This is Boise’s new #1 radio station. Others plunged. Ratings winners, losers
When it comes to radio, Boise’s top dog actually is a bull.
OK, usually is a bull. For years, 101.9 FM The Bull has been the area’s most consistent ratings force. But the country-music powerhouse fell out of the top slot in the fall 2025 Nielsen ratings, which just hit the streets.
Boise’s new No. 1 radio station? My 102.7, which happens to have the same owner as The Bull: Nampa-based Iliad Media Group. With a 6.4 share, My 102.7 and its hot adult contemporary format finished atop all listeners 12 and older (12+) between 6 a.m. and midnight. That’s what we call the “bragging rights” category of the Nielsens, which measure listener share twice a year in this market.
Second place, at 5.8, went to contemporary Christian station KTSY 89.5 — for the second Nielsen book in a row. Somewhere, Santa is smiling. Just like 107.9 Lite FM, KTSY flips to holiday music in fall, kicking off a seemingly endless Christmas clash. In the latest head to head, though, Lite FM lost the snowball fight. (Despite performing solidly overall.)
Variety hits station Bob 96.1 FM — another Iliad station — took third place in 12+ with 5.6. And, finally, in fourth, we find The Bull at 4.6.
Don’t be surprised if The Bull roars out of the gate to return to No. 1 again come spring. “We know the fall book is always going to be affected by holiday music, sports, politics and holiday school vacation schedules,” said Darrell Calton, CEO of Iliad Media Group. “Spring is more predictable. That is why we program every station to be number one. Our goal is to have three out of the top four dial presets programmed to an Iliad station.”
Missing stations
Here’s where we put an asterisk on this entire spiel.
For the first time in like, forever, several major radio stations — all from massive Cumulus Media — are not part of the Nielsen report. We’re talking familiar brands like news-talk purveyor 670 AM KBOI, which typically enjoys a bump in the fall, thanks to the aforementioned politics and sports.
Why are all five Boise-area Cumulus stations suddenly missing? Well, you have to pony up significant dough to participate in the Nielsens. I sent an email to Cumulus Regional VP/Market President Don Morin asking whether Cumulus chose not to subscribe. It was not returned.
Might things look a bit different if Cumulus’ numbers were included? Of course. But it wouldn’t change one trend that’s hard to overlook. Apparently, being local resonates with Idaho listeners. Because without question, more ears are tuned to Iliad Media Group stations than anything else — and it’s been that way for more than eight years, Calton said. Iliad, by the way, is employee-owned.
Morning drive
When it came to the morning drive — listeners 12 and older between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m. Mondays through Fridays — the winner was predictable. The No. 1 finisher, easily, was My 102.7. Again. (Powered by hosts “Joey & Lauren.”) The Bull (with Kevin and Brenda “Mee in the Morning”) tied for second place with Boise State Public Radio (think “Morning Edition” at 91.5 FM).
25-54: Ka-ching!
In the real world, the 12+ “bragging rights” numbers have somewhat limited sway. The Nielsens are pared down into various other demographics with economic repercussions. The top finishers in 12+ aren’t always the winners in the niche that’s most important to advertisers: listeners ages 25 to 54 between 6 a.m. and midnight.
The winner in 25-54 — easily once again — was My 102.7. (Shocker!) Second place was a three-way tie between Bob FM, headbanger station 100.3 The X and Lite FM.
The Bull tied with four other stations for third place.
Before we get to the big list of 12+ numbers, I have one last caveat. Because Nielsen relies on actual living, breathing Idahoans to report diaries of what they supposedly listened to during the survey period, results can be flaky — er, unpredictable. In other words, one disappointing ratings book isn’t the end of the world.
The Bull fell two full points — from a 6.6 share in spring to 4.6 in fall. Nobody’s sweating. Classical station KBSU 90.3 FM dropped from 3.3 to 1.9. Not great but not panic-inducing, either.
“We always urge advertisers to use two-book averages to take the wobbles, or uncertainty out,” Calton said.
Fall 12+ numbers
Below is the Treasure Valley breakdown. These are stations’ quarter-hour shares among listeners 12 and older between 6 a.m. and midnight. Remember, not every frequency in the market will be listed — notably, Cumulus stations such as 670 AM KBOI and 96.9 The Eagle.
- KZMG-FM 102.7 (My 102.7, hot AC, Iliad Media Group): 6.4
- KTSY-FM 89.5 (Christian contemporary, Idaho Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists): 5.8
- KSRV-FM 96.1 (Bob, variety hits, Iliad Media Group): 5.6
- KQBL-FM 101.9 (The Bull, country, Iliad Media Group): 4.6
- KBSX-FM 91.5 (public radio, Boise State): 4.4
- KXLT-FM 107.9 (Lite FM, adult contemporary, Townsquare Media): 3.7
- KIDO-AM 580 (news/talk, Townsquare Media): 3.5
- KWYD-FM 101.1 (Wild 101.1, pop contemporary hits, Iliad Media Group): 3.5
- KQXR-FM 100.3 (The X, active rock, Lotus Boise): 3.3
- KJOT-FM 105.1 (Jack, variety hits, Lotus Boise): 3.1
- KKOO-AM 1260 (101.5 Kool FM, classic hits, Iliad Media Group): 2.5
- KSAS-FM 103.5 (Kiss FM, pop contemporary hits, Townsquare Media): 2.5
- KAWO-FM 104.3 (Wow country, Townsquare Media): 2.1
- KTHI-FM 107.1 (Hank FM, classic country, Lotus Boise): 2.1
- KBSU-FM 90.3 (classical, Boise State): 1.9
- KLXI-FM 99.5 (K-Love, Christian contemporary, Educational Media Foundation): 1.9
- KQBL-FM HD3 96.5 (The Alternative, alternative rock, Iliad Media Group): 1.7
- KCIX-FM 105.9 (Mix 106, hot adult contemporary, Townsquare Media): 1.5
- KOAY-FM 88.7 (Christian contemporary, Idaho Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists): 1.5
- KARO-FM 98.7 (Air-1, Christian contemporary, Educational Media Foundation): 1.2
- KQBL-FM HD2 99.1 (I-Rock, active rock, Iliad Media Group): 1.2
- KRVB-FM 94.9 (The River, adult album alternative, Lotus Boise): 1.2
- KARO-FM stream (Air-1, Christian contemporary, Educational Media Foundation): 0.8
- KSRV-FM HD2 99.9 (Fox Sports, Iliad Media Group): 0.6
- KFXD-AM 630 (Power 105.5, urban contemporary): 0.4
This story was originally published February 2, 2026 at 4:00 AM.