Buddy Brings Canada to Buffalo

[davideduardo]

From Inside Radio:

"Radio One Buffalo enters into a strategic alliance with Byrnes Communications to sell advertising and market adult hits “More 101FM” CFLZ and hot AC “101.5 FM The River” CJED-FM in the Buffalo market. Both stations are licensed to Ontario, Canada and beam across Lake Erie into Western New York. Radio One Buffalo says the two stations are a “great complement” to the company’s own oldies WECK (1230), which is also broadcast on three FM translators throughout the market.

 

[Prescott Joe]

From Inside Radio:

"Radio One Buffalo enters into a strategic alliance with Byrnes Communications to sell advertising and market adult hits “More 101FM” CFLZ and hot AC “101.5 FM The River” CJED-FM in the Buffalo market. Both stations are licensed to Ontario, Canada and beam across Lake Erie into Western New York. Radio One Buffalo says the two stations are a “great complement” to the company’s own oldies WECK (1230), which is also broadcast on three FM translators throughout the market.

Very Interesting. Most Ontario stations beam across Lake ONTARIO into W.N.Y.

 

[SirRoxalot]

More correctly both beam across the Niagara River to reach Buffalo. CFLZ and CJED are both in Niagara Falls, ON. Neither one impacts US ratings in a meaningful way. A few years back the Canadian feds got their shorts in a bunch over joint marketing between then Citadel stations and a Canadian "partner". This may be treading on shaky ground.

 

[TVEngineerArk]

I heard that Buddy actually may have some kind of ownership stake in these stations. Not sure but that's what I heard from a fairly reliable source. If so it's a game changer in the market.

 

[TheBigA]

I heard that Buddy actually may have some kind of ownership stake in these stations.

Funny since Canadians can't own more than 25% of US stations.

 

[Buddy Shula]

More correctly both beam across the Niagara River to reach Buffalo. CFLZ and CJED are both in Niagara Falls, ON. Neither one impacts US ratings in a meaningful way. A few years back the Canadian feds got their shorts in a bunch over joint marketing between then Citadel stations and a Canadian "partner". This may be treading on shaky ground.

Trust me. Ratings will go up. And the ground is not shaky. Stay tuned........

 

[davideduardo]

Funny since Canadians can't own more than 25% of US stations.

The FCC has authorized quite a few foreign owners to take more than 25%, including several small market ones (Alaska and the Florida Keys, I believe) with 100%. The biggest is the 38% ownership of Univision by Televisa, a Mexican company.

Of course, here the issue is whether a Canadian license can have a high percentage of foreign ownership.

 

[TheBigA]

Of course, here the issue is whether a Canadian license can have a high percentage of foreign ownership.

AFAIK most countries outside the US don't restrict ownership. In fact the US gov't owns stations in other countries.

 

[davideduardo]

AFAIK most countries outside the US don't restrict ownership. In fact the US gov't owns stations in other countries.

It varies by country. When I had stations in Ecuador, it was prohibited for a non-citizen to hold a license. However, a corporation owned entirely by a foreign citizen could.

Mexico limits to 49.99%. Argentina limits to 75%, but that changes with each different president and party.

Colombia will allow majority shareholders to be foreign, but the "voting shares" must be locally controlled.

It is a bit different in each country.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Start here:

https://crtc.gc.ca/eng/industr/tvradio/

Canada is not the 51st state. It is not Mexico or Venezuela. The Canadian government radio and television rules pertaining to ownership, programming and foreign influence are very precise and and are strictly enforced. It is possible for a US entity to sell the inventory of a Canadian station in the US, but the CRTC guards against foreign influence. Citadel years ago found out how quickly and forcefully the Canadian government acts when a foreign entity attempts to influence (no matter how subtly or artfully) and sell the inventory of a Canadian station. US intermingling with Canadian stations is frowned upon. In the early 2000s, Citadel Buffalo thought it could program Churban on the 101.1 frequency (licensed to Niagara Falls, Ontario) to compete with Entercom's CHR WKSE. Citadel initiated a plan to sell the station's inventory in the US. The arrangement was summarily halted by the CRTC, and the licensee of CKEY was strongly admonished by the CRTC. Word is one of the WKSE morning show personalities, who happens to be a Canadian citizen, initiated the CRTC review process. "Buyer beware" is an often cited advisory. In this case, it may be a matter of "seller beware."

 

[TheBigA]

Word is one of the WKSE morning show personalities, who happens to be a Canadian citizen, initiated the CRTC review process.

Interesting stuff. So there was a spy working in US radio? You know what we used to do to spies? Just kidding. Maybe.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Interesting stuff. So there was a spy working in US radio? You know what we used to do to spies? Just kidding. Maybe.

The guy works for Entercom. These days, that's punishment enough. Citadel Buffalo was so clueless and brazenly arrogant that it initially originated programming for CKEY from the Buffalo studios. When the CRTC caught wind of the situation, it warned CKEY ownership of the violation. As a recourse, Citadel foolishly attempted to send its employees across the Peace Bridge to work at the CKEY studios. To the employees' embarrassment, they were brusquely turned away at the border and strictly warned (as in "further attempts could result in fines and imprisonment") about entering Canada without proper work visas. One of the Citadel managers reportedly said, "I didn't know they (Canada) could do this." A few months later, corporate sent her packing. Give Buddy credit for seeking additional revenue streams. Having observed Citadel's fiasco, he's no doubt more aware of the CRTC rules and regulations, the possibilities and the restrictions.

 

[tbolt909]

Canadian laws certainly limit US based businesses from buying Advertising on Canadian stations? For example, must 75 percent of the ads come from Canadian businesses? Restrictions apply to Programming.

Presumably, Buddy will try to package the two Canadian stations with WECK. The idea being to sway potential clients to buy all 3 to get better "reach". If it's legal and US businesses want to advertise on Canadian stations, it shouldn't be a problem. Buffalo and Niagara Falls are border cities and commerce flows both ways. Still, I don't know how many Buffalo businesses are looking to spend money advertising on Canadian stations with no US Nielsen ratings...

 

[gr8oldies]

You may recall that RKO had to divest CKLW AM/FM/TV because of then newly enacted foreign ownership rules.

 

[Buddy Shula]

Canadian laws certainly limit US based businesses from buying Advertising on Canadian stations? For example, must 75 percent of the ads come from Canadian businesses? Restrictions apply to Programming.

Presumably, Buddy will try to package the two Canadian stations with WECK. The idea being to sway potential clients to buy all 3 to get better "reach". If it's legal and US businesses want to advertise on Canadian stations, it shouldn't be a problem. Buffalo and Niagara Falls are border cities and commerce flows both ways. Still, I don't know how many Buffalo businesses are looking to spend money advertising on Canadian stations with no US Nielsen ratings...

No U.S Buffalo Neilson ratings? I would do your research before commenting. The stations have 50,000 listeners in metro Buffalo combined

 

[tbolt909]

No U.S Buffalo Neilson ratings? I would do your research before commenting. The stations have 50,000 listeners in metro Buffalo combined

Do these Canadian stations subscribe to US Nielsen Ratings? If not, they can't be used as a selling tool.

WBFO and WNED-TV get quite a bit of Canadian support. However, that is a business model based on listener/viewer membership...

 

[davideduardo]

Do these Canadian stations subscribe to US Nielsen Ratings? If not, they can't be used as a selling tool.

Subscribing takes just a phone call and a signature. Since Buffalo is not large enough for PPM, they don't even have to encode.

CFLZ and CFNY are examples of stations that have shown up on occasion.

 

[Buddy Shula]

Do these Canadian stations subscribe to US Nielsen Ratings? If not, they can't be used as a selling tool.

WBFO and WNED-TV get quite a bit of Canadian support. However, that is a business model based on listener/viewer membership...

They can subscribe to U S ratings. Dude, we’ve got this trust me. I kinda know what I’m doing.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

...CFLZ and CFNY are examples of stations that have shown up on occasion.

Yes, on occasion. Interesting, the Canadian FM station that shows up more consistently is 97.7 Hits FM CHTZ out of St. Catharines, Ontario. On the other hand, although it has a great signal, Giant 91.7 CIXL doesn't show very often. Those who live in the north towns can hear Canadian FMs out of Toronto as if the CN Tower was in their back yard. Because it just about is.

 

[tbolt909]

Subscribing takes just a phone call and a signature. Since Buffalo is not large enough for PPM, they don't even have to encode.

CFLZ and CFNY are examples of stations that have shown up on occasion.

I know that they CAN subscribe. I asked if they do. It's curious that in another thread Buddy was railing against Nielsen. He said he planned to end his Nielsen subscription for WECK because he thinks the ratings are bogus...