CBC Radio cleaned up in the latest audience measurement report released by BBM.
In radio they call it the book, and it was an outstanding showing, overall CBC Radio One:
- Set an all-time record for total audience share of 11.1 per cent, which is up from 9.9 per cent a year ago;
- Achieved a national audience of 3.5 million listerners, which is up almost a quarter million;
- Set records in Toronto. For the first time ever, CBC Radio One is now the top-ranked station, with a reach of 1.1 million listeners, and again producing the top-rated morning show in the largest market in Canada;
- Is in the top three of 20 of 22 markets in the morning show slots.
A bunch of shows had historic high points, including The Current, The World at Six, DNTO, Vinyl Tap, Cross Country Check-up.
This latest book is for September and October. For the full BBM results, click here.
Unfortunately the format changes at Radio 2 were not as well received. It saw its share of 2.9 per cent drop slightly.
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Congrats to all the staff who made it possible for Radio to offer such and awesome product people want.
Allthough I find it hard to listen to one of the CBC Radio 1/One morning host
host due tot the fact while not at the CBC he and the private station where he worked often dumped the CBC
…that’s “its share”…do you need a proofreader? I’m of the old school & happy to volunteer.
Cheers
Hey arcticdreamer,
you just did.
Back when Alex Frame was VP of radio this trend of increasing Radio One audiences puzzled him. Not a lot had been revamped - yet the audience was growing. He turned to his other pubic broadcasting colleagues in England and Europe and found out they too were experiencing higher listening levels for a similar format. The reason? People were looking for context, content and authenticity which as we know is in short supply on private stations. This continuing desire plus the incredible job CBC producers, researchers and hosts do to deliver to us the finest public broadcasting in North America stimulates higher listening levels. And this is all without massive advertising campaigns and almost no PR. Just the strength of the people on the ground the intelligent programming
You might also want to mention that CBL’s 1.1 million reach is actually 3rd in the market according to BBM, and their central market reach is 696,100, putting them in fifth.
just saying.
Did Radio 2 set new records on how many listeners it lost?
Radio 2’s share of 2.9 % “dropped slightly”, but what exactly did it drop to? Or is the figure too embarrassingly low to include in this otherwise laudatory article?
radio 2 is down only ’slightly’ according to official spin — 20 percent less. one fifth of the audience has pissed off. i can’t say i hear the sound of 20 percent more new listeners rushing in….? do you hear it?
no, that’s not it, that’s the sound of crickets…..
As a 40 year plus media (private radio and TV) person I know that BBM ratings can be “massaged” many ways. However, I am not surprised that CBC radio 2 ratings are down. Weekday format was good with comfortable , well informed hosts with identifiable personalities. One change I like - jazz at 6.00 p.m. The promos are strickly private radio item and should only be used prior to and after news, never in program itself. On weekends enjoying Bill Richardson. On radio one Rex Murphy and TV - Wendy Mesley - these are personalities that we can be proud of. As for George and the hour, does this guy have relatives on the board? Enough said - back to work.
It doesn’t surprize me with Radio 2.
Radio 1 well that’s another story.
Haven’t listened to Radio 2, nor plan to until it has a degree of civility again. That was my oasis, now NPR is my oasis
“HELLO CANADA!”
That’s what Emma Ayres, who does the breakfast programme on the Australian Classical station, just said a couple of hours ago. Turns out they’ve noticed an increase in their Canadian audience as a result of, as she somewhat delicately put it, ‘the reduction in services on the Canadian Classical station.’
“Everywhere the music takes you.” Right, all the way to Australia to get an enjoyable listening experience.
I’ve completely (as in totally and utterly) abandoned Radio Two since September. Two surprises arise from this decision: no real second thoughts of going back for another try; I’ve learned grudgingly to adapt as other options now exist. Do I miss it? of course as it was unique but Mr. Stursberg and his coterie left us with no options. BBM ratings only tell part of the story as they can’t measure the utter sense of betrayal to the former core audience the ‘new two’ represents. Fie on you Richard, and take your unctuous promo guy with you when leaving!
Interesting article about this BBM report and the new Radio 2, by Russell Smith in the G&M yesterday:
[quote]
Furthermore, the new music of Radio 2 is not very young. The few boomers I know really love it. All that Neil Young - it’s just like being back in college! This new network is to middle-aged guys what the Lawrence Welk show was to their parents.
…
As for the remaining classical programming - the midday weekday ratings dead zone occupied by a giggling Julie Nesrallah - it’s apparently not meant to target either young or old, but the teachers of elementary-school children who want to introduce their charges to the most-played music of all time. A great idea, but you could also buy one of those Favourite Classics compilations that Starbucks puts out.
…
My spies tell me that the programmers of [Tom Allen's] show are not happy with the pressure coming down from on high to play more of the likes of Nelly Furtado and Jann Arden. (The pressure seems to have increased at around the same time as the appointment of a former MuchMusic and Sony Music Canada executive as head of radio.) Their point, I imagine - and I can’t disagree with them - is that you can hear Nelly Furtado, indeed must hear her, in any Aldo shoe store in any mall in Canada. Why should the government pay for it?
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http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/story/LAC.20081218.RUSSELL18/TPStory/Entertainment