Monopoly pieces

by Dan Kennedy

The ownership of Boston's 20 most-listened-to radio stations is dominated by four giant media corporations. Two of them -- Westinghouse Electric Company and American Radio Systems -- have announced their intention to merge, although the US Justice Department is expected to require the new combine to shed some of its Boston stations. Just three of Boston's top 20 are owned by independents.

The information below is from Broadcasting & Cable magazine's authoritative June survey. Ratings are based on Arbitron's summer book. Listeners are measured by the industry standard: average number of listeners per quarter-hour who listened for at least five minutes.

Chancellor Media Corporation

With 2.9 million listeners, Texas-based Chancellor is the biggest radio group in the US -- at least until the Westinghouse-American Radio Systems deal is approved. Chancellor owns a total of 325 stations.

* WXKS-FM (contemporary hit radio/pop)

* WJMN-FM (contemporary hit radio/rhythm)

* WXKS-AM (nostalgia)

Westinghouse/CBS

With nearly 2.3 million listeners at 74 stations, Westinghouse, with headquarters in New York, is the second-biggest radio group.

* WBZ-AM (news and talk)

* WBCN-FM (alternative)

* WODS-FM (oldies)

* WZLX-FM (classic rock)

American Radio Systems

The sole Boston-based radio conglomerate, ARS is slated to go out of business early next year, when its sale to Westinghouse is approved. Ranked fourth, with 946,000 listeners at 104 stations.

* WRKO-AM (talk)

* WBMX-FM (hot adult contemporary)

* WEEI-AM (sports)

* WAAF-FM (rock)

* WEGQ-FM (oldies)

* WNFT-AM (rock)

Greater Media

With 282,500 listeners at 15 stations, this East Brunswick, New Jersey, company is the 13th largest.

* WMJX-FM (adult contemporary)

* WKLB-FM (country)

* WROR-FM (oldies)

* WBOS-FM (adult alternative)

* WSJZ-FM (smooth jazz) -- formerly WOAZ, the station is not currently in the top 20

Independents

* WCRB-FM (classical) -- owned by Charles River Broadcasting; 'CRB's signal is simulcast on WFCC-FM, on Cape Cod, the company's only other station

* WILD-AM (urban) -- owned by Nash Communications Corporation

* WFNX-FM (alternative) -- owned by the Phoenix Media/Communications Group

* WXRV-FM (adult contemporary) -- an almost-independent: owned by Northeast Broadcasting, of Bedford, New Hampshire, which owns four other stations in Vermont and New Hampshire

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Dan Kennedy can be reached at dkennedy[a]phx.com.