KSSK remains No. 1 in local radio ratings

By Wayne Harada
Advertiser Entertainment Writer

If the spring Arbitron radio ratings are a barometer, Island music is king and talk radio may be the savior for AM formats.

While Michael W. Perry and Larry Price remain the masters of their morning drive domain — their double-digit rating is triple that of their nearest competitors — the Island music programming of other stations seems to be earning the listeners' seal of approval.

Further, two talk shows have returned to the morning Top 10: Rick Hamada's news and commentary on KHVH-AM and Bobby Curran and Jo McGarry's sports and food reports on KKEA-AM (formerly KCCN-AM). At No. 9 and No. 10 respectively, the talksters are the lone AM players on the dial at the moment. KSSK-AM also is part of the picture, fueled by its morning simulcast with the Perry & Price franchise on FM, but it holds its own throughout the rest of the listening day, too, good for No. 10 in the overall Top 10 rankings.

The usual up-and-down rides and slides are obvious in the ratings. While their numbers slipped since the winter count, Brickwood Galuteria and Frank B. Shaner of KINE-FM clung to No. 2 in the mornings, with Chris Reiser and Chris Hart of KRTR-FM taking over No. 3, dropping KDNN's Lanai & Augie to No. 4. Eliminated this time: "Kid Leo" Baldwin and Paul Ogata of KDDB-FM, but the station found a spot in the overall Top 10.

KSSK-FM remains the overall No. 1 station, with KRTR and KINE just behind.

Music industry types are monitoring the progress of KHUI-FM (99.5), formerly KORL, which brought a listener-friendly Hawaiian-music format to the airwaves. It has yet to make a showing on the Top 10, but its all-Hawaiian playlist could find favor in the months ahead.

Reach Wayne Harada at wharada@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8067.

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Radio's Top 10 Arbitron ratings for Honolulu, from March 28 to June 19. Figures represent "shares," or percentage of listeners tuned in to a station during the specified time. • MORNING DRIVE TIME 6-10 a.m., Monday-Friday STATION SPRING '02 WINTER '02 KSSK 92.3 FM/ 590 AM* Perry & Price 21.2 24.3 KINE 105.1 FM Shaner & Galuteria 6.9 8.7 KRTR 96.3 FM Reiser & Hart 6.4 5.0 KDNN 98.5 FM Lanai & Augie (tie) 6.2 5.3 KCCN 100.3 FM Van Osdol & Espina (tie) 6.2 5.0 KIKI 93.9 FM Wild & Hammer 5.4 4.4 KUDC 101.9 FM Hudson & Blaisdell 4.8 4.0 KUMU 94.7 FM Kirk & Wise (tie) 3.9 4.9 KHVH 830 AM Hamada (tie) 3.9 4.9 KKEA 1420 AM** Curran & McGarry 3.5 2.4 • DAY & EVENING 6 a.m .-midnight, Monday-Sunday STATION SPRING '02 WINTER '02 KSSK 92.3 FM 9.9 10.5 KRTR 96.3 FM 7.2 5.4 KINE 105.2 FM 7.1 9.0 KCCN 100.3 FM 6.8 5.7 KDNN 98.5 FM 6.5 6.0 KUCD 101.9 FM 5.2 4.1 KDDB 102.7 FM (tie) 4.5 4.7 KUMU 94.7 FM (tie) 4.5 5.2 KIKI 93.9 FM (tie) 4.3 3.5 KSSK 590 AM 4.3 7.0 * Simulcast ** KKEA was formerly KCCN-AM Source: Arbitron ratings