That's the lesson Howard Stern learned in the Arbitron ratings which just came out. From the L.A. Times:
Shock jock Howard Stern, instead of losing out in a feud with President Bush, the Federal Communications Commission and the nation's largest radio chain, has garnered audience figures he hasn't seen since 1995.NOW can we get an Air America affiliate out here?
On his Los Angeles affiliate, KLSX-FM (97.1), Stern averaged 3.9% of Southland listeners over the age of 12 in February. When the FCC proposed slapping its maximum fine on a Detroit station for a Stern broadcast, Stern began an on-air crusade against the agency and the president in response, and radio chain Clear Channel Communications pulled the shock jock from six of its outlets, citing indecency fears. After that, in March, Stern's L.A. audience share leaped to 5.4%, making him No. 1 in the market.
He was also first among listeners ages 25-54, with a 5.7% share - the first time he's topped the L.A. ratings in that demographic since the summer of 1995, according to Infinity Broadcasting Corp., which distributes Stern's show and owns KLSX.
He saw similar gains in his home market, New York, and in Chicago, Boston, Philadelphia and elsewhere.
And Stern's effect worked in the other direction, as well. At KIOZ-FM (105.3) in San Diego - one of the Clear Channel-owned stations that pulled Stern's program at the end of February - the audience share for its morning show went from 8.9% in February to .7% in March, according to Infinity. The fall was even greater among listeners ages 18 to 34 - from 20.6% to .8%.
