Are Arbitrons Too Arbitrary? Bigger Sample Sizes May Help

The big cat rules the radio world this quarter.

KDRK-FM (Cat Country) is No. 1 in the most recent Arbitron ratings, followed closely by KKZX-FM, the classic rock station led by the Radio Men. These two stations are far ahead of the pack.

These numbers are radically different from the previous quarter’s numbers, in which KDRK came in at No. 5. Write it off to the fickleness of the Arbitrons.

However, maybe, just maybe, the Arbitrons are getting less fickle. Arbitron is boosting the number of people it surveys in order to make its data more reliable. This ratings book was based on 1,190 listeners, 230 more than last quarter.

Arbitron will continue to increase the sample size for the next two quarters, eventually reaching its goal of 1,420 listeners. Before this quarter, the number was only 960. Local Arbitron subscribers, mostly radio stations and ad agencies, agreed to pay extra in hopes of getting better data.

Here are the Arbitron numbers for the period of June 26-Sept. 17, all listeners 12 and over, ranked by quarter-hour share, copyright The Arbitron Co. (format and dial location in parentheses):

1. KDRK-FM (country), 9.1.

2. KKZX-FM (classic rock), 9.0.

3. KZZU-FM (contemporary hits), 7.6.

4. KAEP-FM (adult alternative), 6.8.

5. KISC-FM (adult contemporary), 6.5.

6. KXLY-AM (news-talk), 6.3.

7. KXLY-FM (adult contemporary), 5.7.

8. (tie) KGA-AM (news-talk), 5.6.

8. (tie) KNFR-FM (country), 5.6.

10. KEYF-FM (oldies), 5.3.

11. KAQQ-AM (oldies), 5.0.

12. KHTQ-FM (contemporary hits), 3.7.

13. (tie) KCDA-FM (country), 3.4.

13. (tie) KNJY-FM (rock), 3.4.

15. KEZE-FM (rock), 1.5.

16. KTRW-FM (sports-talk), 1.2.

17. KTSL-FM (Christian), 0.9.

18. (tie) KSPO-FM (Christian), 0.8.

18. (tie) KVNI-AM (adult contemporary), 0.8.

20. (tie) KJRB-AM (talk), 0.6.

20. (tie) KKPL-AM (nostalgia), 0.6.

Spokane’s favorite music?

Does KDRK’s victory mean that country music is Spokane’s favorite music?

Hardly. Break these numbers down by music category and you’ll find that rock-pop has a 32 share (32 percent of the listenership) compared to an 18.1 share for country. News-talk comes in with a 13.7 share, adult contemporary a 13 share and oldies-nostalgia a 10.9 share.

You might come up with different numbers, since the definition of a rock-pop station is open to interpretation. I included rock, classic rock, adult alternative and contemporary hits. I didn’t include oldies or adult-contemporary, both of which could easily be counted as pop.

Country is much easier to define. Only three stations in the top 20 are country stations.

Ty Ray lands in California

Ty Ray, former sports anchor with KHQ-6, has landed a new job with KSBY, the NBC affiliate in San Luis Obispo, Calif.

Ray says it’s a beautiful place, on the coast halfway between L.A. and San Francisco. He’ll be the sports director and the Monday-through-Friday sports anchor.

Ray embarks on his new life on Nov. 24.

News for early birds

The early morning news will soon be even earlier.

KXLY-4’s “Good Morning Northwest” show is moving from a 5:30 a.m. start to a 5 a.m. start as of Dec. 1. It will continue to run until 7 a.m.

The extra half-hour will give “early-risers the opportunity to get the information they need,” according to the station.

No other station in Spokane gets off to such an early start.

I’ll take the station’s word on that. I won’t be getting up early enough to check.

‘Pre’-sold video

The biographical movie “Prefontaine,” about Oregon track star Steve Prefontaine, arrives in video stores on Tuesday.

This is of special interest to us, because the film is loaded with local connections. Mead High School coach Pat Tyson was a consultant on the film and many members of the Mead High School cross-country team appear in it. Local actor Ryan Brewer also appears. It was shot in Seattle and Tacoma, and stars Jared Leto as Prefontaine.

A local ‘Living on Earth’

Sandpoint resident and independent producer Jane Fritz will be featured on the National Public Radio program “Living On Earth” at noon on Monday on KPBX-FM, 91.1.

Her segment is about watching the salmon disappear from the Salmon River.

Wynton’s ‘Blood on the Fields’

Wynton Marsalis won the Pulitzer Prize for music this year for his epic jazz piece “Blood on the Fields.”

Here’s a chance to hear a version recorded at the Vienna Opera House.

“Blood on the Fields” will air on KPBX-FM Wednesday at 11 p.m.

Spotlight is weekly column of news and commentary on the arts and media. To leave a message on Jim Kershner’s voice-mail, call 459-5493. Or send e-mail to jimk@spokesman.com, or regular mail to Spokesman-Review, P.O. Box 2160, Spokane, WA 99210.

, DataTimes