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FYI

Media Beat: March 16, 2018

Media Beat: March 16, 2018

By David Farrell

Mélanie Joly puts internet giants on notice

Canadian Heritage Minister Mélanie Joly is warning American internet giants to brace for new legislation that will crack down on threats to Canadian culture.


In comments from an interview published on Wednesday by Montreal daily newspaper Le Devoir, Joly said that new legislation could soon force companies such as Google, Apple, Facebook and Amazon (GAFA) to be more transparent about how their technology, specifically algorithms, is changing society.

"The fundamental problem is that (these companies) don't recognize their responsibilities," the minister was quoted as saying by the newspaper. "They don't recognize the magnitude of their power, due to their size, their reach and the impact that they have in sectors such as journalism and culture. There's a fundamental shift in culture that they have to do because it's (presently) very concerning."

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She also noted in the interview that these companies get about 75 per cent of online revenues and that they don't share this with content creators. She said this situation wasn't fair. –National Observer

Zach Sang joins Rogers’ Kiss fleet of stations

Twenty-six-year-old American multimedia star Zack Sang debuts his Zach Sang World Wide Countdown on Rogers Radio-branded KiSS stations in Toronto, Vancouver, Edmonton, Ottawa this Saturday (17th) from 5-8 pm (local time).

The deal was brokered through Vancouver-based Shawn Smith’s Momentum Media Networks.

Sang, one of today’s most popular radio voices and multimedia personalities, is one of a small few new generation of radio stars, connecting younger listeners who are constantly tuned into social media. With more than 10,000 interviews under his belt, he has chatted with every major celebrity, from Justin Bieber to Ariana Grande and Harry Styles. Sang is currently heard on 75 US pop stations across the US. He made his debut in Canada on a radio panel last year at CMW where he offered a counterpoint to a panel of traditional radio broadcasters.

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Classical FM soars in latest Toronto PPMs

The New Classical FM reports that the latest quarter ratings places Toronto’s only all-classical radio station as the second-most-listened-to commercial radio station in the GTA. (Monday to Sunday 5a-1a, Toronto Cntl, Average Minute Audience, Q2/R1 November 27, 2017, to February 25, 2018).

The station claims having had the highest average minute audiences in 10 years, in all key demos – Persons 12+, Adults 25-54, and Adults 35-64 (Monday – Sunday 5a-1a, Toronto Cntl, Average Minute Audience by quarters). Combined, one million listeners tune in to the Zoomer-owned FM every week (Total Canada, Monday to Sunday 5a-1a, average weekly reach, Q2/R1 November 27, 2017, to February 25, 2018). – Source: Press release

iHeartMedia's Chapter 11 Filing: What Happens Next for the Radio Giant

iHeartMedia and some of its subsidiaries filed for Chapter 11 protection last night after reaching a pre-packaged agreement with its principle creditors that will apparently see the company cut its debt in half to $10 billion after a debt-to-equity swap with some debt holders; and the spinoff of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, which is not a part of the Chapter 11 proceedings.

According to an announcement on the iHeart website, the prepackaged “agreement reflects widespread support across the capital structure for a comprehensive balance sheet restructuring that will reduce iHeartMedia’s debt by more than $10 billion. iHeartMedia, America’s No. 1 audio company, will continue operating the business in the ordinary course as a leading global multi-platform media, entertainment and data company.” – Ed Christman, Billboard

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The real plum in the iHeartMedia pie is Clear Channel Outdoor

For the first nine months of 2017, the most recent figures available, the company reported revenues of $18.6 billion, versus $2.5 billion for radio. More to the point, the outdoor division runs in the black, whereas radio loses money after it pays out interest on debt – Forbes

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BBC launches 'fake news' game for young people

The BBC has launched an interactive game to help young people in the UK identify fake news as part of its broader project to tackle declining media trust – Press-Gazette

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Max McNown
Courtesy Photo

Max McNown

Chart Beat

Max McNown Hits a New Peak on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100 With 'A Lot More Free'

The Oregon singer has been climbing the chart with his viral single, which has now cracked the top 50 for the first time landing at No. 32 thanks to a boost in digital sales.

A rising country singer has hit a new peak on the Billboard Canadian Hot 100.

Max McNown's "A Lot More Free" climbs to No. 32 in its fourth week on the chart. The Bend, Oregon singer released "A Lot More Free" in 2023 and landed on Billboard's Emerging Artists chart with it.

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