Today's Media Savvy column on National Public Radio's "Morning Edition" - co-host Renee Montagne (pictured) speaks at UC Davis Wednesday night - got us thinking about the extent of the show's popularity in Sacramento.

Sure, a cynic might suggest, only highbrow academic types might listen to NPR news, but not a mass audience, right?

Think again.

Arbitron, the radio ratings service, measures noncommercial stations' listenership, but it doesn't bundle the results with the figures of commercial stations.

However, we got ahold of the "Morning Edition" numbers at KXJZ (90.9 FM), and the show stacks up pretty well.

In the 12-plus overall ratings, "Morning Edition" on KXJZ finished third with a 5.7 rating, behind only the morning news on KFBK (1530 AM) with a 7.9 share and "Armstrong & Getty" of KSTE (650 AM) with a 7.4 share. And, in the advertising-coveted 25-to-54 demographic, "Armstrong & Getty" was first with a 7.9, the "Rob, Arnie & Dawn Show" on 98 Rock (KRXQ, 98.5 FM) with a 6.5 and "Morning Edition" on KXJZ with a 6.4.

Now, if you were to add the "Morning Edition" listeners who tune in on the region's other, rival public radio station KQEI (89.3 FM), "Morning Edition" would rate even higher.