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Northern Lights

As a fan of Q107, I've been listening to them shift toward newer music over the last year, and wondering how that would play with audiences. Classic rock stations in general face the choice between updating and dieing, so this is a glimpse into what could happen here.

So, how's it gone? Now, these are Age 2 (yes, TWO)+ numbers, but that's how they measure it in Canada:

Feb - May 2013 6.1
May - Aug 2013 5.0
Aug - Nov 2013 4.7
Nov - Feb 2014 4.5
Feb - May 2014 4.6
May - Aug 2014 5.1
Sep - Nov 2014 5.5

Of course, the demos are where the real meat is. You need to know what parts of the audiences are shifting and affecting the top-line ratings. They're also a major market station with top-line talent which may help smooth that kind of transition. If they're getting better numbers 25-54 without losing 35-64, it can mean a lot more ad dollars in Canada's largest city. It's all about staying relevant to the audience that advertisers want.
 
Those numbers don't seem to indicate any growth in audience.
Most hip 20-30 somethings in Toronto have better options.
Toronto has an eclectic music scene. Radio is out of touch with that...

Adding some 90s music to a stale playlist won't excite anybody...
 
Well, yes, that's one way to interpret the numbers. Another way might be that they've moved their audience more squarely into the 25-54 demo without losing the core of their 35-64s. There was obviously some shift as the "new" music was introduced into the format, but they've recovered nicely. Without seeing the demos, it's pure speculation, but it seems likely that they got younger without it costing total audience numbers.

If you think Q107's playlist is stale, you haven't been listening to 97-Rock.
 
It's wishful thinking that they have added younger listeners.
True, it's possible. It's just as likely that nothing changed.

1990 was 25 years ago. 90s music is only "new" to someone who
exists in a vacuum. Classic Rock formats can try to reboot themselves,
but it's late in the game.
Q107 may be making a feeble attempt unlike their American counterparts.
Radio Programmers won't try anything too innovative.

The "younger" crowd isn't waiting or interested...
 
Jack Bruce, Joe Cocker, Ian Maclagan and many other great artists have died recently.
Time is ravaging the iconic Woodstock Era artists.

It's unfortunate that Classic Rock formats have been so dreadful for many years.
Rigid formats and limited playlists have done a disservice to many musicians.
Now, the empty radio suits are scrambling to find younger demos for a format
they strangled to death.
Instead of mixing in new music and evolving, they made Rock a museum artifact...
 
Instead of mixing in new music and evolving, they made Rock a museum artifact...

There are stations that mix in old & new, but it's not classic rock. "Classic" has meaning, and so does the word "format."

The listeners choose this format because they want classic music.
 
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