Cantina cacaphony KODA'ed

KODA-AM claimed the top-rated spot in the latest radio ratings for the Houston-Galveston market, toppling KLTN-FM's regional Mexican musica station from the primero position.

Clear Channel personnel were celebrating KODA's adult contemporary coup'de tat Friday afternoon. There reportedly was drinking involved, particuarly among sales personnel, but no pinata smashing.

Houston-Galveston is the 7th largest radio market in the nation.

Finishing behind KODA and KLTN were:
KMJQ-FM, an urban adult contemporary outlet owned by Radio One
KBXX-FM, CHR/Rhythmic station in the Radio One stable
KRBE-FM, a Susquehana property that broadcasts CHR/Pop

The puzzling ratings slump for country stations continues -- just as the Houston Livestock Show & Rodeo is gearing up for its annual paen to cowboy culture.

Houston's highest-rated country station, KILT-FM, of the Infinity chain, checked in at #8.

KKBQ-FM, of the Cox chain, is still suckin' hind teat in the country race, hobbling in at #14.

How's KLOL-FM doing, you ask?

Still way, way back in the pack, at #17.

Clear Channel's KLOL dumped rock for Spanish contemporary on Nov. 12 in H-Town's version of a growing trend that has seen rock stations all over the country switch to South of the Border style tunes.

The move freaked out more than a few longtime residents of Southeast Texas who grew up rocking to the station. Now, many of those people are balding, fat, become tired easily and watch a lot of reality TV programming, but that's another story.

Rap, I-pods, satellite radio and the crummy state of rock music are generally cited as reasons for rock's disappearing act on the radio dial.

There now are 9 Spanish music radio stations in the Houston market and only 2 rock stations.

Hispanics comprise 26 percent of the market's over-12 population.

Rockers are a new minority, though not given special recognition by the government (or anyone else that we've been able to determine except for the highway patrol.)

In the sports talk field, Infinity-owned KILT-AM is still Big Man On Campus, which is no surprise to anyone, least of all KBME-AM, which is still struggling to grow up sans pocket protector and back-up retainer (metaphorically speaking).

It will be long hard slog for Clear Channel's KBME, a former music station, to overtake their Infinity rival, but they're off to a solid start with the hiring of Charlie Pallilo, a former KILT stalwart, whose defection forced KILT to shuffle it lineup, hire a lot of lawyers and switch to longer-lasting deodorant.

Already, however, KBME's new Web site makes the poor effort that KILT slapped together a long time ago look amateurish.

In the news talk format, Clear Channel's double-barrelled bully of KTRH-AM and KPRC-AM finished 7th and 10th, respectively. KSEV-AM, a Liberman station, wheezed in at 23rd on the chart.

Houston-Galveston radio ratings @ Radio & Records