sowny.net | The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum


You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?

SOWNY » I need some valium, the Jays are on Apple TV tonight- » April 18, 2025 1:24 pm

mojo55
Replies: 7

Go to post

Go to the website https://thetvapp.to/ and scroll to MLB, select the Mariners-Jays game and stream free.
You can actually watch free streams of baseball, basketball, hockey and football games as well.  Enjoy!

SOWNY » Is The Word "Radio" Slowly Disappearing From CFRB? » April 7, 2025 6:56 pm

mojo55
Replies: 18

Go to post

WBFO-FM at 88.7 cannot be heard in North York in my car.  The issue may be a weak signal but having Newmarket's CKDX at 88.5 and the ethnic station CIRV at 88.9 certainly don't help.

SOWNY » Is The Word "Radio" Slowly Disappearing From CFRB? » April 7, 2025 5:42 pm

mojo55
Replies: 18

Go to post

A few years ago receiving an acceptable AM signal in my apartment was becoming extremely difficult. In addition, It was becoming more difficult to tune in to a clear, distortion-free signal on FM radio on a standard
table sized or portable radio in our condo.  I seriously considered purchasing either an HD radio or Bluetooth speaker.  After much deliberation, I decided on a Bluetooth speaker as well as an Alexa smart speaker and 
have never looked back.  My wife likes the fact that she can ask for any station or type of music without actually tuning it in manually.  There is also so much more choice with online listening. For example, if the closest NPR station  such as Buffalo's WBFO is blocked by a Canadian station (thanks to the CRTC), no problem since you can get any NPR station that airs online.  We can listen to our favourite podcasts on demand as well as easy listening  or folk music no longer available on terrestrial radio.  So, I am glad I opted for online listening rather than HD radio.

SOWNY » BBC Decides To Geoblock Some Radio & Audio Feeds On The Web » April 1, 2025 11:14 pm

mojo55
Replies: 9

Go to post

After reading more about this, I have learned that only BBC Sounds wont be available outside the UK. You will still be able to hear BBC World Service and BBC Radio 4 on the new site at BBC.com later this spring. In addition you will still be able to access BBC World Service on certain NPR stations such as 24 hours a day on WRVO HD3 available as an online stream. Furthermore, BBC World Service will continue to be available on Sirius XM.  And, most importantly, all BBC radio stations will continue to be available on Tune-In and other radio apps.  So, you wont need to pay for a VPN to receive BBC Radio.  I enjoy listening to BBC World Service and also BBC Radio 4 Extra for drama which continues to be produced for radio in the UK.

SOWNY » Latest Buffalo Radio Ratings Show 2 AMs In The Top 5 » March 10, 2025 7:46 pm

mojo55
Replies: 10

Go to post

How did WBEN-AM make it into the top 5?  It is totally unlistenable.  Talk shows with endless commercials serving as Trump mouthpieces with hateful angry white men spewing theor right wing garbage. What a decline from a once great total service station that was first an NBC affiliate and later CBS affiliate during radio's golden age.  How the mighty have fallen

SOWNY » Is Today's News From Washington A Sign of Darker Times Ahead » March 1, 2025 12:17 am

mojo55
Replies: 124

Go to post

I am surprised that nobody has yet commented on Trump's reality show performance at the White House today.  If Trump really is siding with Putin and no longer cares about the rest of the free world including Canada, are we in danger of losing our freedom of the press and media in a world dominated by the likes of Donald Trump (Corleone) and Putin?  He now controls which media have access to White House events. Who will defend the free world?
The fact that today's episode of the new Apprentice show was on display for the world to see was both embarrassing and an eye-opener of what Canada could be facing next.

SOWNY » US Talk Radio Mimics Trump's Derision of Canada » February 21, 2025 1:36 pm

mojo55
Replies: 4

Go to post

I was listening to Bob Lonsberry on WHAM 1180 this morning, a vast wasteland interrupted by multiple commercials.
Bob was constantly deriding and making fun out of Canada becoming the 51st. state and referring to Justin Trudeau
as morally bankrupt Governor Trudeau.  He stated that Canada  should be grateful for even being considered to be the 51st state since it would benefit us culturally and economically.  I called the station and just spoke to the screener
as I did not want to go on the air. I told him that Canada is not for sale and that Canadians are not interested and will never be interested in becoming a state since we hate their politics, lack of social programs, and superiority complex.
 

SOWNY » Peter Mansbridge and shilling money from your mortgage » February 15, 2025 3:32 pm

mojo55
Replies: 15

Go to post

Peter's podcast which also runs daily on Sirius XM is so much better than any talk show on 640 or 1010.  Minimal or no interruptions for countless commercials, no traffic-weather reports and Peter spenda almost a full hour discussing
an issue in depth with knowledgeable guest experts.  He has a very pleasant demeanour and never talks down to his audience unlike some talk show hosts in this city.  I have made it appointment listening for me on a daily basis.

SOWNY » Some Cdn. Stations Showing Trump Inauguration » January 20, 2025 3:11 pm

mojo55
Replies: 25

Go to post

I agree with Aytononline. The Bridge with Peter Mansbridge is very informative & thought-provoking. I learn more in this 1 hour podcast than I would get out of hours of talk radio and I don't have to put up with 7 minutes of commercials every few minutes. Peter's guest experts are presently working in the media or are retired after years of reporting on national & international affairs.

SOWNY » Rod Serling Would Have Been 100 On Xmas Day, But Left A Legacy Behind » December 25, 2024 4:00 pm

mojo55
Replies: 2

Go to post

All the Twilight Zone episodes from five seasons are available on demand from CITY-TV. On Rogers Xfinity.
the Night of the Meek is Season 2 Episode 11....you can easily find it and no VPN is required. CITY TV is still
showing the series every Sunday night st midnight and you can also find it airing every night at 12 :30AM on MeTV.

SOWNY » New Classic Comedies Site Plus Streaming Links to Antenna TV and MeTV » December 6, 2024 8:50 pm

mojo55
Replies: 15

Go to post

Glad some of you are enjoying these nostalgic sites.  Unfortunately with the $64K Question, the truth came out years later that some of the contestants were being given the correcct answers ahead of time.  This scandal resulted in the
rapid decline in popularity of the big money quiz shows.

SOWNY » New Classic Comedies Site Plus Streaming Links to Antenna TV and MeTV » December 4, 2024 5:11 pm

mojo55
Replies: 15

Go to post

Many classic sitcoms from the old Uncle Earl's site have been sorted & organized via Internet Archives.  The new site
can be accessed at sitcomsonline.com.  Also, at the bottom of the first or second screen of listings, look carefully
and you will find a free streaming link to Antenne TV in Detroit and two more links to MeTV channels in Missouri.
If you enjoy classic TV you will find these streaming links invaluable.   Enjoy!!

SOWNY » Marc Saltzman On Where To Find Classic Old Time Radio Shows » October 7, 2024 1:46 pm

mojo55
Replies: 5

Go to post

Radio's Gunsmoke was a western noir....darker and more realistic than the TV version.  William Conrad portrayed a fallible Dillon who was an anti-hero.  The radio show had a grittier feeling and the sound effects were amazing.  Though Conrad did not look the part, it did not matter because he was a better actor than
Arness. The sound effects were amazing.  I think Clint Eastwood would have been a better choice for Dillon on TV

SOWNY » Tales of the first transistor radio » September 30, 2024 3:54 pm

mojo55
Replies: 8

Go to post

In 1959 I won my first transistor radio from CKEY. It was a pocket size 8 transistor, the Sony TR 86. I still have this radio for sentimental reasons though it no longer works.  It had great selectivity and sensitivity for such a small radio but rapidly used up 9 volt batteries.  I took it with me anytime I went out. Lots of gteat memories.

SOWNY » AM740’s Bob Komsic Hangs Up His Headphones » August 31, 2024 11:28 am

mojo55
Replies: 7

Go to post

I agree.  Both 740 and classical 96.3 have intelligent well presented newcasts.  They also actually have a radio news department unlike 1010.

SOWNY » WCBS 880 New York to end all-news programming » August 14, 2024 8:53 pm

mojo55
Replies: 31

Go to post

As is often the case nowadays when an iconic radio station reaches a milestone or goes silent its true heritage is all but forgotten. WCBS was the flagship Eastern station of the CBS Radio network  During WWII it carried the renowned voices of Edward R Murrow's CBS news team with detailed accounts of the latest war news.  Listeners in the eastern half of North America relied on its powerful signal to hear such popular shows as Jack Benny, Amos n Andy. Bergen & McCarthy, Lux Theatre and of course Orison Welles' War of the World.  CBS Radio and later CBS-TV became the most trusted network for news coverage. This is truly a sad loss of an iconic clear channel frequency,  Thank you
William Paley for creating the network & this station.

SOWNY » 900 CHML Closing » August 14, 2024 8:37 pm

mojo55
Replies: 141

Go to post

Joe Warmington did a very touching tribute in today's Toronto Sun.  Personalities I fondly remember at CHML were Paul Hanover, Norm Marshall, Perc Allen, Bob Bratina, Tom Cherington and Gordie Tapp.  In terms of status, CHML was Hamilton's version of what CFRB used to be in Toronto a full service station with outstanding news & sports. During radio's golden years CHML was affiliated with CBC's Dominion network carrying a wide variety. of Canadian and U.S. programming. As an old time radio buff it is indeed very sad to see an iconic station go silent.

SOWNY » Why CHUM Wasn't The 1st T.O. Station To Play Rock & Roll » July 30, 2024 12:05 am

mojo55
Replies: 17

Go to post

In the early 50s prior to May 27, 1957 CHUM was a minor player on the Toronto radio scene.  It was a dawn to dusk station which meant that in the dead of winter its listeners had to wait until close to 7:00 AM for it to start its morning show and would lose its signal at 5:00Pm during afternoon drive. The big players at the top of the ratings were CFRB and CKEY. If you wanted MOR music with top notch news and variety (specialty programs) you stayed with RB.  If you 
 wamted only music and news you stayed with CKEY. The music on all four private stations was very similar MOR
 with CFRB and CHUM providing the odd country program and CKFH leaning occasionally more to jazz and big band.
During the early50s CHUM played the top 10 hit parade songs each Saturday afternoon at 1:30PM and CKOC also played the weekly top 10 hit parade songs every Sunday afternoon at 12:30PM. Some famous people that got their start at CHUM during the early 50s included newsman Harvey Kirck, actor comedian Larry Mann , a DJ, and quizmaster Monty Hall's brother Bob Hall.

SOWNY » Why CHUM Wasn't The 1st T.O. Station To Play Rock & Roll » July 29, 2024 2:31 pm

mojo55
Replies: 17

Go to post

As ffar back as 1954, I recall that WKBW 1520  was playing rock and roll (mostly R&B) each night at 8:00PM with
The Hound  George Lorenz.  I used to listen to The Lone Ranger on Mon Wed & Fri at 7:30PM and immediately afterwards you would hear the sound of a hound  thereby signaling the start of George's show. It was definitely ahead of its time.

SOWNY » Trump Shot At Rally....shades of 11.22.63 » July 13, 2024 7:35 pm

mojo55
Replies: 16

Go to post

I was watching the CTV Toronto 6pm news and at about 6:27pm switched over to NBC for their newscast only to discover that they were covering true breaking news that Trump habd been shot at his rally in Pennsylvania.
This should have been flashed as a bulletin on every channel but CFTO did not break the story when it happened.
The American  networks as well as the Canadian news networks were all over it.  I had a strange sensation of Deja vu
from 11.22.63.  Actually this incident is not surprising with the proliferation of guns and mentally unfit people who have possession of them as wel as Trump's enemies. Was this a lone shooter and like 61 years ago will we ever know the truth?

SOWNY » Star Says Corus Close to Bankruptcy » July 6, 2024 2:22 pm

mojo55
Replies: 11

Go to post

Today's Toronto Star has a feature article in their Business section claiming that Corus is close to bankruptcy.
There have been rumours in the past but it now seems to be more of a crisis.  Would any company come to their rescue?  Comments?

SOWNY » Rebel News David Menzies arrested » June 22, 2024 12:54 am

mojo55
Replies: 48

Go to post

Chrisphen you have absolutely no evidence for the outrageous claim you are making, I would like to request that the moderator remove your post. I thought we were going to keep highly sensitive politicsl statements out of this forum

SOWNY » 100 Years Of WLS — The ‘World’s Largest Store’ — Radio » April 11, 2024 4:50 pm

mojo55
Replies: 5

Go to post

Great article except for the fact that the writer totally ignored the 1940s and early 1950s , the golden age of radio.
Those were the years when radio served as the home's primary source of information and entertainment.  WLS was the Chicago affiliate of the NBC Blue network which became the American Broadcasting Company in the mid forties.
During WWII people were glued to radio for war news.  ABC radio was the home of such news commentators as
Paul Harvey, Edward P Morgan and Quincy Howe.  Howard Cosell got his start on ABC radio before starring on TV.
The Lone Ranger, Ozzie & Harriet, Corliss Archer, This Is Your FBI, Bing Crosby, Abbott & Costello and Space Patrol appeared on WLS and ABC radio before switching to TV.  In the early 50s WLS and ABC radio aired entertainment
ranging from the Metropolitan Opera broadcasts on Saturdays to boxing broadcasts on the Blue Ribbon Bouts on Wednesday nights to Friday Night Fights before the Friday bouts went to NBC. During all these years, American radio
(and of course Canadian radio) played a very important role in our culture and should not be forgotten.



 

SOWNY » Free Classic TV Site...Alternative to Uncle Earl » April 3, 2024 4:09 pm

mojo55
Replies: 9

Go to post

I have found a free classic TV website which is almost as good as the now defunct Uncle Earl's Classic TV.
The only issue is that the audio won't work on a mobile device (iphone or ipad) so you have to watch it on a Windows
device.  The link is:  PDTV.LIVE    It also has quite a few classic movies.  Enjoy!

SOWNY » Which GTHA Station Would You Bring Back If You Could? » March 31, 2024 2:58 pm

mojo55
Replies: 13

Go to post

The station I would bring back is 99.9 CKFM the sound of our Toronto fron the 1970s and 1980s with the likes of Don Daynard, Russ Thompson and Carl Banas.  This was light & easy soft rock at its best. I can still recreate these sounds thanks to Spotify which has a stream dedicated to CKFM from that era as well as other streams bringing back the easy listening sounds of 60s 70s and 80s FM radio.

SOWNY » Radio Ratings - In 1951! » March 21, 2024 5:20 pm

mojo55
Replies: 10

Go to post

There appear to be some omissions.  Surely Jack Benny's program, the Saturday night NHL hockey broadcasts and
the Wayne and Shuster Show must have been in the top 15.  Jack Benny was only available through US stations
since it was sponsored by Lucky Strike ads which were embedded in the show not allowing for Canadian ads.
Both NHL hockey on Saturday night and Wayne & Shuster aired on CBC radio as well as CFRB.

SOWNY » My Congratulations to CNN » January 16, 2024 2:40 pm

mojo55
Replies: 3

Go to post

The Republican shenanigans are in Shakespeare's words Much Ado About Nothing.  For Haley & Desantis, it is an exercise in futility.  Trump has the GOP wrapped atound his little finger and just like the Pied Piper of Hamlin.  they are
lining up and following sheepishly behind him.   What a total waste of time and money for the GOP since their nominee is already a foregone conclusion.  Sad to see the USA sink to the depths of demagoguery.

SOWNY » Kevin Newman on Peter Mansbridge's commercial debut » January 13, 2024 6:51 pm

mojo55
Replies: 6

Go to post

I strongly disagree with Kevin. Peter has been very active in his retirement. He is writing books and currently hosts a daily podcast on Sirius XM and podcast platforms called The Bridge. It is an hour-long discussion on national and international affairs with minimal breaks. Excellent thought-provoking topics and discussions. It is very popular and far better than the bits & bytes of boring talk radio. Every Monday his guest is Janice Stein from the Munk school discussing the Middle East and Ukraine conflicts. He is doing what he enjoys doing in retirement and since he is no longer a national TV anchor I see nothing wrong in his working in advertising/promotion to make extra income.
More power to him. He sounds great on his podcasts. By the way, what is Kevin doing in his retirement years? 

Board footera