Seattle-Tacoma Radio Ratings: December 2023

[Kelly A]

Okay I’m genuinely confused on the bit about signal strength. That’s probably my fault, as I think I may have confused everyone with my initial post. All I was trying to suggest is that there are probably people located in the north sound who like Christian AC, and may either be a KWPZ listener or have an alternative present in their car for it. It doesn’t get huge numbers, but it’s a fairly reliable performer on a monthly basis. It seems like there are definitely people who seek it out. Signal strength is only a factor as it makes it possible for people who have a meter to hear it.

99.9% of listeners can't tell signal strength from one station to another, nor do they know what TX site is where. Same can be said for a station geographically with higher field strength but the listener suffers from multipath conditions. If they like the content, that's then they listen. All they know is when they punch 'this' button, they hear that programming.

 

[fordranger797]

106.5 comes in much better than the Cougar Mtn. stations in downtown Everett, downtown Edmonds and West Seattle. All it takes is one or two dedicated listeners there with a meter.

Also, if you listen to the programming,, Crista takes a much more regional approach to their programming than Saga. I hear lots of spots for Canadian businesses on 106.5, much less so on the Saga stations. Saga's KISM does run occasional sweepers that include mentions of regional locations from BC down to Seattle, but their spot load is almost exclusively Whatcom and Skagit counties. Their TOH ID also will include various BC and NW WA towns and cities- after the official COL of course.

It's been a while since I looked at the Vancouver 6+ ratings, but if I recall, KWPZ is the only American station that subscribes, and they put up respectable numbers north of the border. I'm curious to know how they air commercials that target Vancouver though, as I thought this was prohibited by the CRTC. I would have assumed that they were going for a noncommercial approach, and instead were trying to solicit donations.

With that information aside, they cover the Lower Mainland extremely well. KAFE and KISM don't need to, as they are focused only on Whatcom and Skagit counties. KAFE also has a null to the north, which is only problematic for those who are in Vancouver and would prefer to listen to KAFE.

 

[Kelly A]

It's been a while since I looked at the Vancouver 6+ ratings, but if I recall, KWPZ is the only American station that subscribes, and they put up respectable numbers north of the border. I'm curious to know how they air commercials that target Vancouver though, as I thought this was prohibited by the CRTC.

Selling advertising North of the border isn't allowed. Not sure if it's the CRTC, or some other Canuck agency.

I would have assumed that they were going for a noncommercial approach, and instead were trying to solicit donations.

That's allowed.

 

[bobdavcav]

That's interesting, as I've heard adds for Canadian businesses not only on KWPZ, but also on other stations that are close to the border. KWPZ, as well as other stations close to the border, will give both temperatures in Fahrenheit and Celsius in weather reports as well. There's also WLYK in upstate New York, which I've never heard myself, but from what I understand is all Canadian advertising despite licensed to the U.S. That one is also interesting as it's Canadian operated.

 

[TexasTom]

Selling advertising North of the border isn't allowed. Not sure if it's the CRTC, or some other Canuck agency.

I thought that the rule is that when Canadian companies advertise on U.S. broadcast stations they aren't allowed to deduct the cost of the advertising as a business expense. If that is the case, it would be allowed to sell advertising north of the border, but it would likely be cost prohibitive for Canadian businesses to buy advertising when they can't treat the cost of that advertising as a business expense.

 

[davideduardo]

I thought that the rule is that when Canadian companies advertise on U.S. broadcast stations they aren't allowed to deduct the cost of the advertising as a business expense. If that is the case, it would be allowed to sell advertising north of the border, but it would likely be cost prohibitive for Canadian businesses to buy advertising when they can't treat the cost of that advertising as a business expense.

In essence, that is the situation. Business expenses that are not deductible for tax purposes become as much as double the cost if the business is in a high tax bracket (I don't, of course, know what business tax rates in Canada are). Not a good prospect for any station on the U.S. side to sell in Canada.

On the other hand, religious stations that depend on listener donations can do reasonably well from that source.

 

[TexasTom]

Ditto for PBS TV affiliates seeking listener donations. When I lived in Eastern Washington in the early eighties, I remember that KSPS-TV (the Spokane PBS station) had a separate pledge line number for listeners in Canada. Some time later, I read that KSPS received at least as much in listener donations from Canada as from U.S. viewers.

 

[Kelly A]

I thought that the rule is that when Canadian companies advertise on U.S. broadcast stations they aren't allowed to deduct the cost of the advertising as a business expense. If that is the case, it would be allowed to sell advertising north of the border, but it would likely be cost prohibitive for Canadian businesses to buy advertising when they can't treat the cost of that advertising as a business expense.

The issue is; as we found out with KVOS-TV, that U.S. stations received or via Canadian cable systems, are no longer able to sell advertising to Canadian businesses or service providers. That was a Canadian government change to protect Canadian broadcasters.
In the case of KVOS back in the day; revenue went from a gross of $15M per year, to $300K after the new law was enacted.
For right now at least; straight donations from individuals is allowed, but not sponsorships or underwriting credit.