Counting on the Future (of Radio)

David Bray is President of Bray & Partners Communications

Feel free to forward questions and inquiries:

Phone: (416)431-5792 

E-mail: davidbray@brayandpartners.com 

Websites: brayandpartners.com, davidbray.ca

Welcome back! With today’s release, 22 markets previously dropped by Numeris have been brought back to life courtesy of radioCount.

They are:

A new radio ratings supplier is a major step forward for the industry and bodes very well for the future.

The methodology seems to be a marked improvement on the past. The sample sizes, which are generally 500-600, are robust for these smaller markets. Unlike that experienced with diary, they have had no problem getting responses for all demographics. They use a combination of call-out and online in securing respondents. They avoid household recruitment and only use one respondent per household.

This allows for broad coverage as opposed to the duplication that can exist within one family. The qualitative categories included are Education, Household Income, Household Size and Children in Household.

As a sample, let’s look at six of the markets. I should note that CBC market specific data is not reported, so I have not included them in my charts. Since this is the first radioCount release there is no trending data. The methodology is different from the Numeris approach, so a trend from one to the other wouldn’t be appropriate. I will say that this new approach is quite impressive.

Peterborough: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to Pure Country 105 delivering a 16.9 % share for A12+. Taking the #1 spot with women 25-54 is MOVE 99.7, delivering a 19.7% share. 101.5 The Wolf is on top for males 25-54, posting a 21.7% share.

North Bay: Country 90.5 grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with an 18.6% share of hours tuned. Taking the top spot for F25-54 was Country 90.5, posting a 26.3% share. 101.9 Rock holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 21.5 % share. 

Fredericton: Move 106.9 sweeps in to take #1 with A12+, posting a 15.8% share of hours tuned. Move 106.9 holds top spot for F25-54, delivering a 21.6% share. Bounce 105.3 tops the list for M25-54 with a 15.8 % share.

Saint John: Country 94 leads the way for A12+ with a 25.2%. 97.3 The Wave is popular with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54 delivering a 29.0 share. For M25-54, Country 94 rules with a 23.2%. 

Prince George: 101.3 The River is #1 for A12+ with a 21.5% share. 101.3 The River is also #1 For F25-54 with a 28.3%. Completing a sweep, for M25-54, 101.3 The River is on top at a 29.2% share.

Lethbridge: Country 95.5 holds the #1 spot for A12+ with an 18.8% share of hours tuned. Taking the top spot for F25-54 was also Country 95.5 posting a 28.6% share. 106.7 Rock holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 21.0 % share. 

See summary charts below: A brief overview of share figures from the latest radioCount release courtesy of David Bray…

Peterborough

% Share of Hours Tuned

(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)

North Bay

% Share of Hours Tuned

(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)

Fredericton

% Share of Hours Tuned

(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)

Saint John

% Share of Hours Tuned

(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)

Prince George

% Share of Hours Tuned

(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)

Lethbridge

% Share of Hours Tuned

(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)