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News/talk station KDKA (1020 AM) with 448,100 listeners -- or "cume" -- is the most popular Pittsburgh area radio station, according to the latest Arbitron Inc. survey of listeners in the metropolitan area from Jan. 2 through March 26, 2003.

A stations' "cume" identifies the estimated number of different people who listened for a minimum of five minutes in any 15 minute period during a daypart, such as from weekdays from 6 to 10 a.m. No matter how long the listening occurred, each person is counted only once. "Cume" also is called the "unduplicated audience," "reach" or "circulation," according to Arbitron.

Album rock station WDVE (102.5 FM) with 405,100 drops to second after being ranked first in the previous rating period. Oldies station WWSW (94.5 FM) with 311,300 is third. Contemporary hits station WBZZ (93.7 FM) with 288,700, is fourth followed by contemporary hits station WKST (96.1 FM) with 285,900.

Arbitron Inc, a Maryland-based company, conducts four 12-week radio listening surveys annually in the Pittsburgh area.

"Our Infinity Broadcasting cluster of stations is very pleased with the winter (latest rating) book," says Michael Young, senior vice-president, Pittsburgh market manager and general manager of KDKA. The other three Infinity stations are WBZZ, WZPT (100.7 FM) and WDSY (107.9 FM).

"I am especially pleased to see KDKA back where the station was prior to the fall (previous rating) book. I attribute it to an appetite for information that has increased in the post 9/11 era."

John Rohm is the region vice-president of the Pittsburgh Clear Channel Communications stations -- WDVE, WWSW, WKST, WJJJ (104.7 FM), WXDX (105.9 FM) and WBGG (970 AM). "Is there anything more compelling or topical than the war?" asks Rohm. "We certainly believe this temporary situation will normalize in the next book (rating period)."

The KDKA success mirrors national radio ratings.

"Early indications are that news/talk stations nationwide have experienced good growth as a result of the war preparation and initial stages of the gulf war," says Jim Glass, an international consultant for news, talk and sports stations. He is affiliated with McVay Media, the largest worldwide radio programming consultancy.

The increase might be temporary, says Ron Rodrigues, editor-in-chief of Radio & Records, a national radio trade publication. "Historically, it is a spike (a temporary increase in listenership). When no significant events exist, fewer people listen."

Radio ratings

Total number of listeners refers to hours of 6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday, unless otherwise noted.

Top 10 stations, age 12 and older
Station	Format	Total Listeners
1. KDKA (1020 AM)	news talk	448,100
2. WDVE (102.5 FM)	album rock	405,100
3. WWSW (94.5 FM)	oldies	311,300
4. WBZZ (93.7 FM)	contemporary hits	288,700
5. WKST (96.1 FM)	contemporary hits	285,900
6. WXDX (105.9 FM)	alternative rock	282,900
7. WSHH (99.7 FM)	adult contemporary	280,200
8. WDSY (107.9 FM)	country	262,500
9. WRRK (96.9 FM)	classic rock	235,300
10. WZPT (100.7 FM)	soft rock	226,000

Top 10 stations, age 12 and older (6 to 10 a.m. Mon.-Fri.)
Station	Listeners
1. KDKA	297,100
2. WDVE	218,600
3. WDSY	159,200
4. WXDX	147,900
5. WBZZ	142,000
6. WWSW	135,500
7. WSHH	128,600
8. WKST	127,300
9. WZPT	118,800
10. WRRK	103,600
Top 10 stations, ages 25 to 54
Station	Listeners
1. WDVE	305,600
2. WWSW	190,100
3. KDKA	181,100
4. WZPT	179,300
5. WXDX	172,300
6. WRRK	165,000
7. WSHH	159,200
8. WBZZ	157,700
9. WDSY	148,700
10. WKST	118,700
Top 10 stations, ages 25 to 54 (6 to 10 a.m. Mon.-Fri.)
Station	Listeners
1. WDVE	175,600
2. KDKA	110,500
3. WXDX	102,000
4. WZPT	98,900
5. WDSY	90,600
6. WBZZ	84,600
7. WWSW	83,500
8. WSHH	77,100
9. WRRK	75,200
10. WLTJ (92.9 FM) soft rock	63,200

Source: Arbitron Inc. (Arbitrends Trend Report) fall survey.

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