Zoo Roars Back Into First Place
The Zoo is back on top of the Arbitron radio ratings.
The winter ratings came out Thursday, and KZZU-FM’s contemporary hits format finished No. 1 for the first time since the fall of 1993. The station had a huge ratings increase from this fall, up more than three full share points.
At least one local programmer attributed this to the Arbitron Co.’s new push to get a more representative sample of men aged 18-24 (notoriously difficult to survey). However, Arbitron discounts any notion that this would affect the results significantly.
Still, some of the other winners in this ratings book were stations that appeal to young listeners, especially KNFR-FM (The Frog) which goes after a young country audience, and KEZE-FM, a rock station. Both stations went up almost two full share points from last year.
In talk radio, KGA-AM also had an excellent book, up 1.7 share points to 6.5.
KXLY-AM, on the other hand, dropped from 5.4 to 4.6. The last time I reported on the ratings, KXLY-AM’s Pete Fretwell went on the air to accuse me of being unqualified to interpret the Arbitrons. He’s right. I am totally unqualified to explain why a drop to 11th place is good news for his station. I’m sure he’ll explain it all to his listeners on Monday.
However, I believe I am qualified to point out that his sister station, KXLY-FM (soft hits), made an impressive showing, up a full share point to 6.1.
If these ratings prove anything at all, they prove how capricious the radio audience, or the radio ratings, can be. In the space of one year, Spokane has had three different No. 1 stations: KKZX-FM, KDRK-FM and KZZU-FM.
Here are the Arbitron rankings for the period of Jan. 5 through March 29. These are the quarter-hour share numbers for all listeners 12 and over, which Arbitron says are the broadest gauge of overall popularity. Copyright 1995, The Arbitron Co.:
1. KZZU-FM, contemporary hits, 9.6.
2. KDRK-FM, country, 8.4.
3. KNFR-FM, country, 7.7.
4. KKZX-FM, classic rock, 7.4.
5. KISC-FM, adult contemporary, 6.8.
6. (tie) KAQQ-AM, oldies, 6.5.
6. (tie) KGA-AM, talk, 6.5.
8. KEZE-FM, album rock, 6.3.
9. KXLY-FM, soft hits, 6.1.
10. KEYF-FM, oldies, 5.1.
11. KXLY-AM, news-talk, 4.6.
12. KCDA-FM, country, 3.5.
13. KNJY-FM, rock, 3.3.
14. KKCH-FM, adult contemporary, 1.8.
15. KJRB-AM, talk, 1.1.
16. (tie) KSVY-AM, classical, 0.7.
16. (tie) KTRW-AM, sports-talk, 0.7.
18. KSPO-FM, Christian, 0.5.
19. (tie) KUDY-AM, Christian, 0.4.
19. (tie) KAZZ-FM, children’s programming, 0.4.
A number of other stations had audiences too low to measure.
Spokane’s public radio station, KPBX-FM, is not included in Arbitron’s report, but it typically finishes mid-pack.
The answer, my friend?
“Highway 195 Revisited.”
“Stuck Inside of Spokane, With the Memphis Blues Again.”
“Tangled Up in Lilacs.”
A certain musical legend has tentative plans to play a certain large Spokane symphony hall on June 5. However, because the contract has not yet been signed, I can’t tell you who it is.
However, I can give you one more hint:
He’s knock, knock, knockin’ on Spokane’s door.
Watch for further announcements, any day now.
Two lucky choirs
The competition was fierce, for good reason, at the Spokane Opera House on Thursday for the Dreamcoat Choir Challenge.
Eight youth choirs competed for a chance to do something that few people ever get to do: Be part of a major Broadway touring show.
The two winning choirs will be in the four Spokane performances of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which comes to the Opera House Sept. 26-29.
The 40 or so children in the two combined choirs will be on stage virtually 95 percent of the time. Not only will they sing, but they will be in 14 dance numbers.
This is all happening because superstar composer Andrew Lloyd Webber originally conceived this as a children’s show, complete with a children’s choir. The first Broadway versions did not have the children’s choir, but when Lloyd Webber revived it on Broadway last year, he went back to his original plan and put 40 children, age 9-14, on stage.
However, sending a 40-voice choir on the road is too expensive and complicated, which is why local choirs around the country are getting this chance. Choreographer Carl Schmehl, musical director Ben Whiteley and stage manager Scott Klier are going to every city on the tour, conducting these auditions.
The Spokane audition lasted from 9:30 a.m. until 1 p.m. (box lunch was supplied), and the tension was thick in the air.
“It’s hard to pick just two,” said Schmehl. “My heart goes out to all of them.”
Eventually, though, they made the hard decision. The lucky winners are: Adams Elementary and Jefferson Elementary.
These choirs will have an intensive week of rehearsals with the “Joseph” people before the show opens.
And then 40 Spokane kids will be up there with the stars, taking their bows.
Spokane Civic season
Speaking of local Spokane people taking bows, the Spokane Civic Theatre has announced its season for next year. It looks promising.
On the main stage will be the lighthearted Cockney musical, “Me and My Girl”; the funny family Christmas show, “The Best Christmas Pageant Ever”; Neil Simon’s acclaimed comedy-drama, “Lost in Yonkers”; Shakespeare’s “As You Like It”; “Tons of Money,” and the musical “Kismet” (tentative).
On the Studio Theatre stage will be August Wilson’s “Two Trains Running,” “Strangers on Earth,” “Suddenly Last Summer” and “The Baltimore Waltz.”
Call 325-2507 for season ticket information.
Straight to No. 1
KXLY-AM’s guest hosts on Thursday from 2-4 p.m. will be a tag team of columnists from The Spokesman-Review: Doug Clark and your very own Spotlight author. Wow. That’ll boost those spring ratings.
This is Jim Bickel’s recently vacated afternoon slot. Other guest hosts will be city councilman Joel Crosby on Monday and Bob Glatzer on Tuesday.
Mr. Manly is coming
The excitement is overwhelming. Mr. Manly (a.k.a. Colom Keating) will make live appearances in Spokane on Friday and Saturday. Mr. Manly is the syndicated comic radio personality who parodies all things macho. He is heard locally on KEZEFM.
Mr. Manly will do a live remote broadcast with KEZE-FM’s Connor and Johnson from Frontier West, 2121 N. Division, from 6-10 a.m. Friday.
On Saturday, he will appear at the Street Sound Stereo Shop, 2405 N. Division, from 1-4 p.m., and the Erotique Boutique, 54 E. Wellesley, from 9 p.m. to midnight.