TEAM 1040 AM goes from 'worst to first' in radio ratings
Pratt & Taylor top show on station
by Gordon McIntyre
The Province
Published: Wednesday, April 09, 2008
                                                              
From a colonial outpost governed by whim from the imperial throne in Toronto to Vancouver sports heavyweight, TEAM 1040 AM has come a long way, baby.

Ratings just released by the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement show the Pratt and Taylor afternoon drive show is tops in the market for males aged 25-54 with a 13.7-per-cent share of the market.

That marks a steady climb from the spring of 2005, when the show had a 5.0 rating.

"That [13.7] is the highest for the station and to my knowledge, in terms of share points, the highest in the history of Canadian radio that any sports-talk show has ever achieved," co-host Dave Pratt said Tuesday (Toronto's FAN during the Blue Jays' World Series years may have exceeded that number).

"I remember the first 90 days I was working here, I thought I'd died and gone to hell. It was a disaster. It was part of the CHUM chain, run out of Toronto and everything you could do wrong, they were doing wrong.

"So it's worst to first."

The morning B-Mac and Rintoul show, once ninth in the market, came in third behind JACK and ROCK 101 with a 9.0 share, impressive when you consider that's roughly the number Edmonton's country-radio station draws in prime time.

"We're going in the right direction," morning co-host Barry Macdonald said. "I'm being cautiously humble because you're only as good as your last book -- but our last book is pretty good."

The ratings were collected between Jan. 7 and March 2, measured by listener diaries.

It'll be a whole new story for the next ratings period (April 14-June 8 ), of course, with the Vancouver Canucks gone golfing.

In Toronto, for example, Leafs' rights holder AM 640 saw its prime-time audience share for men 25-54 fall to 2.6 per cent from 7.3 per cent.

On the other hand, Fan590, a Toronto sports-talk station, saw its number jump to 4.8 from 4.2 from last period.

"Well, it's no different from what we went through with the [NHL] lockout," Pratt said. "We had to find different ways to be creative and entertaining and we're certainly going to do that.

"This is probably less of a challenge than during the lockout where we didn't have any hockey and our ratings went up then, too."

The TEAM will focus on the NHL playoffs and this weekend's Masters.

"It's still one of the best times of the year. Everyone's in a hockey pool. There's lots of hockey, lots of baseball. Football's just about to go. The Masters goes this weekend.

"There's lots out there. It's not as cut and dried or as easy as just saying, 'Hey, when in doubt talk Canucks.' You have to work a little harder, dig a little deeper.

"But in the past when we've been challenged in that respect we've never had a problem finding enough material to make our show interesting and entertaining.

"I don't see that changing."

Rick Ball's noon show was fourth, behind the FOX and the other two FM rock stations, with a 7.8 share.

gordshockey@hotmail.com

I have never been asked what I listen to, or when for that matter but I will go on record as being one of the Team's more loyal listeners - I catch most of B-Mac and Rintoul in the morning, a piece of Jim Rome and then at least an hour of Rick Ball as he leads into Pratt and Taylor.  I get most of P&T right up to the dinner hour, and really enjoy this program.  

I used to be a loyal NW listener, but have switched my dial to 1040 pretty much permanently now.

There is enough news, traffic and weather for my liking in the AM and PM, and while sports is obviously the driver for the station, I appreciate the other segments that appear throughout the day.  Pratt is right - the station HAS come a long way.

Congratulations to the TEAM 1040 for this amazing result.  And no, I will not be moving away just because the Canucks are out of the playoffs.  I can wait, along with everyone else, for FOOTBALL!

That's extraordinary! And to think, this was accomplished by actual people talkin' on the Radio! What will they think of next...!?

Today I watched Hardcore on 54 if was a variety sport topics really enjoyed it.

Sample from today on CH 186

Ozzy fills in. Pratt should listen to this as they bash Burke. Burke is the man !

'http://www.hardcoresportsradio.com/podcasts/3624

Cam and Gabe give you their play-by-play on Cam's adventure in The Paris' pool.

http://www.thescore.com/Video/Player.aspx?vid=1500

"We're going in the right direction," morning co-host Barry Macdonald said."

With the exception of BP in the pm, I agree wholeheartedly, TEAM 1040 has indeed come a long way since they came on the air (I started listening early on, I can remember phoning in sometimes just because they were short of callers   ).
Congrats, guys. Well done.

yet if you believe "Corus" and their full page spread in the Weekend Sun, CFMI is tops amongst males in the same age bracket.  yup, it's all about spin doctors, spinning the numbers until they look favourable to them.  The biggest chuckle I had reading the Sun spread is how AM 730 has increased their audience by 500% since launching.  

Has anyone melted down the numbers to see who's leading the pack among female listeners 25-54 who walk with a limp and talk with a lisp?    Or vertically challenged, obese men 40+ with receding hairlines??  

I'm here all day...try the veal!!!