By David Farrell
David Bray's take on the latest 5 market Numeris PPM survey
Say goodbye to summer but look in the rear-view mirror to see the summer’s radio ratings. Let’s see which way the numbers rolled … with the release of the latest book. The new PPM release from Numeris completes the thirteen-week period covering May 28th, to Aug. 26th, 2018. Let’s look at the five PPM markets.
Toronto: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to both CHFI-FM and BOOM 97.3 with each delivering an 11.1 share for A12+. BOOM-FM grabs the #1 spot with ladies 25-54 providing a 12.7% share (down from 14.4%) followed closely by BOOM with a 12.6 % share. BOOM-FM holds the #1 spot for males 25-54, posting an 11.7% share (up from 11.1 % in the last 13-week book). In a strange twist, CHFI-FM leads the way for M18-34 with a 12.0% share followed by BOOM at 11.4%. For F18-34, CHFI-FM tops the list posting a 27.8 % (down from 23.6%).
Vancouver: CBC Radio One grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 12.3% share of hours tuned (down from 15.3%). Taking the top spot for F25-54 was QM-FM, posting a 17.7% share (up from 16.5% last time out). FOX grabs the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering a 13.0% share (down from 13.8 %). The FOX is well out in front for M18-34 with a 20.8 % share of hrs. tuned down from 22.0 %). When it comes to Females 18-34, QM-FM takes the top spot with a 16.8 % share.
Edmonton: The Bear passes NOW for #1 with A12+ posting a 9.3% share of hours tuned (up from 5.8% last time out). NOW! Radio takes top spot for F25-54, delivering a 22.0% share (up from 19.5%). NOW tops the list for M25-54 with a 12.5% share (flat with the last book). For M18-34, NOW leads the way posting a 14.9% followed by the Bear at 13.7%. NOW also led with F18-34 delivering an 18.3% (up from 14.7%).
Calgary: Country 105 leads the way for A12+ with a 9.7% (up from 8.3% last time out). Country 105 is popular with the ladies, taking #1 spot for F25-54 delivering a 13.1% share (up from 10.2%). For M25-54, X92.9 is #1 with a 10.8% (down from 11.0%). CJAY takes top spot for M18-34 delivering an 11.4%. Country105 is #1 for F18-34 posting a 14.3% share (up from 12.3%).
Montreal: CHMP 98.5FM is #1 for A12+ (Franco) with a 14.8% share (down from 18.3%). For A12+ (Anglo) CJAD 800 is #1 with a 28.1% (down from 29.4%). CFGL-FM is tops with the ladies, taking #1 spot for F25-54 (Franco) delivering a 16.2% share (down from 19.3%). For F25-54 (Anglo) The Beat 92.5 is #1 with a 27.9% share (up from 26.2). For M25-54 (Franco), CHMP 98.5FM is on top at 17.8% share (down from 20.5%). For M25-54 (Anglo), CHOM-FM is #1 at 25.0% (up from 24.1%)
The above summary provided by David Bray of Bray & Partners' Communications, and the latest PPM 2018 stats can be viewed on the Numeris website.
CRTC Broadcast Forecast 2019-2021
The CRTC came out with a look at its priorities for the next two years on Thursday, laying out an agenda for 2019-2021. Some of it is pretty generic. But a few of the items listed raise not only questions but eyebrows.
Its stated goal to start a national must-carry ethnic station is already well known. It also plans to continue to study how to serve Indigenous populations on radio and TV. Nothing surprising there. Neither is “considering the applications of renewing the licences for CBC/Radio Canada." Is there even a chance that won’t happen? Where did I put that rubber stamp?
But where it gets interesting for me is that the Commission indicates it's planning a review of radio rules – including Canadian content levels. Could this mean a reduction in the amount going forward since the mandatory 30% rule has mostly resulted in a thriving Canadian recording industry and may no longer be needed? Or will it mean even more [shudder] CanCon in the future, driving what listeners are left even further to satellite and the Internet?
They’re also planning on finding ways to help support local TV news. But what do you make of this sentence? “Examining ways to support television news production through increased access to subscription revenue.” Increased access to cable profits? Or just increased prices for consumers, so they can help pay for it? (My guess is the latter, but I suppose that headline awaits.)
And finally, “Updating its definition of “Canadian programming expenditures” in the context of the digital environment.” Again, the devil will be in the details. But they just ordered Bell and Corus to increase their spending on Canuck shows, while Rogers remained the same. But you know how this works – if they ding them for the extra bucks, they’re going to get it out of your wallets, because that’s how this game has always been played.
I won’t say I fear the future. But this list from a regulatory body that rarely seems to care about the consumers it claims to serve certainly makes me wary – and it will be informative to see if they truly are focused on what's ahead or if it will be Back to the Future for broadcasting in this country. – Sowny.net contributor, Radio Active.
Fox invests $100M in Caffeine social-broadcasting system
Caffeine Studios will constitute part of the “new Fox” expected to emerge as a result of Disney’s proposed acquisition of key Fox assets, a deal that could conclude early next year if it garners global regulatory approval. The platform will deliver Fox Sports’ expertise in live events and programming, video gaming and entertainment. It has already inked a content deal with Live Nation that will bring live music concerts to the Caffeine platform later this year. – Venture Beat
Artificial intelligence is transforming social media. Can American democracy survive?
Russian interference in Western elections in 2016 heightened concerns about computational propaganda. False social media accounts looking like and communicating like the target audience, known as social bots, repeated programmed messages and amplified political content altering users’ perceptions of reality and influencing debate. 2016’s social bots will appear crude in comparison to the AI-powered chatbots of 2018 and beyond. Newer chatbots, computer programs simulating real conversation, increasingly pass the Turing test, in which a machine exhibits behaviour indistinguishable from a human. Bots might seamlessly chat with humans and each other, creating engaging bot communities. – Clint Watts, The Washington Post
