Chris Byrnes – ByrnesMedia
I first heard Roger Ashby on CHUM-FM in late 1986 when I visited Toronto as a tourist. There was something about his natural style and on air manner that impressed me. Roger and the CHUM FM morning show have rated at or near the top of morning drive for almost 25 years so clearly a lot of listeners also feel the same way. Recently, I had the opportunity to sit down with Roger and talk radio. I was impressed to find that Roger was the same off the air as he is on the air. We enjoyed a wonderful lunch together and a follow-up phone call and I wanted to pass along some of the things we discussed in the hope you will be inspired as I was by the conservation.
How long have you been interested in radio? When my mother died I found a letter she had written to her sister and in it she said, “Roger is playing radio again,” and when I looked at the date I figured I was only 3 ½ years old. By age 10 my father built me a mock studio in the basement and I sat down there for hours. Other kids were going to football games and I was downstairs rehearsing radio, so by the time I got my first part-time job in radio I was 17, I considered myself to have already had 7 years radio experience.
How did you get into radio? When I was in high school I met a fellow who worked part-time at a local Kitchener radio station. I was invited to sit in the studio with him while he did the all night show. I did this for several Saturday nights, and I found out that he also had a pretend radio station in the basement of his house so I would go to his house and we’d play radio together. Through him I met other broadcasters and eventually I got a part time job at another Kitchener station when I was 17 as a board operator. The FM station was just being launched at that time and they needed weekend announcers and they gave me a shot at it. I did this while I was in Grade 13 and when I graduated I had every intention of going to university, but by that summer I was offered job in Hamilton at CKOC. So I went to Hamilton just before my 19th birthday and worked there for a year with Nevin Grant and Dave Charles. Then in the following year I was offered a job at CHUM AM in Toronto and I’ve been there ever since.
Who influenced you when you were young? Well my first radio hero was John Spragge who did middays on CHUM in the 60’s. I liked him because he was very smooth, he had no gimmicks and he sounded like a nice man on the radio. I always admired his sound and his style and I always tried to emulate him. When I started in 1969 at CHUM he had left the year before, but I had the chance to meet him many times over the years and I always impressed upon him how much of an influence he was on me. John died recently and I went to his funeral and met his family. They told me how much John had enjoyed listening to me.
Has it always been plain sailing for you Roger? Well no, I’ve had a few ups and downs. I worked part time in the programming department in the 70’s, and actually came off the air for a period of time. But I realized after a few years that this was not what I wanted to do, and so did the radio station, so I went back to being a swing announcer. But I never felt threatened and that was because of the Waters family who owned CHUM and especially Mr Waters’ attitude from the top that filtered down. So I did swing for a while and when Tom Rivers was fired in 1982 they put me into AM Drive on a temporary basis on 1050 CHUM. I did that show for 3 years and then went back to swing. And then Ross Davies, who was the Program Director of CHUM FM, said if they don’t want you over there come on over here and do the morning show, and that was in 1985.
What advice would you give for those thinking about getting into radio today? Well I tell them to take a good hard look at it because the community colleges are turning out students by the dozens and I don’t know where most of these kids end up because most of the entry level positions seem to have been eliminated. I also tell students to be sure that you are passionate about the business because if you’re in a class of 20 students and only 4 of them are passionate, then chances are those 4 will succeed and the others will not. I also tell students to listen to as much radio as you can, and develop your own style based on someone you admire, get to know as many broadcasters as you can because networking is important. Also when you get that first radio job, presumably in a small market, work hard to improve your skills, learn as much as you can and then look for your next opportunity in a bigger market. Keep doing this until you end up in the market where you want to be. Then when you are happy you can settle down and make a good life there.
What advice would you give for those who would like to do a morning show? Well you’re going to have to have something a little more special than the people on the air in the other day-parts have. You need the ability to communicate, to speak to people in such a way that they feel you are a companion. I believe that I serve three purposes on the air: to inform, to entertain and to act as a companion. When listeners tell me they have grown up listening to me and they feel like they know me, that is the highest compliment that anyone can pay me, because it means I have really made a connection with that person. I am not just another voice on the air. It’s also important to think about how you are being heard. Think about how the listener perceives you. Ask yourself, am I stating this clearly, have I given all the information, have I delivered it in a logical fashion and have I said it like I would if I was sitting beside my best friend having a conservation with him or her. Lastly, always imagine you are delivering this to one person, because everyone listens to the radio with their own two ears, and although you may be speaking to tens of thousands of people at any one time, I always imagine I am speaking to just one person, and I always think about how that person may be perceiving what I am saying.
Any suggestions on how to succeed working in a multi person morning show? You always have to be mindful not to step on other voices in the show. You also need to be careful not to always get the last word in, and don’t try to be the king of the castle. You have to respect the other people you work with and you have to get along, because if you don’t then audiences will detect that. I have been blessed to work with people I get along with and socialise with. The other important thing in a multiple person morning show is to make sure the Program Director has clearly defined each person’s role.
How do you decide who is going to take the lead in a bit? For the most part it’s me, because I am seen as the anchor and I have been there the longest. I am the DJ if you like, the person who comes out of the music. Marilyn and Darren are the colour who add the entertainment value. But sometimes it makes sense for either Marilyn or Darren to take the lead. We also don’t talk about the content off the air because that can often sound contrived. The only exception is if it requires them to research some facts then I’ll say we’re going to talk about the World Cup Soccer this gives them time to gather some facts.
How do you avoid talking over each other on the air? A three person morning show is trickier than a two person show because with two people you can have a conversation back and forth. But we have been doing this for a long time and we truly respect each other. Also because we know each other so well and we talk a lot off the air, so we don’t end up talking over each other often. If it does happen, my first instinct is to pull back immediately.
Any advice for Program Directors on how to get the best out of talent? Well in listening to the radio these days I can tell there are a lot of people on the air who have not had a lot of coaching. I also suspect in a lot of cases the Program Director has not had a lot of training on how to coach. I think a Program Director has an obligation to the talent and to the radio station to meet with the talent on a regular basis and review some breaks, so the talent knows what is expected of them. If the break was too long, or the content was not relevant to the audience or the bit did not have an out, the talent needs regular direction. Every bit should have a beginning, middle and an end. If you go into a bit with just a beginning then the bit can wander and go on too long and become irritating to the listener. Sitting around talking about the show, discussing the direction of the show, and talking about how we as the talent can make that work, are all important things for a Program Director to do. Program Directors also need to teach talent how to use the phones properly; how to get into a call, how to get out of a call and how to respect the listener and make them the star of the show.
Where do you find the best content? I often observe things when I am about and about, and I bring that to the attention of the audience the following day. We discuss it and sometimes open the phone lines. I read as much as I can and look for content that I think will be of interest to our listeners.
How do you manage to create the impression that you are everywhere? Well I know the city really well having lived here for 40 years. I made a point when I first came to Toronto of driving around to really get to know the city. Initially, I did not have many friends so I had lots of time on my hands so I used that time to drive around and find out as much about each of the areas as I could. I learned the names of the streets, where the community centre was and where all the important buildings and landmarks were. Now I have lots of friends and acquaintances and I attend functions all over the city. I have always been very observant of different communities and different events and what goes on. So while I may not have always been to the event, I will have read about it or somebody has told me about so I can talk about an event as if I was there. I don’t say I was there and I don’t say I was not there, but I try to talk in such a way that people may get the impression that I was there. That’s part of the magic of radio.
Roger how to you manage to get out of bed so early every morning? Well I can tell you it is not getting any easier. I get up at 4am and I go to bed at about 10:30pm. But I always have a sleep in the afternoon and that is the key for me. That is not to say that I am not tired a lot, but this is what I do for a living and I make it work.
Any last thoughts or comments? I believe there will always be a need to attract good communicators who have a passion for the radio business no matter how the signal will be delivered in the future.
Conclusion: Roger is a real gentleman and was so easy to talk to. He clearly has a passion for the business and my hope in publishing our conservation is that it be an inspiration to others who are already in the business and hopefully encourage those who have a genuine talent and desire to get into broadcasting.
David Bray – Hennessy and Bray
The radio industry stands at a crossroads as it fights to ensure its viability and financial survival in the years to come. This is part one in a series of three articles discussing the future of radio.
Were you lying to me then or are you lying to me now? That is the question I have had posed to me time and again when it comes to Diary vs. PPM methodology. It is a fair question given that the results from each format are markedly different. Essentially, the answer is neither……both are estimates based on two different methodologies. Proponents believe PPM is a better estimate with a panel whose behaviour you can track with precision while the diary struggles with the volatility of having a different group of respondents each week. In essence, truth is relative. Both systems offer estimates with a certain margin of error.
Let’s back up to see how we got here. While BBM’s deal to partner on the development and licensing of PPM with Arbitron was inked in 1992, the breakthrough came with the development of the compact lithium ion battery providing 28 hours of life in 2003. That made it possible to carry a meter for 24 hours before docking. From there, the technology was optimized. Then the stations had to be encoded and the panels polled. Montreal kicked things off with a good deal of tweaking and hand wringing. On Dec. 10, 2009 we completed the first 13 weeks for Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver. From now on, measurement will be continuous, with an updated report coming out every month. Now comes a firestorm of comparative analysis. What are the pros and cons of the two methodologies?
With Diary we have eight weeks of measurement using a different sample every week. As such, there is a lack of continuity. Tuning is broken down into fifteen minute blocks, which is less than ideal since that doesn’t really match radio consumption patterns. Most significantly, reporting is based on recall, which is less than perfect. Sometimes respondents end up effectively voting for a station when they try to re-cap their tuning habits for the week. As you might expect, breakfast tends to be over reported since it is easy to remember your drive to work. Conversely, weekends and evenings are comparatively under reported since it is more difficult to recall exactly what you did on a Saturday afternoon driving to the shopping mall. On the positive side, the fact that we get a different set of diary keepers each week ensures we get a broader sampling base of individuals.
With PPM we get passive measurement. Panel members carry the meters and dock them each evening. We can now see tuning behaviour in tremendous detail. Reporting is reliable. Tuning is broken down into one minute increments which are much more precise. We can watch as a listener moves through his pre-sets or walks from store to store with different stations playing over the sound system. Diary generally reports that people listen to three stations. PPM says six to seven stations. Certain types of stations seem to suffer with PPM. Heritage stations such as CBC can experience a bit of “halo” tuning in diary reporting (which relies on the listener’s memory) which disappears with the passive recording of PPM. In effect, they get a bit of what I’ll call “aspirational reporting” in the diary, then lose that benefit with PPM. Conversely “office” stations thrive under the passive reporting format. Younger rock stations, which had trouble getting young adult males to fill out diaries, seem to come back strong with PPM. Smaller or more tightly targeted stations seem to suffer under PPM. More importantly, it is very difficult to turn these results around given the stability and low turnover of the panels.
Some critics would argue that listening to a background station in the office or shopping mall, for example, is not comparable to actively listening to your favourite station. Under the diary method, this sort of tuning would usually not be reported by the diary keeper. Another example of an anomaly would be the increase of female tuning to sports stations with PPM. The answer is fairly obvious. Girlfriends or wives are sitting in close proximity to their mates listening to sports. The females may actually hate the stations, but their tuning is captured. These same females would never report that tuning in the day of the diary. Yet another anomaly we have observed in recent months is the fact that office stations dominate categories in which they wouldn’t be traditionally strong. For example, office stations (skewed Female 25-54 or Female 35-54) have, in some instances, taken the #1 spot in terms of hours tuned for Females 18-34 and even Males 18-34. It is impossible to believe that a beer advertiser, for example, would put large sums of money on these soft AC stations.
As they phased out the diary in these top 5 markets, the BBM Fall ’09 Diary Numbers and the Fall ’09 PPM numbers were both released covering basically the same time period. There were a lot of heads being scratched and brows being furrowed. BBM is calling the 13 week PPM numbers the currency release. Airware, unlike Micro BBM or Infosys, will just deal with PPM in 13 week increments for buying purposes. While the share of hours tuned ranking from the two books are not radically different, a dilemma pops up when we note the vastly different numbers for ratings, cume, etc.
There is no getting around the fact that PPM reports significantly less overall radio tuning. For any radio believer like myself, that is troubling. Some correctly argue that radio tuning has not changed, just the method of reporting it. So, they argue, buyers should just use a conversion factor when switching from one set of figures to the other. The logic in that may be pragmatic, but is faulty from a research standpoint. Especially for proponents of the three (or four) hit theory. Are we to completely set aside our theories of reach/frequency which are fundamental to the buying of a highly targeted medium like radio? Moreover single source qualitative data, critical to a targeted medium like radio, isn’t quite as detailed as that offered up by Diary. Yes, we have RTS which is excellent. But that is a completely separate issue.
Flip the coin and we have the fact that continuous measurement allows for quick analysis of an ever changing marketplace where formats are flipped more often than pancakes.
Cume or reach does in fact generally increase for each station in PPM as opposed to Diary. The problem is that cume for a 13 week period is almost meaningless. Any listener who has registered even one minute of tuning during the measured period is included in a station’s cume. Office stations can report a cume of virtually everyone in the market. All that means is that panel members have passed by a radio playing a given station. Of course, you can modify that by looking at Average Daily Cume or set a filter to include listeners that listen to a minimum of 15 minutes to a station to avoid transient listenership. Bottom line is the fact that any station that plays its cards correctly can post a spectacular cume. While the figure meant something in the Diary system, it is not nearly as important with PPM.
Buyers and programmers will have to focus on hours tuned.
We have to keep in mind the size of the panels which are limited by expense. They are as follows:
Toronto | 600 households | Vancouver: | 450 households |
Calgary | 400 households | Edmonton: | 400 households |
Montreal | 400 Anglo, 400 Franco households |
Panels experience approximately 2-3% turnover per month. Detractors argue that a station that does poorly with a given panel will have to wait for an extended period of time before enough of the panel has changed to all for a significant change in their fortunes. It is too early to assess whether there will be long term compliance issues with certain age groups in the participant households. Another relevant question, given the use of phones to secure panels, is whether or not panels reflect the appropriate number of cell phone only households. This is something BBM is working toward.
One of the most important aspects of audience analysis is margin of error. It is rarely discussed, but is critically important. Buyers and sellers use numbers like daggers with supposed accuracy ….e.g. “you’re down 10.2%, give me makegoods”. On the programming side, people lose their jobs with a 20% decline which is actually still within the margin of error. Let’s not kids ourselves…the margin of error was a significant challenge with Diary. As to PPM, for a 13 week period for A12+, Mon-Sun. 5a-1a the standard error as a per centage of the total share is a follows:
Toronto | 13.5% to 24.5% |
Calgary | 15.3% to 24.5% |
Edmonton | 14.1% to 30.4% |
Vancouver | 15.1 to 42.1% |
Keep in mind that these numbers go up as you narrow the demographic. A25-54 would be a bit higher.
F25-54…higher still. By the time you get to M18-24 or M18-24 who own a cell phone, you are in the 60%+ region for margin of error. My point is simply that these are estimates not a census. It is critical to understand the parameters.
In this article I have just skimmed the surface. The months to come will be critical ones in the industry as we adapt to a new reality. There is much more I could say, but that would take a book. For now, I will only say that the truth, when it comes to PPM, is relative.
David Bray is one of the country’s leading radio analysts. David may be contacted at 416-431-5792 or davidbray@hennessyandbray.com
July 1-31 “Cell Phone Courtesy Month”: To encourage cell phone users to be more respectful of their surroundings and those around them. Call Jacqueline Whitmore, Etiquette Expert 561-586-9026, email info@etiquetteexpert.com. Web: www.etiquetteexpert.com.
July 1-31 “International Blondie and Deborah Harry Month”: Celebrates the band Blondie and its lead singer, Deborah Harry and their contributions to popular music. Call Allan Metz 417-873-7483. email ametz@drury.edu. Web www.blondiebook.com.
July 1-31 “National Hot Dog Month”: Celebrates a favourite hand-held food with fun facts and new topping ideas. Call 202-587-4200. Web: www.hot-dog.org.
July 1-31 “National Ice Cream Month”: This month celebrates ice cream as a fun and nutritious food that is enjoyed by a full 90% of the population.
July 1-31 “Social Wellness Month”: Improve your social and communication skills and learn to act appropriately in prominent situations. Call Angela Brown Oberer 704-843-0688. email angela@WordsofWellness.com. Web: www.WordsofWellness.com.
July 1-31 “Women’s Motorcycle Month”: Dedicated to honouring women who ride, co-ride, or wish they could ride motorcycles. Call Sylvia Henderson 301-260-1538. email Sylvia@springboardtraining.com. Web: www.springboardtraining.com.
July 1 “Canada Day”: Formerly known as Dominion Day. Commemorates the confederation of Upper and Lower Canada and some of the Maritime Provinces into the Dominion of Canada in 1867.
July 7-11 “The North American Tournament”: Spruce Meadows, Calgary, AB. Show jumping tournament featuring the Spruce Meadows North American Championships. Call 403-974-4200, or see www.sprucemeadows.com.
July 1-8 “Nova Scotia International Tattoo”: Military and civilian performers in bands, singing, dancing, marching, gymnastics and comedy. Call 902-420-1114 or 800-563-1114, email info@nstattoo.ca. Web www.nstattoo.ca.
July 2 “Halfway Point of 2010”: At noon, July 2, 2010, 182 ½ days of the year will have elapsed and 182 ½ will remain before Jan 1, 2011.
July 2 “I Forgot Day”: A day to make up for all the birthdays, anniversaries, new births, graduations, etc. that you forgot to acknowledge with a greeting or gift. Call Gaye Andersen, Davenport University, 219-650-5218, email gaye.andersen@davenport.edu.
July 3-Aug 11 “Dog Days”: Hottest days of the year in Northern Hemisphere.
July 3-4 “Abbotsford Berry Beat Festival”: Abbotsford, BC. Heralds the height of the Raspberry Capital of Canada’s berry season. Call 604-850-6547. email adba@telus.net. Web: www.downtownabbotsford.com.
July 9-18 “Calgary Stampede”: Calgary, AB. One of the world’s largest rodeos, plus an agricultural fair, entertainment, parade and carnival. Call 403-261-0101. web: www.calgarystampede.com.
July 4 “Independence Day”: The United States commemorates adoption of the Declaration of Independence by the Continental Congress. The nation’s birthday. Legal holiday in all states and territories.
July 6 “Take Your Webmaster to Lunch Day”: Keep the person running your website happy by making sure he or she is well fed. It makes your webmaster feel loved and gives him or her the energy to fix all the typos that you have on your site.
July 5-11 “Nude Recreation Week”: Why not go barefoot all over? Give nude recreation a try by attending special events at a clothing-optional beach, campground or resort near you. Call The Naturist Society 920-426-5009, email naturist@naturistsociety.com. See www.naturistsociety.com.
July 7 “London Terrorist Bombings: 5th Anniversary”: July 7, 2005. Terrorists exploded four bombs in quick succession on subway cars and a bus, killing more than 50 people and injuring 700.
July 7 “Father-Daughter Take A Walk Together Day”: A special time in the summer for fathers and daughters of all ages to spend time together in the beautiful weather. Call Janet Dellaria 906-852-3539.
July 8-18 “Cisco Systems Ottawa Bluesfest”: Festival Plaza, Ottawa City Hall, Ottawa, ON. 15th annual. Enjoy blues, gospel, roots, world and popular music in the heart of Canada’s national capital. Call 613-247-1188. email ajsauve@ottawa-bluesfest.ca. Web: www.ottawabluesfest.ca.
July 13 “Gruntled Workers Day”: There’s so much news about disgruntled workers that today’s the day for Gruntled Workers to Unite! Drive to a fast-food restaurant and say, “Thanks, your service is fast, have a nice day.” Call Thomas & Ruth Roy 717-279-0184, email info@wellcat.com. Web: www.wellcat.com.
July 14-25 “Winnipeg Fringe Theatre Festival”: Winnipeg, MB. A 12-day, noon-to-midnight, non-stop theatrical smorgasbord with more than 130 theatre companies from around the world. Email info@winnipegfringe.com. Web: www.winnipegfringe.com.
July 16-18 “Vancouver Folk Music Festival”: Jericho Beach Park, Vancouver, BC. Featuring food booths, entertainment and much more. Call 604-602-9798, email inquiries@thefestival.bc.ca.
July 22 “Pied Piper of Hamilin: Anniversary – Maybe”: July 22, 1376. According to legend, the German town of Hamelin, plagued with rats, bargained with a piper who promised to, and did, pipe the rats out of town and into the Weser River. Refused payment for his work, the piper then piped the children out of town and into a hole in a hill, never to be seen again.
July 22 “Spooner’s Day (William Spooner Birth Anniversary)”: A day named for the Reverend William Archibald Spooner, whose frequent slips of the tongue led to coinage of the term spoonerism to describe them. A day to remember the scholarly man whose accidental transpositions gave us blushing crow (for crushing blow), tons of soil (for sons of toil), queer old dean (for dear old queen), swell foop (for fell swoop) and half-warmed fish (for half-formed wish).
July 23 “Gorgeous Grandma Day”: The “senior citizen” label can no longer describe a feeble, antiquated person who is treasured only as a volunteer or a babysitter. Indeed, the majority are far from powerless, sickly or frail. Call Alice Solomon 561-498-3543. email GGalice@gorgeousgrandma.com. Web: www.gorgeousgrandma.com.
July 22-25 “Calgary Folk Music Festival”: Calgary, AB. Celebration of local, national and international folk music. Call 403-233-0904. email info@calgaryfolkfest.com. Web: www.calgaryfolkfest.com
July 24 “Cousins Day”: A day to celebrate, honour and appreciate our cousins. For info call Claudia Evart 212-779-2227, email cevart1@earthlink.net.
July 23-25 “Annual Nova Scotia Bluegrass and Oldtime Music Festival”: Stewiacke, NS, 37th annual family event with groups from the US and Canada’s Atlantic area. For info, email redhead1@eastlink.ca.
July 25 “Parents’ Day”: To pay tribute to the men and women across the country whose devlotion as parents strengthens our society and forms the foundation for a bright future.
July 27 “Walk On Stilts Day”: A day to walk on stilts, providing a chance to develop self-confidence through mastery of balance and coordination. Call Bill “Stretch” Coleman 303-922-4655. email stretch@stiltwalker.com. Web: www.stiltwalker.com.
For a long time, “Kiss” (KISQ 98.1 FM) was a mix of R&B, oldies and newer stuff. Now it’s “The Bay’s Old School,” where Motown rules. KFOG (104.5) long has been the eclectic company, mixing classic and contemporary rock (and folk, blues, reggae and more). Now the music is said to be leaning toward more familiar classic rockers. For years, Alice (KLLC 97.3) featured an alt-rock blend aimed at women. Now it’s gaga for the latest hits.
For loyal listeners of these and other stations, it’s puzzling, how they shift and shake up their playlists. KOIT is “lite rock,” but features Daughtry and Aerosmith as well as Kelly Clarkson and Colbie Caillat. KBWF (the Wolf), a country outlet, plays Uncle Kracker, while pop stations air the countryish Lady Antebellum. KBLX is “The Quiet Storm,” but punches things up with Aretha Franklin‘s “Respect” or Hall & Oates‘ “I Can’t Go for That,” along with Mary J. Blige and Marvin Gaye.
So what’s going on? According to several programmers I spoke with, it’s just radio business as usual.
“There are two primary driving forces: ratings and market research,” says Don Parker, operations manager for Clear Channel, whose local stations include KIOI (“Star 101.3”), “Kiss,” KKSF (“The Band”), KMEL and KYLD (“Wild”). “Our mission is to always deliver what the audience wants.”
He is echoed by Michael Martin, VP of programming at CBS radio (KLLC, or “Alice,” KITS “Live 105,” and KMVQ, “Movin”). “It’s the listeners,” he told me. “People who program radio put up preconceived walls of what listeners want. The audience doesn’t put the walls up. They just like the songs they like.”
A station’s playlist, he says, is “just a reflection of what the audience tells you they want at any given time, and all you can hope to do if you’re in tune is to ride the wave with them. Whether you like Taylor Swift or not, if you don’t reflect her when the audience says to reflect her, you’re dead.”
And, with music lovers’ tastes constantly shifting as they’re exposed to, say, “American Idol,” “Glee” or Lady Gaga, stations try to ride that wave by doing research.
Bill Conway, PD at KOIT, the Bay Area’s leading music station, constantly tests music, even though KOIT plays only seven currents – new hits – at any given time.
Research, he says, “lets us know the types of music our target audience wants to hear.” KOIT is nothing if not careful. “We do tests, catch trends, test songs that we’re not ready to play yet, and wait till they fall into our world.” He names examples like Gwen Stefani, Daughtry and Tom Petty. Because KOIT offers what Conway calls musical “comfort food,” he and music director Julie Shannon are picky about new songs. “I pick currents the way Bob Uecker said he caught the knuckle ball,” says Conway: ” ‘I let it roll till it stops, and pick it up.’ ”
Another proponent of the tried and true is “Kiss,” which recently celebrated the return of morning star Renel. Once promoted as “Old School and Today’s R&B,” KISQ left school for more contemporary sounds for a while, until, Parker says, research informed the station that “the real passion was for old school. We decided, ‘Let’s go back.’ ”
And, just as KKSF has learned with classic rock, playing older music doesn’t mean drawing only older listeners. PPM – Arbitron’s new Portable People Meter technology of capturing radio listening habits – “has shown that it’s not true,” says Parker. At CBS, Martin is talking about how “Live 105” is playing more “gold-based” (older) music. ” ‘Classic hits’ doesn’t necessarily mean ‘older,’ ” he says. “Part of the whole vinyl records resurgence started with college kids. They’re discovering a lot of this music.”
Beyond ratings and research, there’s the never-ending element of competition. Struggling stations emulate successful ones; top-rated stations make defensive moves to fend off encroachers. That’s why, when a Lady explodes – whether it’s Gaga or Antebellum – she is heard across numerous radio formats.
The biggest battles right now include Star 101.3 vs. Alice. KIOI, according to Parker, has been in the Top 3 among 25- to 54 year-old women for over a year. That’s Alice’s target demo, so the CBS station has gone Top 40, duplicating much of the “Star” playlist. At CBS, Martin says the Don Bleu/Ryan Seacrest station is “our No. 1 sharing station,” but also names KOIT, KEZR and Movin as direct competition. (Also in the Top 40 mix: KREV (92.7), the former dance music station, KNGY.
KKSF’s switch from smooth jazz to classic rock, says Parker, “has certainly resulted in shifts at KFOG. It’s less eclectic, and where they were more into singer-songwriters, now it’s more classic hits-based.”
Not so, says Lee Hammer, director of operations for Cumulus’ local stations. “We haven’t reacted to any other station.” “People have their own perceptions,” says Kelly Ransford, the station’s assistant PD and music director. “We’re playing the music we always do, we continue to do research and to cater to our audience.” “We’re always talking to our audience,” says Hammer, “to learn what’s right or wrong with what we’re doing.”
Meantime, at KKSF, which is challenging both KFOG and KSAN (“The Bone”), PD Dave Logan continues to widen and adjust his playlist, moving it beyond the initial concept of “legendary classics” to a broader sound, while dropping some softer cuts. (Seals & Crofts, anyone?) “To remain static,” says Logan, “is to assure your demise.”
What about in-house competition – like, say, KMEL and Wild 94.9, both Clear Channel properties? “They’re very different stations with distinct audiences,” says Parker. KMEL is hip-hop and R&B, attracting African Americans, Latinos, “everybody,” says Parker, including many women. “Wild” is considered more the “party” station, playing Top 40 and skewing slightly younger, with a solid white and Latino audience in the mix, according to Parker. “Wild’s” real competition, he says, is CBS’ “Movin,” which moved from what the industry calls “rhythmic adult contemporary” – a wide range of pop, R&B and dance music, minus rock – to Top 40. “That’s our playground,” says Martin. “Our target is women and their kids – 18 to 49. You want to grab as many people as you can.”
The programmers I spoke with tried to dispel the notion that music is programmed by some central committee, employing national research and computers, and dictated to local outlets. At KBLX, said Kevin Brown, PD and morning host, “all the music decisions are made locally,” and are determined “in large part by ratings, requests, music research and songs that music director Kimmie Taylor and I think are kind of cool and right for the station.”
That’s the trend, said Parker at Clear Channel. “What matters is what’s local.”
And what listeners want to hear.
This article appeared on page Q – 35 of the San Francisco Chronicle
Read more here.
According to the latest BoomBox Report from Myxer, 74% of users still purchase CDs and nearly half reported radio as the most popular medium for hearing new music. Read more here from FYI Music.
Crowdcasting pioneers, US based company LDR–?Listener Driven Radio has announced yet another major European broadcast launch and partnership. GRUPPO FINELCO’s VIRGIN RADIO ITALY launched their unique LDR “RADIOCOMANDO” platform today, giving VIRGIN ITALY fans interactive “music control” and reaching over 1.9 million listeners across the country every day.
GM of GRUPPO FINELCO, FRANCOIS LE GENISSEL said, “Listeners to Virgin Radio expect uniqueness. Now, with Radio Commando, powered by Listener Driven Radio, listeners help to shape the sound of Virgin Radio in real time. It’s distinctive and powerful.” GRUPPO FINELCO’S broadcast team and Head of Technical, DAVIDE GADDIA, worked closely with LDR Software developers to customize the station’s new interactive platform, which is now highlighted on the VIRGIN ITALY website at here .
Listeners can view songs from Virgin Radio’s playlist via the station’s website or mobile phones and vote for their favourite songs. Input and voting from listeners directly affects the music played on the station—playing more popular songs faster. Listeners also vote on which song plays next on the air. Then, LDR emails and instant messages listeners who opt in, informing them that their favourite tracks are playing on the air.
LDR PRESIDENT, DANIEL ANSTANDIG said, “The Finelco team is one of the finest in the world, and we are honoured to collaborate with them on this futuristic addition to their programming. General Manager, Francois Le Genissel immediately recognized the audience potentials at hand for his key brands, and we are in advanced development with similar broadcast groups elsewhere around the globe.”
VIRGIN RADIO joins LDR’s growing list of affiliates world–?wide, including massively successful LAGARDERE GROUP’s VIRGIN FRANCE now active for several months, and generating in excess of a million listener clicks daily through the LDR widget and new levels of unique visits and social network engagement. Based on current audience figure estimates LDR’s European partnerships alone engage over 13 million listeners daily.
Further information contact: Daniel Anstandig Pres/LDR: daniel@listenerdrivenradio.com Lee Cornell VP/LDR Affiliate Relations: cornell@listenerdrivenradio.com In Canada contact ByrnesMedia: chris@byrnesmedia.com www.listenerdrivenradio.comCHUM Radio, a division of CTV Limited, announced today that it has reached an agreement with Milestone Radio Inc. to purchase Toronto radio station The New Flow 93.5 FM (CFJX-FM). The sale is subject to CRTC approval.
“Flow has done a great job carving out a niche in the Canadian radio landscape providing unique opportunities to artists, listeners and advertisers,” said Chris Gordon, President CHUM Radio. “We value the contributions FLOW has made to promote and develop new Canadian artists, and we look forward to working with their team to grow the station and continue to service the community in Toronto.”
“We are extremely proud of the legacy we have built over the past 10 years and the unique connection we have formed through a shared passion for urban music with local artists, listeners and our partners,” said Nicole Jolly, Vice President of Operations at Milestone Radio Inc. “Today’s announcement reinforces FLOW’s achievements to date and helps provide an opportunity for continued success in Canada’s most competitive radio market.”
FLOW 93.5 made Canadian broadcast history when it first launched in February 2001 as the country’s first urban music station delivering listeners a blend of hip-hop, R&B, reggae and soca. Since then, FLOW has established itself in Toronto as a leader in delivering unique urban programming with a focus on discovering and promoting local artists
According to a recent Harris Interactive survey, ads on media websites are more effective than those found elsewhere on the internet. People are more likely to purchase products when they are advertised on a site that they visit frequently and trust. This is based on the belief that media sites have a screening procsses, allowing only the most reliable ads to be posted.
Click here to read more from the Wall Street Journal about this survey.
With diaries now in our rear view mirrors for 5 key markets, radio buyers, sellers and programmers now speak only one language for these majors…PPM. The rest or the country continues to rely on diaries which cover a different rating period. Moreover diary results are released at a different time from their PPM brethren. Today’s PPM radio release from BBM completes the thirteen week period covering March 1st to May 30th. This marks the third 13 week period in the new era of measurement for Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton. Let’s take a look at the numbers.
Toronto: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to CHFI-FM with a 13.7% share of hours tuned for A12+ (down slightly from 13.9 last time out) followed by up and comer BOOM-FM with a 9.5% (up from 9.3%). Office favourite CHFI-FM leads the way for females 25-54 with an 16.6% share (down from 18.3%) followed by another office station CHUM-FM with 16.2% share (down from 16.7%). Q107 is on top for males 25-54, posting a 14.8% share (up from 13.9% in the last 13 week book). The Edge held their #1 slot with M18-34 turning in a 15.7% share (up from 14.4).
Vancouver: CKNW holds the #1 spot for A12+ with a 14.6% share of hours tuned (up from 14.0% last time out). PPM seems to like CKNW, in part due to the fact that it is played in a wide variety of environments. Office station 103.5QM-FM, although slipping slightly, continues to benefit from the new methodology, maintaining the top spot for F25-54 with a 14.7% share (down from 15.6%). In a tight race for M25-54 listeners CKNW (with 9.9%) inched out Rock 101 (with 9.6%). In a bizarre artefact of the PPM era, QM-FM tops the list for M18-34 followed with 12.7% share of hours tuned. When it comes to Females 18-34, the Beat takes top spot with an 11.8% share followed by Virgin at 11.6%
See summary charts belowA brief overview of share figures from the latest PPM 2010 BBM release courtesy of David Bray…
David Bray is a Partner at Hennessy & Bray Communications.
Feel free to forward questions and inquiries:
Phone: (416)431-5792
E-mail: davidbray@hennessyandbray.caom
Web site: hennessyandbray.com
Toronto
% Share of Hours Tuned
(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)
Station | A12+PPM March 1-May 30 | A12+PPM Nov. 30-Feb. 28 | W25-54PPM March 1-May 31 | W25-54PPM Nov. 30-Feb. 28 | M25-54PPM
March 1-May 30 |
M25-54PPM
Nov. 30-Feb. 28 |
CBC Radio Two | 1.9 | 2.1 | 1.5 | 1.5 | 1.0 | 1.3 |
CBC Radio One | 8.8 | 9.4 | 5.5 | 5.4 | 6.7 | 6.5 |
AM 640 Toronto | 2.2 | 2.0 | .7 | .6 | 3.7 | 4.2 |
Classical 96.3 FM | 4.7 | 5.0 | 1.7 | 1.7 | 1.3 | 1.7 |
102.1 The Edge | 5.2 | 4.9 | 6.9 | 5.5 | 8.6 | 8.3 |
News Talk 1010 CFRB | 5.7 | 3.9 | 1.6 | 1.1 | 5.2 | 3.8 |
680 News | 8.0 | 7.5 | 6.7 | 6.5 | 7.7 | 7.4 |
Flow 93.5 | 1.9 | 2.3 | 2.1 | 2.8 | 2.0 | 3.0 |
AM 740 Prime Time Radio | 2.8 | 2.2 | .3 | .6 | .3 | .2 |
98.1 CHFI-FM | 13.7 | 13.9 | 16.6 | 18.3 | 7.5 | 8.5 |
CP24 Radio 1050 | .1 | .1 | .1 | .1 | .1 | .1 |
104.5 CHUM-FM | 9.4 | 9.8 | 16.2 | 16.7 | 10.8 | 12.1 |
Z103.5 | 2.9 | 2.8 | 4.6 | 4.5 | 3.6 | 3.7 |
Q107 | 7.1 | 7.3 | 5.3 | 5.6 | 14.8 | 13.9 |
Vinyl 95.3 | 2.2 | 1.6 | 2.4 | 1.9 | 2.4 | 2.1 |
The FAN 590 | 3.1 | 2.6 | .9 | .9 | 6.6 | 5.5 |
CHBM-FM | 9.5 | 9.3 | 12.0 | 10.4 | 9.5 | 8.1 |
Jazz FM 91 | 1.6 | 2.1 | 1.2 | 1.9 | .9 | 1.3 |
88.5 The Jewel | 1.2 | 1.7 | .5 | .6 | .3 | .3 |
Virgin Radio 99.9 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 9.0 | 9.6 | 6.1 | 6.0 |
KISS 92.5 | 3.4 | 2.7 | 4.0 | 2.8 | 1.8 | 1.7 |
Vancouver
% Share of Hours Tuned
(Mon.-Sun, 5a-1a)
Station | A12+PPM March 1-May 30 | A12+PPM Nov. 30-Feb. 28 | W25-54PPM March 1-May 31 | W25-54PPM Nov. 30-Feb. 28 | M25-54PPM
March 1-May 30 |
M25-54PPM
Nov. 30-Feb. 28 |
CBC Radio One | 8.6 | 8.3 | 6.1 | 5.8 | 6.7 | 5.2 |
CBC Radio Two | 3.1 | 3.0 | 2.0 | 1.2 | 1.7 | 1.6 |
The Beat 94.5 | 6.7 | 6.0 | 7.3 | 7.3 | 6.9 | 6.1 |
Rock 101 | 4.7 | 5.4 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 9.6 | 10.3 |
99.3 The Fox | 3.5 | 4.2 | 2.7 | 3.5 | 7.3 | 9.1 |
TALK 1410/ Team 1410 | .4 | .4 | .1 | .1 | 1.0 | .9 |
104.9 FUN-FM | 6.0 | 5.5 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 8.8 | 7.8 |
SHORE 104 | 1.8 | 1.1 | 2.1 | 1.3 | 3.3 | 1.8 |
AM 730 Traffic | .5 | .7 | .4 | .5 | .8 | 1.3 |
103.5 QM FM | 9.1 | 9.7 | 14.7 | 15.6 | 7.2 | 7.2 |
AM650 | 5.1 | 4.6 | 1.4 | .8 | 1.6 | 1.5 |
JR FM | 5.5 | 5.5 | 9.9 | 9.9 | 3.1 | 4.5 |
96.9 Jack FM | 6.9 | 6.8 | 10.3 | 10.1 | 7.9 | 6.8 |
CKNW | 14.6 | 14.0 | 3.6 | 3.8 | 9.9 | 10.5 |
100.5 The Peak | 1.8 | 1.8 | 4.5 | 4.0 | 2.3 | 2.5 |
The Team 1040 | 4.6 | 4.3 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 7.3 | 7.1 |
News 1130 | 4.9 | 4.7 | 6.0 | 4.9 | 3.7 | 3.4 |
Virgin Radio 95.3 | 5.2 | 5.9 | 8.8 | 10.6 | 6.7 | 6.6 |
An English radio group called GMG is actively looking for future talent for their radio stations. They went about this in an interesting way, by creating what they call the “Futures Factory” in the North West and Yorkshire. The interesting bit is that it’s open to anyone, but they are specifically looking for journalists, producers, sales people, ‘digital wizards’ and marketeers. I thought this was an innovotatove approach and you can see the site here.