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September 8, 2022 8:44 pm  #1


Summer ratings

Here's the latest, A25-54

CHUM 104.5    10.2
boom 97.3     10.0
98.1 CHFI     9.8
KiSS 92.5     9.0
999 Virgin Radio     7.8
CBC Radio One     7.2
Q107     6.2
CityNews680     5.9
Z 1035     5.2
102.1 The Edge     3.6
INDIE 88.1     2.9
Sportsnet 590 The FAN     2.3
News Talk 1010 - CFRB     2.3
FLOW 987      2.2
Classical 96.3 FM     2.1
JAZZ.FM911    1.0
Energy 95-3     1.0
Lite 88.5    0.9
AM640     0.8
93.5 Today Radio    0.8
CBC Music     0.7
TSN 1050    0.5
106.5 Elmnt FM     0.1
ZoomerRadio AM740     0.1

Last edited by RadioAaron (September 8, 2022 8:59 pm)

 

September 8, 2022 9:41 pm  #2


Re: Summer ratings

And here is the always interesting Vancouver ratings in order.  These numbers are for 12+ and all of the station call letters, formats and some historical data is listed.  All traffic CKGO radio has a 1.3 share..who knew?  These will also be the last PPM radio ratings released by Numeris for public consumption, similar to the TV top 30. This informative chart and the two below for Calgary and Edmonton is courtesy of radiofan at RadioWest.ca
    

Last edited by paterson1 (September 8, 2022 10:05 pm)

 

September 8, 2022 9:59 pm  #3


Re: Summer ratings

And the latest from Calgary and Edmonton...

 

September 8, 2022 10:00 pm  #4


Re: Summer ratings

 

September 8, 2022 11:14 pm  #5


Re: Summer ratings

paterson1 wrote:

And here is the always interesting Vancouver ratings in order.  These numbers are for 12+ and all of the station call letters, formats and some historical data is listed.  All traffic CKGO radio has a 1.3 share..who knew?  These will also be the last PPM radio ratings released by Numeris for public consumption, similar to the TV top 30. This informative chart and the two below for Calgary and Edmonton is courtesy of radiofan at RadioWest.ca
    

CFOX has really taken a tumble over the past year. That station has been a strong mainstay in Vancouver for many years.

 

September 9, 2022 12:09 am  #6


Re: Summer ratings

MJ Vancouver wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

And here is the always interesting Vancouver ratings in order.  These numbers are for 12+ and all of the station call letters, formats and some historical data is listed.  All traffic CKGO radio has a 1.3 share..who knew?  These will also be the last PPM radio ratings released by Numeris for public consumption, similar to the TV top 30. This informative chart and the two below for Calgary and Edmonton is courtesy of radiofan at RadioWest.ca
    

CFOX has really taken a tumble over the past year. That station has been a strong mainstay in Vancouver for many years.

Sadly CFOX is a shell of the former glory it once was. Once they let go of Danger, Neil Morrison (formerly Brother Bill) and Todd Hancock the station has never really been the same. I do like Tyler and Lynch and I loved Jeremy baker when he was there. But overall the station is not the same anymore. I expect the next few ratings periods in Vancouver to be a lot different with the trio of new stations there. Sonic will definitely climb in the ratings. Now will cause stations to lose ratings and I think we will see another change or two within a year there

 

September 9, 2022 8:13 am  #7


Re: Summer ratings

I've never been to Vancouver (hope to get there someday, though) but I simply cannot understand an "all traffic" format, aka CKGO. Beyond telling me what roads are jammed or under construction and maybe updating the weather (which can affect traffic) what, exactly, do they fill their time with?

Is there really an audience for something like this? And what do they do overnights or on weekends, when traffic isn't very heavy? 

Isn't this a waste of 50,000 watts? How do you make this listenable? 

Edit: I just listened to some of it online. A newscast at :23 after the hour? Huh? Bridges, tunnels, ferries all got highlighted, but there was only a single anchor doing it all. No traffic copter (which you'd think would be important) was in evidence. One guy fronting the whole thing and not very well, I might add. (Although he explained his co-host was late this morning, because his wife needed the car and he was coming in via transit!)

Lots of pauses, dead air, and stingers to try to fill the time. And lots of ads, which I can't figure out at all. Can't imagine what their rates are.

I even heard a promo telling people to tune in to sister CKNW for talk, when they were finished listening! Who runs an announcement encouraging you to tune out? What a bizarre station and how sad, considering the old inhabitant of that frequency, CKLG, was once a pioneer B.C. Top 40 outlet.

Last edited by RadioActive (September 9, 2022 8:39 am)

 

September 9, 2022 9:13 am  #8


Re: Summer ratings

That's odd, when I tuned them in I thought they were pretty good.  They even had traffic jingles for the station which I thought was pretty innovative.  Mind you I was listening to them about six months ago, and it was during the afternoon rush hour.  Traffic chopper in 2022 isn't really necessary for radio, nice but not necessary.  I will give them a listen today to see if they are as bad as RA says.  680 News and CHFI used to cross promo all the time.  I remember 680 News encouraging listeners to tune into CHFI when they wanted to listen to music. 
Anyway an all traffic AM station getting a 1.3 share ain't that bad. 

 

September 9, 2022 9:20 am  #9


Re: Summer ratings

RadioActive wrote:

I've never been to Vancouver (hope to get there someday, though) but I simply cannot understand an "all traffic" format, aka CKGO. Beyond telling me what roads are jammed or under construction and maybe updating the weather (which can affect traffic) what, exactly, do they fill their time with?

Is there really an audience for something like this? And what do they do overnights or on weekends, when traffic isn't very heavy? 

Isn't this a waste of 50,000 watts? How do you make this listenable? 

Edit: I just listened to some of it online. A newscast at :23 after the hour? Huh? Bridges, tunnels, ferries all got highlighted, but there was only a single anchor doing it all. No traffic copter (which you'd think would be important) was in evidence. One guy fronting the whole thing and not very well, I might add. (Although he explained his co-host was late this morning, because his wife needed the car and he was coming in via transit!)

Lots of pauses, dead air, and stingers to try to fill the time. And lots of ads, which I can't figure out at all. Can't imagine what their rates are.

I even heard a promo telling people to tune in to sister CKNW for talk, when they were finished listening! Who runs an announcement encouraging you to tune out? What a bizarre station and how sad, considering the old inhabitant of that frequency, CKLG, was once a pioneer B.C. Top 40 outlet.

It's just a wedge to prevent CKNW listeners from going to News1130 to get traffic.

Vancouver has 6 commercial english AMs and there are only 3 viable AM formats, so you get stuff like this.

 

Last edited by RadioAaron (September 9, 2022 9:41 am)

     Thread Starter
 

September 9, 2022 9:34 am  #10


Re: Summer ratings

"Jeff Jefferies checks the roads..."  Great radio names for some of the traffic people. lol


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

 
 

September 9, 2022 9:46 am  #11


Re: Summer ratings

paterson1 wrote:

That's odd, when I tuned them in I thought they were pretty good.  They even had traffic jingles for the station which I thought was pretty innovative.  Mind you I was listening to them about six months ago, and it was during the afternoon rush hour.  Traffic chopper in 2022 isn't really necessary for radio, nice but not necessary.  I will give them a listen today to see if they are as bad as RA says.  680 News and CHFI used to cross promo all the time.  I remember 680 News encouraging listeners to tune into CHFI when they wanted to listen to music. 
Anyway an all traffic AM station getting a 1.3 share ain't that bad. 

To be fair, I tuned in at around 8:15 AM our time, which would have made it just after 5 in the morning out there. So perhaps the A-Team had not yet arrived. I also am amazed at a 1.3 share. Who is listening to this? Why?

 

September 9, 2022 9:59 am  #12


Re: Summer ratings

RadioActive wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

That's odd, when I tuned them in I thought they were pretty good.  They even had traffic jingles for the station which I thought was pretty innovative.  Mind you I was listening to them about six months ago, and it was during the afternoon rush hour.  Traffic chopper in 2022 isn't really necessary for radio, nice but not necessary.  I will give them a listen today to see if they are as bad as RA says.  680 News and CHFI used to cross promo all the time.  I remember 680 News encouraging listeners to tune into CHFI when they wanted to listen to music. 
Anyway an all traffic AM station getting a 1.3 share ain't that bad. 

To be fair, I tuned in at around 8:15 AM our time, which would have made it just after 5 in the morning out there. So perhaps the A-Team had not yet arrived. I also am amazed at a 1.3 share. Who is listening to this? Why?

To get traffic updates?

It actually has more overall listeners than CKNW

Last edited by RadioAaron (September 9, 2022 10:01 am)

     Thread Starter
 

September 9, 2022 10:18 am  #13


Re: Summer ratings

Maybe it's just me, but I find traffic every 15 minutes or so (or 10 in the case of 680) to be more than enough. Non-stop? I can't understand why people are tuning this in. But hey, if it was really a successful format, it would pop up in other places. As far as I know, it hasn't. 

 

September 9, 2022 10:24 am  #14


Re: Summer ratings

RadioActive wrote:

To be fair, I tuned in at around 8:15 AM our time, which would have made it just after 5 in the morning out there. So perhaps the A-Team had not yet arrived. I also am amazed at a 1.3 share. Who is listening to this? Why?

As the pandemic lifts, the question is, are more people going back to the office or staying at home and working there?
All traffic radio covers these facts and more. 
There's also a lot more traffic to cover in Vancouver vs Toronto. 
Plus, throwing in news updates to fill some time. 
Weather reports also. 
Great radio station.
I'd encourage trying it in Toronto, but there's nothing to report here. 
Citynews Toronto sometimes doesn't even report traffic half the time. They just show a pic of the CN Tower and mention an ad because roads are just too good for a proper traffic report at that point.

 


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

 
 

September 9, 2022 10:27 am  #15


Re: Summer ratings

RadioActive wrote:

Maybe it's just me, but I find traffic every 15 minutes or so (or 10 in the case of 680) to be more than enough. Non-stop? I can't understand why people are tuning this in. But hey, if it was really a successful format, it would pop up in other places. As far as I know, it hasn't. 

What's not to understand? It's a single-use station. Press the 730 button, get traffic, leave. And plenty of people are doing just that.

     Thread Starter
 

September 9, 2022 10:39 am  #16


Re: Summer ratings

RadioAaron wrote:

What's not to understand? It's a single-use station. Press the 730 button, get traffic, leave. And plenty of people are doing just that.

If people know to tune in @ 23 past the hour for news & weather, then it doubles as a reliable news update also. 
In a rush?
No time to wait until the middle of the news wheel hour? Catch news @ 23 past the hour.
A very useful alternative to other AM stations in that market indeed.


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

 
 

September 9, 2022 12:56 pm  #17


Re: Summer ratings

An all-traffic station for Toronto would be fantastic...it is the very essence of what terrestrial radio should be...hyper local and useful....you would have people tune in and tune out constantly but as we return to quasi-normal times and with so many more people working odd hours this would be very useful for collision and construction updates 24/7 (streets and highways are closed overnight for road work), weather related incidents (power outages affecting traffic signals or flooding) and emergency responder situations...I'd switch from  satellite radio and my downloaded playlist for sure...I mean it's not like anyone is listening to news-talk radio in Toronto anymore anyway unless you're a white, conservative man who has had a knee or hip replaced....

 

September 9, 2022 1:28 pm  #18


Re: Summer ratings

Wow. OK, must just be me then. I can't think of a more boring format or a time I would ever tune this in. 

The only thing I can say is to paraphrase that old one liner about television: "Imitation is the sincerest form of radio." If this format is doing so well, how come it's virtually the only one of its kind in all of Canada (and likely North America?) Generally, if one station in one city does well with something, they tend to pop-up in markets where an outlet has nothing left to lose by trying something different. 

But so far "all traffic" is unique to the Vancouver market, which went to the format in Nov. 2006. That's 16 years give or take and no one has copied them. 

That says something to me about how well PDs and other radio execs. think it might work elsewhere. 

But on the bright side, Jody Thornton always did want to be a morning man!

 

September 9, 2022 3:52 pm  #19


Re: Summer ratings

I don't know much about Vancouver's traffic situation but it looks like it could be complicated with all of the bridges over water surrounding the city.  In fact Vancouver is ranked as having the worst traffic of any major city in Canada.

Why nobody else has picked up on this, who knows?  Maybe some have tried over the years and it didn't work out, or didn't give the format enough time. Good for Corus doing this and staying with the service.
 
I would think there are some very local low power traffic stations in other cities that don't take part in any ratings surveys and possibly just cover specific parts of a city.  CKGO is a powerful AM station with a big coverage area and is actually a service to those that want it.  I am sure they are packaged with the very popular CKNW for advertising purposes and this will work out in their favour too.  Worst traffic in Canada from Narcity...https://www.narcity.com/worst-traffic-cities-in-canada-were-revealed-and-there-are-some-surprises#:~:text=According%20to%20the%20TomTom%20Traffic,comes%20to%20congestion%20on%20roadways.

 

September 9, 2022 3:59 pm  #20


Re: Summer ratings

RadioActive wrote:

Wow. OK, must just be me then. I can't think of a more boring format or a time I would ever tune this in. 

The only thing I can say is to paraphrase that old one liner about television: "Imitation is the sincerest form of radio." If this format is doing so well, how come it's virtually the only one of its kind in all of Canada (and likely North America?) Generally, if one station in one city does well with something, they tend to pop-up in markets where an outlet has nothing left to lose by trying something different. 

But so far "all traffic" is unique to the Vancouver market, which went to the format in Nov. 2006. That's 16 years give or take and no one has copied them. 

That says something to me about how well PDs and other radio execs. think it might work elsewhere. 

But on the bright side, Jody Thornton always did want to be a morning man!

There's one in Montreal, too. Vancouver just had the perfect market condition of Corus with, in essence, an extra AM signal that they decided to use to flank CKNW's nearest competitor. I'd bet they tack 730's numbers onto CKNW's and sell it as a single product.

In the US, those signals tend to get used for brokered programming, religious preaching, or clearing houses for syndicated sports programming or right wing talk.

Last edited by RadioAaron (September 9, 2022 3:59 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

September 9, 2022 4:25 pm  #21


Re: Summer ratings

Getting back to Toronto's ratings.  Interesting to see how tight it is between CHUM, BOOM, CHFI and KISS.  Very close in the A 25-54 demo.  Wonder if it is this snug in the mornings?

 

September 9, 2022 5:20 pm  #22


Re: Summer ratings

RadioActive wrote:

I even heard a promo telling people to tune in to sister CKNW for talk, when they were finished listening! Who runs an announcement encouraging you to tune out? What a bizarre station and how sad, considering the old inhabitant of that frequency, CKLG, was once a pioneer B.C. Top 40 outlet.

Very common for stations to plug their brother outlets in a market to try to keep listeners within the fold when they want something different. It's sound marketing strategy.

 

September 9, 2022 5:23 pm  #23


Re: Summer ratings

paterson1 wrote:

Getting back to Toronto's ratings.  Interesting to see how tight it is between CHUM, BOOM, CHFI and KISS.  Very close in the A 25-54 demo.  Wonder if it is this snug in the mornings?

Pretty much; with RB, CBC, and 680 more in the mix.

The big story has been the ascent of KiSS. They really nailed it by playing more gold and imaging around it. Might be their highest ever? Makes 999 sound quite unfamiliar to the casual listener.

     Thread Starter
 

September 9, 2022 8:15 pm  #24


Re: Summer ratings

I think KISS is a fluke.  The station is playing nothing interesting that isn't already on six or seven other GTA stations.   Just heard them go from Beyonce right into a Tepperman's commercial and a commercial cluster.  Sorry that is not major market radio, sounded like crap. Oh that's right, I remembered Tepperman's ad...so this lack of announcer breaks must be working.....hahaha sure it is...   I have been listening for 15 minutes, one rushed announcer break over a Justin Beiber song and so far no mention of any of the songs played or the artists.  So if they are pushing the "throwbacks" would be nice if they mentioned something about these songs that  we haven't heard for a while (other than on CHUM, CHFI, Virgin, Z103, FLOW etc.)

 

September 9, 2022 8:24 pm  #25


Re: Summer ratings

Yes, it’s been established that you disagree with proven programming tactics for reasons.

     Thread Starter
 

September 9, 2022 8:37 pm  #26


Re: Summer ratings

RadioAaron wrote:

Yes, it’s been established that you disagree with proven programming tactics for reasons.

Proven?  Really? And for how long? Love the way it is called a tactic. That says a lot right there. So this tactic is attracting more and more national advertising?   I think we need a little more smoke and a few mirrors with this tactic!  Radio is all about the sound, and this sounds amateurish and sloppy. 

 

September 9, 2022 8:43 pm  #27


Re: Summer ratings

paterson1 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

Yes, it’s been established that you disagree with proven programming tactics for reasons.

Proven?  Really? And for how long? Love the way it is called a tactic. That says a lot right there. So this tactic is attracting more and more national advertising?   I think we need a little more smoke and a few mirrors with this tactic!  Radio is all about the sound, and this sounds amateurish and sloppy. 

Yes, it’s proven. Tell me how the music on frequent #1 station CHUM is “interesting”. They go right from music to spots too.

It’s neither amateurish nor sloppy. It’s deliberate and successful.

It’s quite admirable how you relentlessly argue about something you know nothing about.

     Thread Starter
 

September 9, 2022 9:20 pm  #28


Re: Summer ratings

RadioAaron wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

Yes, it’s been established that you disagree with proven programming tactics for reasons.

Proven?  Really? And for how long? Love the way it is called a tactic. That says a lot right there. So this tactic is attracting more and more national advertising?   I think we need a little more smoke and a few mirrors with this tactic!  Radio is all about the sound, and this sounds amateurish and sloppy. 

Yes, it’s proven. Tell me how the music on frequent #1 station CHUM is “interesting”. They go right from music to spots too.

It’s neither amateurish nor sloppy. It’s deliberate and successful.

It’s quite admirable how you relentlessly argue about something you know nothing about.

Hahaha...and it's interesting whenever you lose a debate you relentlessly get personal with a put down. I know it is deliberate...it's also lazy and sounds like crap.   And to say otherwise doesn't make it so. Music stations that never talk about the music or the artist they have just played?  Care to debate that one?
 

 

September 10, 2022 9:56 am  #29


Re: Summer ratings

one word: CURATE

 

September 13, 2022 12:04 pm  #30


Re: Summer ratings

RadioAaron wrote:

Here's the latest, A25-54

CHUM 104.5    10.2
boom 97.3     10.0
98.1 CHFI     9.8
KiSS 92.5     9.0
999 Virgin Radio     7.8
CBC Radio One     7.2
Q107     6.2
CityNews680     5.9
Z 1035     5.2
102.1 The Edge     3.6
INDIE 88.1     2.9
Sportsnet 590 The FAN     2.3
News Talk 1010 - CFRB     2.3
FLOW 987      2.2
Classical 96.3 FM     2.1
JAZZ.FM911    1.0
Energy 95-3     1.0
Lite 88.5    0.9
AM640     0.8
93.5 Today Radio    0.8
CBC Music     0.7
TSN 1050    0.5
106.5 Elmnt FM     0.1
ZoomerRadio AM740     0.1

Something doesn't seem right... the FAN and CFRB are tied? Maybe those changes CFRB made last year have caught up with them.

Also, noticed this on the Numeris website:

Effective the start of the 2022-23 broadcast year (August 29, 2022), the Radio Topline Reports will no longer be produced. The final report will encompass the period ending on August 28, 2022.

What does this mean? Are they no longer going to track 12+ numbers? Will ratings not be posted to the website at all?