Maybe someone can help me out with this.

I am confused over this discussion of "Soccer Moms" as a target audience. Where did this originate?

The way I see it, if the target is to be 30 and 40- something women (and men who like AC)..then the market is spoken for and I do not suspect it can be cracked.

Note CHFM...re-branded as Lite 95.9
Sure they lost a small city worth of listeners when Don and Joanne moved to XL..but they made a very nice adjustment and are holding strong with a 7 share and very solid reach and quarters and frankly the new sound is just superb, in my humble opinion. They have articulate adult women on the air! They play current top female artists alongside of great songs from some of the new breed bands. Jeez, they just played Kid Rock for a pace change. They are listenable for longer periods (even for an old guy like me) They have style, class, flow, great production values and the listener can actually BREATHE.
Did I mention, they also have a 20 year legacy in the space?

Note VIRGIN (formerly VIBE)
Ryan Seacrest from 10-2pm with a very strong hit music mix.
I don't listen myself, but a lot of folks do. Nice energy over there for the younger adults who also have little kids and jobs.

And then there's JACK....competitive since they signed on and sitting comfortably with an 8 share.

If I missed any others....sorry.

So where exactly does "UP" intend to fit?
Anyone?
If it was a stock, I'd be tempted to short it (unless I knew there was a sale in the future) :-/

Quoted from albertaboy4

the brilliant close of his show involved wondering aloud if Chilliwack the band had anything to do with Chilliwack, BC.  Welcome to Canada, Kev.

Dear God, no.  I guess show prep isn't part of the gig.  By the way, aren't there enough Canadian Broadcasters out of work?  No offence, just sayin'.

Hey Spinster...hang on for the ride!!

I hear a lot a chatter about major markets from people that claim to have "Major Market" experience or are currently working in "The Majors".  Unless you have handled a daytime shift in Toronto, Montreal or Vancouver, you DO NOT have major market experience. Calgary and Edmonton do not qualify. Crickey, (for Kev) -  I had a kid from Kelowna tell me the other day he was workin' "The Show". Yikes. Ask Terry Dimonte or Gerry Forbes, both of whom have ACTUALLY worked "The Show" about the level of competition there.

A small disagreement, my new friend.
Today, Edmonton and Calgary are major markets by the number of signals in the race and certainly by revenues.
I even feel Ottawa is a major now...with 35 signals or something lunatic like that.
Perhaps we should re-define by saying someone worked at a "winning" station in a market over 1 million. No Charlie Sheen inference intended.

It is ABSOLUTELY unacceptable for a "Calgary Morning Man" to walk over the vocal post of a song.
Again, listeners dont' say "This radio station sucks" they say "I'm switching to Pandora"

Hey Biffman: As always, I intend no offence to anybody working in the markets you refer to as "Major."
I hear you with regards to population and signal density. My point, and my opinion only, is that to truly understand the competitive edge required to win you NEED to have sat in the "Hot Seat".  Let's be honest, Toronto is where the "cream" rises to. I know there are good readers out there who have started in small markets, moved to "mediums" like Calgary or Edmonton or Ottawa and THEN moved to Toronto or Montreal or Vancouver. At least that's how us "Old Timers" understand the game to be. It's like - Off Broadway is great, but Hollywood is da bomb! Wow... I'm almost starting to sound like "Gangsta Boy"

Point accepted.
I did that gypsy travelogue myself and made the Fault Sheet more often than I care to remember. However, when I screwed something up, a seasoned mentor would be with me quickly to help correct the issue in a positive, supportive way. Along the road, I had ample opportunity to do the same with younger folks because we felt that we hired people for their potential and it was our responsibility to grow that potential. In the "old daze," if the staff sucked and the product was not acceptable, the PD or ND was replaced. What a concept.

Couple points:

one: every time I heard Ara on Sun he was great.  Tight... he can learn the music *if* the station has someone to teach him.  I generally enjoy Sun every time I roll through Kelowna.

two: accents win championships... Kev will learn Canada... Canada will learn Kev.

Quoted from Flamethrower

Couple points:

one: every time I heard Ara on Sun he was great.  Tight... he can learn the music *if* the station has someone to teach him.  I generally enjoy Sun every time I roll through Kelowna.

two: accents win championships... Kev will learn Canada... Canada will learn Kev.

Flame: Clearly you have a smart radio brain. I know from this and previous posts.

Permit me to respond:

Look, I'm sure Ara is a decent guy and all but here we go again. He has no "chops" as we say. Trust me "chops" is a HUGE word! I'm sure, to some, this will sound condescending. It is not. The first thing Ara and other young broadcasters need to do is - read a book-  then read some more books, then never stop reading books. Here's why in a useful, practical kind of way. Reading books (real ones or on a Kindle) will widen your vocabulary (providing that every word that you are unfamiliar with, when you come upon it, be looked up in a dictionary) Yes dictionary! I have one beside me right now - and - a Thesaurus, because even I, am still perfecting the linguistic arts. A wide vocabulary will permit you to begin working on written and later, verbal editing skills. When we talk about "tight talk breaks" we mean: Well thought out and edited pieces that EASILY convey your point to your listener. Simply put: a GREAT vocabulary enables you  - as a "professional communicator" - to choose the ONE word that replaces the SIX words, you just used in your last break. Are you following me here? HUGE Vocabulary, GOOD - no books, BAD. How to do tight, succinct, verbally focused breaks can be found in books

As I began, THIS is the STARTING point, not the - I have fallen into a Calgary gig and I hope I survive point.

Next:  Kev, Kev, Kev. Please listen to me. Now more than ever in radio, you need to be local. Even in Calgary. There is not one bit of entertainment news you can relay to your audience that they don't already know. The second any news breaks, listeners get iPhone pinged. When you get to it on your program, most of your listeners have already FORGOTTEN about it. They already know about Lady Gaga's new penile shaped mole.

Here's what you CAN give them that's demo, social and locally focused and FRESH!

http://calgary.kijiji.ca/c-com.....y-W0QQAdIdZ285545257

I'd even contact them and get one of the Slow-pitch ladies on the air. That would be GREAT radio

It is simply essential to learn everything you can (RIGHT NOW) about Calgary and it's unique and personal makeup and character. This should have been done long before you sat down behind a "HOT" Calgary mic.

I don't care about the accent. I care about you knowing what country you are in.

Have not heard Kev, so can't comment on HIM.  However, have heard accents and they really don't matter.  It's the words that matter.  i.e.  Sun FM Duncan.  Brutal.  When I heard about the earthquake in CHINA I almost drove off the road.

Quoted from jtwo

  Ara is a talented personality with a track record of winning with soccer moms.  

Go back and look at his promo shot and web site photo. In that he has not already changed them, he clearly does not even know what a "Soccer Mom" IS, let alone how to relate to one. Jeeeesh! People...PLEASE!!!

Radio Vet, how many work days do you think you've wasted being angry and demolishing people's self esteem on this thread? Please get back to creating this "radio" you want listeners to stay connected to.

Well if this thread is any indication, there's probably more people taking notice of this station than one might think. Doesn't mean they will stick around for good as listeners....

it might not work, then again maybe it will. who knows?

Quoted from different

Radio Vet, how many work days do you think you've wasted being angry and demolishing people's self esteem on this thread? Please get back to creating this "radio" you want listeners to stay connected to.

If a bunch of posts from me that ARE the "truth" about how to succeed in radio are in fact doing what you suggest then, as unfortunate as that may be -  the people to whom that has happened to -  should not BE in radio or in the entertainment industry in the first place. Trust me, they are wasting everyone's time including their own. Different, please stop wasting mine!

Radio Veteran, are you on coaine? If not, I think you're great! Totally agree with what you're saying. YOU JUST SEEM LIKE YOU SHOULD BE TYPING IT ALL IN UPPER CASE! Or am I mistaking passion for anger? Or should it be anger for passion? I'm sure you'll let me know.

Anyways...I'm the target for this station (sans children), but there are just too many "rookie mistakes" in terms of branding and on-air talet.

Also, can't STAND the accents! Virgin lost me to one and now UP!
No offence to the guys, but that's my preference and like it or not, people listen based on their personal preferences.