Welcome, Guest [Sign In]

July 2006 - Strategy Magazine
Special Report: Fall TV Preview

Regional roundup
What's happening in the major markets across the country

by Patti Summerfield
page 49

TORONTO

Background: Station rebranding in the Toronto market hasn't made much difference to the standings of Quebecor-owned Sun TV (the former Toronto 1) or to CKVR, which received CHUM's A-Channel treatment last year. In fact, the majority of the stations in the market suffered slight erosion over last year, including top-rated CFTO, likely due to the return of hockey and the Olympics to CBLT, giving the station a 1.3-point boost.

Steve Aronovitch, broadcast investment manager for Starcom Worldwide in Toronto, says Sun TV is waiting for the CRTC decision on its proposed increase in signal strength within southern Ontario but currently, in a hotly contested Toronto market, the station has had little impact. Nor has the transition from The New VR to A-Channel.

Aronovitch says: "[A-Channel's] new offering didn't really pique audiences enough to [tune in] as a destination. It's still looked on as second-tier programming. I don't see any year-over-year growth. I think the rebranding was more of a cost-saving initiative. Why have multiple brands across the country when you can streamline everything into two?"

2006/2007 strategy: Elizabeth Brennan, media manager at Genesis Media Toronto, says avails and rates are a lot more flexible this year than in the past and are starting to flatten out from the big hikes of a few years ago. Of course, audiences are also starting to flatten out.

"It's starting to be a buyers' market again, going into fall. Going into spring, it will depend on how a few shows work out for Global then things might get a bit tougher, but I think fall is going to be a buyers' market."

Brennan says specialty channels and digitals are playing a big part in helping buyers get the audience reach they're looking for.

With A-Channel losing Everwood, one of its staples, she says it needs to find a show to fill that time period because it drew women 25 to 54 and gave advertisers a reason to buy the station.

Sun TV started running programs this spring that were originally picked up by CTV, including West Wing, Freddie, and Less Than Perfect. She says it was a good move and something that could bring some interest to the station.

What is going to have the biggest effect on regional stations such as Omni, Sun, and

A-Channel, says Brennan, is the merger of U.S. nets UPN and WB to form CW.

"Citytv has a lot of UPN and WB properties already so there's really no place for Omni and Sun to get programs from. It's going to have a huge impact on the smaller guys."

Best bets: Brennan says there are a lot more options for viewers and this is the year for Global to make some inroads. It's building its schedule with solid programs such as Prison Break and My Name is Earl that might not be top five but are solid and staying around. It has put more emphasis on scripted programming and picked up 14 new dramas and eight new comedies for the upcoming season.

"Global is right on the bubble. It's had a fast turnaround because its strategy wasn't going after [marketshare gains] fast, the strategy was to try to be strong throughout and creep in."

Quick Search