Online Graphic: Radio ratings See a graphic winter 2004 radio ratings for Pittsburgh area stations.

It was the winter when Pittsburgh lost Howard Stern and when Jim Quinn moved to a new station -- several of the changes that shook up the winter 2004 Arbitron ratings.

WXDX-FM, along with five other Clear Channel stations across the country, dropped the syndicated Howard Stern show in the middle of the ratings period, and WXDX dropped from third place in morning drive a year ago to 9th place, going from a 7.1 share to a 3.6. The station was also down in the overall ratings -- from fifth place last year to a tie for 8th place.

While the top-ranked stations held on to their positions, the lower portion of the top 10 were in a very tight race -- with six stations in two- and four-way ties.

A format change to talk at WPGB-FM at the beginning of the year moved the station into the top 10, compared to number 15 a year ago -- although it was also number 10 in the previous quarter. It usually takes two or more ratings periods to evaluate the impact of a new format on the ratings.

In morning drive, however, the impact was felt. WPGB, which hired morning host Jim Quinn along with the format change, leapt to 4th place. It wasn't even in the top 10 a year ago.

It's noteworthy that the Froggy station strategy of simulcasting on its four stations is paying off. The combined ratings for the Froggy country format (WOGI-FM, WOGH-FM, WOGG-FM and WOGF-FM) are 5.3, which would give it fifth place in the overall ratings.

Among 25- to 54-year-old listeners, the top 10 stations were:

WDVE-FM, WDSY-FM, WZPT-FM and KDKA-AM tied for third place, WWSW-FM, WSHH-FM, WPGB, WLTJ-FM, WXDX and WRRK-FM.

The top five morning shows for this group:

WDVE, KDKA, WPGB, WDSY and WZPT.

The KDKA morning show, which had dropped to 6th place in the previous book, rebounded with a gain of more than 4 ratings points over fall 2003.

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