Audience fragmentation, technological change challenge Western Association of Broadcasters

When it comes to the challenges facing broadcasters, Adam West has a long list. The past president of the Western Association of Broadcasters points to the rapid change of pace in broadcasting, regulatory shifts, audience fragmentation, the search for new revenue models, and the effects of new technologies. He wonders how listeners and viewers will access content in the future and how his membership will respond. The group represents private radio and television broadcasters in Alberta, Saskatchewan, and Manitoba. “When it comes to audience fragmentation, the challenges would be consumption: where are they going to get what they need, and with the digital landscape constantly evolving broadcasters need to evolve along with it,” the Winnipeg-based radio executive tells The Wire Report. West, a program director with Evanov Communications, believes broadcasters can succeed by going back to their roots. “We know that people can get music anywhere now and so the importance for broadcasters, specifically radio, is to create content in between the songs,” he states. “Content is a big word that’s thrown around a lot lately, but radio personalities were the original content creators. And so it’s important now more than ever to provide that content for the audience.” That may not necessarily be Canadian content. Current CRTC rules mandate that at least one-third of music played on most Canadian radio stations must fulfill two of four MAPL points; the music must be composed by a Canadian, the artist must be Canadian, the performance must be recorded in Canada, or the lyrics must be written by a Canadian. West hopes some changes will come in the CRTC’s upcoming proceeding into CanCon. Originally scheduled for June, the hearings will now take place in September. That proceeding follows June hearings on supporting a sustainable Canadian broadcasting system. While older stations — those who received their licenses more than 20 years ago — must play 35 per cent CanCon and newer licensees 40 per cent, West believes subscribers of online streaming services listen to a lower percentage of Canadian music. “We’re competing against streamers and digital offerings that have no regulations or restrictions on them,” he notes. In a July 2024 interview with The Wire Report, Canadian Association of Broadcasters president Kevin Desjardins expressed concern about the advent of artificial intelligence in the sector. West is cautiously optimistic about AI. The Manitoba broadcaster uses it to create playlists and check music charts. He says it can be beneficial if used properly. “As a tool, it’s great for research,” he states. He concedes there can be a dark side to AI. An Australian radio station created an AI disc jockey which broadcast for six months before listeners were aware of the deception. Broadcasters must pay attention to other technologies as they enter the new world of the medium. “You want to make sure that you are keeping up with trends on the digital landscape,” West avers. “You do want to make sure that your website is first of all completely fully functional, you want to make sure you’ve updated, you want to make sure you have the latest tools and interaction on your website.” Revenues have come under siege for broadcasters, especially since the pandemic. The WAB president wants to use all tools in bringing in money, whether that is radio advertising, remote broadcasts, sponsorships, or digital advertising. “I think that broadcasters have always looked ahead at new ways of generating revenue and always advancing revenue models,” he says. The 27-year broadcasting veteran rotated out of his presidency in May. The WAB permits one-year terms, which see the vice-president become president and the president become the past president. This allows for continuity, the group finds. As president, West found the work very rewarding but he looks forward to stepping back and letting someone else handle the major details. His successor is Caralee Parr of Alberta broadcaster Vista Radio. West began his career with radio station CKMM in Winnipeg, which was then part of the Craig broadcasting system. He did stints in Regina and Brandon, Man. before returning to the Manitoba capital. He has been with Evanov for a dozen years. The company operates three FM stations in Winnipeg, in addition to outlets in Ontario and Quebec. ppark@thewirereport.ca

Audience fragmentation, technological change challenge Western Association of Broadcasters

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By Paul Park
| June 3, 2025

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