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Ad opps ‘à la carte’ in new CHUM podcasts
Radio station 104.5 CHUM FM in Toronto is launching a daily podcast next month, the first of many such podvertunities unfolding within the CHUM empire. The debut pod property is its popular morning show with Roger, Rick & Marilyn, downloadable in a handy mp3 version weekdays from 5:00 a.m. at www.chumfm.com, beginning May 2. ‘We plan to launch a series of services,’ says CHUM FM program director, Rob Farina, ‘from daily entertainment news, exclusive artist interviews and CD previews [to] new music showcases. One of our main initiatives will be to make available the immense archival material [such as] interviews and performances that span CHUM FM’s 40-year history. From Jimi Hendrix to Elton John to Madonna, for the first time fans can download classic interviews with their favourite artists – unedited and uncensored.’
Says Roma Khanna, VP, CHUM Interactive: ‘The mobile lifestyle and use of digital music players is an exciting new way to consume entertainment.’ Farina adds that podcasting will allow CHUM to ‘extend our reach to listeners at times of the day when they are not near a radio.’ And advertisers are invited along for the ride. Says Marc Charlebois, general sales manager of 1050 CHUM and CHUM FM: ‘This creates an engaging marketing opportunity for our clients. It’s online; it’s offline. We can integrate client content into the podcast. Whereas on the morning show hosts may not expand on ad messages since they have to get right back to the music, in the podcast they can.
Radio up 2.5%, says CRTC study
The CRTC has released a state-of-the-union report on Canadian commercial private radio, with statistics covering 2000-2004.
According to the report, which counts 544 stations, total revenue increased by 2.5% between 2003 and 2004, reaching $1.2 billion. While revenues for English-language and Aboriginal stations grew during the period by 4% and 5.7% respectively, French station revenues dropped by 4.6%.
Not surprisingly there were differences in how AM performed versus FM during the period. For instance, English-language AM held steady with a 0.1% decrease to $259.5 million while FM revenues jumped 5.5% to $738.7 million. Meanwhile, both AM and FM ethnic and Aboriginal radio grew during the period: AM revenues rose by 4.9% to $20.3 million and FM 7.3% to $10.5 million.
On the French-language side, however, it was a different story. While revenues for AM radio declined by 13.2% to $22.6 million, FM revenues also shrank by 3.4%, to $172.5 million.
In 2004, there were 164 English-language AM radio stations and 274 FM stations; 15 French AM and 77 FM stations; and eight ethnic and Aboriginal AM and six FM stations. Twenty-nine new stations started up and 13 AM stations migrated to FM.
Idol throws out challenge to media
More hot air is expected from the Toronto media as they switch from their blah blah blahs to mi mi mi, la la la la’s. CTV dared the Toronto press yesterday to drop their pens, microphones and dignity and sing on stage in front of the judges of Canadian Idol. Organizers are billing the audition as ‘The Toronto Media Idol Challenge.’
The event will be taped on Monday, April 18 at 3:00 p.m. at the Royal York Hotel and broadcast for season three of the popular show. Two weeks remain before Toronto auditions start for the new season. CFTO entertainment reporter Jacintha Wesselingh and CHUM FM’s Meg Tucker have already signed on to vie for the title of Media Idol. A prize of $5,000 will be given to the winner’s charity of choice.
Amen, Epoxy merge
Montreal agencies Amen and Epoxy have merged under the name Amen.Epoxy. Amen’s one-year-old media arm will continue to use the Amen Media name. The division’s GM is Sylvie Lalande.
BBM Media Snapshot: Canadians and long distance phone calls
* 7.48 million Canadians (28%) spend $40 or more on long distance calling per month.
* Of those spending $40+ per month on long distance calls, 57% are female and 43% are males.
* The top three age groups among those spending $40+ on long distance calls are 45 to 54 (21%), 35 to 44 (20%) and 65+ at (17%).
* 34% of people living in the Prairie region spend $40+ on long distance calling. This is the highest compared to the national average of 28%. B.C., Ontario and Atlantic regions are average with 31%, 30% and 27% respectively. Quebec is the lowest with only 18% of the population spending $40+ on long distance calling per month.
* 26% of the people who spent $40+ on long distance calling also bought pre-paid calling cards in the past year.
* 41% of people who spend $40+ per month on long distance calls also spend $30+ a month on their cellular telephone.
* 12% of people who spent $40+ on long distance calling changed their supplier in the past 12 months.
* The top three media (yesterday exposure) for people who spend $40+ on long distance calling are: television (87%), radio (85%) and daily newspaper at (57%).
Source: BBM RTS Canada Fall ’03 / Spring ’04
The preceding information is from BBM RTS, a syndicated consumer-media survey of over 55,000 Canadians, conducted twice a year by BBM Canada. For more information contact Craig Dorning of BBM Canada: cdorning@bbm.ca.
MTV launches Web channel
A new MTV Web channel will give advertisers a vehicle to sport their goods online. MTV will debut a Web-based video content channel called Overdrive. The site will offer users with high-speed connections the chance to click and pick from MTV’s news, interviews and music videos, as well as clips from its reality shows. The site will handle between 50 to 70 clips per category every 10 days. Each clip will range between two to six minutes in length and will be played using Windows Media Video, and Windows Media DRM (Digital Rights Management). Ad space will be offered in 15-second video segments that will play prior to the start of the selected clip.
MTV Networks and Microsoft formed a strategic agreement to deliver digital entertainment at last January’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Procter & Gamble, Microsoft, and Sony Pictures will feature ads on the new site. Overdrive will start Monday, April 25.
Pamela Anderson goes intellectual
Pamela Anderson aims to diversify this spring by taking a job at a bookstore on Stacked, a new half-hour comedy on Global.
Looking to hit the 18-49 audience, Anderson’s character, Skyler Dayton, wants to settle down from her wild lifestyle, and she finds stability at Stacked Books where she is surrounded by the owners (two brothers), a jealous female co-worker and the store’s mainstay customer played by Christopher Lloyd. The show will air Wednesdays at 8:30 p.m. for six eps, beginning April 13.
CMT to air Country Music Awards
This year, the 40th annual Academy of Country Music Awards (ACMs) will air live to the 25-54 CMT crowd on Tuesday, May 17 at 8 p.m. Leading the pack with six nominations is superstar Tim McGraw, who is among the artists performing, along with Toby Keith and George Strait.
Last year, the ACMs aired on May 26. It was the number one show on CMT for that week for adults 25-54. It also ranked 40th in the top 50 shows that week for adults 25-54 for all of specialty.
Toronto1 gets horse racing
Toronto1 is teaming up with the Woodbine Entertainment Group to bring viewers live thoroughbred racing for the 2005 season.
Starting Saturday, April 16 at 2 p.m. and continuing weekly, races will air until the season ends on Dec. 10. The coverage will aim at an 18-49 audience, skewing male. The weekly ‘stake races’ will come live from Woodbine racetrack in Toronto.
Cossette vet joins TAM-TAM
Sabina Bastian joins Montreal-based TAM-TAMTBWA as VP of senior strategic planning and account group. Bastian comes from Cossette Communications Group in Montreal where she spent 17 years, most recently as VP, senior strategist, and worked on Bell Canada, BCE Emergis, Transcontinental and GM. Bastian will fill a newly created postion with TAM-TAMTBWA. TAM-TAM’s roster includes Apple, Effem (Uncle Ben’s and Whiskas), W Hotels and Nissan Canada.
http://www.tamtamtbwa.com
PMB Factoid
87% of adults 65+ shopped at a drug store in the past six months.
CMDC conference offers countless ideas but accountability still a question mark
A stellar lineup of speakers, thought-provoking panel discussions and entertaining banter highlighted ‘Called to Account! Managing Risk and Accountability,’ the annual Canadian Media Directors’ Council conference held Tuesday in Toronto.
One of the opinions that threaded itself throughout the day was that – whether client, agency, or seller – the focus of media buying can no longer be on CPMs.
BBM Canada Commercial Television Tracking Service
Please click on the attached link to view GRP Trending by week and month for Montreal Franco covering the broadcast months of October 2004 – March 2005 inclusive. GRPS are based on Commercial PPM minute ratings.
Montreal Franco
