Radio & Podcast News – Winter PPM ratings result in big gains for some stations

David Bray has a breakdown of the new PPM release from Numeris, completing the 13-week period covering Nov. 28 to Feb. 26, noting that this round of results has renewed questions about sample sizes. In Toronto, notable gains were made by CHFI-FM, with its share with women, 25-54, improving to 15.5% (up from 11.3%). In Vancouver, taking the top spot for F25-54 is 94.5 Virgin Radio with a 17.6% share (up from 14.3%). MOVE 103.5, meanwhile, is way out in front for M18-34 with an 18.4% share of hours tuned (up from 11.1%). In Calgary, 101.5 Today Radio is in the top spot for M18-34, delivering a 20.9% share (up from 15.6%). Country 105 posted a 19.0% with F18-34, up from 14.7%. Read more here.

Edison Research’s Infinite Dial suggests online audio hit has new highs with more people listening to more forms of digital audio in new ways and on new devices. An estimated 200 million (70%) Americans are now streaming AM/FM radio and audio content weekly, up from 67% last year. When it comes to online audio used in the last week, Spotify moves into first place at 29%, followed by YouTube Music (19%), and Pandora (12%). In-car, AM/FM tuning was flat in this year’s survey at 73%, followed by owned digital music (53%), also consistent with 2022. Online audio usage in-car rose to 37% of Americans, up from 32% last year, with the percentage of those listening to podcasts during their commute increasing to 38% from 32% in 2022. After taking a slight dip in 2022, podcasting rebounded in this year’s survey with 31% or 89 million Americans listening weekly, up from 26% in 2022. Read more here.

Futuri CEO Daniel Anstandig will give a keynote address at the inaugural Radiodays North America, taking place June 8-9 in Toronto, as part of Canadian Music Week. Based in Cleveland, with offices in Chicago and D.C., Futuri’s AI-driven audience engagement and sales intelligence software is used by thousands of broadcasters and digital publishers worldwide. A tech futurist, Anstandig has advised The Wall Street Journal, CBS News, Clear Channel R&D, among other media companies in the U.S., Canada, and Europe on digital audience and revenue growth strategies. Futuri has been making headlines with its launch of AI-driven radio content solution, RadioGPT, which combines GPT-3 technology with AI voice tech and Futuri’s story discovery and social content system, TopicPulse, creating a revolutionary tool capable of programming an entire station. Read more here.

Journey FM (CJNY-FM), Vancouver’s first local Indigenous radio station, officially launched March 3 with an event at the PNE Forum. Part of the Northern Native Broadcasting network – which also owns CFNR-FM Terrace – the station had been signal testing since early December. Journey FM is playing a mix of Canadian-centric Indigenous, Rock, Classic Hits, and Blues.

My Broadcasting Corporation (MBC) has refreshed Country 89 (CKYY-FM) Niagara, rebranding as New Country 89.1. Under the direction of VP, Content Rob Mise, Program Director Dave Devine and consultant Phil Kallsen, MBC says the station will move toward playing more hot, dynamic country music delivering “the biggest hits heard more often.”

VIBE105 (CHRY-FM) is rolling out a year-long programming celebration of the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop. Working collaboratively with pioneers, contributors, and influencers from across North America, the community station is planning to produce interactive content throughout the year exploring the impact of the genre from defining artists to the reach of Hip Hop culture and its influence on sports, food, business and the arts. Headlining the content rollout is a series of “on-location” conversations led by Hip Hop culturalist and veteran radio personality Ricky ‘Ricochet’ Bains, who will interview notable contributors to the culture in “the places and spaces they first fell in love with Hip Hop.” One of the founding members of Ill Kidz Soundcrew, Bains helped expand the reach of Hip Hop across Canada as a national and international touring DJ and emcee. He’s currently the host of afternoon drive on VIBE105, weekdays from 2 – 5 p.m., in addition to hosting the revival of the Made in Toronto Takeover, airing at 6 p.m., Sunday thru Friday. Read more here.

SiriusXM‘s Women’s History Month programming highlights include Top of the Country Radio takeovers with Canadian country star Jess Moskaluke, Top of the Country finalist Shantaia, and five-time Grammy winner Shania Twain. JUNO nominee Adria Kain is also taking over Mixtape North as a Guest DJ, playing songs from notable Canadian female artists who have influenced her career, along with discussing the inspiration behind some of her original songs.

The Podcast Academy has announced winners across 26 categories at its third annual Ambies Awards, recognizing excellence in audio. Among the Canadian winners was CBC Podcasts’ Tai Asks Why which picked up the award for Best Podcast for Kids. The Podcast of the Year honour went to Chameleon: Wild Boys from Campside Media, hosted by Toronto-based comedian and journalist Sam Mullins, which revisits the bizarre true story of two young brothers who turned up in his hometown of Vernon, BC in 2003, claiming to have been raised in the B.C wilderness.

Kelly&Kelly, the boutique Vancouver content studio, and United Talent Agency (UTA) podcast division, Clamor, have unveiled what’s billed as podcasting’s first-ever sitcom. Popcorn for Dinner, created by Vancouver comedian Maddy Kelly (Let’s Make a Sci-fi, Let’s Make a Rom Com) has all of the recognizable elements of a classic sitcom (laugh track included), following four young friends navigating their twenties with running commentary from Gen-Z narrator, Ciara Bravo. Popcorn for Dinner was produced for digital ad exchange, DAX, the exclusive sales partner which will provide advertisers in the U.S. and UK with sponsorship, host-read and spot ad opportunities. Popcorn for Dinner launched March 7 with new episodes to be released every Tuesday for nine weeks.

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) has announced that the JUNO Awards are returning to Atlantic Canada, making their second visit to Halifax in March 2024. Halifax will host a lineup of JUNO Week events, March 20-24, 2024, culminating with the 53rd Annual JUNO Awards at Scotiabank Centre on Sunday, March 24. The JUNO Awards return to the Nova Scotia capital for the first time since 2006 when Pamela Anderson hosted the ceremony. The 52nd Annual JUNO Awards and 2023 JUNO Week is being hosted in Edmonton, March 9-13.

LISTEN: On the latest Sound Off Podcast, Matt Cundill takes on Futuri’s Radio GPT, the launch of stunt format 102.7 The Pole in Kingston, and more. “Progressing towards AI while regressing back 30 years with old, dated launch strategies that only work today because the people in charge have not evolved the medium…in short – both these things are happening for the same reason,” expounds Cundill. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here: