Seconded on Boom being one of the better stations I've heard. I have it as one of my presets(it comes in very decently in the metro Buffalo market). That station is regularly in the top 5, if not the top 3, of Toronto radio ratings. I chalk it up to a number of factors: 1. You've got some well-known personalities(Stu Jeffries doing mornings, Maie Pauts(ex-CFNY)in middays and Kris James(aka KJ, veteran of 92.5 Kiss FM(in its country and FIRST go-round with top 40). 2. The imaging is top-notch. 3. They do fun things(Turntable Tuesday, One Hit Wonder Wednesday, Totally 80s Fridays(as well as 80s weekends when a holiday comes up).
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Hip Hop is flowing into 98.7 as Stingray will launch a yet to be determined format on 93.5
- Thread starter victorres43
- Start date
Seconded on Boom being one of the better stations I've heard. I have it as one of my presets(it comes in very decently in the metro Buffalo market). That station is regularly in the top 5, if not the top 3, of Toronto radio ratings. I chalk it up to a number of factors: 1. You've got some well-known personalities(Stu Jeffries doing mornings, Maie Pauts(ex-CFNY)in middays and Kris James(aka KJ, veteran of 92.5 Kiss FM(in its country and FIRST go-round with top 40). 2. The imaging is top-notch. 3. They do fun things(Turntable Tuesday, One Hit Wonder Wednesday, Totally 80s Fridays(as well as 80s weekends when a holiday comes up).
Agreed 100%. I mentioned earlier that I’m on the younger end of the age spectrum (27). While classic hits is my preferred music, even my significant other (who NEVER listened to anything considered “old”) will enjoy the programming on Boom when I have it on. They’ve come up with a great formula for success, and other stations in other markets should take notes. Mixing great personalities with a decent variety of music works.
I’m in the Vancouver market right now. Stingray formerly ran a good classic hits station (a bit like “Boom”) on 104.3. Unfortunately, they ended up flipping it to soft AC. Now the best bet in the market for classic hits is CFMI 101.1 (“Rock 101”). Jack-fm exists, but that format is nowhere NEAR as good as what stingray is doing in Toronto with boom.
Kris James (also known as KJ the DJ) goes even further back. He has been in the Toronto market since 1983.
He used to work for 680 CFTR in it's hit music days. (680 went all news in June of 1993)
I wasn't aware that his tenure in Toronto radio was THAT long. Insofar as CityNews 680: even though it's a Canadian station, I'd rather turn to them....WBFO....or CBC Radio 1 for news than WBEN.
I agree. 100%!!
For Buffalo, back in the day, when news broke out, WGR broke in, and they were the BEST.
But
anyway, back to Today Radio. Just adding a note that Stingray splurged and got some TV ads up and running now.
I hope something works out for them after all this money they're spending...
Last edited:
Fall PPM A25-54 ratings are in for Toronto.
Good News
Boom 97.3 is Toronto's number one radio station. (an 11.3 share, with CHFI in second @ a 9.1 share in the Toronto market)
BAD NEWS
Today radio failed to deliver any ratings at all. (a point 8 share...not even a share in the market!)
So, Stingray has one station that makes good money and one that does not.
I wonder what will happen now?
93.5 would probably have brought in better ratings as a Country radio station...no doubt. lol
FWIW NOTE: The independently run FLOW 98.7 is bringing in a 2.4 share somehow...crap signal and all!! Does Stingray know what they are doing? lol
Good News
Boom 97.3 is Toronto's number one radio station. (an 11.3 share, with CHFI in second @ a 9.1 share in the Toronto market)
BAD NEWS
Today radio failed to deliver any ratings at all. (a point 8 share...not even a share in the market!)
So, Stingray has one station that makes good money and one that does not.
I wonder what will happen now?
93.5 would probably have brought in better ratings as a Country radio station...no doubt. lol
FWIW NOTE: The independently run FLOW 98.7 is bringing in a 2.4 share somehow...crap signal and all!! Does Stingray know what they are doing? lol
Last edited:
Good for Boom. I listen to them every day, even though I’m not in the Toronto market. Boom 97.3 is a very well executed classic hits format. On the other hand, it may be that the playlist on today radio is too eclectic to maintain a solid listening audience. I like wide playlists, but they may be trying to do too much.
To follow up on boom's...well, BOOMING fall book: That station is reaching just about every demo you can think of. Consider:
-Women 25-54: boom is JUST behind CHFI and CHUM-FM(each with an 11.3); boom has an 11.2 .
-Men 25-54: boom leads with an 11.5 .
And lest you think it's just the older folks who like Boom, au contraire!
-Men 18-34: They pull a 13.7 .
-Women 18-34: Boom gets a 15.7 , followed by CHFI with a 15.0 .
Personally, to see CHBM get that type of share with young people is a shock. I'd have expected the majority of the ratings in that demo to go to CKIS(Kiss 92.5), CKFM(99.9 Virgin Radio)and maybe CIDC(Z 103.5).
-Women 25-54: boom is JUST behind CHFI and CHUM-FM(each with an 11.3); boom has an 11.2 .
-Men 25-54: boom leads with an 11.5 .
And lest you think it's just the older folks who like Boom, au contraire!
-Men 18-34: They pull a 13.7 .
-Women 18-34: Boom gets a 15.7 , followed by CHFI with a 15.0 .
Personally, to see CHBM get that type of share with young people is a shock. I'd have expected the majority of the ratings in that demo to go to CKIS(Kiss 92.5), CKFM(99.9 Virgin Radio)and maybe CIDC(Z 103.5).
Actually, not quite.
CKIS recently changed format to be Today's hits and yesterday's throwbacks. You are still correct, but the possible difference is a shift from targeting just teens & 18-24, to being more of a Soccer mom station. (25-34, maybe?)
I believe the idea might be to go after CHUM FM without hurting CHFI too much.
(CHFI & CKIS are both Rogers owned)
Four months ago, Barry posted a thread in the New York forum asking if a radio format that mixes music and conversation could work in New York. Below is the original post for your reference.
Given the latest rating that 93.5 Today Radio received, the answer to Barry's question is no. If Conversation Radio couldn't make it in Toronto, then how could it possibly make it in New York?
Given the latest rating that 93.5 Today Radio received, the answer to Barry's question is no. If Conversation Radio couldn't make it in Toronto, then how could it possibly make it in New York?
I don't think conversation radio is the problem.
It's the music.
There's nothing really there to grab the ear long enough to even care what the topic is. (on 93.5)
The format is working in other Canadian markets, but those stations have structure and a format of some sort.
Some are Top 40, while others are Hot AC.
Does "We play it all" work in NY?
CBS's Jack FM did not work out all that well...but maybe there's a better example?
Last edited:
Actually, Jack in NYC worked out better than the prior 60's based oldies format. They only changed to classic hits because they saw how that format was succeeding in the initial PPM tests in Philadelphia and did not want another operator to seize the format that they developed to succeed in the PPM.
So, basically CKIS is Xerox'ing CHUM-FM with the positioning?
CKIS ad:
I couldn't find a current TV ad for Chum FM, but I did find this to compare things with:
Back to the original topic, there are some Today 93five TV ads here in Toronto, but I can't find them on YouTube.
Today radio's new contest is to get people to call when they hear their name.
Call within 9 minutes and 35 seconds and win ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The station's winter ratings are in.
They managed to only bring in a
POINT 7 SHARE. Not even a share in the Toronto market.
What's up with that? Time for something new?
Call within 9 minutes and 35 seconds and win ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS.
The station's winter ratings are in.
They managed to only bring in a
POINT 7 SHARE. Not even a share in the Toronto market.
What's up with that? Time for something new?
Meanwhile “Boom” is soaring in the ratings and has an identical contest.
- Status