1986
Arbitron made the Dallas/Fort Worth market a continuous survey market in 1986, meaning that radio listening was now being measured 48 out of 52 weeks a year. Stations that had grown accustomed to gearing all of their marketing and contesting to run during two surveys each year now had no time to "rest."
The first four-book year in DFW didn't do much to shake up the domination that was in place in the top two spots. KVIL and KKDA-FM (K104) battled back and forth between first and second the entire year. KPLX was making waves, zooming all the way to third in the Spring book, and widening the lead over KSCS to over four shares by the end of the year.
A new entry into the top ten was KQZY. The former KOAX had shifted from easy listening to a soft adult contemporary format as "Cozy 105.3" in 1984, filling a void between easy listening KMEZ and adult contemporaries KVIL and KMGC. The void would prove to be a very narrow one, as the Spring book was the only survey in which KQZY would finish in the top 10. Meanwhile, the rock battle had cooled, and a 4.4 share in the Winter book gave KZEW (The Zoo) its very last top ten appearance.
| 12+ Ratings for Winter 1986 | ||||
| Call Letters | Frequency | Format | Fa 1985 | Wi 1986 |
| KVIL | 103.7 | Adult Contemporary | 10.6 | 9.1 |
| KKDA-FM | 104.5 | Urban | 8.7 | 8.7 |
| KRLD | 1080 | News/Talk | 7.7 | 7.2 |
| KPLX | 99.5 | Country | 6.0 | 6.9 |
| WBAP | 820 | Country | 5.9 | 6.5 |
| KMEZ-A/F | 1480/100.3 | Easy Listening | 5.7 | 6.4 |
| KSCS | 96.3 | Country | 5.9 | 5.5 |
| KEGL | 97.1 | Top 40 | 6.3 | 5.2 |
| KTXQ | 102.1 | Rock | 4.7 | 5.1 |
| KZEW | 97.9 | Rock | 3.1 | 4.4 |
| 12+ Ratings for Spring 1986 | ||||
| Call Letters | Frequency | Format | Wi 1986 | Sp 1986 |
| KVIL | 103.7 | Adult Contemporary | 9.1 | 8.8 |
| KKDA-FM | 104.5 | Urban | 8.7 | 8.5 |
| KPLX | 99.5 | Country | 6.9 | 7.3 |
| WBAP | 820 | Country | 6.5 | 6.9 |
| KMEZ-A/F | 1480/100.3 | Easy Listening | 6.4 | 6.5 |
| KRLD | 1080 | News/Talk | 7.2 | 6.3 |
| KSCS | 96.3 | Country | 5.5 | 5.7 |
| KEGL | 97.1 | Top 40 | 5.2 | 5.2 |
| KTXQ | 102.1 | Rock | 5.1 | 5.0 |
| KQZY | 105.3 | Adult Contemporary | 2.9 | 3.8 |
| 12+ Ratings for Summer 1986 | ||||
| Call Letters | Frequency | Format | Sp 1986 | Su 1986 |
| KKDA-FM | 104.5 | Urban | 8.5 | 8.9 |
| KVIL | 103.7 | Adult Contemporary | 8.8 | 7.1 |
| WBAP | 820 | Country | 6.9 | 6.7 |
| KPLX | 99.5 | Country | 7.3 | 6.6 |
| KMEZ-A/F | 1480/100.3 | Easy Listening | 6.5 | 6.0 |
| KRLD | 1080 | News/Talk | 6.3 | 5.8 |
| KEGL | 97.1 | Top 40 | 5.2 | 5.7 |
| KTXQ | 102.1 | Rock | 5.0 | 5.3 |
| KSCS | 96.3 | Country | 5.7 | 4.6 |
| KTKS | 106.1 | Top 40 | 3.1 | 4.6 |
| 12+ Ratings for Fall 1986 | ||||
| Call Letters | Frequency | Format | Su 1986 | Fa 1986 |
| KVIL-A/F | 1150/103.7 | Adult Contemporary | 7.1 | 9.3 |
| KKDA-FM | 104.5 | Urban | 8.9 | 8.4 |
| KPLX | 99.5 | Country | 6.6 | 8.3 |
| KRLD | 1080 | News/Talk | 5.8 | 7.3 |
| KMEZ-A/F | 1480/100.3 | Easy Listening | 6.0 | 7.2 |
| KEGL | 97.1 | Top 40 | 5.7 | 5.1 |
| KTXQ | 102.1 | Rock | 5.3 | 4.7 |
| WBAP | 820 | Country | 6.7 | 4.6 |
| KSCS | 96.3 | Country | 4.6 | 3.9 |
| KTKS | 106.1 | Top 40 | 4.6 | 3.7 |
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