Vancouver Radio Ratings: Out With the Old …
…. in with the new!
By Harvey Oberfeld
Keeping It Real…
June 9th, 2014 ·
All those old radio strategists and old radio apologists who told their bosses that radio is inevitably a dying entity … giving way to Internet and social networking … have just been proved TERRIBLY WRONG!
The latest radio ratings from the BBM rating service shows radio is alive and well in Vancouver … on stations that have appealed to the younger demographic by bringing in young, energetic hosts who have left their competing old farts in the dust.
The Beat 95.5 FM now leads the pack .. in both the key 25-54 age group AND the 18-49 age demographic … with a 7.3 ratings score in BOTH categories.
The Beat bills itself as a “hit music” station, but it’s their on-air (or should I say “on” hair?) young hosts who have captured the attention and listening audience.
It’s Jonny, Holly and Nira (never heard of them? … You will!) all of them well-coiffed and looking on The Beat website like they’re in their 20s who are leading the way from 5:30 a.m. to 9 a.m.
“They’re up bright and early with you every weekday morning starting at 5:30! Don’t miss horoscopes at 5:45am, all the hot topics of the day, 5 calls says it all and all their friends’ drama!
Plus – Vancouver’s #1 Hit Music, all the hottest concert tickets, trips, cash and the latest celeb gossip with The Biz @ 6:25, 7:25 and 8:25am”, touts The Beat promos.
Then at 9 a.m. … get out the hair products again … it’s Chris Palliser … whose high energy on-air “beat” goes right up to 2 p.m. … far too long for any of the codgers still being employed at stations where ratings have been in free fall for some time.
Here’s how the station describes him:
“A Vancouver Island boy who spent many a day in the office during elementary school for talking in class, and he is one of the few people who received a detention in college for talking A LOT during a lecture…can they even do that?!?
“So needless to say radio school was an easy choice. Upon graduation, Fort McMurray Alberta came a calling and Chris said hmmm -40 winters, let’s do it! After a few years there he was off to a much warmer climate…Edmonton….after another couple of -35 winters…it was time to head back home to the West Coast and The Beat 94.5!
“He is a guy who enjoys meeting people, laughing, being outdoors, concerts, movies, music, the smell of the ocean, Canucks, the grouse grind (that’s a lie) and of course talking!”
Get it? A “boy” whose profile posting talks about his new Mazda 6 … not the latest high-end wine, or trip overseas or weekend away at his/her coastal retreat.
And it’s working…. with the station leading all other local stations.
The Beat at 7.3 ratings points is followed by QM-FM 103.5 at 6.2; Jack FM 96.9 at 5:7; and, Z 95.3 at 5.3 ratings points.
Notice they’re ALL FM music-orientated stations.
If talk is not dead, it seems to be dying in Vancouver … I believe a victim of its own failure to refresh and renew.
The old daddy, CKNW 980 A.M. …once the Top Dog … is now a tired, old pooch, judging by the BBM numbers.
NW comes in NINTH with a measly 1.9 ratings points in the 18-49 younger generation of radio listeners … and this surprised me … TWELFTH even in the wider 25 to 54 age category.
And in case you’re curious, the lowest rated Vancouver area radio station among the 19 catalogued was Team 1040 … scoring only 0.1 and 0.2 in the two age groups. Not good news for Bro Jake!
The results should also be of some concern to Corus Entertainment, with FOUR stations in the Vancouver market: NONE of them in the top five.
The best Corus could come up within the 25-54 age group is a sixth place for Rock 101; followed by Fox 99.3 in 8th; NW in 12th; and AM 730 in 18th place ..out of 19!
Maybe if they add up ALL their listeners, they could reach the number the Top Dog alone used to attract.
I can see more cuts coming as a result of these ratings. Corus short term solutions causing long term problems. How long will it be before they put the stations up for sale as they are no longer profitable. Classic example of how to start a small radio station start with a big one.
Harvey’s sarcastic analysis of the Beat came off as a little c**ty.
Harvey suffers from the malady that many attribute those “wet behind the ears minimum wage kids from radio school” to wit, failure to check facts or pay due attention to detail. The Beat is 94.5. Rookie error. Also is Harvey mistaking team 1410 (CFTE) for team 1040 (CKST)?
Starting to sound like a bitter old man who fails to realize he can’t keep up with all the young, “well coiffed” bucks out there.
Why isn’t CKNW making any changes? Every time I tune in it’s dreadfully boring. And i think there might be a mixup between Team 1040 and Team 1410. 1040 is nowhere near the top, but I think Bro Jake and Philip Till are neck and neck.
NW has had its day, management is in eastern canada and they don’t get it. Yes talk radio is dying just listen to Till, an excellent reporter but not a program host, Good is not far behind. Get rid of them and bring in new and younger blood.
Yeah I think Harvey doesnt realize there are two sports stations in town from the same company.
Wow, all this venom about Oberfeld !
There’s a lot of bitterness on this site and it isn’t only coming from the “old codgers.” There’s the “young and bitter” and you guys can all dig a hole and bury yourselves. Nobody gives a damn what you think, either !
Venom for Oberfeld?
Don’t worry about old Harv.
He’s a big boy.
To paraphrase Pierre Trudeau, he’s been called worse things by better people.
However, given the number of mistakes, and for a couple of iffy observations, criticism of the piece was apt.
He’s written better copy about worse topics!
“There’s a lot of bitterness on this site and it isn’t only coming from the “old codgers.” There’s the “young and bitter” and you guys can all dig a hole and bury yourselves. Nobody gives a damn what you think, either !”
He said as he became increasingly irrelevant.
I think Harvey is dead on. Yes, the kind crap on the beat is annoying and the crap on CKNW is uninspired drecht.
” Harvey suffers from the malady that many attribute those “wet behind the ears minimum wage kids from radio school” to wit, failure to check facts or pay due attention to detail. The Beat is 94.5. Rookie error. Also, is Harvey mistaking team 1410 (CFTE) for team 1040 (CKST)?
WELL ! That doesn’t sound like our “Harv” at all – to make “rookies errors !” Maybe he deliberately screwed it up, just to piss you guys off ! LOL
I particularly enjoyed reading Harv’s sarcasm and his reference to “well coiffed” and get out the “hair products again.”
Maybe all of you young bucks should grow beards like the Taliban and go work for Radio Afghanistan or Radio Pakistan where you all belong ! LOL
“Maybe all of you young bucks should grow beards like the Taliban and go work for Radio Afghanistan or Radio Pakistan where you all belong ! LOL”
Yeah, cause you’re tired of being reminded how easy it was to float by in your day?