Summer radio ratings see some rise, some fall
Country still king, while VIBE 98.5 stakes its claim
  
Heath McCoy
Calgary Herald
Tuesday, October 02, 2007


Once again Country 105 has emerged as the number one radio station in Calgary according to the summer radio ratings book released Monday. But it's the station in the number two spot among radio listeners aged 12 and over that will have people doing a double take.

For the first time since the station's inception back in 2002, when it was launched with a strictly hip-hop/R&B format, VIBE 98.5 has emerged as the number two station in Calgary, according to the BBM radio rating -- the standard used to measure radio listeners in Canada.

Having long since adopted a more top 40 hits oriented format has meant major success for VIBE, with the station capturing nine per cent of local radio listeners 12 and over, second to Country 105 which captured an 11.5 per cent share.

At number three was Lite 96, with a 7.9 share, while the city's long time rock champs CJAY 92 tied for fourth place with talk radio station QR77, both stations garnering a 7.8. Rounding out the top five was Jack 96.9 with 7.4.

"We're really pleased with both of our stations," says Stewart Meyers, operations manager of both CJAY and VIBE. "(This showing) is really impressive when you look at how much the market has grown and (become) segmented."

Meyers is referring to the emergence of three new radio stations in the last year: alternative rocker X92.9; Fuel 90.3, which blends classic rock and alternative formats; and Energy 101.5, which plays modern pop and rock. The first two are cutting into CJAY's rock turf while Energy's hits format would seem to pose a threat to VIBE. But Meyers says his stations have held their own on all fronts.

"VIBE is damn near three times the size (of Energy) so that's phenomenal," Meyers says.

"And CJAY is weathering the storm quite nicely. . . . As you can imagine, with the segmentation of the (rock) market, CJAY won't control the spectrum like it used to. But in terms of the demographics we care about (males 25 to 54 and 35 to 54), we're still quite dominant."

Another station vying for a piece of the rock pie is classic rocker Q107, which captured 4.2 per cent of the market, coming in at sixth place.

Of the new stations, Energy 101.5 came in seventh with 3.8 per cent and X92.9 followed with 3.7. Fuel 90.3 ranked 11th behind Classic Country AM, 660 News, and tied with sports station The FAN 960, with a 1.9 share. California FM rounded out the ratings in 12th.

But Christian Hall, program director for X92.9, says the summer ratings book, measuring the period of July 2 to 15 and July 30 to Aug. 26, is the least important of the year's BBM ratings. "In the summer, listening patterns are entirely different," Hall notes. "Generally, younger skewing radio stations do better in the summer because their audience isn't in school and they're spending more time listening to the radio. And the (measuring period) is only six weeks as opposed to eight.

"I don't think we're going to get a really clear picture as to how the market will even out . . . until the March book comes out. By then, all the new stations will have been on the air for 12 months and then we'll have a clearer indication as to where everybody stands."

Meyers agrees, but he's confident that his stations will continue to be a major force in the market.

"After the smoke clears, our brands are great," he says. "We're made of concrete, not straw ... When you look at (established stations) like CJAY and VIBE and Country 105 and Jack, well, it's going to be a tough slug for those three new stations. I wouldn't want to be entering this market now.

CALGARY BBM S3 Radio Ratings
http://www.pugetsoundradio.com/forum/m-1191260332/

"The next eight to nine months will be interesting."

hmccoy@theherald.canwest.com

http://www.canada.com/calgaryh.....6e-b1e2-41913648ef43