Music Canada is hailing a major audio streaming milestone achieved last week. Canadians listened to more than 2 billion audio streams in a single week, according to global music industry analytics provider MRC Data. “A little over two years ago Canada reached 1.5 billion weekly audio streams, and we are pleased to share that the country has quickly achieved another major milestone with 2 billion weekly audio streams,” said Rob Jonas, CEO P-MRC Data, in a release. “With the Canadian audio streaming market currently up over 12 percent year over year from 2020, we certainly expect to see more record weeks in the future.” MRC Data’s includes music audio streams from licensed on-demand services like Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon and TIDAL, excluding podcast episodes. It says Pop, Rock, Rap, Country, and Alternative Rock are the genres with the highest streaming volume increases over the past few years. Read more here.
Radio Connects, the advocacy association that promotes radio to agencies and advertisers, isn’t happy that the next phase of the City of Toronto’s ShowLoveTO campaign doesn’t include any radio spots. Unveiled last week with a kick off event in the Distillery District, the ShowLoveTO campaign encourages Torontonians to shop local this holiday season, with a focus on small businesses and restaurants. A supporting ad campaign running through December includes 280 TV spots; YouTube ads; social media advertising; Spotify ads; more than 100 transit shelter ads; digital display and online videos in multiple languages. Radio Connects President Caroline Gianias says the city’s move to exclude radio from its media buy is “a slap in the face,” considering many stations stepped up to support small business and promote the shop local message during the pandemic. Read more here.
Global News’ podcast What Happened To? returns to the Curiouscast Podcast Network for a second season on Nov. 25 with 20 brand new episodes that will be released bi-weekly. Hosted by Global News reporter Erica Vella, What Happened To? digs into stories that grabbed the world’s attention and then disappeared when the mics turned off. Season 2 will debut with a look at Murder Hornets.
Vanessa Murphy, morning show host at Bounce 91.9 (CKLY-FM), Lindsay, ON (and the Canadian Radio Awards winner for Best Solo Host (Music) – Small Market), was named the runner-up in the 2021 Radio Star competition, hosted by Nails Mahoney and Tracey Lee of OnAirCoach. The global competition, which began in March and was judged by radio presenters from around the world, saw Rosa Serret – a student at Loughborough University in Leicestershire, UK – crowned the winner.
SiriusXM has announced a free preview period from Nov. 23 to Dec. 6, available to anyone with an inactive satellite radio in their vehicle, as well as online and on mobile devices via the SXM App. Find the free listening channel lineup, here.
LISTEN: Q101 (CKMQ-FM) Merritt is a small Pattison Media-owned station in B.C.’s Nicola Valley. With a staff of just three, the radio station is the only broadcast media outlet located in the community that was evacuated Nov. 15 after torrential rain that triggered flooding and mudslides in the region. Q101 is continuing to carry on operations from sister station B100 (CKBZ-FM) in Kamloops. Station Program Director Roger White took time to speak to Broadcast Dialogue earlier this week about weathering a year of wildfires and water, on top of the challenges of the pandemic. Also check out The CJN Daily’s interview with CIVL-FM Abbotsford’s Aaron Levy on the University of Fraser Valley campus station’s efforts to keep its listeners informed.
LISTEN: Matty Staudt, the former VP of Podcast Programming for iHeartRadio, returns to the Sound Off Podcast to talk about his new role as Chief Development Officer at New York-headquartered branded podcast company, Amaze Media Labs, which has expanded into Talent, Experiential and Media Buying. Listen on your favourite podcast app or here:
