Media Beat: December 15, 2022

By David Farrell

Timmy Thomas Why can’t we live together?

David Bray summarizes the Numeris Fall diary ratings

As I previously reported, 56 diary markets were discontinued by Numeris leaving us with our current 22, reporting central area only. radioCount, using a different methodology has recently released their Fall book surveying 22 different markets. Numeris has transitioned to the exclusive use of online diaries. radioCount uses individual recruitment while Numeris uses household recruitment. All that being said, let’s take a look at 5 sample markets from the latest Numeris release.

This covers the period of Fall 2021 to Fall 2022.

Ottawa-Gatineau: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to CBC Radio One which is waaay out in front (again) delivering an 18.8% share for A12+ (up from 18.3%). CBC Radio One grabs the #1 spot with females 25-54 delivering a 10.8% share (down from 10.9%) followed by Hot 89.9 with 8.0%. CHEZ-FM holds the #1 spot for males 25-54, posting an 11.7% share. CHEZ 106 boasts a formidable lead for M18-34 with a 21.3% share. For F18-34, Hot 89.9 leads, posting a 15.1% share followed by Jump 106.9 at 14.8%.

Winnipeg: CBC Radio One grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 15.5% share of hours tuned followed by CJOB at 13.2%. The top spot for F25-54 goes to QX104 with a 13.4% share. For M25-54 listeners, 92.1 CITI-FM is tops with 11.2 %. Energy 106 heads the list for M18-34 with 13.2% followed by QX Country at 11.4 %. For F18-34, the favourite is QX Country at 13.7% followed by Energy 106 with 13.4%

Halifax: CBC Radio One takes #1 with A12+, posting an impressive 18.5% share of hours tuned (down from 20.0% with the last book). Virgin takes the top spot for F25-54, delivering a 10.9% share followed by Move 100 at 10.8%. Q104 tops the list for M25-54 with a big lead and a 22.3% share. For M18-34, Q104 takes the lead with 24.4 %. When it comes to Females 18-34, Virgin takes the top spot posting a 19.9 % share.

Hamilton: For originating stations……Bounce 102.9 leads the way for A12+ with 6.5% followed by KX94.7 with 6.2%. Bounce is popular with females, taking the #1 spot for F25-54 delivering a 10.3 % share. For M25-54, KX 94.7 is on top with 7.9% followed by Bounce at 7.8% and Y108 at 7.4%. KX94.7 takes the top spot for M18-34 delivering 12.5% followed by HTZ-FM with 12.3%. Bounce has a strong lead for F18-34 posting a 10.4% share.

Victoria: CBC Radio One is #1 for A12+ with a 21.5% share (down from 24.6%). The Q is tops with women, taking the #1 spot for F25-54 delivering a 12.7 % share. For M25-54 The Q is on top at 19.9% share followed by sister station the Zone with 16.1%. For M18-34 Virgin leads with 22.2.8% followed by the Q with 20.8%. In a tight race for F18-34, the leader is Virgin posting 13.8% followed by The Zone at 13.5% and the Q with 12.3%.

Numeris PPM Ratings – Dec. 2022

n the midst of significant changes in measurement methodology for many of the other markets, PPM in the big five keeps rolling on. The new PPM release from Numeris completes the thirteen-week period covering August 29 to November 27.  The subsiding stages of the COVID-19 pandemic seem to be having a lesser effect. Radio revenues are generally somewhat improved from their Covid low point. It may be worth noting that instead of driving to and from work, many are still working from home. This, in turn, alters the nature of drive time.

Let’s look at the five PPM markets.

Toronto: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to CBC Radio One delivering a 14.3 % share for A12+ (up from 12.9) followed by BOOM-FM with 12.1%. There is an extremely tight race for females 25-54 as both CHUM-FM and CHFI-FM deliver an 11.3% share with BOOM-FM just a hair behind at 11.2%. Once again BOOM-FM is well out in front for males 25-54, posting an 11.5 % share. BOOM-FM also leads the way for M18-34 with a 13.7% share. And not to get monotonous but BOOM-FM also tops the list For F18-34 at 15.7% share followed by CHFI-FM with 15.0%. We’re not sure exactly what effect the departure of John Derringer has had, but the Q107 numbers for M25-54 (6.2%) have been falling back a bit although M18-34 is still fairly healthy at 9.7%

Vancouver: CKNW grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 12.0% share of hours tuned (flat with the last book).  Taking the top spot for F25-54 is 94.5 Virgin with 14.3%. share. JR Country holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering an 11.0% share.  Move 103.5 is out in front for M18-34 with an 11.1 % share of hours tuned. When it comes to Females 18-34, 104.3 the Breeze continues to perform well and is #1 with 16.0 %.

Edmonton:  UP 99.3 takes #1 with A12+, posting an 11.6 % share of hours followed by CISN Country at 10.4%. NOW! holds the top spot for F25-54, delivering a 14.4% share followed by UP 99.3 at 14.1%. K97 tops the list for M25-54 with a 10.8 % share. For M18-34, UP 99.3 is way out in front at 19.6%. CISN Country led with F18-34 delivering 16.3 % followed by NOW at 16.1%.

Calgary: CBC Radio One leads the way for A12+ with 9.7% tied with CHQR at 9.7%. Star 95.9 is popular with females, taking #1 spot for F25-54 delivering a 10.5 % share followed by Virgin at 10.2%. For M25-54, X92.9 rules with a 15.5%. 101.5 Today Radio is in the top spot for M18-34 delivering a 15.6 %. Country 105 tops F18-34 posting a 14.7% 

Montreal:  CHMP 98.5 FM is #1 for A12+ (Franco) with a 23.6 % share.  For A12+ (Anglo) CJAD 800 is #1 with a 22.6%. CHMP-FM is also tops with females, taking the #1 spot for F25-54 (Franco) delivering a 19.0 % share. For F25-54 (Anglo) The Beat 92.5 is well out in front with a 31.5 % share. For M25-54 (Franco), CHMP 98.5 FM is on top at a 26.3 % share.  For M25-54 (Anglo), The Beat 92.5 is #1 at 20.4% followed by CHOM-FM at 15.0% share

Senate committee completes Bill C-11 review. What comes next?

There are procedural steps to come including a final approval of the committee report, report back to the Senate, and ultimately votes at the full Senate. But the big question mark is how the government will react. During the clause-by-clause process, there were amendments that it supported and others that it opposed (yet those passed with the support of Conservative and independent Senators). The government could try to remove those amendments while still at the Senate at third reading. That would be a major rebuke to the committee and the Senators who worked extremely hard to improve the bill, but would allow for Bill C-11 to return to the House of Commons in a form the government supports. Alternatively, the bill as amended may be approved by the Senate and returned to the House, where the government can choose to simply agree to the changes and move on or it could vote to remove some amendments and send it back to the Senate yet again.

Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez has been cautious about not tipping his hand.  – Michael Geist blog

Michael Geist predicts Netflix and YouTube will balk at ‘restrictive’ CanCon rules

… The plan to promote homegrown video is all well and good. The problem is what counts as CanCon. And that depends on an outdated—and inherently flawed—government points system. One example is the Netflix-funded film Jusqu’au déclin, which features a Quebec-based story, producer and cast. Everything is Canadian, but Netflix owns the intellectual property, so it doesn’t count as CanCon. Other iconic Canadian stories such as Turning Red and The Handmaid’s Tale have also failed to meet the standard. Companies like Netflix might object to being accountable to such a defective system. – Maclean’s

What are the common copyright limitations and issues social media users face?

Just as with images and videos, recorded music attracts its own copyright protections. If someone wants to use recorded music in social media content, they need to be aware of what rights need to be cleared. In Canada, clearing these rights can often be done by obtaining licensing agreements with the music collectives, whose repertoires include Canadian works as well as works from around the world thanks to their agreements with other countries’ music collectives. – Kiera Boyd, Fasken IP

Revelations from the Rogers-Shaw merger trial prove Canada’s current telco policy will lead to monopoly

The ugly truth about Canada’s monopolized telecom market is being laid bare by the legal battle over Rogers’ proposed $26-billion megamerger with Shaw.

But it isn’t the Competition Bureau — which opposes Rogers acquiring Shaw and then divesting its Freedom Mobile wireless assets to Quebec’s Vidéotron — doing the exposing. Rather, it’s the companies’ own testimony at the Competition Tribunal.

The first bombshell came when Shaw — Canada’s fourth largest telecom company — said it can’t survive on its own if the merger is blocked.– Peter Nowak, Toronto Star

With Pluto TV and CBC News Explore, Canada enters new ‘free’ streaming era – but there’s a catch

There are, by my loose count, 15,000 different subscription-based video-on-demand (SVOD) platforms currently operating in Canada, give or take. Netflix, Prime Video, Crave, the Criterion Channel and on and on – all those Paramount and Disney pluses can add up to subscription fatigue, especially as households take a closer look at their budgets as a recession looms.

But while those SVOD services are only getting more expensive…  –there are a handful of new streamers that don’t cost a thing. Except your tolerance for advertising.

Welcome to Canada’s new era of FAST streaming, or “free ad-supported television….” – Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail

W5 exposes the drug connections and money trail in the Pivot Airlines story

Over a roughly two-month span, Trust Capital paid for two charters to the Dominican Republic.

But as W5 discovered, the trips were not real estate ventures and Trust Capital was not what it seemed.

It was on that second trip in April when the Pivot Airlines crew discovered more than 200 kilograms of cocaine, worth approximately $25 million, in the avionics bay of the plane as it was about to depart from Punta Cana International Airport to Toronto.

W5 started digging into Trust Capital to figure out its connection to the drugs and the sequence of events that led to the detainment of the 12 Canadians in the Dominican Republic.

Initially, every lead seemed to come to a dead-end.

Canadian corporate record searches turned up empty. The CFO, John Strudwick, didn't appear to exist. There was no tenant named Trust Capital at that Toronto office tower. The phone number had been disconnected, and emails to the company bounced back… – CTV W5

Vancouver's Radio & Records alumni celebrated a 40th annual anniversary gathering last week

vancouver40th_rr_gathering.jpg

Last week gathering Vancouver's 40th Radio & Records anniversary was celebrated at Mahony's Tavern in False creek. Top - Stu Ferguson. Second-row L-R:  Rod Dave Chesney/Lionel Wilson/Fran Gigliotti//Dave Brian/Glenn Chalmers. Doc Harris/ Erin Fishman.Next Row Dave Pratt Pete Taylor/Gayle BOutillier/Gary Taylor. Third Row down Margaret Garrison/Gerry O-Day, Clara Caratenuto/Kay Parker/ Rob Frith/Martin Strong. Front Row L-R: Casey White and Jim Conrad.

Thanks to Dave Chesney for pointing us to this treasure.

Has the digital revolution been overhyped?

Is our future inevitably digital? Is it possible to reject the downside of digital technology without rejecting change? How do we build a human's first future? These are questions explored in David Sax's latest book, The Future is Analog: How to Create a More Human World.

The media layoff bloodbath: Why it’s happening and who’s hurt most

Within the past week, CNN and Gannett laid off hundreds of employees across their news operations, while BuzzFeed slashed 12% of its workforce and the Washington Post let go of 10 staffers from its print Sunday magazine. The latest cuts followed Morning Brew laying off 14% of its staff and Vice Media trimming 2% of its digital news and publishing staff last month. In addition, the tech news website Protocol shut down, eliminating 60 jobs, while video news startup The Recountalso plans to suspend operations. –Lucas Manfredi, Wrap Pro

Can immigration solve Canada's labour shortages?

The Canadian economy is facing critical labour market shortages causing uncertainty for Canadian businesses and workers. Can Canada’s 2023–2025 Immigration Levels Plan which seeks to welcome 1.45 million new permanent residents in Canada over the next three years, be key to solving this problem? And does Canada have adequate structures in place to ensure that these newcomers thrive in their new home? The Agenda’s Steve Paikin moderates…

Is Canada’s immigration system in crisis?

Canada recently announced its latest immigration plan, with a target of welcoming half a million newcomers per year by 2050. However, the immigration system is still seeing a significant backlog across the board. Foreign workers and international students have been waiting to get their applications processed - some are even forced to leave the country. We examine the state of Canada's immigration system. – Steve Paikin, The Agenda

Is this the end of TV? Broadcasters prepare for online-only switch

As ITVX launches and the BBC gets ready to stream not beam, will event viewing become a thing of the past? – Vanessa Thorpe, The Observer

AM radio era might be ending with a crackle

Apparently, electric cars and AM radio don’t mix well. The New York Timesreports that many EV manufacturers are booting AM radio from their vehicles, citing electromagnetic interference that causes pesky noise and static.

Tesla, Volvo, Porsche, Audi and some Volkswagen EVs already come without AM radio. Drivers of Ford’s 2023 F-150 Lightning electric pickup will also have to make do without ideologically charged hot takes from their favourite talk show host on their morning commute.

Technological solutions to make EVs and AM radio compatible do exist, but car manufacturers might not bother to accommodate a minority of radio listeners. Just 20% of US radio audiences listen to AM radio—and they tend to be older. – Sam Klebanov, The New York Times Morning Brew newsletter

Pressure mounts on EV makers over AM radio support

On Monday, the New York Times said some Tesla customers that the newspaper interviewed claimed they weren’t bothered by the lack of AM radio in electric vehicles. But a report released by Edison Research in 2021 showed nearly 80 percent of Americans surveyed felt it was important for AM and FM radio tuners to be standard equipment in cars, and that the majority of prospective car buyers would be less likely to buy or lease a new vehicle if it didn’t have a traditional radio tuner in it. (The survey was sponsored by the National Association of Broadcasters and Xperi, the company that licenses HD Radio technology.)

Support for AM radio has also come from Congress, with U.S. Senator Ed Markey recently sending a letter to top automakers urging them to find ways to continue supporting terrestrial radio in their vehicles.

The viral AI avatar app Lensa undressed me—without my consent

When Melissa Heikkilä, our senior AI reporter, tried the new viral AI avatar app Lensa, she was hoping to get results similar to other colleagues at MIT Technology Review, who got realistic yet flattering avatars—think astronauts and fierce warriors. Instead, she got tons of nudes. Out of the generated 100 avatars, 16 were topless, while another 14 depicted her in extremely skimpy clothes and overtly sexualized poses.
Melissa has Asian heritage. Many of the avatars were of generic Asian women clearly modeled on anime or video-game characters or, most likely, porn. Another colleague with Chinese heritage got similar results: reams and reams of pornified avatars.
Lensa’s hypersexualization of Asian women is sadly unsurprising. Its results are generated using Stable Diffusion, an AI model that draws from a massive open-source data set compiled by scraping images from the internet. But the problem runs deeper than the training data.  – MIT Technology Review

How it feels to be sexually objectified by an AI

You can read more of Melissa’s thoughts on Lensa’s avatars reflecting sexist and racist stereotypes in The Algorithm, her weekly AI newsletter. In it, she reflects on how it made her feel when the model returned more realistic portrayals of her when she told it she was male and what the issues with Lensa tell us about AI more widely. Read the full story.