98.5 FM remains the most listened to radio station in Montreal, but for the first time this winter, ICI Première managed to overtake its main competing station in certain daytime slots. Pénélope McQuade is now doing better than Nathalie Normandeau at the end of the morning, while Alec Castonguay also takes the lead over Luc Ferrandez at lunchtime. The absence in the morning throughout the month of December of Paul Arcand, who remains the driving force of 98.5FM, could have had repercussions on the entire programming.
With nearly 63,000 listeners per minutePenelope became this winter the second most listened to radio show in Montreal, all slots combined.
Since you have to get up, the morning show usually hosted by Paul Arcand, still remains the number one show in the metropolis. But with 78,000 listeners per minute, Since you have to get up saw its audience drop by 13% on average this winter.
After having suffered a significant decline this fall, 98.5 FM is at least stagnating in the morning in terms of market share.
This is what the latest data on listening habits recorded by the Numeris firm between the end of November and the end of February reveals. Note that these figures take into account the audiences for the month of December, during which Paul Arcand was absent from the airwaves.
Remember that the star host of 98.5 FM had to be replaced from mid-November by Louis Lacroix following health problems. He has been back behind his microphone since the holidays, but his absence will very possibly have resulted in a drop in the number of listeners. And this could have had repercussions on the programs which follow in the 98.5 FM schedule.
During the winter, Nathalie Normandeau’s show, The Normandeau effect, went from second to fourth place among the most listened to shows in Montreal. That of Luc Ferrandez, Without reservation, slips into eighth position, which was fifth this fall. Patrick Lagacé remains in third place with his comeback show, Quebec now.
Important changes this fall
With 23% market share in the central Montreal market, 98.5 FM remains the most listened to station, ahead of ICI Première and its 17%. The gap between the two talk radio stations remains fairly stable compared to the fall.
Now we’ll see what happens this fall when 98.5 FM makes major changes. Paul Arcand, who will retire in June, will be replaced by Patrick Lagacé in the morning. Marie-Ève Tremblay will take the helm of the following show. Nathalie Normandeau and Luc Ferrandez will jointly pilot a new show during dinner time and in the early afternoon. The name of the host who will succeed Patrick Lagacé in the return time slot has not been announced.
Rythme FM, another station owned by Cogeco, remains the most listened to music station with just under 12% of the market share, ahead of Rouge, at 8.6%. Rhytme FM, however, experienced a significant decline in its audiences this winter. In certain niches, the station lost almost 30% of its listeners.
ICI Musique, Radio-Canada’s music station, continues to post good results with more than 7% market share.