NRJ Montreal is some of the worst radio i have ever heard

[midnightcity]

I live in Montreal and i have never heard worse programming than NRJ 94.3. Its supposedly a HOT AC station yet plays the most random and un cohesive songs
i have ever heard on the radio. They went from being a dance CHR 2 years ago to a horrible rock hot ac?! Also, when they add a new song they barely play it. Like 7 times a week. Seriously what's the point? Also, soooo many ads, like an unreal amount. Terrible programming, terrible radio. 

[CT40]

Nov 18, 2013 1:14:19 GMT -5 midnightcity said:

I live in Montreal and i have never heard worse programming than NRJ 94.3. Its supposedly a HOT AC station yet plays the most random and un cohesive songs
i have ever heard on the radio. They went from being a dance CHR 2 years ago to a horrible rock hot ac?! Also, when they add a new song they barely play it. Like 7 times a week. Seriously what's the point? Also, soooo many ads, like an unreal amount. Terrible programming, terrible radio. 

I emailed their music director about a year ago when they were starting to transition from CHR to Hot AC.  There were rumours that they were going Hot AC and I wanted to know if there was any truth to them.  She flat out denied the format change and said the rumours were completely false.  A few weeks later they were full on Hot AC.  She is still with the station.  Their sister station in Quebec went Hot AC a few months later.  The other NRJ stations in Quebec are still CHR, but a few of them lean Adult.

CKOI Montreal is now copying the NRJ formula and is playing a lot of 80's and 90's gold rock hits as well as adding more and more current and recurrent Hot AC/Modern fair.  I believe both stations are now looking to an older more lucrative audience since the youth in the city have flocked to Virgin.  Interesting that Virgin has gotten rid of the "Montreal's #1 Hit Music Station" positioner on their website, but still identify themselves as such on air.  At least as of a month ago, which is the last time I listened to them.

[midnightcity]

Nov 19, 2013 16:46:12 GMT -5 CT40 said:

Nov 18, 2013 1:14:19 GMT -5 midnightcity said:

I live in Montreal and i have never heard worse programming than NRJ 94.3. Its supposedly a HOT AC station yet plays the most random and un cohesive songs
i have ever heard on the radio. They went from being a dance CHR 2 years ago to a horrible rock hot ac?! Also, when they add a new song they barely play it. Like 7 times a week. Seriously what's the point? Also, soooo many ads, like an unreal amount. Terrible programming, terrible radio. 

I emailed their music director about a year ago when they were starting to transition from CHR to Hot AC.  There were rumours that they were going Hot AC and I wanted to know if there was any truth to them.  She flat out denied the format change and said the rumours were completely false.  A few weeks later they were full on Hot AC.  She is still with the station.  Their sister station in Quebec went Hot AC a few months later.  The other NRJ stations in Quebec are still CHR, but a few of them lean Adult.

CKOI Montreal is now copying the NRJ formula and is playing a lot of 80's and 90's gold rock hits as well as adding more and more current and recurrent Hot AC/Modern fair.  I believe both stations are now looking to an older more lucrative audience since the youth in the city have flocked to Virgin.  Interesting that Virgin has gotten rid of the "Montreal's #1 Hit Music Station" positioner on their website, but still identify themselves as such on air.  At least as of a month ago, which is the last time I listened to them.

That's pretty funny that she flat out denied it lol.  Also, don't you think Virgin Montreal should report to the CHR panel? They are flat out NOT a hot ac station. There's very little Colbie Caillat, Sarah Bareilles, Christina Perry, American Authors, The Script, The Fray, Daughtry, Goo Goo Dolls, all acts that are normal Hot AC staples. Their playlist is basically a Mainstream CHR with lower spin rotations. Thoughts?

[CT40]

Virgin 96 is one of those stations that could easily be put on the CHR panel and not be out of place, especially the past couple of years.

[reidster]

I always preferred NRJ in Ottawa to Hot 899 or Kiss. Wonder if it is the same?

[CT40]

Dec 21, 2013 16:06:12 GMT -5 reidster said:

I always preferred NRJ in Ottawa to Hot 899 or Kiss. Wonder if it is the same?

Definitely not like they used to be.

[Deleted]

Just stumbled upon this thread by random means... I was listening to NRJ 94.3 the other day with Galaxy, and was surprised to hear that they were playing 100% rock songs, but then it was past midnight so I thought it was just a coincidence.

So if anyone is still reading this thread... What prompted that sudden change of format? I understand NRJ may be trying to appeal to an older audience, but they've always been CHR - Maybe with a little more variety in the past, though, as a multi-format station. Plus, I don't think the audience flocked to Virgin that much, since the French-speaking CHR listeners will be more inclined to listen to NRJ than to Virgin. Also, my local NRJ station, 104.1, is still CHR despite fierce competition from 2 English-speaking CHR stations, HOT 89.9 and 105.3 KISS FM.

[CT40]

Mar 13, 2014 19:12:24 GMT -5 Geometrical said:

Just stumbled upon this thread by random means... I was listening to NRJ 94.3 the other day with Galaxy, and was surprised to hear that they were playing 100% rock songs, but then it was past midnight so I thought it was just a coincidence.

So if anyone is still reading this thread... What prompted that sudden change of format? I understand NRJ may be trying to appeal to an older audience, but they've always been CHR - Maybe with a little more variety in the past, though, as a multi-format station. Plus, I don't think the audience flocked to Virgin that much, since the French-speaking CHR listeners will be more inclined to listen to NRJ than to Virgin. Also, my local NRJ station, 104.1, is still CHR despite fierce competition from 2 English-speaking CHR stations, HOT 89.9 and 105.3 KISS FM.

Yes, they wanted to appeal to a more advertiser friendly audience.  Both NRJ and Virgin are owned by Bell, so why not differentiate a bit and let CKOI have the younger, less lucrative audience?  And Virgin is ranked 4th in the market for total number of Francophone listeners, NRJ is 5th.  That's right, more Francophones listen to Virgin than they do NRJ, according to the latest BBM figures.