from the San Jose Mercury News
November 5, 1999
A GUY and his wife split up, and you'd have thought it was "War of the Worlds" all over again. Has any amicable separation generated more talk than Howie and Alison Stern's?
You can be sure of a few things:
One, the guy who didn't want to run for governor because he didn't want his finances to come out wants to keep this amicable. It's one thing to see that he bought his new bachelor pad for $7 million. He probably doesn't want you or Jackie the Jokeman to see that half of his yearly take probably gives Donald Trump a run for his money.
And two, now you know why there was no follow-up to the love story "Private Parts." You can be relatively sure the breakup was no publicity stunt, because on a week when he could have set ratings records, Stern called in sick.
Mancow Muller was quoted in Chicago with nothing nice to say. (When Muller's father died, Stern was talking about sex acts he'd like to perform with the corpse.)
Does this mean that the Doghouse will break up with their wives and girlfriends? They copy most everything else you hear.
--snips--
Now, those ratings you wanted. Last week, we looked at San Jose's summer ratings for listeners over 12. But those are a beauty pageant. The ratings stations really care about are the show-me-the-money numbers, the ones for ages 25-54.
Here are San Jose's, for all day, with their respective share, or percentage of the audience:
KGO-AM, 6.3, up from 6.1 in spring; KSJO-FM, 4.3, down from 4.7; KARA-FM, 4.3, down from 4.4; KUFX-FM, 4.2, down from 4.9; KEZR-FM, 3.7, down from 4.2; KNBR-AM, 3.7, up from 2.7; KBAY-FM, 3.6, up from 3.4; KBRG-FM, 3.4, up from 2.9; KIOI-FM, 3.4, unchanged; KITS-FM, 3.0, down from 3.2; KOIT-FM, 2.9, down from 3.6.
And the numbers, you really care about, morning shows: Stern (who may yet date Kathie Lee Gifford) on KITS-FM, 6.4, down from 6.7; morning news on KGO-AM, 6.3, up from 5.8; Lamont and Tonelli (who just re-signed) on KSJO-FM, 4.9, down from 5.7; Don Bleu on KIOI-FM, 4.3, up from 3.9; Kim Vestal (queen of nice) on KARA-FM, 4.1, down from 4.7; morning news (and John Madden) on KCBS-AM, 4.0, down from 4.6; Greg Kihn (who jammed last week with Chrissie Hynde at Abbey Road studios in London) on KUFX-FM, 3.6, down from 4.2; Gary Radnich (who never sleeps) on KNBR-AM, 3.2, up from 2.7; Kelly and Kline (and Marla) on KEZR-FM, 2.9, down from 3.9; Carlos Cesar Rivera (edging out the doghouse) on KBRG-FM, 2.8, up from 2.2.
As of June 1, 1998, Howard's moving, in the Bay-area, to KITS 105.3FM in San Francisco.
San Francisco station info and ratings are located here.
Thanks to robk for sending this story in...from FMQB
May 28, 1998
Here's the new KITS braintrust, effective May 27:
Unclear is the formatic future of KOME. One of Mel Karmazin's original Infinity properties, the station is now being swapped away, perhaps to Jacor, future owner of Active Rock KSJO/San Jose. CBS may choose to hang on to the KOME call letters.
Market watchers have been predicting Stern's move to KITS ever since its longtime morning man Alex Bennett exited last July, but station members were unprepared for the scope of changes that went down Wednesday morning (5/27). The morning show was cut-off at 9:15, when staffers were told about the changes. Live 105 immediately went into a music and sweepers mode. CBS radio head Dan Mason was on-site.
The move gives Stern a bigger Bay Area megaphone and strengthens Live 105, which has been floundering in the high ones after years of performing in the two-three share range. It also allows CBS to distance the Euro-flavored Live 105 from Modern AC sister KLLC (Alice). fmqb expects Nenni and Taylor to put a male spin on the station, to complement female-leaning Alice.
"Live 105 is a legendary radio station in the Bay Area," Jim Hardy told fmqb. "It's just huge. Putting Howard on the station and taking advantage of its position and branding in the No. 4 market in the country makes for a perfect marriage. We'll be able to get into areas that we weren't able to get into with KOME. It will make a lot of people happy."
May 28, 1998, in the San Jose Mercury News
The mega-mergers that have turned the radio business into something resembling professional sports claimed another victim Wednesday in San Jose.
KOME-FM (98.5), a rock station since 1970, is slowly packing up its tents off Winchester and moving into the spot occupied by KITS-FM (105.3) in San Francisco.
Morning drive time shock jock Howard Stern, whose ratings over four years helped propel KOME toward the top of the heap in both San Francisco and San Jose, will move to KITS -- known as Live 105 -- on Monday. Stern's was one of the only shows on a San Jose station to score so high in the San Francisco ratings, setting a profit record of more than $6 million last year, according to KOME general manager Jim Hardy.
The popular nighttime sex therapy show "Loveline" will also move to Live 105 on June 8.
Several key staff members have been fired at KITS, which has had a modern rock format for almost 15 years. Program director Richard Sands and morning show hosts Johnny Steele and Lori Thompson were dropped Wednesday.
Hardy, San Jose Operations Manager Ron Nenni and Program Director Jay Taylor will move to San Francisco and retain their job titles.
The station moves are the result of a larger deal in which CBS bought Boston-based American Radio Systems for $1.6 billion and the assumption of $1 billion in debt.
Live 105 will broadcast a music-only format, with no live hosts, until Monday. KOME, which traded rock for alternative rock three years ago, will then begin playing alternative music with no live disc jockeys pending approval of a sale, which could take as long as six months.
Not that he can complain. His station took a couple of small dips, but it is still at the top in San Francisco and San Jose, as it has been for an unprecedented two decades. No station in the country can claim a lock on a market like that. Make that two markets -- No. 4 and No. 28.
Winners in San Jose's winter ratings include Top 40 KZQZ-FM (95.7), which jumped into the Top 10, moving in ratings share over four seasons from a 0.5 to a 3.5. News station KCBS-AM (740) moved up; sports station KNBR-AM (680) dipped. Was this the result of John Madden's move from the latter to the former, or people's need for news, weather and traffic?
Another new station, soul-flavored KISQ-FM (98.1), made a big gain, while new sports station KTCT-AM (1550) is playing like the new Arizona Diamondbacks, at the bottom of the heap.
Once dominant urban station KMEL-FM (106.1) has fizzled in the face of competition from KYLD-FM (94.9). But both of those stations' ratings are largely from people under 25, who aren't as important to advertisers as those 25-54.
The San Jose Empire Broadcasting triumvirate, the last locally owned English-speaking stations, had strong months. Even news station KLIV-AM (1590) doubled its ratings over the past year, a big boost for owner Bob Kieve. However, I still argue there is a need for a San Jose/South Bay talk station. Just look at how Disney-owned talker KSFO-AM (560) has grown in this market.
The signal change to 104.9 killed classic rocker KUFX-FM, but made sweet music for Spanish romantic songs on KBRG-FM (100.3). KBAY-FM made out all right at 94.5.
Here are the results for San Jose listeners over 12 and their share of the 1.4 million person market: KGO-AM, 6.8; KYLD-FM, 5.3; KCBS-AM, 4.7; KOME-FM, 4.6; KBAY-FM, 4.0; KZQZ-FM, 3.5; KARA-FM, 3.3; KEZR-FM, 3.2; KSFO-AM, 3.2; KRTY-FM, 3.0; KIOI-FM, 3.0; KNBR-AM, 2.9; KSJO-FM, 2.8; KOIT-FM, 2.8; KKSF-FM, 2.7; KFOG/KFFG, 2.6; KBRG-FM, 2.5; KFRC-AM/FM, 2.5; KDFC-FM, 2.4; KLOK-AM, 2.3; KISQ-FM, 2.2.
If you're scoring the Top 10 by owners, it's CBS four (KCBS, KOME, KBAY, KEZR); Disney two (KGO, KSFO); Empire two (KARA, KRTY); Chancellor one (KYLD) and Bonneville one (KZQZ).
The Top 10 for San Jose's 816,000 25-54-year-olds reads like this: KGO, KEZR, KARA, KOME, KCBS, KBAY, KIOI, KKSF, KOIT, KRTY.
In the mornings, for 25-54-year-olds, shock jock Howard Stern is killing in the No. 1 slot, followed by news on KCBS and KGO; Kelly and Kline's predecessors held tough on KEZR with KFOG's Dave Morey and KARA's Kim Vestal on their tail. KBAY's Grateful Don Potter and KRTY's Gary Scott Thomas are right behind them. And KSJO's Lamont and Tonelli and KIOI's Don Bleu round out the Top 10.
For listeners over 12, the morning ratings ladder: news (KGO); Stern (KOME); news (KCBS); Dog-doo-house (KYLD); Don Potter (KBAY); Lee Rodgers (KSFO); King and Dini (KEZR); Lamont and Tonelli (KSJO); Gary Scott Thomas (KRTY) Kim Vestal (KARA).
San Francisco's Top 10 for listeners over 12 reads like this: KGO, KCBS, KOIT, KYLD, KIOI, KISQ, KABL, KSFO, KNBR.
In the 25-54 category, three music stations took top slots, KOIT, KISQ, KIOI, followed by KGO, KFOG, KCBS, KBLX, KKSF and KLLC.
Morning shows, over 12: KCBS, KGO, KYLD, KSFO, KOIT, KIOI, KNBR, KOME, KLLC, KISQ.
May 1, 1998
BRAD KAVA column
SJ Mercury News
And, at this rate, we may all grow old and gray by the time another station comes along to topple the 50,000-watt Disney/ABC station.
The Winter ratings for San Francisco and San Jose both show KGO at the top of the leader board with the rest of the stations looking up at them - again.
Although slightly down in the San Francisco book, KGO topped the charts with a 6.4 mark in the ratings for all listeners age 12 and up. KCBS (740 AM) followed at 5.3, with KOIT (96.5 FM, 1260 AM) in third at 4.3.
Wild 94.9 (KYLD) dipped to fourth with a 3.8 share, while K-101 (KIOI, 101.3 FM) jumped .8 to fifth place at 3.7. Upstart 98.1 Kiss FM (KISQ) continued its growth pattern, up .5 to 3.5 and sixth place. Nostalgia KABL (960 AM) and conservative talking KSFO (560 AM) both increased their shares and tied for seventh with identical 3.3 shares.
KFOG/KFFG (104.5/97.7 FM) with a .3 upward move to 3.2 and KNBR (680 AM), which dropped a full ratings point down to 3.1, rounded out the San Francisco Top Ten.
Bubbling under the front-runners were Z95.7 (KZQZ) with a .2 increase to 2.9 and 11th place, while KMEL (106.1 FM) lost .6 and fell to 12th with a 2.8 mark. Alice@95.7 (KLLC) took 13th at 2.6, and fledgling rock oldies KSAN (107.7 FM) showed a strong upturn, rising .9 to an even 2.0 and 14th.
But the real news may be at the fifteenth spot, where Live 105 (KITS, 105.3 FM) continues to stagnate, unchanged at 1.8 and tied with sister station and format rival KOME (98.5 FM).
The top San Jose station to crack the San Francisco ratings, KOME - with Howard Stern anchoring its schedule - may have finally sent the strongest message yet to CBS to sound the death knell for Live 105's uninspiring morning duo of Johnny Steele and Lori Thompson.
Stern, who was second overall among all 12+ listeners in the Southbay, was eighth in the sunrise ratings for San Francisco, trailing KCBS, KGO, Wild 94.9, KSFO, KOIT, K-101 and KNBR.
While Stern attracted the most listeners among the Southbay's 25-54 age group, KGO - behind Jim Dunbar and Ted Wygant's morning newscast (tops among all bottom-of-the-Bay listeners ages 12 and up) - held firm to its position at the head of the overall San Jose ratings.
Despite a big drop from 7.5 down to 6.8, KGO still managed to keep a 1.5-share lead over runner-up Wild 94.9 (5.3) in the Southbay, with KCBS jumping up to the third spot with a .9 rise to 4.7.
Stern-led KOME rose slightly in ratings share but dropped to fourth place overall with a 4.6 mark. KBAY, repositioned to 94.5 FM earlier this year, grabbed fifth with a 4.0 share.
Making notable impact in the Southbay book was Z95.7, adding .9 to reach 3.5 and the number six slot. Mix 106.5 (KEZR), in its final book with Sean King and Steve Dini as its morning pair, dipped .2 to 3.2 and seventh place.
Tied at eighth place in San Jose were K-101 and KOIT with dual 3.0 marks. KSJO (92.3 FM) held the tenth spot with a 2.8 finish.
KFOG, simulcasting in the Southbay on KFFG at 97.7 FM, dropped to eleventh place with a 2.6, down from 2.7 in the Fall book.
The Top Ten morning programs in the Southbay were heard (in order) on KGO, KOME, KCBS, Wild 94.9, KBAY, KSFO, Mix 106.5, KSJO, KRTY and KARA.
RATINGS: Copyright 1998 by The Arbitron Company. All rights reserved.
Thanks to Jeff for sending this in:
Hey, today I just received this email from KOME's Program Director. Here is the quote...
"Howard is #1 in the San Jose metro and #4 in San Francisco in the broadest demo of 12+ listeners. In 18-34 persons, Howard is #2 in San Francisco despite the fact that we only reach 4 of the 9 SF counties. Our signal stregnth [sic] depends on your location, FM does not penetrate hills. We are challenged by the Sac 98.5 signal in the East and really can't do anything about that. (We certainly have tried). Thanks for listening!"
The show has moved up to 2nd place with a 7.0 share, 12+ demographic. In San Francisco, which is not really a Howard market, the show is up to 3rd place overall. Not bad considering KOME's signal only gets into about half of San Francisco.
In the 12+ demographic, the show has captured a 3.3 rating, good for 6th place.
Howard is now the #1 morning show in the 12+ demographic! KOME has finally beaten KGO's all-news operation.
The show garnered a 2nd place in the mornings, 12+, with a 6.1 rating, despite KOME only being receivable in half of San Francisco.
When the Stern show came to Northern California a while back Howard made the usual boast/promise, "Gimme some time and I'll kick everybody's ass and be #1." Has he delivered as of this date? The answer seems to depend on one's criteria.
Because of their economic clout the most sought after group of listeners is arguably the 25-54 demographic. The latest quarterly Arbitron book is out and here in San Jose the #1 top weekday morning program among this group is (again) The Howard Stern Show. With an 8.0 share, the show's almost a full percentage point above the second place team of Lamont and Tonelli, a coupla clones who play music 80% of the time and actually still do a friggin' dial-a-date EVERY week.
Among all listeners over 12 Stern is second only to KGO, the 800 lb gorilla news talk station that's been #1 for 17 years. But comparing a news program to a hosted entertainment show is akin to the L.A. situation where Stern is also #2, but to a banda music station, lo siento, no habla englais. Apples and oranges. The bottom line: Stern is already #1 in both LA and in what he calls "the San Francisco market."
Or is he? Let's look at the so-called San Francisco market.
While KOME may be a cool radio station (in fact the prototype for the new format at WXRX), its signal SUCKS. A spokesman at he station himself admits that parts of San Francisco and the East Bay area can't get reception at all, and many put up with noise and fade. After all, the transmitters are in the San Jose area, 50 miles away, and there's hills in these here parts. A lot of folks aren't gonna listen to the show long enough to become fans if every time they turn the corner Robin's cackle fades to hiss or some punchline gets obliterated.
Bearing this out is the fact that while KOME as a whole is #4 in San Jose, it's #16 in San Francisco. Howard is #1 mornings in San Jose, and although they didn't print the S.F. morning numbers, you can bet it ain't nowhere near #1, most likely not even in the top ten. KOME is plain and simple a South Bay station. It's no fault of his, but Howard can't be considered #1 in the S.F. market, and he will never be #1 until his show gets picked up by a station further north or KOME doubles its signal to 50,000 watts....neither of which is gonna happen too soon. San Francisco and San Jose are separate markets, anyway, with the latter rated (by size) as the country's #30 market, not too shabby at all. But San Francisco is the nation's #4 largest market, behind only N.Y., L.A. and (I'm guessin here) Chicago. That's a BIG difference.
Howard's #1 here. But in the so-called San Francisco market? No chance with the station he's on.
Thanks to Craig for this story.
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