 |
In another ho-hum Bureau of Broadcast Measurement ratings book, radio in Vancouver continues in the listenership doldrums that has gripped the medium for the past decade and more. For all that, there is some provocative movement in this latest ratings book, ranging from a re-ascension of CKNW, to a new, august place for country music in the hearts, minds and ears of those resident in Metro Vancouver.
CKNW experienced its best ‘book’ in a couple of years, mostly due to the increased listenership brought in by mid-afternoon talk show host, Christy Clark. Even given the loss of the broadcast rights to the Vancouver Canucks and the BC Lions a couple of years back, CKNW continues to hold its own, even if it has the oldest (and continuing to age) audience among the fraternity of Vancouver over-the-air broadcast radio stations.
JRfm continues its ascendancy in the Vancouver radio listenership stakes, finding both a younger and more diverse audience, while 95 Crave — thanks to the appointment of programming genius, Brad Phillips, as General Manager / interim Program Director — incrementally increases its audience from book to book. The issue that Crave owner, Astral Media, has to address is what to do with perennial oldies loser, 650 CISL, which has languished near last place in the ratings for a number of years now.
Perhaps, when Jim Pattison shutters his oldies outlet, 600AM, later this year CISL will pick up some of its displaced, ever-aging audience.
In other news around the dial, Clear FM took a hit, dropping almost a full percentage point, probably due to the loss of Fred Latremouille in the morning and the failure of Charlee Morgan to find her own audience, while CBC 690 also took a somewhat unexplainable hit in the latter part of the spring. Otherwise, it’s pretty much same ‘ol, same ‘ol in Vancouver radio.
Broadcaster Magazine breaks the ratings number down by demographic, and offers the following observations …
CKNW remained a stronger than ever #1 for A12+ with an 11.4% share of hours tuned (up from10.9%). QM-FM retained its spot atop F25-54 delivering a 13.0% share (down from 13.7%) followed by CBC Radio One at 10.4% (up from 10.0%). JACK-FM takes the lead for M25-54 category with an 11.7% (up from 10.9 %) followed closely by ROCK101 at 9.6% (down from 10.5%). The FOX takes top honours for M18-34 with a 20.8% share (up from 20.1%) followed by The Beat at 14.8% (down from 16.8%). F18-34 goes easily to The Beat with 20.2% (up from 19.5%)
For more ratings commentary from Vancouver broadcasters, and those in the industry, go to PugetSoundRadio, and RadioWest, from whom we ‘borrowed’ the ratings graphic that appears at the top of this posting.
