Tragically Hip was one of those bands that you either liked them or couldn't really understand their appeal.  They connected with a lot of people and their album sales certainly confirm that.

Success didn't happen for them anywhere else but in Canada. I am not sure if their singles and albums were widely released outside of North America.   But they were popular in cities that could get Canadian radio like Detroit, Buffalo, Washington State/Seattle. In these cities they could sell out arenas.

A few weeks ago while listening to the WGRF Rock 97 morning show, a listener from Lancaster NY was listing his favourite bands that he liked to hear on the station.  His favourite band was Tragically Hip and he went on how many times he saw them in concert in Buffalo and across the border. 

The WNED program must be part of a fund raiser for the station.  Obviously appealing to their many Canadian viewers, but the band certainly was somewhat well known and reasonable popular in WNY. 

 

CKCK Regina which is currently a CTV owned and operated station was an affiliated station with CBS from 1954 to 1970. They were also a private affiliate of CBC during this time. 

There were a number of Canadian stations that had secondary affiliations with one of the US TV networks especially in the 50's and into the early 60's.  Most were independently owned stations but also an affiliate of CBC.

CKLW while still affiliated with CBC was also an affiliate of the Dumont TV network in the US.  I know that a few stations in Western Canada also had secondary affiliations with American networks for a time.

I don't know much about these arrangements or how extensive they were.  I am sure some programming was involved but I was also of the understanding that it involved news reporting.  This meant that a station like CKNX could run reports of stories from CBS on their local news.  In turn CKNX could send reports for CBS if anything of note happened in mid-western Ontario that would be of interest to a US audience.  And not necessarily always hard news.  

When the old NewsRadio network was operating across Canada, they were also affiliated with CBS radio.  When working at CKPR in Thunder Bay our radio station would send voice reports to CBS Radio in New York from time to time.  Occasionally they would call and ask if we had any reports or information on certain stories. 

Once we had a large train derailment in town and our news people sent various reports to CBS radio and all reports ended with the reporters name and CBS News Thunder Bay.  I actually did one of the reports for CBS Radio early one morning when they called and wanted a report on the derailment.  

CNN refer to Canadian stations as affiliates when they pick up a report from a Canadian source or network.  

Shorty Wave wrote:

As a teenager I went to boarding school and I didn’t watch tv for the 6 years I was there. Oddly enough I ended up working in television, go figure.

I was the same, in college enrolled in the broadcast course (Radio/TV) and not watching television.  I did listen to a lot of radio however.  

Even at my first job after college didn't watch television.  My apartment was furnished and had a portable black and white TV.  Living in Thunder Bay, the only stations I could get off air were CHFD (CTV), CKPR (CBC), TVO, and one station from Duluth Minn.  Didn't have cable. 

I remember watching a Leaf game one Saturday night when I was sick, and oddly enough watching Peter Gzowski's late night talk show.  The only reason I remember this is because he introduced a new comedian that nobody had ever heard of before.  Robin Williams.  I remember Williams was incredibly funny and unique.  Gzowski was laughing so hard, he could hardly talk, and the studio audience was roaring the whole time.

So like you, I went about six years and rarely watched TV.  Even though I majored in broadcasting and was working at a radio and TV station.   I had heard about all these great shows 1975 to around 1981 but watched almost none of them.  But I think when you are in your late teens and into your mid 20's even back then this wasn't rare. 

 

I didn't write it very clearly but I was talking about the 18-49 result for the Masters.  Golf attracts more young people than many think.  Went to the Canadian Open about 5 years ago and many of the sold out crowd was in that 18-49 demo.  Something I wasn't expecting. 

Well RA and I have certainly let fly quite a few times over the years.  And occasionally with Aaron.  I know I have come close to going over the line and regretted when I have.  But as long as it doesn't get personal and you keep some humour in the discussion and understand that it is just a debate, only broadcasting, and not life, then things don't get out of control. 

So thanks RA, and Aaron for all of the...let's call them, "frank exchanges" over the years.  It's been fun and I have always learned something whenever we chat.  Here's to a few more in the days ahead!  Hopefully  most of the members on SOWNY won't be thinking ...."not this again!"   

Interesting as well,  tomorrow evening CTV and City TV have no simsub.   CTV didn't have any Saturday night, Sunday night and none tomorrow.  Simsub will always be with us, but ever since COVID the Canadian networks generally don't seem to have as much or as consistent in prime time.  

mace wrote:

Are most of the CN Tower FM's available in KW?

In the car yes, not as good generally in the house off air.  Depends on the atmosphere. 

Maybe CBS will show the concert again soon.  Programming is repeated later in the week on some occasions.  Global ran the program at 9pm and all of Piano Man was included. This was maybe the highlight of the concert.
  
Global also chose to do something rare on broadcast TV.  They actually ran all of the credits at the end with no overlap of promo or squeeze screen to include ads.  They just ran the credits full screen, not speeded up but for all to read and it was kind of nice.  Perfect end to a wonderful concert. 

TV Ratings Guide is saying that CBS has ordered 22 episodes of SWAT for season 8 and the network as yet hasn't referred to this as the final season.  Last year season 7 was billed as the final year with CBS ordering 13 episodes, and this was prior to the strikes. 

Growing up I enjoyed The Ed Sullivan Show, Bonanza, The Monkees, Batman, Mission Impossible, The Forest Rangers, The Dean Martin Show, Hilarious House of Freightenstein, The Andy Griffith Show, Green Acres, Rocky and Bullwinkle, Tales of the Wizard of Oz, The Andy Williams Show, Wayne and Schuster, The Addams Family, The Carol Burnett Show and many more.  Didn't include SCTV because I was no longer a kid when it was on. 

Walter wrote:

There are such things as 'SWAT Fans'?  Who knew?

Hahaha, I don't watch it, in fact I have never looked at even one episode.  But, SWAT must have some sort of following. To be cancelled twice by CBS, only to be renewed on the same network a few months later is rare.  Global has run 7 seasons of the program, so odds are they will pick up the 8th. 

Radiowiz wrote:

Doesn't WKBW and CityNews Toronto share the same weather person also? Carl Lam on week ends?

Carl was at WGRZ channel 2 in Buffalo but he left last year.  He now works freelance at WKYC TV in Cleveland and I believe he still does weekend work for CityNews 680 in Toronto and mid day weather on CityNews 1130 in Vancouver.  He also does some work for City TV in Toronto and Vancouver but rarely appears on camera.  Mostly voice over weather.  

Bell certainly has got itself into a public relations mess.  Even their own stations were showing that clip of Kevin Waugh ripping into CEO Mirko Bibic yesterday.  Powerful stuff.

Most of this mess is Bell's fault in my opinion, but not all.  Even today because the layoffs at Bell Media and the much larger number at BCE are written in a way that implies that all 6,000 layoffs were Bell Media.
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How many times did the media report that 100 Source stores were closing?  How many people lost their jobs with this?  Or how many employees were let go at Bell Mobility?  Not a lot was reported on the big cutbacks at BCE and the expansion of their cellular networks.  We did hear much about the 45 radio stations that were sold, and the cancelling of weekend newscasts.   Some media reports even said initially that Bell was closing 45 radio stations.

Almost all of the reporting focused on what Bell Media was doing, but very little regarding the much bigger number of people being let go in other divisions of BCE.  In reality Bell Media over the past six months has downsized by about 600 positions, including jobs that were vacant.  About the same number as the  layoffs at CBC.  Still a lot and a shame for those out of work, but not 6,000.

Bell should have clarified all of this right at the beginning.  They either didn't or did a very poor job explaining. Not a good look for a communications company.  However, the news media reporting the story should do their homework and get their facts straight.  They did and continue to do a lousy job reporting on the impact of all of these cutbacks and not only at Bell Media. 

Regarding CTV in Saskatoon with only 1 hour of local news every day.  How many hours of  local news do the Global and CBC stations in Saskatoon carry every day?  Regina and Saskatoon still have a local morning show from 6am to 9am weekdays with CTV Morning Live Saskatchewan.  We have nothing like that here in Toronto or Ontario and must put up wi

darcyh wrote:

I believe that building was built from scratch for CJBK. In its day it was quite a modern looking structure. I went there a couple of times to pick up an album I had won. It had a beautiful reception area.

As Bell acquired more London radio stations, former fierce competitor CKSL AM 1410 and CIQM 97.5 were moved into the building for a total of 4 stations broadcasting from this facility.

The building has been up for sale for a while. The FM stations now operate from the CFPL TV building on Communications Rd. Both AM stations were shut down are are now silent. 

Yes the building was constructed for CJBK and you are right, it was a very modern and attractive structure for it's day.  I think they were asking $1.9 million for the building and property. 

CFPL TV was doubled in size and had a major renovation in 1985.  This was back in the days when they were making money and still a CBC affiliate.   At this time the station had about 200 employees.  CFPL TV is a nice looking building and would have lots of room for the radio stations.  Wonder how many people work in that facility now?