Black Tower Rocked - Op-Ed

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Postby Glen Livingstone » Mon Jul 17, 2006 12:59 pm

The ratings are out.

The public has spoken, and what they've had to say is what many of us on this board have been saying for quite some time now:

We don't like the changes that have been made at CKNW, and we're not going to listen anymore.

No one though could have predicted that the Dog could take this kind of a kick in the balls and still be walking upright.

100,000 listeners, a 4.3 loss in 12+ cume gone over the space of a year?

Pretty much unprecedented.

After all the cuts, firings, programming changes, inconsistency and out-and-out corporate bullshit emanating from the Black Tower, the people have finally spoken and voted with their ears.

Who knows or cares where all of these listeners went?

The fact is, they're gone, and it's going to be difficult - if not impossible - to get them back.

But you have to wonder, does 'NW management even care?

As Tuned has already pointed out in another thread, "Corus still owns this market lock, stock and barrel. Their 4 stations have a combined 29.5 market share while their closest competitor Rogers has barely half the share at 14.6 followed by CHUM with 12.7."

That is a fact. And as Tuned also pointed out, "In the end Corus probably doesn't care because they will make more money out of a leaner, lower rated station."

Also true.

But even taking this into consideration, they can't be happy with this embarrassing turn of events, and I think they'll go into damage mode quickly if they haven't already.

I don't pretend to have the stellar programming skills of a J.J. Johnston or a Tom Plasteras, or even an Ian Koenigsfest, but I'll go out on a limb here and make a couple of predictions.

Firstly, Jon McComb and Philip Till will play a little game of musical chairs.

McComb (the last broadcaster standing over at the Dog House) is parachuted into mornings to try to rectify the damage that Till has caused, and Till goes back to afternoons doing what he does best: dispensing recipes from his fishmonger friend Kostas; talking about his meals, past and present; and periodically hosting episodes of his popular gameshow, "What am I holding in my pudgy little hand?"

Don't get me wrong, I think that if there was any way possible they could get rid of him permanently they would, but failing that, this would be the lesser of two evils.

Charles Adler? Gone.

Replaced by - who knows who? Christy Clark probably, if they can scrape together enough money to pay her.

J.J. - Note to self:

Trawl the hallways in search of future downsize candidates.

Both of these changes to occur before Survey 4 begins on September 4th.

"We (CKNW) will continue to deliver fantastic service," Johnston said back in April of this year.

Oh really?

When do you plan to start?
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Postby tuned » Mon Jul 17, 2006 1:35 pm

It is quite possible that they expected this. It could have been even worse because they'll still managed to hold onto top spot...for now. I think it is going to get much worse in the Fall but even if they manage to stabilize in 3rd or 4th spot with a lean operation the bottomline will be fatter than it was a year ago. I doubt that they are going to run out and spend a bunch of money as a result of this. It was pretty obvious when they let the Canucks rights go to a competitor that upper management had decided to cut costs at NW and I think it will continue. I wouldn't be surprised to see more cuts. The station that is likely making the most profit by far is QM/FM. A cheapo morning show and voicetracks the rest of the time. People would be shocked at how much money they are dragging out of that place with minimal effort.
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Postby radiofan » Mon Jul 17, 2006 2:08 pm

I seem to recall a post ratings memo just before the move from McBride to the Black Tower.

I believe that memo boasted about NW having a 23% share of the market.

In 10 short years, over 1/2 of the NW audience has evaporated.

How many PD's can pull of stats like that and still get a paycheque every two weeks?
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
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Postby kat » Mon Jul 17, 2006 8:03 pm

Everytime I hear 'Free Falling' by Tom Petty, I think of CKNW. That song was in my head all day long today for some reason.

Congratulations on the first book "under your watch" at the Black Tower JJ. Delmonte tried and tried but never succeeded at an implosion like you've pulled off today.

I'm sure Cassaday and the boys are just pleased as punch that you're on the team and I know your staff is behind you 100% cuz they don't wanna wake up fired.
The world has two kinds of people. Cat people and idiots.
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