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March 14, 2016 11:51 pm  #1


Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

You know what I'm talking about...  Kijiji on the radio

Where the listeners call in to sell their household items, clothing, lawnmowers etc.

I have. I hosted a show at 11 a.m. each weekday morning. We had a few rules that I can't recall...probably no guns, cars etc. While I hated doing it...I tried to have as fun with it as I could.

But our biggest problem was that we had NO DELAY. And that's playing with fire...
My screener Bob did his best to weed out the idiots but the occasional a-hole would get through.
 
You've heard the term low budget show ?? Swap Shop fits that bill and then some...

Anyone here host one or something similar ??


  
 

March 15, 2016 12:13 am  #2


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

yes.... i hosted "swap shop" during my first full-time radio gig (at a small-market station in nova scotia). someone called in to announce they found a pair of false teeth." she gave the location and phone number and i followed up with: "you'll know the right person is calling, in my best gummy impression -> if they sound like this."

Last edited by the original hank (March 15, 2016 12:13 am)

 

March 15, 2016 2:43 am  #3


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

My all time favorite "Loathsome Broadcast" was the funeral announcements daily at 12:30 pm on CFRA Ottawa, for "The Kelly Funeral Homes".

I had just agreed to take over the evening show on CFRA in November of 1976 when I sat in my hotel room and decided I should turn on this new radio rocker I was to be working at and find out what they sounded like...


So I dialed "580" just in time for the funeral announcements...

I remember at that moment I began praying: "Holy Mary, Mother of God, what have I gotten myself into?"
 

 

March 15, 2016 6:39 am  #4


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

All of the foregoing are yours weekdays from 560 CFOS ("Can't Find Owen Sound"):      Death & funeral announcements at 11:55 AM, is the daily lunch appetizer and that's followed by hockey & curling standings from Chatsworth and Wiarton, then the Lost Oldies (dusty 45s purchased at an estate sale tipped off by one of the funeral announcements) and then at 1:30; and this is the big one, well worth waiting for particularly if you're looking for used tractor tires or a bar fridge . . . DIAL-A-DEAL!

 

March 15, 2016 1:45 pm  #5


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

Yes, 'Swap 'n Shop' 6-7pm weeknights in Dawson Creek at CJDC in' 80 with a talented guy named Bob Snider - he was British and had worked Radio Caroline, told me all about north sea storms and Christmases without presents or food delivery. We had so much fun doing stand up together on air during the hour long program and making fun of some of the items people were trying to sell and though it was entertaining radio the GM [ Mike Michaud ] separated us and never let us work together again! [ sad face ]. The show was a local touchstone and very popular...a once upon a time picture of small town radio.

Last edited by Roseee (March 15, 2016 1:53 pm)


Talk to the hand!
 

March 15, 2016 2:04 pm  #6


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

Thank God I never had to do that during my brief time on air, but I well recall going on vacation to the States and hearing small town stations air similar shows under the not-so-clever name "Tradio," an apparent amalgam of "trade" and "radio." I especially remember one incident on a tiny station, WTGR in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina in the early 70s. The host took a call from someone who was obviously very young and you could almost hear disaster in the making. 

But he took him anyway, and apparently without the proverbial 7-second delay. The kid proceeded to reel off about five different items he supposedly had for sale, before concluding with, "And I'd like to sell my goddam mother!" He was immediately cut off and the host made reference to kids being out of school without anything better to do. But the damage was done.

This kind of radio, while it may ostensibly serve a local community, is purgatory for the poor schmuck who has to front it and pretend it's interesting. Only once did that actually happen and it was the late, great John Michael at CKTB a long time ago. An old guy with a thick accent called up and requested that anyone with some "used ply-use" should call in. Michael spent the next 15-30 minutes trying to figure out what he was saying and despite repeated attempts, the caller's accent was so thick and he was mispronouncing it so badly, it still wasn't clear.

But it was hilarious, as caller after caller rang up to try to explain what they thought he wanted. In the end, it turned out to be some "used pliers" but by then, it had become a cause celebre on the station. For years, Michael would refer to that incident as one of his favourite moments and would replay it occasionally on his anniversary shows.

Which just proves with the right person in that chair, even the most boring radio can be turned into some magic moments. 

Now where did I put those used ply-use?

Last edited by RadioActive (March 15, 2016 2:05 pm)

 

March 15, 2016 3:11 pm  #7


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

ply-use?

The first thing that popped into my mind was pliers.

But why would anyone want want to buy used pliers?

Oh well, to each their own.
 

 

March 15, 2016 3:31 pm  #8


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

RadioActive wrote:

  
    
  with the right person in that chair, even the most boring radio can be turned into some magic moments. 

  

Amen to that !!!


 


  
     Thread Starter
 

March 15, 2016 5:30 pm  #9


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

I used to host a swap-shop and more recently a buy and sell segment.  The show is of entirely great interest to the ONE person trying to sell a cadiddle.  It is also of interest to the TWO people who are trying to find one ... cheap.  For everyone else?  Not so much/Not AT ALL.  A good host can make it somewhat more interesting/entertaining but not to the point where it'll really be listenable.  Perhaps that's why the want-ads aren't on the front page of the newspaper or magazines.

It's bad radio/lazy radio.  Want to do something meaningful for the community?  THAT ain't it.



 

 

March 15, 2016 6:47 pm  #10


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

The first time I EVER played Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven" on CFRA Ottawa in 1976 it was interrupted for a news bulletin from CFRA Radio News: "The results of the Briar in curling this evening..."
(The GM Terry Kielty was really INTO curling)

 

March 15, 2016 7:34 pm  #11


Re: Anybody Ever Host A "Swap Shop" ??

Old Codger wrote:

It's bad radio/lazy radio.  Want to do something meaningful for the community?  THAT ain't it.

 

Having hosted such a show on a couple occasions I agree with many of the above assertions. However, in some smaller markets it continues to be a popular draw. Mind you, many stations have moved it to their website.