‘93.9 Jamz’ rocks radio ratings

KHJZ-FM 93.9 changed its call letters from KIKI and format to rhythm-and-blues on Sept. 14, and the changes proved successful in the Winter 2011 Arbitron ratings.

KHJZ, or “93.9 Jamz,” was No. 7 on Oahu among listeners 12 and older Monday through Sunday from 6 a.m. to midnight. “Jamz” is in the top three among 18- to 34-year-olds and No. 4 among 25- to 54-year-olds.

The KHJZ morning show starring “Kutmaster Spaz” and “Jimmy da Geek” is in the top 10 among the overall audience, up from its 16th-place tie a year ago.

Another change of format and call letters, on Dec. 26, had the opposite effect for KGU-FM 99.5, formerly KHUI-FM. California-based parent company Salem Communications Corp. switched to Christian teaching and talk from adult standards in keeping with its mission, it said at the time. But the format garnered a tie for 25th place, trailed only by similarly formatted KLHT-AM1040. In the last full Arbitron survey for the adult standards, KHUI had earned a tie for seventh place.

The morning show hosted by Michael W. Perry and Larry Price on KSSK-FM 92.3 FM/590 AM continues its reign at No. 1 among listeners 12 and older and among 25- to 54-year-olds, where they garner 18.4 and 12.9 percent of the audience, respectively. However, among 18- to 34-year-olds, decidedly not their target demographic, the pair’s simulcast is bested by 10 other stations doing younger, hipper, less news, commentary and traffic-focused programming.