By TSM
Happy post Labour Day!!
We’re busy at Toronto Sports Media working on content plans for the upcoming season.
The dog days of summer are now behind us and from a sports content consumer it couldn’t have happened a minute sooner!
On almost all platforms, it is hard to say that the summer was anything less than a complete write off.
Even with the Blue Jays being as incredible as they were it was another dark summer media wise.
The switch back post Labour Day was almost immediate. Print, web, radio and TV all improved dramatically.
Mike Richards came back after a leave and disclosed he has been battling cancer.
Dean Blundell, as Mike reported, was Dean Blundell.
The other shows returned back with hosts back in their normal slots.
Jeff Blair and Bryan Hayes both were back in the normal slots.
Bob McCown, who when he was on this summer was at his best.
Naylor also returned.
Life is good.
So ratings for the summer book are out.
Traditionally the summer book is not looked at with a whole lot of importance. The pressure is on now as we look at the first Fall book.
I don’t have all the details but here is what I’ve heard in the key male demo:
The Fan 590 morning show earned a 5.7 share up from a 5.6 in the last spring book.
TSN 1050 morning show earned a .4 share
The Brady and Walker show earned a 6.8
Fan is out rating TSN by massive amount
That’s all i have right now.
If true, here are my thoughts:
I am not sure if a sports radio morning show has ever been out rated by a mid-day show as appears to have happened here.
It’s hard for me to believe that the Fan morning show was only up .1 given the success of the Blue Jays.
TSN pulling a .4 even without Ricahrds is REALLY, REALLY low. Simulcasts of CP24 were barely lower than that.
The Brady and Walker # is big. Especially big when there were extended times where each guy drove solo.
Also this week, Dave Cadeau took over the Fan Program Director role. Big congrats there.
Nelson Millman, who was the interim PD has shifted over to Satellite NHL radio as PD. Big congrats there.
It will be interesting to see how the Leafs first media world works with the Blue Jays in a pennant race.
Lots of things to keep our eyes and ears on in the coming weeks.
Happy weekend
TSM