Mixed feelings in the Newcap WEM location this morning, no doubt. Great improvements for Capital-FM (especially) and K-97.
Have to wait for the daypart breakdowns, if anyone comes up with them -- last time it was the Corporate Owners that provided them in Press Releases, but I suspect both Rob & Audie and Jason Roberts had big upticks in AM and PM Drive, respectively. I somewhat poo-poo'ed Rob Christie's comments, when he first displaced Jason from AM Drive, that Jason had a bright future. But, especially in the last month or two, Jason has really matured as an announcer in the format.
But the Country side of the market must have people scratching their heads. CISN took their beating in the last ratings. This time, it seems to be CFCW's (Newcap) turn.
Of course, The Bounce and CBX-AM are the big stories. The Bounce clearly has a solid lock on #2, or close to it, in a tie with CISN this time. Again proving that Power 92's destruction was one of the dumbest moves this market has ever seen.
As for CBX, although #2 with a 9.2 in the last book may not happen that often (they were #2 with a 9.8 exactly two years ago), they are definitely doing the right things, as 7.1 is nothing to sneeze at in a market with this many players. I'm sure the FM repeater has helped, but we still don't know what coverage they'll get when it finally is located downtown, instead of its still-temporary Sherwood Park location. Will the signal be better downtown? And lousier elsewhere? Right now, a lady I know who drives a car dealer's service customer shuttle says she gets decent reception pretty much everywhere in Edmonton City limits.
And, of course, JOE-FM really hasn't recovered from the loss of co-host Audie Lynds to Capital-FM. I predict they are "dead meat" if they lose Gary James (afternoon drive).
I still don't get why the CRTC awarded Rawlco a new AC FM station license when their Magic 99 is such a dismal loser. Even my jazz/classical-loving friend has dumped them (went from 15 minutes a day to zero minutes a day of listening) now that Rob Christie is gone.
As for Sonic, I really don't know what to think. Their ratings are all over the map.
And The Bear: which is the abnomality? Last Ratings or this? Is there some correlation with the fact that Marty Forbes was PD until the latter part of last year -- effective control would have changed before his January retirement -- and began consulting for them on April 1, 2009?