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November 13, 2019 10:37 pm  #1


Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Recently spent some time in Ottawa visiting family, and I was again struck what a vibrant, unique sounding radio market Ottawa/Gatineau is.

With 1.3 million people and 35 radio stations it should be a major market in the eyes of Numeris, but it is not.

In addition to the government being the biggest employer, Ottawa is a young university town. with a lot of contemporary radio both French and English. Six news/talk and sports stations, a couple of country, classic rock, rock, standards/oldies, even a childrens french station, and all of the usual CBC, community, campus, aboriginal and religious stations.

NRJ (energie) and Rouge in Gatineau are two interesting contemporary French stations. Odd when I listened  around 2pm on Saturday afternoon for about an hour, both seemed to be playing about 90% English music.

Both stations also featured one of the music montages that a lot of Quebec stations do. Mixing about 8 songs in a 10 or 12 minute music montage. All the songs were about 1- 2 minutes in length and all were English. I know that French stations overall program 60% French recordings, and in Quebec almost all French cuts are cancon.

Ottawa/Gatineau is still bound by the hit/non hit regs. but it makes their stations sound unique and the non hit cuts I heard on various stations overall were well chosen and fit in the various formats perfectly. Actually don't see if they play an non hit from Shawn Mendez or a cut from a group that already has a top five song on the charts as being a  bad thing.  Most stations do load up later in the evening, but they do play non hits during the day as well.

Any SOWNY posters from the Ottawa area? Or any of you ever work in that part of the country, and what did you think of the market? Seems to be a good radio town to me, and all the commercial stations I listened to had lots of ads and many with live cut in or on location commercials over the weekend.

 

November 14, 2019 3:06 am  #2


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

I grew up in Ottawa and to me the market is over-saturated, the key money makers are CBC 1, CFRA, CHEZ 106, Magoc 100- (Like CHFI) and Boom does okay, the rest are fighting for the rest of the market share in a tight market.

Plus, Rogers and Bell Globe Media are the big players in the market too...making it tough for companies like Evanov, NewCap and such to pick up the slack.

So, to re-cap, there is a ton of choice, both English and French stations, the big faves are like big rocks, very hard to unseat and then the rest of the stations are battling for what's left of the listener.

 


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

November 14, 2019 3:14 am  #3


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Muffaraw Joe wrote:

and Boom does okay,

Boom does well enough to scare off BOB FM.  
I've noticed that no matter who owns 93.9 FM in Ottawa, as soon as someone launches a competing station with a very similar (or same) format, they make a quick exit and switch formats.

Think back a bit for this one:  Hot 89.9 signs on...bye bye Kool 93.9 
BOOM FM Ottawa signs on...bye bye 93.9 BOB FM.
Now, that all being said,
I'm pretty sure Rogers has no plans to move Country music back to 105.1.
However, if anyone were to see it logical to go Country in the Ottawa market, it's my best guess that 93.9 once again would retreat and flip to some new format to fill another hole in the market. (of some sort)

Last edited by Radiowiz (November 14, 2019 3:16 am)


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

November 14, 2019 3:20 am  #4


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Muffaraw Joe wrote:

Plus, Rogers and Bell Globe Media are the big players in the market too...making it tough for companies like Evanov, NewCap and such to pick up the slack.
 

NewCap is no more. ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newcap_Radio )  
Stingray took over. 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

November 14, 2019 10:11 am  #5


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Muffaraw Joe wrote:

I grew up in Ottawa and to me the market is over-saturated, the key money makers are CBC 1, CFRA, CHEZ 106, Magoc 100- (Like CHFI) and Boom does okay, the rest are fighting for the rest of the market share in a tight market.
 

That's dated. Stingray's HOT is consistently #1 (commercial) by all metrics, with LiVE often #2 or #3
 

 

November 14, 2019 10:18 am  #6


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Radiowiz wrote:

I'm pretty sure Rogers has no plans to move Country music back to 105.1.

If they did that, they'd have to run the format with 51% non-hit. Country is one of the hardest formats to program with non-hit, as it's the only one where its specific format chart must be followed. So keeping Country on 101.1 gives Rogers a musical advantage over Bell's 93.9 (which has a signal advantage)

 

November 15, 2019 10:46 pm  #7


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

RadioAaron wrote:

Muffaraw Joe wrote:

I grew up in Ottawa and to me the market is over-saturated, the key money makers are CBC 1, CFRA, CHEZ 106, Magoc 100- (Like CHFI) and Boom does okay, the rest are fighting for the rest of the market share in a tight market.
 

That's dated. Stingray's HOT is consistently #1 (commercial) by all metrics, with LiVE often #2 or #3
 

Interesting that an alternative rock station would be the #2 or #3 commercial station in Ottawa. That doesn't happen in many markets anywhere. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 17, 2019 4:20 pm  #8


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

paterson1 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

Muffaraw Joe wrote:

I grew up in Ottawa and to me the market is over-saturated, the key money makers are CBC 1, CFRA, CHEZ 106, Magoc 100- (Like CHFI) and Boom does okay, the rest are fighting for the rest of the market share in a tight market.
 

That's dated. Stingray's HOT is consistently #1 (commercial) by all metrics, with LiVE often #2 or #3
 

Interesting that an alternative rock station would be the #2 or #3 commercial station in Ottawa. That doesn't happen in many markets anywhere. 

Edmonton and Calgary too!

 

November 18, 2019 3:36 pm  #9


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

I’m baffled that they’re still doing diaries and not PPM in that market.

 

November 18, 2019 5:06 pm  #10


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

That is  incredibly offensive and not worthy of this  site.

 

November 18, 2019 5:25 pm  #11


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

potentiometer wrote:

That is  incredibly offensive and not worthy of this  site.

Perhaps mic'em is right...cGrant redux?
 

Last edited by Media Observer (November 18, 2019 5:30 pm)

 

November 18, 2019 6:44 pm  #12


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Ziggy/John is back.

 

November 18, 2019 7:55 pm  #13


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Holliday wrote:

Ziggy/John is back.

Didn't see the post referenced in this thread, but I have to agree.
 

 

November 18, 2019 8:08 pm  #14


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Apparently whatever post is being referenced was deleted by the person who put it up. I didn't see it due to an ongoing family emergency. But I would just remind everyone that we've got a real good thing going here and there's a nice feel to the board. I'm pretty sure we'd all like to keep it that way. 

 

November 18, 2019 8:22 pm  #15


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

I deleted it because some people were offended. So, the vocal minority win again. As for the person who "didn't see it, but agrees"?? Really? Interesting. That's today's society... Outrage without evidence.

 

November 18, 2019 8:36 pm  #16


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

TheConsultant wrote:

I As for the person who "didn't see it, but agrees"?? Really? Interesting. That's today's society... Outrage without evidence.

Um, I didn't see the comment, but assumed it was yours, and you just proved me right. Also, I don't have a problem if it is Ziggy/whoever back. I actually deleted my account out of frustration when Ziggy was banned. But way to turn on a supporter, I guess.

 

November 18, 2019 10:40 pm  #17


Re: Ottawa/Gatineau Underrated Radio Market?

Supporter? I have neither knowledge of yourself or whoever this other person is. How about people actually base decisions on things they saw/heard and not assume based on heresay.

Now, can we please get back to the narrative of this forum? Thank you.