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Summer is the slow season for sports radio in this country, but the annual audience survey in July and August does reveal trends.
In Toronto, Toronto Blue Jays listeners on The Fan 590 jumped 15 per cent from last summer, perhaps because interest increased with Cito Gaston taking over as the Jays' manager.
On the other hand, the Jays' share of the Toronto market in the male 25-to-54 demographic decreased a small amount, to 4.1 per cent from 4.3.
The measurement periods for the survey, released yesterday, were July 7 to 20 and Aug. 4 to 31.
Radio stations do not sell advertising based on summer audience measurements because the numbers are unpredictable. Regular listeners are away on holidays. People spend less time in the car.
Nevertheless, those involved in competitive time slots pay attention. In Toronto, the Bill Watters Show on AM640 competes head to head for afternoon sports listeners against Bob McCown on The Fan 590.
Both shows experienced decreases in the male 25-to-54 market share from a year ago. McCown dropped to 7.0 from 9.7, and Watters went to 1.9 from 2.7.
In the noon-hour slot, AM640 continues to do well with Leafs Lunch, even during the summer months. Its share climbed to 3.6 from 3.4 a year ago. The Fan 590's Hockey Central, in the same time slot, had a 2.6, down a point from 3.6.
Generally, the sports radio stations in Toronto and Vancouver showed decreases in market share from the summer of 2007.
The Fan 590's morning show (Don Landry and Gord Stellick) earned a 4.1-per-cent share of the male 25-to-54 market, down from 4.4.
In Vancouver, the Team 1040's morning show (Barry Macdonald and Scott Rintoul) had a 5.9 share, way down from 9.0 in 2007. The share for the afternoon drive (David Pratt and Don Taylor) was 11.8, down slightly from 12.7.
In Edmonton, The Team 1260 had mixed results. The morning show (Bryn Griffiths, Jake Daniels) increased its share to 4.7 from 3.8. The afternoon drive (Bob Stauffer) dropped to 6.0 from 6.6.
In Montreal, The Team 990's market share for the morning show (Mitch Melnick), went up marginally, to 3.0 from 2.9. The afternoon drive (Elliott Price, Denis Casavant and Shaun Starr) dropped to 2.6 from 3.2.
Why lower market shares?
One big reason is the Beijing Summer Olympics. Sports fans were tuned into the Games and not listening to radio as much.
One radio executive called 2008 a "boring summer, no hot button issues to get riled up about."
Griffiths said: "It was dull. From the middle of July until the Olympics got going, it was death valley. Not a lot happening."
New survey system
Radio people have complained for years about the system of measuring audiences, which involves filling out diaries and mailing in the results.
It's viewed as unreliable, but the procedure will change next September with the introduction of people meters, which are electronic bracelets worn by respondents.
"[With people meters] you will get what people are actually listening to," said Nelson Millman, the vice-president and general manager of The Fan 590. "If I'm listening to The Fan, it will be recorded. And if I'm listening to AM640, it will be recorded, as opposed to asking somebody to remember."
Radio executives believe people meters will be a boon to talk radio because the electronic device will measure the length of time listeners are tuned in.
It is believed consumers stay longer with talk radio, if it's compelling, than perhaps a music format.
Morning battle
The Fan 590's morning show is getting pushed hard by AM640's morning show with John Oakley.
Landry and Stellick talk sports, while Oakley is the host of a general interest show that includes sports talk.
Consider the male demographic, which is the key audience for sports radio. In the summer rating, AM640's morning show had a larger share of males 35 to 54 than The Fan 590, 5.0 per cent to 4.4.
"This is the first time that 640 has defeated The Fan's morning show in adult men 35 to 54," said Gord Harris, AM640's program director.
Harris says the station views the 35-to-54 demographic as important because men younger than 35 generally don't listen to AM radio.
In the 25-to-54 demo, AM640's share for the morning show came the closest ever to The Fan 590's share, 3.9 to the Fan's 4.1.ƒo
- The CBC drew 192,000 viewers for its opening NHL regular-season telecast on Saturday afternoon, New York Rangers-Tampa Bay Lightning at Prague. That audience probably ranks as the smallest even for Hockey Night in Canada. Last year, Anaheim Ducks-Los Angeles Kings from London drew 222,000. Hockey Night did much better for the two Ottawa Senators-Pittsburgh Penguins games in Stockholm, 359,000 on Saturday and 425,000 on Sunday.
