The Numeris winter 2023 survey for radio was published a few days ago. The picture remains practically the same in the Montreal region. Cogeco’s 98.5 still dominates and ICI Première follows closely behind.
These results, published twice a year, allow radio stations to proclaim that they are number 1 in such and such a field. And for those who broadcast advertising, they are solid tools to attract advertisers.
However, it should be noted that these data could be very different if they were counted differently. Indeed, more and more of us are listening to shows in catch-up mode. Most radio stations have websites or specialized platforms (OHdio) that offer this tremendous flexibility.
However, the company Numeris, responsible for preparing radio ratings reports across the country, does not take this reality into account.
Radio-Canada provided me with very eloquent figures for catch-up listening to OHdio. For the winter 2023 period (December, January, February), there was a monthly average of 1,259,581 connections (998,567 targeted content produced by ICI Première and 260,575 by ICI Musique).
We realize that various factors make certain shows more popular than others in catch-up mode (format and duration of shows, time slot not compatible with our habits, etc.).
Thus, the ICI Première and ICI Musique programs most listened to in catch-up mode are The day (is still young), Penelope, All one morning, It is so good And Today the story.
At Radio-Canada, we can’t wait for these results to be integrated into those of live listening. “It is certain that the listening data is currently incomplete, says Caroline Jamet, general manager of Audio and Radio at Radio-Canada. When the global portrait is offered, we will see the full footprint and will be able to better judge the impact of the public broadcaster, which is much greater than what is presented at the moment. »
IMAGE PROVIDED BY RADIO-CANADA
Jean-Sébastien Girard, Jean-Philippe Wauthier and Olivier Niquet, from The day (is still young)
At 98.5, the most listened to radio station in Canada for the fourth consecutive year, we also want this system to arrive as soon as possible. “It’s clear that it would give a much fairer picture, told me Julie-Christine Gagnon, program director. The industry is changing and we are becoming more and more content distributors. People are turning to digital based on their interests. »
On the website of this radio, we put forward excerpts from the programs. Among the most popular are the columns of Pierre-Yves McSween and Jonathan Trudeau, as well as the press review of Paul Arcand. More than one million listeners tune in to these segments on average each month. Since the start of the season (August 2022), 1.8 million audio clips from the show Since you have to get up were listened to.
I also heard this wish from Suzanne Landry, vice-president of content development, programming and information at Bell Media.
The entrance doors are now more numerous. If the data were combined, it would allow us to have a better overview.
Suzanne Landry, Vice-President at Bell Media
At Bell Media, listeners can listen to catch-up programs in their entirety or in fragments. Excerpts from the show Véronique and the fantastic are hugely successful (125,000 downloads per week).
Radios can get the results of their catch-up listening from Adobe Analytics. This data takes into account the number of connections, not the number of people listening (the system does not take into account the number of people who listen to a program with you). It should also be noted that the connections are calculated on a national scale and do not offer data by region.
In short, would it change the final table? The answer is definitely yes.
This calculation method would have an impact on the ranking of radio stations and their broadcasts. But beyond that, there is a more important aspect for the future of our media and our culture. “These data would allow us to better understand the penetration of Quebec content among the public, especially young people,” says Sébastien Charlton, lecturer and researcher at the Center for Media Studies at Université Laval. “We are moving towards an ecosystem that keeps a lot of data to itself. Knowing more would clearly have an impact on cultural policies. »
At Numeris, I was told that it would not be technically difficult to create a system similar to the one already used (in some Canadian markets) to measure TV viewing. Thanks to the fusion of several calculation methods, we are able to paint a more accurate portrait of multiplatform audiences.
At the moment, radio ratings are calculated using people meters (portable devices loaned to randomly targeted listeners) in some markets and good old-fashioned diaries in other markets.
Those who complete these notebooks must identify the name of the station and the time slot being listened to. To get the catch-up listening, more details would have to be provided. And that is not possible at the moment.
The world of radio is currently experiencing a major upheaval which guarantees its survival and offers it a bright horizon. It is to be hoped that the technologies which will allow us to follow this revolution arrive as soon as possible.