David Bray is President of Bray & Partners Communications.
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Phone: (416)431-5792
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davidbray.ca
They say Rock and Roll will never die. Can the same be said of the medium that brought us those songs? Not so long ago, Bell Media announced the sale of 45 of its radio stations, shockingly declaring “it’s not a viable business anymore.” Radio ad revenues continue to decline across the country. Radio measurement has become problematic. Questions surround Numeris. How long can this continue?
I have worked on radio for 40 years and I continue to love the medium. Still, certain facts can’t be ignored. The PPM numbers I discuss below display a few wonky results. There have been a variety of problems with PPM and sample sizes continue to be a real concern.
The PPM methodology has been extremely expensive to operate, making the task of raising sample sizes difficult. In days gone by, we used to discuss the three-hit theory. With PPM, it is difficult to achieve a frequency of two. That raises the question, if Numeris shows stations in a relatively poor light to buyers, are we somehow doing a disservice to station owners? Is the system insufficiently reliable and stable for buyers and analysts? Right now, owners are exploring options. Tomorrow, I will discuss the diary markets and the alternatives being explored there.
With this book, radio retains an average weekly reach of 83% for Canadians A12+. In home represents 49% of tuning. Out of home represents 51% of tuning. We should note that, for Canadians, 10% of radio consumption comes from AM/FM live radio streaming. Let’s forge on.
The latest PPM release from Numeris completes the 13-week period covering August 26, 2024-November, 2024. Let’s look at the five PPM markets.
Toronto: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to CBC Radio One delivering an 11.7% share for A12+, followed closely by CHFI with an 11.5%. CHFI-FM comes out on top with women 25-54 with a 13.7 % share (up from 12.3%). For men 25-54, boom leads with 10.1 % (down from 12.0%). In a surprising shift, 640 AM CFIQ is out in front for M18-34 with a 12.9%. CHFI is #1 for F18-34, topping the list at 16.1%.
Vancouver: CKNW grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 12.1% share of hours tuned (down from 12.2%). Taking the top spot for F25-54 is Move 103.5 with a 20.3% (up from 18.8%) share. Virgin Radio holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 13.1 % share followed by FOX at 11.1 %. Move 103.5 is out in front for M18-34 with a 14.3% share of hours tuned. In a very unusual shift, when it comes to women 18-34, CFOX drops to 9.1% from 26.7% in the last book and Move takes a huge lead with 30.3%.
Edmonton: UP!99.3 takes #1 with A12+, posting a 10.5 % share of hours tuned. NOW! holds top spot for F25-54, delivering a 16.3% share (down from 17.3 %). NOW! Radio tops the list for M25-54 with a 13.4% share (up from 11.8%). For M18-34, the Bear is out in front at 16.8% (up from 6.9 %). UP! 99.3 led with F18-34 delivering 24.1% (up from.14.3%) – another unusual statistical jump.
Calgary: XL 103 leads the way for A12+ with a 15.9% share. 90.3 Amp Radio is popular with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54 delivering an 11.3 %. For M25-54, X92.9 rules with a 13.8% (up from 13.1%). X92.9 is in the top spot for M18-34, delivering a 21.2% (up from 16.3%). CJAY tops F18-34 posting a 12.6%.
Montreal: CHMP 98.5 FM is #1 for A12+ (Franco) with an 18.6.% share (down from 21.4%). For A12+ (Anglo) CJAD 800 is #1 with a 31.3% (down from 31.6 %). 107,3 Rouge is tops with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54 (Franco) delivering a 17.0 % share. For F25-54 (Anglo), The Beat 92.5 is well out in front with a 24.3% share (down from 32.4 %). For M25-54 (Franco), CHMP 98.5 FM is on top at a 23.3% share (down from 23.4%). For M25-54 (Anglo), CHOM-FM is #1 at 19.9 % (down from 20.8 %).
