KSSK still No. 1 in mornings, but KDNN slowly closing in

KSSK-FM 92.3 and its top-rated morning team of Michael W. Perry and Larry Price still can claim to be No. 1, but sister-station KDNN-FM 98.5 is nipping at their heels in the all-important demo­graphic of adult listeners. Both stations are owned by Clear Channel Communications Inc.

The accompanying chart reflects listenership among only those 12 and older, but deeper data are delivered to Arbitron’s member radio stations.

The morning show on KDNN-FM 98.5 by Rory Wild, Gregg Hammer and Krey-Z Oshiro is closing the once-considerable gap between Perry and Price and the second-ranked morning show in the market. The more youth-oriented morning show on Island 98-5 is within 3.9 rating points of Perry and Price, up from a 5.3 rating-point difference a year ago.

KSSK and KDNN also are tied at No. 1 among adult listeners age 25 to 54 from Monday through Sunday, 6 a.m. to midnight, where KDNN had been at No. 4 a year ago.

Island 98-5 also has maintained its No. 1 position weekday mornings among listeners 18 to 34 years old, another major battleground among radio stations, given the ratings’ importance to the advertisers that buy air time.

Also among 18- to 34-year-olds, morning listening choices sent KDDB-FM 102.7 and KRTR-FM 96.3, tied at No. 2 a year ago, falling to Nos. 6 and 8, respectively.

Back in the world of listeners 12 and older, KPHW-FM 104.3 solidified its return to the top 10 morning shows after its year-ago tie for 11th place.

With the summer Olympics, approach of football season and other sports-related and controversial news at the University of Hawaii, Bobby Curran has returned to the morning radio top 10. His sports-themed show from 6 to 9 a.m. on KKEA-AM 1420 has moved to No. 9, up from No. 12 a year ago.

Arbitron surveys listening habits each quarter in the Hono­lulu market. The so-called "summer book," as it is called in the industry, is generally skewed by increased youth listening, given the break in the school year.