“Radio Equalizer” Brian Maloney reports that Arbitron’s switch from diaries to Portable People Meters has crushed KGO 810’s legendary ratings into tiny bits. He writes:

Late last week, the first PPM report representing July 2008 was released to clients and obtained by your Radio Equalizer. …

While the station did retain its number one position in the overall 12 and older demographic, it was killed in the all-important Adults 25-54 segment. Because advertising rates are set based on a station’s performance in that category, strong ratings there are a must.

But KGO’s new figures show it ranks just 18th overall, with a particularly disappointing 18th showing during the crucial morning drive period, followed by 17th from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., an abysmal 23rdin afternoon drive and 20th between 7 p.m. and midnight.

By contrast, all-news competitor KCBS was number one in morning drive.

Rock-bottom numbers like that should have advertisers thinking twice about paying a premium to advertise on KGO.

Maloney, a conservative, points out that conservative KSFO 560 fell to 31st place in the 25-54 demo.

After firing talker Melanie Morgan in what was claimed to be a cost-cutting move, KSFO’s morning show generated a mere twenty-second showing.

KGO-AM topper Mickey Luckoff was warning more than a year ago that the People Meters presented a skewed look at the radio audience. We suspect there is more to this story.