KZNS (AM-1280), KALL (AM-700) and KMGR (FM-95.9), 0.8; 34. (tie) KBJA (AM-1640), KRCL (FM-90.9) and KJMY (FM-99.5), 0.6; 37. (tie) KSOP (AM-1370) and KCPW (FM-88.3/105.3), 0.5.
RADIO HAPPENINGS — The recent death of Chris Tunis is a great loss to local radio. He wasn't just one of the first radio sports talk hosts in Utah, he was one of the best. No radio sportscaster was more polite, humble, consistent or better informed than Tunis was.
— Talk radio on the FM dial is apparently taking off. According to Inside Radio, Las Vegas, Syracuse, N.Y., Raleigh, N.C., Dallas and Greensboro, N.C. are all new homes to FM talk outlets.
— KXRK isn't a "Big A-- Show" this year, but has cut back and planned its first "Half A-- Show" for Tuesday, Oct. 5, at the Complex, 537 W. 100 South. The station skimped on its annual big concert because of the lagging economy and also because it waited too long to schedule performers this year.
TWENTY YEARS AGO IN SALT LAKE RADIO — "Uglee Jerry" adds a "Mrs. Uglee" to his morning radio show on KCPX, FM-98.7. … "Jon and Dan" on KLZX sign a five-year contract.
e-mail: lynn@desnews.com