KROQ redux.

Lisa Worden built the playlists at alternative-rock powerhouse KROQ-FM (106.7) when the genre still was riding high with platinum artists such as Pearl Jam, Soundgarden and Smashing Pumpkins.

Alternative rock is no longer the sales and ratings magnet it was when Worden arrived at KROQ in 1995, but WoMen is returning to the station after a two-year stint as program director of a now-defunct alternative rock station in Washington, D.C.

The music director position at KROQ opened up after Matt Smith left for the sports station KLAC-AM (570), where Smith will be responsible for Los Angeles Lakers broadcasts. The alt-rock genre has lost some of its luster and KROQ has dropped in Arbitron rankings from fourth in the market in the spring quarter of 2004 to ninth in the spring of this year.

Staff reporter James Nash can be reached by phone at [phone], ext. 230, or by email at [e-mail].