radio - edmonton radio news archives - 2007
around the local radio dial
An archive of selected recent events in Edmonton and area radio history.
april 2007
edmonton radio ratings - spring 2007 | who is that man?
july 2007
edmonton radio ratings - late spring/early summer 2007
august 2007
is Gord gone?
september 2007
the fall 2007 tv ad campaign | this and that
october 2007
edmonton radio ratings - summer 2007 | this and that
november 2007
new edmonton fm radio licence - call for applications | where is that man?
december 2007
edmonton radio ratings - fall 2007 | so you want to be a BOSS radio station? | subtle shifting at Shine FM
main radio news page | 2006 archives | 2008 archives
related pages
April 2007
Who is that man? >permalink<
If you're an avid news watcher, with an interest in murder trials, you've likely noticed a man in a hat ducking out of sight whenever cameras are turned on near the courthouse.
And he's obviously trying to keep a low profile – so why wear such a distinctive hat?
Who is that man?
It turns out he's a local radio court reporter with an international reputation and numerous brushes with local police to his credit.
He once described how a murder victim's fate came about by his "chewing a plug of gun" » full details »
Spring 2007 ratings >permalink<
The latest book contained a couple of continuing bad news stories backstopped with three stations posting record ratings.
Edmonton's once-mighty country audience seems to have traded their cowboy boots in for city slickers, and for Big Earl that means another big disappointment.
The CBC, The Bounce and Sonic post their best showings, and while classic rock still benefits The Bear, K-Rock is in a tailspin losing almost a third of its audience. Pink slips ahead?
For all the juicy numbers visit the Last Link Edmonton radio ratings - Spring 2007 report.
July 2007
Late Spring/Early Summer 2007 ratings >permalink<
The "Late Spring/Early Summer 2007" book measured Edmonton radio audiences from April 16th to June 10th. Slightly over 2,000 listeners were reported to have filled in surveys.
Known as the "oddball" period, the Bureau of Broadcast Measurement first introduced the second quarter survey in 2006. Station managers, program directors and armchair pundits are still trying to figure out what omens the newly-timed book may bring.
Three stations posted their best results ever while four stations went into the record books marking their all-time nadirs.
For all the juicy numbers visit the Last Link Edmonton radio ratings - Late Spring/Early Summer 2007 report.
August 2007
Is Gord Gone? >permalink<
For Edmontonians August 21st, 2007 began with "darkling shadows" overhead: it was cool, windy and with a hint of rain in the air.
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On the air in his familiar shift at 630 CHED was morning man Gord Whitehead. And just as he was about to sign off his show, at 8:58 a.m. listeners heard the following unsettling annoucement:
"Well a little note here ... I'm going to be taking some time off work and Syd Smith will be in in my stead. The usual cast of thieves will be assembled here weekday mornings at 630 CHED. I will just not be among them for some time."
While longtime listeners and fans of the veteran broadcaster were absorbing the news, Gord sent out an e-mail to his fellow staff at CHED. In it Whitehead suggested his absence would be longer than he indicated on the air » full details »
September 2007
The Fall 2007 TV Ad Campaign >permalink<
It's a challenge. How does a radio station attract new listeners? Unlike car dealerships and pizza joints, a radio station can't take out ads on one of their competitor's stations (at least there is no evidence of this ever having been tried locally) ... so radio turns to its younger cousin television to get the word out.
In the autumn of 2007, elements of the Edmonton radio market were in a state of turmoil. The importance of the rate-setting Fall BBM survey was compounded with a sense of desperation on the part of several stations in serious trouble.
The Last Link has compiled snapshots of the TV campaigns that aired at the outset of the Fall 2007 BBM survey period. Featured are stations on solid ground, stations wanting to gain market share ... and the bizarre case study that is K-Rock » full details »
This and that >permalink<
A changing of the guard took place at the little-known and almost-forgotten CFCW Ukrainian Hour. Longtime host R.J. Tomkins has booked off and now reporting for duty is Edmonton Police Service detective Steven Chwok.
Chowk will do his best with the Ukrainian he learned at his mother's knee, and program director Jackie Rae said his connections with the Ukrainian music community will put him in good stead with listeners.
For the last couple of years CHQT Cool 880 listeners have been waking up to the familiar voice of Chuck Chandler. But late in September, they were waking up to a different familiar voice, that of "Jungle" Jay Hamilton. Chuck's off for a while getting his other knee replaced and Jay is filling in.
Hamilton was a fixture on the local radio scene having done stints at QT's sister Corus stations CHED and CKNG - Power 92 back in the nineties. Since then he and Jacquie Hammond have been running the Canadian School Of Modern Broadcasting in the Standard Life Centre.
October 2007
Summer 2007 ratings >permalink<
Two words: reality check.
For some stations the previous ratings period was the best news they've had in years; for others it was their worst. Those who put too much stock in the "oddball" period got grounded pretty quickly when the Summer book came out.
The CBC fell from grace, The Bear ate up the market, country numbers remain well below expectation and numbers from K-Rock suggest something suddenly not broken just got fixed.
For all the juicy numbers visit the Last Link Edmonton radio ratings - Summer 2007 report.
This and that >permalink<
Not to be outdone by K-Rock's pulling a morning host out of the trucking business (think Terry Evans), Big Earl has done the same.
Much like The Who once plucking a drummer out of their audience-huh?, Big Earl invited "Billy Bob" (not his real name) to join Tera Lee and Greg Shannon in the mornings on a fulltime basis. Billy Bob was a fan favourite as a frequent caller to the station, often phoning from the cab of his truck.
November 2007
Come on down! new Edmonton FM radio licence - call for applications
Edmonton's major radio market has more stations per capita than anywhere else in Canada.
With eight AM stations and nineteen on the FM band, one would think there was at least one format available to suit everybody – everybody except the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission » full details »
Where is that man?
The Last Link is confirming details that legendary and colourful Edmonton radio crime reporter Byron Christopher has been terminated by 630 CHED and parent company Corus Entertainment.
Word of Christopher's departure first surfaced in the Provincial Courthouse building where Crown prosecutors were heard referring to the explanation of the veteran reporter's sudden absence using words such as "canned" and "fired."
Contacted by the Last Link at his home, Bryon Christopher offered "No comment" regarding the status of his employment with Corus Entertainment.
In courthouse circles, "No comment" is usually code for "F--- off" or "I wish I could tell you more but I can't." » full details »
December 2007
Fall 2007 ratings
CHED maintains its dominance at the top of the market despite losing Gord Whitehead, while CIRK's K-Rock fails to re-ignite despite the return of Terry Evans.
Country music popularity surges back – both CISN and CFCW rebound – but Big Earl seems to be permanently stuck in the back quarter of the format's farm.
Over in teenland, The Bounce posts its best numbers ever while Sonic tanks with its worst showing ever. Could this be the usual "weird element" that seems to plague every BBM survey sample?
For all the juicy numbers visit the Last Link Edmonton radio ratings - Fall 2007 report.
So you want to be a BOSS radio station?
They say a wound gets worse when treated with neglect. The same might have been said of Corus Entertainment station CHQT - Cool 880.
But since late summer of 2007 some creative changes have been prescribed for the ratings-challenged frequency. A new contest launched early in December was another sign Corus has not given up all hope for a station that has a near-heritage legacy » full details »
Subtle shifting at Shine FM
Subtle changes in the local radio landscape were signalled by the equally subtle shift of two popular personalities from CJCA Shine FM and CKER World FM as CJCA The Light goes all-talk » full details »
Related Pages
- edmonton radio ratings
The latest ratings book is in -- good news for some, bad news for others. - television in edmonton
The Last Link look at the local dial. - final credits - wes montgomery
Legendary Edmonton radio morning man. - final credits - radio
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This page updated
08:23 2007-12-21.