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In terms of radio measurement, we remain in a state of confused and confusing. Significant methodology changes are on the near horizon. PPM markets will continue to live with low sample sizes. Numeris is preparing to replace diaries with a different approach. They explored and analysed two alternatives before settling on one. That decision has yet to be formally announced. It has been confirmed that diaries will continue to be the currency for both fall 2025 and spring 2026 books. The assumption is that a parallel release using the new methodology will be released in spring 2026. 

That would leave us with three different approaches, one each for Numeris (previously diary) markets, the smaller radioCount markets and the larger PPM markets. Not to mention all of the former diary markets dropped by Numeris and left without measurement. All of this will undoubtedly result in very significant changes in the way radio is bought and sold. 

With this book, radio retains an average weekly reach of 80% for Canadians A12+. In home represents 50% of tuning. Out of home represents 50% of tuning. For Canadians, 11% of radio consumption comes from AM/FM live radio streaming. Let’s forge on.

The latest PPM release from Numeris completes the 14-week period covering May 26, 2025-Aug. 31, 2025. Let’s look at the five PPM markets.

Toronto: Bragging rights at the top of the ratings heap go to boom 97.3, delivering an 11.1% share for A12+ (down from 12.5%). boom comes out on top with Women 25-54 with a 12.2% share (down from 13.9%), closely followed by CHFI with 11.6%. For Men 25-54, KiSS 92.5 leads with an 11.7% share, followed by boom and 680 News, both with 10.2%. boom is out in front for M18-34 with an 11.2%, followed by Q107 at 10.6%, 680 News (10.5%), KiSS (10.2%) and 102.1 The Edge with 10.0%. CHFI is #1 for F18-34, with a 15.4% share, followed by KiSS 92.5 with 15.0%. 

Vancouver: CBC Radio One grabs the #1 spot for A12+ with a 15.7% share of hours tuned (up from 14.1%). Taking the top spot for F25-54, is 94.5 Virgin Radio with a 16.7 % share (up from 10.3%). Rock 101 holds the lead for M25-54 listeners, delivering an 18.4% share (up from 11.7%). Virgin is out in front for M18-34 with a 15.0% share of hours tuned. When it comes to Women 18-34, Virgin takes a lead with 19.5% (up from 6.7%). 

Edmonton: CISN takes #1 with A12+, posting a 12.6% share (up from 11.5%) of hours tuned. UP! 99.3 holds top spot for F25-54, delivering an 21.7% share (down from 18.6 %). NOW Radio tops the list for M25-54 with an 10.0% share, closely followed by KiSS 91.7 with 9.9%. For M18-34, play 107 is out in front at 16.3%. In the hotly-contested F18-34, CISN led with 27.6%, followed closely by UP! 99.3, delivering 26.6%. 

Calgary: CBC Radio One leads the way for A12+ with a 17.4% share. CBC Radio One is also popular with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54, delivering a 10.2% share, followed by Star 95.9 with 9.7%. For M25-54, 90.3 Amp Radio rules with a 13.0% (up from 12.9%). Amp Radio is also in the top spot for M18-34, delivering a 22.7% (up from 19.9%). Virgin Radio tops F18-34, posting a 10.8%, followed by CJAY at 10.7%.

Montreal: Radio Canada Premiere is #1 for A12+ (Franco) with a 20.2% share (down from 20.8%). For A12+ (Anglo), CJAD 800 is #1 with a 30.8% (down from 33.8%).  105.7 Rythme-FM is tops with women, taking #1 spot for F25-54 (Franco), delivering an 18.3% share. For F25-54 (Anglo), the Beat 92.5 is out in front with a 26.5% share (up from 21.4 %). For M25-54 (Franco), Radio Canada Premiere is on top with a 19.5% share.  For M25-54 (Anglo), the Beat is #1 at 21.9%. 

The post Summer PPM ratings for Montreal, Toronto, Calgary, Edmonton & Vancouver appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

The Nielson Show, featuring Lt. Eric, will make its debut weekday mornings from 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., with three hours of local sports talk, including “a heavy focus on the Oilers,” according to a company announcement Monday.

Hosted by Dustin Nielson, alongside Eric Holt, The Nielson Show has already built a  following on YouTube via the Edmonton Sports Talk channel. The show, which will be simulcast, previously had a run on TSN 1260 Radio (CFRN-AM) in the market, which was shuttered by Bell Media in 2023. The show boasts about 500,000 YouTube streams a month.

“Bringing The Nielson Show to 95.7 Cruz FM means we’re filling a major void on  Edmonton’s radio airwaves – giving sports fans a live, local morning show dedicated to the  teams and stories they care about most,” said Travis Stewart, Director of Local Media at Harvard Media. “We’re thrilled to partner with Dustin and Lt. Eric to bring their passion,  personality, and deep Edmonton sports knowledge back to the airwaves.” 

“When we launched Edmonton Sports Talk two years ago it was the first 24-7 digital sports  station in the country and it’s been very successful. Now we have the opportunity to put  Sports Talk on the FM Dial for the first time and we are extremely excited about it,” added Nielson, who serves as president of the Edmonton Sports Talk venture. “Sports media is an industry that is continually getting smaller but now we have a rare chance to change that by trying something new and it’s important to me to show that it can and will be  successful.” 

CRUZ FM will continue to broadcast local traffic during the morning show, saying listeners “can still expect to hear the music they know and love, ‘Variety That Rocks’ on 95.7 Cruz FM outside of the morning show hours.”

The new show replaces Cruz Mornings with Mark & Jess, hosted by the Harvard network personalities, who are also heard on play 92 (CHMX-FM) Regina, among other stations. Prior to the introduction of Mark & Jess last year, Lochlin Cross was heard in mornings on #THELOCKERROOM, alongside Grant Johnson and James P. White.

The post Edmonton’s CRUZ FM to introduce sports talk morning show appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.

In May, Sidhu underwent the amputation of his left leg due to vascular failure, following an angioplasty, after spending much of the last year in and out of hospital. He had undergone more than 35 surgeries since his diagnosis with the autoimmune disease at age 11.

A graduate of BCIT, Sidhu’s broadcasting career started at A-Channel in Edmonton in the mid-1990s as an entertainment anchor and fill-in weather host. He worked with the station for seven years, before pursuing freelance projects as a host and producer for MTV Asia, covering festivals and interviewing artists for the network’s markets in India, Pakistan, and  Hong Kong, and later for the Channel V music network.

While continuing to pursue hosting, acting, voiceover, documentary and other projects, Sidhu simultaneously launched a successful career in real estate. Among his recent projects were 2022 short doc, Punjabi Pioneers of Alberta, which he wrote and starred in; and Singhs in the Ring, the forthcoming feature documentary on the Singh wrestling dynasty for Crave, on which he served as a producer and executive producer.

The post Edmonton broadcaster, producer Sunny Sidhu succumbs to complications from scleroderma appeared first on Broadcast Dialogue.