A little known fact is that Stompin' Tom is buried in a local GTA gravesite in Erin, Ontario

https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/106341169/tom-connors

https://youtu.be/R8z8ni5nY6I

 

The "shot box" was on the third floor at 99 Queen.  The same small (very small) studio where John Majhor did his "Toronto Rocks" show.  The VTR's on each side were fake, with slots cut in them so he could insert the video tapes.



 

During my time at Citytv (and the other CHUM properties) we would often be told of some odd, out of the blue, idea that Moses wanted to do.  After initially rolling the eyes, and grudgingly going down the path to implement said "idea", I had to admit, after some time, that he was "right once again".  A challenging man to deal with, but then, most "visionaries" are.  He is certainly due his credit because he did change the face of TV in Toronto and practically "everywhere".

mic'em wrote:

Dougie's  got to pay for the tunnel somehow

Possibly, it's difficult for any government to maintain, let alone expand, funding for a service that has diminished value.


 

Glen Warren wrote:

Which asks the question, why were cell phones not alerting on the evening of Sunday Nov. 10th when there was the tornado / weather alert issued by Environment Canada for Caledon, Brampton and Peel (which is really like Peel without Mississauga, but that is for another discussion)

Our phones are with Rogers, and my work phone is with Telus...  nothing, zilch, squat with respect to a extreme weather warning...  but it was on TV...

TV and phones had the the test alert this afternoon...
 

The alerts are geo coded.  If the codes were only for the Caledon and Brampton areas, and your phone was not located within those areas, then you would not receive the alert.  Radio and TV stations whose licensed broadcast area covers those geo codes would broadcast the alert.

Todya's test had geo codes for all areas therefore everyone gets it
 

Radio Bob wrote:

So many other ethnic groups have must-carry channels

Which ethnic groups have must carry?
 

RadioAaron wrote:

Yes, they're no better or worse an operator than anyone else. Shaw set them up to fail.

yup

My comment from last year

 

RadioAaron wrote:

Bell and Rogers are both pushing their satellite customers to switch to fibre, hard. Only rural/remote customers who have no choice will be left, soon.

The other viable option for many rural customers is wireless (aka cellular and "silo internet").  With the deployment of 5G and more cell sites, customers can switch to "wireless home internet" and subscribe to streaming services.  Many rural homes have already made the switch.
 

CBLT is still on the CN Tower.  They moved from VHF (5) to UHF with the transition to digital.

They operate on UHF channel 20 (actual RF channel) but still use the "virtual channel" channel designation of 5.1

Their channel 5 VHF antenna was located immediately above the original FM broadcast antenna on the CN Tower mast

Since they were no longer using the channel 5 VHF antenna, it was removed, which in turn created space to install a new FM antenna used by the FM radio stations


 

Hansa wrote:

How much would the electricity needed for CFRX to broadcast 24 hours a day at 1 kW actually cost?

see my Oct 20, 2021 (1:53pm) comment about hydro cost

 

I was there for the launch of MuchMusic.  These were exciting times in Canadian television as the "Specialty channels" were just starting to explode.  TSN also launched on the same day.

Of course, "Much" started its life at 99 Queen Street East, the home of Citytv.  However, the production space was actually located on the 4th floor of the building immediately to the east (111 Queen St).  An opening on the 4th floor was created between the two buildings.

MuchMusic was distributed across the country via satellite.  The original uplink (and that of TSN) was provided by Telesat and located at the base of the CN Tower, near the loading docks.  It relocated to Leslie Street when Skydome was built.

Given that audio played a big part of MuchMusic, efforts were undertaken to ensure the service had the best audio quality possible.  To that end, their colleagues up at CHUM radio were tapped to provide guidance on audio processing (Dorroughs at the time).  Also, equipment was installed on the satellite uplink to provide the widest bandwidth and dynamic range.  The cable companies across Canada were notified of this and advised that they could not use the usual off-the-shelf gear as on other satellite delivered services (like TSN).  Unfortunately, shortly after launch, numerous cable companies called to complain about audio distortion.  It turned out they had ignored the advice provided and installed the usual gear.  So many cable co's did this that MuchMusic had no choice but to revert back to the "usual" configuration as it was the most expedient solution.  So Much for trying.....

Moving to 299 Queen Street West in 1987 (along with Citytv) provided the opportunity for MuchMusic to reach its full potential, not only as the "Nation's Music Station", but establish the corner of Queen and John in Toronto as "the place to be"

 

BowmanvilleBob wrote:

And at number 3, it's "Bob Uecker begins his radio career"....

Wow, I mean...wow. With one hundred years of broadcasting to choose from, and events such as the end of WW2, the moon landing, the resignation of Richard Nixon, the Kennedy assassination, 9/11 and even some international events like Churchill's "this was their finest hour" speech, the bright sparks at the NAB chose an obscure retired catcher starting broadcasting for a team that's never won a World Series as their number 3 moment?

In the immortal words of Shakespeare - "Sheesh!"

an excellent synopsis 

 

Fjiri wrote:

In Phase, what is "CTV: The Television Wars" about?

From the front cover fold-over.....

This is the story of the formation of the network and its rapid expansion across the country.

More  than that, it is the story of alliances, both fleeting and lasting, between business executives with common visions, competing egos, and voracious appetites.

It also chronicles how what began as a joint venture turned into a quest for majority control as each partner sought a bigger piece of the network pie.

Some of CTV's toughest battles would be fought in its own boardrooms.

In the end, only one of the original players would be left standing as the network would pass into the hands of the Eaton brothers and finally to Bay Street.

 

RadioActive wrote:

Wonder if anyone got fired over this

Yup.  Chief Technology Officer Jorge Fernandes was replaced
 

At one time I owned a small amount of Corus stock valued at 100 times today's amount.

I sold them at a loss at around $13 and I remember wondering if it was the right thing to do.

Yikes!