Toronto radio ratings came out yesterday, and I was interested in what effect recent changes at The Fan 590 and Virgin 999 have had. The Fan 590 recently moved Brady and Walker to 1pm and brought in long-time Edge 102 morning man Dean Blundell to host their morning show. Virgin 999 recently fired Jay "Maddog" Michaels and replaced him with someone named Tucker.
First, let's take a look at the numbers for The Fan 590. Keep in mind, Dean Blundell debuted on March 2 after a great deal of promotion.
Males, ages 25 - 54
590 Mornings
Jan 2015: 4.9
Feb 2015: 4.4
Mar 2015: 4.4
Males, ages 18 - 49
590 Mornings
Feb 2015: 4.5
Mar 2015: 4.2
Males and Females, ages 25 - 54
590 Mornings
Jan 2015: 2.6
Feb 2015: 2.4
Mar 2015: 2.3
The needle barely moved. I'm certain Rogers executives expected a much bigger bump, or at least a bump. Instead, the numbers are going in the wrong direction. And remember, Blundell is a controversial figure in this town. You've got to assume many would tune in during his first month to see how he sounds in the new format. Curiosity alone should have resulted in an increased share. The numbers will likely only go down from here.
The 4.4 share Dean Blundell got in The Fan's key demo is particularly devastating for Rogers when you consider Brady and Walker earned an 8.5 share last March.
Now, let's look at the numbers for Virgin 999. Maddog was fired on March 4, so he's responsible for February.
Females, ages 25 - 54
Virgin Mornings
Feb 2015: 6.6
Mar 2015: 4.3
All Females, all ages
Virgin Overall
Feb 2015: 6.4
Mar 2015: 3.4
That's a significant drop in their targeted female audience gone in 30 days. Ladies seem to love Maddog. It's important to note, however, that Tucker didn't start until very late March.
I reached out to Maddog, who appeared in episode 92 of my podcast, and here's what he had to say.
The listener response has been overwhelming and completely humbling. You always hope your connecting with people but I had no idea how much and how many. Between the petition, Facebook and Twitter, WOW. Blown away daily by the support. And the fact that they say they'll follow me wherever I go next? That's proof that Radio personalities are still a huge part of people's lives in Toronto. I Can't thank everyone enough... but I sure plan on trying.
What are your thoughts on these numbers for The Fan 590 and Virgin Radio's morning shows? Were the big changes worth it?
