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The "Spring 2008" book measured Edmonton television audiences from February 7th through 13, February 26th through March 5th, and March 13th through 19th, 2008.

Unlike the Fall 2007 television ratings book that somehow allowed both Global and CTV Edmonton to claim the top spot, there was no mistaking the Spring 2008 numbers – Global's got it!

The local television arm of the Canada.com media empire beat out its longtime competitor CTV Edmonton 130,700 viewers to 122,300 during the key supper-hour time slot.

CBC's News at Six pulled in close to 4,400 viewers while CityTV enjoyed support from just 1,400.

Global's 5:00 pm. newscast gained 9,000 viewers over Spring 2007, bringing the show's viewership to 78,900. On the day the ratings were released, Lynda Steele said the Early News was "the clear leader" in the time slot – likely referring dominance over CTV's Oprah Winfrey offering.

The morning news boasted a viewership of 51,100, up 21,000 over the same period in 2007.

Global news director Neill Fitzpatrick commented at length during his station's piece on the ratings news.

"We receive feedback from our viewers on a daily basis, either through phone calls, e-mails, on our web site, on our Facebook site. Not all the comments are positive but the vast majority of them are.

"So when we see the ratings like this it's confirmation that we're doing the right thing and covering the right stories – the stories that affect our viewers.

"It truly is gratifying to see it translate into ratings like this. It's been a lot of hard work by a lot of people here at Global Edmonton. It's great to see so we thank our viewers."

The survey covered what the BBM calls the extended Edmonton market which includes parts of northern and central Alberta. In the past, it was that 'extended market' that always gave CTV Edmonton the edge in numbers.

"Traditionally, CTV reaches far more viewers than we do just because of their broadcasting reach," Fitzpatrick told the Edmonton Journal.

"They have signals in some communities of northern Alberta, for instance, that you can't get Global in, so it's always been a tough nut to crack. So this is really significant and gratifying for us that we're gaining more and more viewers."

Fitzpatrick credited Global's top showing to the addition of the Global 1 helicopter and the upgrading of the station's weather-forecasting abilities.

Also not to be discounted is Gord Steinke's "Your Town" segment, directly aimed at the rural market.

For the first time in what seemed like forever, a CTV Edmonton news director had to deal with being in second place.

Taking over the reins from third-generation news director Steve Hogle in August 2007, Glenn Kubish was most diplomatic in his words with the Journal, saying viewers were the real winners.

"They get the results of really good competition between two really good TV stations," Kubish said.

Online newshounds also benefitted when the local CTV affiliate finally performed an extreme makeover of their web site early in the ratings period.

Previously a static page (see Fall 2006 screenshots), www.ctvedmonton.ca is now a vibrant site.

Unlike Global's site, with its heavy reliance on Canada.com for updated content, CTV's prominently features local stories written in-house.

For its part, the Global Edmonton control rooms were currently being gutted in preparation for high definition broadcast and upgrading required for the local station to become part of the network's digital system.

Also anticipated on the local newsfront are additional reporters in the field for CBC Edmonton – along with a co-anchor for Portia Clark. There were also hints that a weatherperson would be added.

The public broadcaster "right-sized" the Calgary portion of their Newsworld operation earlier in the spring, allowing the additional "on the ground" positions to be created.

Edmonton market numbers for national newscasts also favoured Global.

Global National (at 5:30 p.m.) attracted 105,700 viewers, while CTV's National News (at 11 p.m.) drew 31,400 viewers while CBC's The National (at 10 p.m.) settled in at 26,500.

Both the CTV and CBC national newscasts are also available at multiple times on Newsnet and Newsworld, respectively, and were not part of the sample.

The next ratings period takes place during one week in June and July, 2008 with numbers expected to be released September 8th.

In the days following the news of Global's triumph their viewers were thanked in a fifteen-second spot for making the station "from morning to night Edmonton's Number One news source."

Global also trumpetted the news of their viewership gains in print ads.

television - edmonton ratings archives - spring 2008