darcyh wrote:

Perhaps the new owner(s) could consider returning this station to a full service operation with some actual live announcers and a return to more traditional easy listening music. The old CKOT had a pretty long list of advertisers. There is no shortage of potential sponsors: car dealerships, funeral homes, appliance, furniture, flooring, renovation, drug stores etc. that could benefit from a station that makes no apologies of catering to an older demographic.

The station can't get any worse than it is... 

I agree please restore the easy listening.
 

Older demo for local sales? Absolutely. Live announcers? Two at most.

Yes. The old CKOT was great. Even when we lived up in the Owen Sound area I could get it once in a while.

They still get a good signal into London here, but it's not worth listening to.

mace wrote:

When I lived in Oakville, I had access to an outdoor Wineguard non directional FM antenna. CKOT would come in occasionally. I think they were the last of the "Beautiful Music" format stations in Southern Ontario.

The simple and stark reality is there is a reason the "beautiful music" format has disappeared from the commercial dial - there's no money in it. The demographic would be mostly 75 plus, of little interest to most advertisers. I'm not saying that's how it should be, it just is.
 

turkeytop wrote:

kevjo wrote:

mace wrote:

When I lived in Oakville, I had access to an outdoor Wineguard non directional FM antenna. CKOT would come in occasionally. I think they were the last of the "Beautiful Music" format stations in Southern Ontario.

The simple and stark reality is there is a reason the "beautiful music" format has disappeared from the commercial dial - there's no money in it. The demographic would be mostly 75 plus, of little interest to most advertisers. I'm not saying that's how it should be, it just is.
 

Got a call from an outfit that compiles radio listening statistics. The guy asked me if I'd be willing to participate. I told him I would. So he started asking for my personal information. As soon as I told him my age, he said they weren't interested in hearing from people in my age group.

I can't understand why. We're a demographic that is mostly debt free. We have a steady and disposable income.Wouldn't their advertizers want to speak to us, if there was radio we listened to?
 

I'll type this again so it can be ignored: They DO survey your demographic, but you're also the easiest demographic to get ahold of on the phone. So by the time they got to you, they had enough sample of your demo already and were looking for harder-to-get-ahold of younger demos.

kevjo wrote:

mace wrote:

When I lived in Oakville, I had access to an outdoor Wineguard non directional FM antenna. CKOT would come in occasionally. I think they were the last of the "Beautiful Music" format stations in Southern Ontario.

The simple and stark reality is there is a reason the "beautiful music" format has disappeared from the commercial dial - there's no money in it. The demographic would be mostly 75 plus, of little interest to most advertisers. I'm not saying that's how it should be, it just is.
 

Easy favourites is the term I think I am more accustomed to hearing in 2024, which DOES grab a younger audience. I really miss the old CKOT from before Rogers took it over.  It was nice hearing instrumentals of songs anywhere from yesterday to yesteryear that I knew the words to.  I'm also decades younger than 75.

RadioAaron wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

kevjo wrote:

The simple and stark reality is there is a reason the "beautiful music" format has disappeared from the commercial dial - there's no money in it. The demographic would be mostly 75 plus, of little interest to most advertisers. I'm not saying that's how it should be, it just is.
 

Easy favourites is the term I think I am more accustomed to hearing in 2024, which DOES grab a younger audience. I really miss the old CKOT from before Rogers took it over.  It was nice hearing instrumentals of songs anywhere from yesterday to yesteryear that I knew the words to.  I'm also decades younger than 75.

You're an exception. Soft instrumentals doesn't get a younger audience or much of an audience at all. The closest you'd get is ambient or chill music, but that's far too niche for radio.
 

CKOT had a good strong audience before Rogers took it over, and it wasn't all old people either. I have solid faith in the idea that it could still work today.  

Here is some audio of CKOT from 1991. The same tape also has a show called the Beat of the Band from CFCA and a country station from London called BX 93 both of which are from 1980. Cant remember when or how I obtained the tape.

CKOT 1991

Last edited by Fitz (November 23, 2024 6:19 pm)

darcyh wrote:

I thought I would start a new thread about CKOT 101.3 from Tillsonburg. A few years ago this was an independent station that was unique in the market. With its 50 kilowatts (now 22kw) of power it got a good signal into London, Kitchener, Brantford, Guelph and Woodstock. It was generally live from 6:00 am until midnight with automation overnight. I would be driving on the 401 on a Sunday night and Easy 101.3 would be the only station with weather and road condition reports.

The music content was pretty good with a diverse playlist. The station probably benefited from a change in format at CFCA FM 105.3 Kitchener (another once great station) when it abandoned its 'old fogy' programming and targeted a much younger demographic. 

Long story short; once Rogers took over they started playing the most annoying supposed easy listening music. Live programming was reduced. The station lost all of its local charm. Just another scan pass station on the FM dial. I wonder what its ratings are today?

Perhaps the new owner(s) could consider returning this station to a full service operation with some actual live announcers and a return to more traditional easy listening music. The old CKOT had a pretty long list of advertisers. There is no shortage of potential sponsors: car dealerships, funeral homes, appliance, furniture, flooring, renovation, drug stores etc. that could benefit from a station that makes no apologies of catering to an older demographic.

The station can't get any worse than it is... 

I'm seeing a lot of positive reaction about CKOT becoming 'Local' again. But how many local people are actually employed at an average MY FM station? In checking out their different brands, it seems like they are running the same playlist, with the same voicetracked announcers on multiple stations. And although newscast content may be local, that actual newscaster may be reading from 300km away. This is exactly what the big boys are already doing.

I hope I'm wrong and I have no connection with MBC, but I've known several people who've worked there and they've all told me they run a skeleton staff at most of their operations. I'm not sure if CKOT is going to become 'local' again.

JON POLE wrote:

I will answer this. We have approx. 140 staff. Small stations have small staff and large stations have large staff. So for example, Exeter (pop. 4500) has 4 right now. Niagara (pop 300,000) has close to 20.

In regards to Tillsonburg - I would expect the staff # will increase from what it is today, but will likely be less than the 28 when Rogers purchased it years ago.

So in answer to your question - how much more local will they be? A shizzzz ton wizzzz.

Also - your posted info is incorrect. Look at a map. Look at our stations. Yes the ones in close proximity help each other. Yes, someone from 300km could help our from time to time or for a special circumstance. What separates us from the "big boys" is our content and our community involvement.

Thank you for replying Jon. I feel a bit better now. 20 in Niagara? That's quite impressive. The big boys have given up on local radio and at the end of the day, it's the smaller companies and independent operators that create the most compelling content.

TheWiz wrote:

JON POLE wrote:

I will answer this. We have approx. 140 staff. Small stations have small staff and large stations have large staff. So for example, Exeter (pop. 4500) has 4 right now. Niagara (pop 300,000) has close to 20.

In regards to Tillsonburg - I would expect the staff # will increase from what it is today, but will likely be less than the 28 when Rogers purchased it years ago.

So in answer to your question - how much more local will they be? A shizzzz ton wizzzz.

Also - your posted info is incorrect. Look at a map. Look at our stations. Yes the ones in close proximity help each other. Yes, someone from 300km could help our from time to time or for a special circumstance. What separates us from the "big boys" is our content and our community involvement.

Thank you for replying Jon. I feel a bit better now. 20 in Niagara? That's quite impressive. The big boys have given up on local radio and at the end of the day, it's the smaller companies and independent operators that create the most compelling content.

Yes, indeed thank-you to John Pole for responding. Also a thank-you to RA (the mod of this board) for verifying (in previous threads) that this is indeed the real John Pole. I had no doubts, but it's the internet. Knowing for sure, is always a great thing.  

Jon:

Appreciate your presence, comments and answers.

Last edited by darcyh (November 25, 2024 11:14 pm)

This article contains audio excerpts from Jon Pole about what he sees as happening to the stations involved and how he hopes to boost its local content. And then there's the question about what happens to those currently working there. 

MBC bringing local radio back to Tillsonburg

darcyh wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

This article contains audio excerpts from Jon Pole about what he sees as happening to the stations involved and how he hopes to boost its local content. And then there's the question about what happens to those currently working there. 

MBC bringing local radio back to Tillsonburg

Interesting story RA. The article makes it sound like the Tillsonburg studios were closed. I presume the station is now programmed from London?
 

Yes the stations studios are located in London at the Rogers TV building along with CHST-FM Jack 102.3 at 800 York Street across from the Western Fair. You all may remember that 102.3 used to be located at the CFPL-TV studios that now houses Pure Country 93 and 97.5 Virgin. Because CHST-FM used to be owned by CHUM along with CFPL-TV. But now it is owned by Rogers Media.

Last edited by haydenmatthews14 (November 26, 2024 1:42 pm)

Fitz wrote:

Here is some audio of CKOT from 1991. The same tape also has a show called the Beat of the Band from CFCA and a country station from London called BX 93 both of which are from 1980. Cant remember when or how I obtained the tape.

CKOT 1991

 
Long time lurker, first time poster!

That clip was interesting to hear. I worked there for a short time about 4 years before that clip was made. I recognized the voices, though I've long forgotten the names.

We had a young high school student working the evening shift (AM side) part time. His name was Mike Epple--yes, that one. I used to annouce "Coming up next, the Big Epple!" when my shift was ending.

Last edited by Davenet (November 27, 2024 3:13 pm)