I have a similar issue with a promo running on 680 News Radio. The spot is designed to draw new advertisers, which is fine. But it contains a line that says it’s the biggest radio station in Canada.
 
Is it though? Can they credibly make that claim? I suppose you can take that to mean it employs the most people, although I’m not sure if even that’s accurate. I have to admit I really don’t know which station in this country could call itself the biggest in Canada or how you would measure it. Does CFTR actually fill that bill? If not, who does?

mace wrote:

I suppose a radio station can claim to be most listened to if you break down the various age demographics and the numbers fit. Could 680's claim to be the largest station in Canada is because it brings in the most ad revenue? I think the term used is billable hours. The average listener would have no idea what that means. Largest, they would understand.

Probably correct about 1010 finding a demographic that they are number one in, but I can't imagine which one that would be.  It is worth noting that they do not promote the fact that they are Toronto's Most Listened To Morning Show at all.  I have never seen anything either than what is on the link.  If they were the most listened to, you would think they would mention it or promote this fact quite a bit more.  Wouldn't they have the odd promo on CTV Toronto or CP24 like they do for CHUM and Virgin? 

paterson1 wrote:

mace wrote:

I suppose a radio station can claim to be most listened to if you break down the various age demographics and the numbers fit. Could 680's claim to be the largest station in Canada is because it brings in the most ad revenue? I think the term used is billable hours. The average listener would have no idea what that means. Largest, they would understand.

Probably correct about 1010 finding a demographic that they are number one in, but I can't imagine which one that would be.  It is worth noting that they do not promote the fact that they are Toronto's Most Listened To Morning Show at all.  I have never seen anything either than what is on the link.  If they were the most listened to, you would think they would mention it or promote this fact quite a bit more.  Wouldn't they have the odd promo on CTV Toronto or CP24 like they do for CHUM and Virgin? 

You are correct P1. Back in the 60's and 70's when CFRB was the top rated station in Toronto, they did not hesitate to let people know about it. I remember seeing full page ads in the Star and Telegram celebrating their indepth news and sports coverage or their incredibly entertaining radio personalities. RB never employed "DJ's"

Two things come to mind and I've witnessed both:

1. Numbers can be sliced and diced any which way necessary to achieve a favourable ranking, with the public having no idea how the numbers have been configured. Granted, it's a small demo but being #1 among seven-foot tall, blonde, left-handed Scorpios born in 1984 is still a claim to being #1.

2. If this is online but not being promoted on the air, then I might also think it's a leftover remnant from a time when the claim was more genuine and nobody's told the "web guy" to remove it. More likely, the "web guy" was fired in 2021 and not replaced.

Donald Trump makes sure when a new golf course he owns opens that he plays the first round alone, Then puts up a plaque saying he is the clubhouse champion.
But as for radio... how many times have you seen a station declare itself to be "award winning" only to discover that 20 years ago the local rotary club gave them a prize for best community news or something.

 

Remember Avis car rentals "we're number 2, but we try harder."

 

680 had the #1 morning show in the city, including beating CBC for a book, for an entire year. This was in A25-54 (the money demo). But numbers are numbers and you can skew them any way you want so that's where others can claim this and that.