Long Beach low-power community radio station KLBP (99.1 FM local to Long Beach; online for everyone else) has launched a new fundraising drive: The Power of 100.
The idea is to have 100 people donate $100 each — making for $10,000 total — in order to help build the next chapter of the station.
The next chapter: a new studio and a new newsroom. According to station board member and program host Michael Stark, the idea is to bring back accessible radio … literally. “We hope to build something that people can come by, look through the windows to see the studios, and actually visit, bringing us closer to the community and our listeners.”
Something larger is envisioned as well; the current studios are smaller than what I remember having at UCLA’s student-run on-campus station KLA, and that was basically built out of a storage room at the back of Ackerman Hall.
“This isn’t just about building walls,” General Manager and President Danny Lemos said in a written statement. “It’s about building opportunity – creating a place where free speech thrives, young voices grow, and Long Beach’s diverse communities are heard.”
Power of 100 donors will be honored on a special wall in the new studios once built; the first 100 donors will receive a KLBP member T-shirt and a ticket on a special harbor cruise setting sail on August 14th. For more information, head over to klbp.org
June ratings
KRTH (101.1 FM) dominated the June Nielsen ratings released last week, earning its highest rating in at least six months and beating second-place KOST (103.5 FM) by a full point, 6.6 to 5.6, respectively. Not only that, outside of the extremely competitive morning shift in which it “only” came in 4th, the oldies station was number one the entire day: weekdays 10-3, 3-7, and 7-midnight, along with Saturdays and Sundays 6 a.m. to midnight.
KIIS (102.7 FM) was third overall with a 4.7 share, followed by a three-way tie for 4th at 4.5 that included KBIG (104.3 FM), KNX (1070 AM, 97.1 FM), and “The Wave” KTWV (94.7 FM).
Seventh-place KLOS (95.5 FM) increased its lead over rival “Jack” KCBS-FM (93.1), earning a 4.4 rating vs Jack’s 3.8. Tied with Jack at eighth was KFI, which has held steady in spite of the cuts made late last year. It appears my predictions of decline were drastically incorrect, to say the least. As a fan of AM radio, I am pleased that I was wrong.
Rounding out the top 10 is Spanish adult-contemporary KLVE (107.5 FM) with a 3.4 share of the audience, not to be confused with the “other” K-Love KKLQ (100.3 FM), which was tied for 23rd place with “Real” KRRL (92.3 FM) and “Cali” KLLI (93.9 FM) at 1.7.
Alt (KYSR) 98.7 earned its best rating since June of 2021 with a 3.2, just beating KROQ’s (106.7 FM) 3.1 … KROQ isn’t too sad, though, earning its best rating since April … of 2016! Also at a high for the month is KLAC (570 AM); on the strength of the Dodgers, the station was at an astounding third place during nighttime Dodger game times at 1.6. Prior to baseball season, the station hovered around a 1.0 share. Baseball just goes well with radio.
Those morning shows? I can’t give the actual ratings due to rules from Nielsen, but the top-ten morning shows in order in Los Angeles during June were KLOS (Heidi and Frank); KOST (Ellen K); KIIS-FM (Ryan Seacrest); KRTH (Gary Bryan); KFI (Bill Handel) tied with KNX (Vicky Moore and Mike Simpson); KTWV (Liz Hernandez); Alt 98.7 (Woody Show) tied with Jack; and KLAX 97.9 FM (Al Aire Con El Terrible).
Each rating is an estimate of the percentage of listeners aged six and over tuned to a station between the hours of 6 a.m. and 12 midnight, as determined by Nielsen.
1. KRTH (6.6) 2. KOST (5.6) 3. KIIS-FM (4.7) 4t. KBIG, KNX-AM/FM, KTWV “The Wave” (4.5) 7. KLOS (4.4) 8t. KCBS-FM “Jack,” KFI (3.8) 10. KLVE (3.4) 11. KYSR “Alt 98.7” (3.2) 12. KROQ (3.1) 13t. KLAX, KUSC (3.0) 15t. KSCA, KPCC (2.6) 17. KKGO “Go Country” (2.5) 18. KCRW (2.2) 19. KXOL (2.0) 20t. KRCD, KPWR “Power 106,” KKJZ (1.8) 23t. KKLQ (K-Love Ministry), KRRL “Real,” KLLI “Cali” (1.7) 26t. KLAC, KJLH (1.6) 28. KLYY (1.5) 29t. KBUE, KDAY (1.4) 31t. KFWB, KCSN “SoCal Sound” (0.7) 33t. KAIA, KEIB (0.6) 35t. KNX Stream, KRLA (0.4) 37t. KTNQ, KLAA (0.3) 39t. KDLD, KKLA, KKGO HD3 “LA Oldies” (0.2) 42t. KYLA, KWKW, KHJ, KWVE, KNX-HD2, KLAX Stream, KTWV Stream, KTLW, KROQ-HD2, KCBS-FM Stream, KKLQ-HD2 (0.1)
Richard Wagoner is a San Pedro freelance columnist covering radio in Southern California. Email rwagoner@socalradiowaves.com