All-News Failing Miserably in Montreal

[Stephen Pickford <nmi@attcanada.ca>]

The first ratings book since the switch from CIQC AM 600 to CINW 940NEWS is
out...and is undoubtedly the most dismal book in ratings history for this
Metromedia outlet.

CINW came in dead-last amongst Montreal's 18 radio stations, with a ratings
share of 0.7 (defined as the percentage of weekly tuning among listeners
age 12 and older living in the central market area of Montreal), as
compared to CIQC's last book at 1.8.  

Among English-speaking listeners age 12 and older --- CJAD 800AM dominates
with 23%, followed by CJFM 95.9 (Mix 96) at 17.5%, CFQR-FM 92.5 (Q92) at
16.6, CHOM-FM 97.7 at 7.0, CKGM 990AM (Oldies 990) at 4.0, and CINW 940NEWS
dead-last at 2.4.

CINW's ful-coverage area quarter-hour averages for the broadcast week
(Monday through Sunday, 5:00AM to 1:00AM, is the lowest in the city, at
3600 --- more people used to tune in to The Wrestling Show on CIQC --- with
a weekly reach of only 99,000 (CIQC's last book was 133,000).

The reincarnation of the old CKVL 850AM into CINF INFO690 is even worse in
proportion --- going from a 4.3 share down to a 1.1, a quarter-hour average
of 6200, and a reach of only 154,000 as compared to its last CKVL book at
390,000 -- losing approximately 2/3 of its audience.

While 2 of Metromedia's FM outlets posted strong numbers, and are
undoubtedly what holds the group's head above water --- CKOI-FM at a 10.3
share, up from 9.3, with the highest quarter-hour average in the city at
77,800 ; and CFQR-FM with a 6.5 share, up from 6.2, and a quarterly average
of 33,700 --- their 3rd FM, CIEL, lost 33%, down from a 4.5 to a 3.0, and
17,300 per quarter-hour, in a losing fight for the soft-rock/easy-listening
format with CITE Rock Detente.

Whether all-news will survive in Montreal past another book or two is
debatable...over $2.5 million has already been sunk into this venture,
which has been lampooned by media critics (Mike Boone of The Gazette, Neal
Ford in RadioDigest), and abandoned by listeners.  With 30-second ad-spots
running for as low as $10CAD/$7US, money must be bleeding every minute
940/690 are on the air, as all-news is the costliest format to operate.

Speculation has already surfaced that 940 might be transformed into The
Incredible 94, Jammin' Oldies --- the fact that CFQR PD Ted Silver and
Metromedia VP Brian Kenemy were big fans of the original MusicRadio 77
WABC, might give a bit of credence into where their hearts may lie.

And to think that Montreal was promised a WBZ-style station...at least
credit must be given to the listeners for tuning out a station that foisted
taped overnight newscasts on them as live, and continues to be plagued with
technical errors and announcers mispronouncing words, stumbling, coughing
with the mics on during supposed commercial breaks, etc.

Regards to all,


Stephen Pickford

Host / Producer -- Travel World Radio Show
(with more listeners in 30 minutes on the Liberty Works Radio Network than
tune in CINW in a week)

  

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