1 of 1- RadioActive
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How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
Bring back the oldies? OK, that’s never going to happen, but according to recent Numeris numbers, there are now more people on the average TTC subway train at rush hour than listen to CKOC on a daily basis.
That means the TSN 1150 format change, like its counterpart at 1050 in Toronto, has been a dismal failure ratings-wise. In fact, according to the linked article, even Funny 820 gets higher numbers, although just barely. But at least the automated 820 costs virtually nothing to run. Staffing a major sports talk station requires a lot of bodies and they all draw salaries.
Any format change usually causes a ratings tumble. And I know Bell wanted to spread the TSN brand and seemed willing to put up with the plunge because of it, but given the anemic numbers, you have to wonder if it’s really worth it for just 5,900 pairs of ears on a daily basis. What a sad comedown for such a heritage station.
Numeris Ratings for Hamilton Radio Show TSN 1150 Tanking
- Peter the K
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
I haven't gone near CKOC since they dropped oldies. I have little use for sports radio. The only time I tuned into 1050 was during the Euros when I had to be on road and the end of the Poland/Portugal match.
I'll tune to 820 periodically but honestly, I can't stay on it longer than a couple of minutes.
Question for those in the know. Is there any regulation preventing an AM music station from having live announcers?
My thinking is, why not just put oldies back on 1150 and classic country on 820 jukebox style with only basic surveillance announcements? (oldies tend to sound better on AM anyway) Ok, there's music licencing to deal with but it would still be cheap programming but I can't imagine it would do any worse.
- tvguy
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
On AM, just play the CANCOM and that's all you have to do. On FM you have to originate 42 hours of local programming a week in order to "solicit" local ads. No such requirements on AM. So, the jukebox format could be done for next to nothing....on AM.
- Radiowiz
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
It will be interesting to see how 1220 AM radio does when it comes to be...
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- radiokid
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
Marketing.... sad thing is very little marketing has been done for TSN 1150 in Hamilton... the result? Very few people know it exists let alone listens to it. Ask anyone on the street.
Sports radio needs time to build an audience, it's the same in all markets with start ups.
The issue is less about numbers and about "can it be sold" to a advertiser. From listening, unless every spot is free, (doubtful), someone believes in the product.
I think if they market the station, ratings will come up, as will revenue. What you see now simply is the old audience left, and the new listeners have yet to discover it. It only launched in September.
As for 1220... I question the ability to make it work in the long term playing music on AM in 2016+. 75+ listeners are not marketable to advertisers for the most part, as the average person will not accept music on AM if given an FM choice.
They could pull it off, but a single AM station by itself with FM options for Classic Hits, I just don't see how they can make it work and make money to keep the station afloat.
- Kilgore
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
tvguy wrote:
just play the CANCOM and that's all you have to do . . . the jukebox format could be done for next to nothing....on AM.
1050 CHUM and 1150 CKOC both followed a "next to nothing" corporate strategy to kill Oldies in the year or two before each expired That Oshawa outfit with a signal heard throughout most of the GTA on both AM & FM sounds pretty much like 1050 and 1150 did before each croaked.
What benefit would having the same lame material on 1150 provide potential listeners (who likely have already moved on?)
Last edited by Kilgore (July 15, 2016 6:22 pm)
- Radiowiz
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
Marketing.... sad thing is very little marketing has been done for TSN 1150 in Hamilton... the result? Very few people know it exists let alone listens to it. Ask anyone on the street.
Ask them which station has the Hamilton Ti cats...are they still saying it's CHML?
That's where the EXACT problem is.
The bread and butter for the new TSN 1150 has not worked it's way into the football fan's brain yet.
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- Old Codger
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
Isn't it ONLY and ALL about offering a LOT less for more dollars in this era of corporate media ownership? It's a proud and greedy/stupid policy which will stand these clowns in good stead until they either sell out or go belly up.
Oh wait...they already have 'sold out'.
- verger
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
As long as they worship at the temple of corporate synergies and multi-platform strategies.
Then they won't
- geo
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Re: How Long Can Bell Accept These Unbelievably Terrible Ratings For CKOC?
I haven't gone near CKOC since they dropped oldies
I stopped going near CKOC since approx. 24 months BEFORE they dropped oldies (they stopped trying to entertain)