DJ Danny D is awesome! 

'KTU 103.5 does it in New York City with over 2 million listeners.  I suggest that in a large market like that or Toronto, the concept is that if you tune to 103.5 you know you'll get that type of music; and it doesn't necessarily aim to keep you tuned in for hours and hours which is something of radio past.  I also wonder how much 'tune in at work' really exists anymore even for A/C stations considering Spotify, commercial satellite radio and so on; not to mention that a significant portion of office workers don't even go in 5 days a week anymore.

What 93.5 should have done is gone back to a form of Hip Hop and just left it to grow.  Toronto's 98.7 and 105.5 are so low power that it barely comes in on my car stereo as I drive thru the city's regions. At-least 93.5 is stronger signal based. 

I've got family in New Jersey and have been there with my car many times. WBLS 107.5 is very well produced.  Add in Power 105.1 hip hop and of course Hot 97 which is primarily Hip hop (not CHR/R as indicated) plus 94.7 the Block WXBK and you add those up to over 5 million regular listeners in that area.
US NYC Ratings link: https://radioinsight.com/ratings/new-york/
Locally WBLK would still have a significant Toronto audience if it weren't for 93.5fm and  CKOU 93.7 K-country. 

'CBLK' 93.5 would do well I'm convinced if they just 'clone' BLK's format.

Anyways, Good luck to Z103.5; my favorite CHR for years now for being different and playing music that all others barely touch.

 

I watched the doc ' on Youtube last night and enjoyed it.  I was working at Bayfield st north McDonalds (Barrie) at the time while in High school (1989-91 ish) and sometimes  I worked nights (cleaning the restaurant with another from closing time about midnight or 1am thru to 6am).  We had a big Radio Ghetto Blaster with antenna and tuned into 102.1 CFNY overnights with the volume up high usually after the restaurant was closed.  I remember on the weekends (Friday/saturday nights) and hearing 'Club 102', Marsden,  Deadly  Headly and Chris Sheppard on the air with quality mixes of the latest club sounds; and stuff you'd never hear elsewhere on any radio at the time.   A good follow up to this doc is 'Utility Room with Scot Turner' in the link here which has Scot mentioning his time at CFNY and later while pioneering Energy 108.  'CFNY DJ's were able to play what they wanted up until about 1992 when things changed and they were handed a playlist'.  To some degree, CING Energy 108 took the helm from here about the same time frame and allowed live broadcasts from the clubs and Dj's while even bringing over Chris Sheppard.  

Here's the link to Scot Turner's interview:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=85ZKQUTlnbQ

104.5 HD2 signal seems to have disappeared (at least when I checked on Wednesday)

Dicky Doo wrote:

The audience you are describing, when it comes to country, is faithfully tuned to AM 650 Nashville (Grand Ole Country country), and has been for generations.     

Depending on cloud cover, it clicks in around 8:30 p.m. at this time of year

Right, of-course. Am650

everyone knows about that

RadioAaron wrote:

The audience for rhythmic CHR does not use radio.

Well; unless it was gold-heavy like 'BLK which 'grew up with their audience who are now in that target demo.

I am in the U.S. a lot and noticed the 'classic hip hop & RnB genre often had two stations covering it in major cities.  

This CHR\Rth or Urban is under represented in Toronto considering the popularity of it on the radio.

Existing signals like Flow and Vibe are extremely low powered and try to cover a massive genre so wide that there's a sprinkling of everything in their playlists ranging from Soca Caribbean to Reggae Hip Hop R&B new and old that it's not truly a single Genre.

As for CING; perhaps if it really does change to some variety of A/C then may I suggest a new Boom but without the 90's
 

need 95.3 The Hog
 

Energy 108 was not black urban. More like dance-rthymic chr hybrid.

What i meant Was to suggest a format like KVEG 97.5

PwrSurge wrote:

dmcjeff wrote:

Hot 95.3 Urban CHR

Energy 95.3 should have switched to and kept an Urban CHR format from the start which they had back in the Energy 108 days. Although there was a bit of hope when they first switched back to the Energy name with the legendary Wayne Williams having a show, the station progressively became softer and lost its edge that made it famous back in the day.

Their biggest mistake was to soften their format to Hot AC once they snagged Tucker & Maura who were let go from Virgin 99.9.  Their current format is virtually identical to CHUM 104.5, Virgin 99.9 and to a lesser extent, KiSS 92.5 who all have a stronghold with Hot AC and CHR formats in this market.

They should keep the Energy name but rebrand to "The NEW Energy 95.3" and switch to Rhythmic / Urban CHR and really bring back the energy and spirit they had in the 1990's which was spectacular.



 

I should add, that the neat thing about Tune In is that while in Canada and while many big branded USA stations are geo-blocked digitally there, some aren't.  

94.7 KUMU is on my presets after my family's visit to Hawaii.  KVEG 97.5 also works fine in Canada and any News/Talk (no music copyrights).

Furthermore, audio is playable via the web browser in Tesla's so former WBLK fans for example can hear it in digital stereo crystal clear via that method while anywhere (as it's not geo blocked).
 

Even prior to my Model Y; my 2018 BMW had this option and the ten button presets were programmable to different sources which was neat.

For example:

1. local FM. 2. local fm 3. NYC FM via Tune in 4. Hot 97.5 from KVEG via Tune in 5. Sirius XM ch# 6.  etc

It's just the evolution of things.

Back in the day I remember CFTO ch9 TV would have indy races on Sundays and so on.  Do the Canadian networks even carry major sports anymore (regularly) like FOX  or TBS in USA does for MLB for example?

Wait; is TBS even OTA anymore in Atlanta?

 

well I've had my Model Y LR since 2022 and it's hands down the best car I've ever driven.  I like many Tesla owners subscribe to premium connectivity (about $15/mo) and honestly all local radio is available on Tune In anyway plus this opens up Spotify, youtube music, apple music and so on. Meh.

HD sub Channels absolutely get listened to.

My current and previous car didn't have 'A.M.' and for sure I'm not alone at 92.5 HD2 for 'city news 680' let alone the sports fans etc.

I suspect it's just lazy recording/reporting by the local measurement/BBM's.  92.5 HD2 for example should be recorded differently than AM680. 

Last July while in Las Vegas, Long-running CHR (KLUC 98.5) had a better sounding HD2 channel in Spanish complete with announcers, DJ's and contests.  It is about to pass the main channel in their ratings at 3.0 and regularly beats it.  Might be time to swap the programming to HD1.

URL
https://ratings.radio-online.com/content/arb257
https://ratings.radio-online.com/content/arb257

Surely WKSE's 98.5 four x HD sub channels get some traction in Buffalo.
Also, I think 107.7 Buffalo HD2 still broadcasts an automated version of the ole Star 102.5 to the nostalgic delight of a few thousand locals.

What the hell is this?  I'd suggest: do not click this spam

They (CIDC Z1035) also had a signal issue tuesday morning (Barely receiving it in Barrie until about 11:45am, as if they reduced power and forgot to turn it back up).

Other programming note I've noticed is that their 'extended afternoon street mix' with DJ Danny D or Stevie P which used to start at 4:30pm weekdays, seems to have been paused or cancelled. The 5 O'clock Streetmix Remains.

Must be tough on Monaco's sleep patterns to do the evening show and participate in the morning show too and still be up beat and positive. Good job Tony

I've noticed lately that some days I cannot even get 102.5fm in the GTA anymore (driving from Vaughan to Don Mills/Finch and downtown).

Is something locally interfering with 102.5 now?
They wouldn't have reduced their power I think..