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SOWNY » Could this be a trend in radio? Syndication killed the radio star » September 2, 2018 3:30 pm

cGrant
Replies: 18

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mojo55 wrote:

I enjoy this forum and like maybo I am also disturbed by cGrant's attitude and vitriol. Everybody is entitled to his own opinion but cGrant's acerbic attitude is uncalled for. The new way is not always the better way. I enjoy hearing from those folks on this forum who have worked in the media for many years and have valuable constructive criticism to offer regarding changes in policies and procedures. I also enjoy hearing and reminiscing about the good old days. 

For the hundredth time, cGrant is NOT a "he".

No, the "new way" isn't always the better way. Agreed. But, in most cases, neither is the current way. So, what to do? Change. Experiment. Evolve. How else will we find a "better" way? After all, we got to where we are by not standing still.

Ironic as it is, hearing from folks who have worked in the medium IS in fact interesting. Knowing the history of something that we are passionate about is a good thing. But, and let's be completely blunt here, those same people usually (not always) oppose vehemently absolutely every effort of progress here. It's true: look anywhere there is a thread announcing a new anything. Being opposed to everything and anything does add to the discussion, yes. But, it's very predictable. 

Let's be real here, there are less and less active listeners to conventional media these days. Owners of radio and television stations do realize this and have to minimize their human resources and do more with less. People will lose their jobs. This is never going to change. Ever. So, yes, there will be some questionably idiotic decisions made by media management. But, they are trying. I'm no psychic, but I can with 90% accuracy predict the vox populi viewpoint of any thread introduction here. I'm sure you can as well. I add a more progressive opinion here. I accept advancements and efficiencies. If you don't you will not last in today's media. But, sure, I can dial it back; it's my passion speaking and, frankly milktoast is

SOWNY » Could this be a trend in radio? Syndication killed the radio star » September 1, 2018 8:47 pm

cGrant
Replies: 18

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Muffaraw Joe wrote:

What is your take Big Yella?

You even have to ask?

Because it's different, it'll automatically be labelled "wrong" and "evil" here.  Then, there will be a litany of "corporate greed" and "sucking the life out of local radio".

Then, people will resume romanticizing about 1957 Chum or speculating about a Mississauga talk station that they will never listen to.  
 

SOWNY » Global News sweatshop. How Global produces its late "local" news » August 31, 2018 5:11 pm

cGrant
Replies: 21

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Hansa wrote:

I guess there isn't any reason why Bell or Rogers couldn't shut down the studios for all of their radio stations across the country and just have an announcer sit in a booth in Toronto and do local inserts for the entire country. They could even have "local" talk radio done out of Toronto. All an announcer would have to do is say "hello, Edmonton" or "hello, Victoria", and have a few browser windows open to newspapers from different cities and make a few localised comments about the days news depending on which station their on. It would be *so* much more  efficient than having shows that are actually produced and hosted locally and the listener at home would hardly know the difference. 

You don't think some radio ALREADY does do this? Think of the MyFM and UCB models in Ontario to name just two.

Would the listener know the difference? Sure, some would. But, the bigger question is, would they care? Oh, a handful of people will tune away, yes. Others will keep listening. While others yet will continue to disregard radio as something meaningful to them and program their smartphone's music playlist.

We cannot keep thinking about the medium, as much as we are passionate about it, in the same way as we have. This thread's topic of television and MMC confirms that most will continue to watch broadcast television news. And on the radio side, the networked clusters and regional nets are not seeing a plummet in their numbers.
 

SOWNY » Global News sweatshop. How Global produces its late "local" news » August 31, 2018 1:39 pm

cGrant
Replies: 21

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splunge wrote:

That was pretty good streamlining since it kept local news flowing at 1/3 the cost.  At least there were still people going out to cover local stories on a daily basis. 

Excellent! Although your comment applies to CKVR, this is the EXACT same protocol that Global's MMC uses. I simply do not understand certain people's resistance to this concept. Local news IS still getting out to the local communities. There ARE still reporters in the local markets shooting the news. The ONLY flipping difference is the anchor is in one central location. What's hard to understand here?
 

SOWNY » Global News sweatshop. How Global produces its late "local" news » August 30, 2018 6:01 pm

cGrant
Replies: 21

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Radiowiz wrote:

The buck stops here. I don't really care about why we don't have a milkman today or why we don't have buggy whips. In MY lifetime I expect live and local news done properly with local bodies in each market.
MMC is garbage. I expect local bodies to be restored. If Global can not do that then they should sell the business to someone who can. 
The centralized Toronto location is not welcome. Enough already. 
Your speech is useless and pointless.  
But thanks for encouraging the idea that if  one ever wants to do anything incredibly stupid in another market outside of Toronto they should do it around 10:30 at night to help make Global look stupid. 
It'll be an amazing news story that (hopefully) the competing networks will be all over while Global is just rambling on about stuff that happened earlier in the day.
News does not take the night off...and the news business certainly should not be taking advice from anyone anti CBC anyway.

MY "speech is useless and pointless"?? Irony, indeed Sir. YOU "expect live and local news done properly with local bodies in each market"?? WHY?!?! If the LOCAL news is STILL getting to the viewer, do you think the AVERAGE viewer cares where it comes from? I cannot and will not accept your logic that the majority give a damn.

And, if it can be done for cheaper with mostly equal results, the average viewer simply doesn't care. The fact that you do is curious. Do you have a personal stake in this? I honestly believe you are being argumentative for argument's sake. Re-read this thread and note it is YOU, Sir that is throwing the dismissive jabs at my views. I am volleying them back at you, but ONLY because YOU are constantly drawing first-blood.

And, I am not allowed an opinion because I'm anti-CBC? Yeah, THERE'S another point in your trolling. It doesn't matter what my views are on other subjects whatsoever. The CBC, by the damn way, ALSO USES MMC. And,

SOWNY » Global News sweatshop. How Global produces its late "local" news » August 30, 2018 4:20 pm

cGrant
Replies: 21

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Radiowiz wrote:

All you are doing is supporting the idea that a television business should just keep doing things cheaper and cheaper and cheaper to the point where people who WOULD tune in are now also gone.

When Global gets something as simple as a street name wrong I GET PISSED OFF and I am gone...the wrong person to scare away. (more than you know)
Just keep live and local bodies in each building and it's all good or just kindly sell the business to someone who is more willing to do that, thank you. 

A silly speech about the history of medicine or whatever does not cut it either so quit wasting your time.  

No, Sir, a "silly speech" is someone getting "pissed off" when "Global gets something as simple as a street name wrong" and "I am gone...the wrong person to scare away. (more than you know)". THAT is absurd. Absolutely.

And, YES, I do support television doing things cheaper. (I thought that was beyond obvious.) Other than yourself and some posters here, do you HONESTLY think that the AVERAGE viewer gives a damn what the technology and process is behind-the-scenes? I mean, really! You are microanalyzing these things to a very elitist molecule. People come home, grab a beer, sit down on their couch, turn the TV on and get washed-over with the content. What they DON'T do is say, "OMFG they pronounced a street wrong! Christ almighty! I'm changing the channel and never going back." Then, upon turning to another channel, "OMFG look at that! That guy is in Vancouver and it's the Toronto news! I'm changing the channel and never going back." That just doesn't happen with rational, non-psychiatric viewers.

I have absolutely zero issue with Global's MMC. None. The good folks in the other markets ARE getting their local news, albeit from a centralized (Toronto) location.

Amalgamation and using efficiencies is not evil. Especially when the end product is equal

SOWNY » Global News sweatshop. How Global produces its late "local" news » August 30, 2018 10:42 am

cGrant
Replies: 21

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Radiowiz wrote:

Just because something is available to do, doesn't always mean it should be done. 
Television is a business, yes, (so is radio) but sometimes there is a working formula that should not be messed with just because something else can be done
If it's not a working formula then the owner is in the wrong business.  

Local content matters. Period. Pretending to be somewhere you're not is not acceptable. It never was. 
I mean, if it's a national or international issue, then yes, it can be shared content from market to market, but local content needs a local body present. No excuses. 

Fine. Don't mess with formula. Never. And WHERE would that have gotten us? Extrapolate that across everything. How about medicine? If we never experimented, what would medicine be like today? (point for leeches). If we did't experiment with justice, what would our legal system be like today? (point for burning witches)

What about radio? No experimenting? Well, c'mon. Technology is not evil. Neither is experimenting nor advancing.

And how does the owner of a radio/tv operation get that "winning formula" WITHOUT experimenting? Was this board's sainted Chum the "winning formula" from day 1? Did they experiment and tinker? I'm thinking "yes".

We wouldn't have THIS board if someone(s) didn't experiment.

I agree, local content does matter, yes. What DOESN'T matter is radio to a growing amount of people. That does sadden me as I am passionate about the medium.  That said, people are getting their local content in other ways; myself included. We must recognize that owners/programmers also realize that and, barring an actual requirement from regulators, they are being stingy with local content. Sadly, that, in my opinion, IS understandable.
 

SOWNY » Global News sweatshop. How Global produces its late "local" news » August 29, 2018 11:42 pm

cGrant
Replies: 21

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Radiowiz wrote:

NEWSFLASH: It was, depending on where in the past one looks. To make silly comments about burning witches or what leeches were once used for is uncalled for.  

Okay. So, to what end? Discounting today's efficiencies because some time in the past was "better" is what is uncalled for. What's the linear argument there, really? "Today sucks because we used to do it differently using technology and protocols that weren't invented yet"? At what point of history do we wish to flash freeze in time and permanently live in that era exactly in the language, medicine, technology, life expectancy rates, etc.,? I, for one, am ONLY alive (literally) today because of the wondrous advances we have achieved. In no way, shape or form would I wish to dial back time and live then.

So, again, what is the intelligent linear logic of, in this instance, romanticizing the past? That, Sir, to me, is uncalled for.
 

SOWNY » Global News sweatshop. How Global produces its late "local" news » August 29, 2018 9:30 pm

cGrant
Replies: 21

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Yes. Go back to the old ways. Burn witches at the stake. Use leeches to cure everything. Etc.

Gotta love how people romanticize the past like it was so perfect.

Newsflash: IT WASN'T.

SOWNY » As the world turns...the Jazz FM Soap Opera continues... » August 29, 2018 5:58 pm

cGrant
Replies: 4

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Call the soap "blood from a stone". It's an effing NON-PROFIT station. Where the hell are they going to pull out any possible settlement?

SOWNY » CRTC Warns Toronto FM Station Its Licence Could Be At Stake » August 28, 2018 4:21 pm

cGrant
Replies: 2

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Rhetorical question: Why does the CRTC allow renewals when there are any condition violations? Even if there is so much as one single violation, the license should get pulled immediately and you hear nothing more than carrier.

Stations know they can piss around and still conduct business as usual (albeit for a shorter time), so why bother running clean? If I was responsible for a station and I knew my ability to transmit will get pulled for the slightest reason, you best know I'd have the ship steering away from that iceberg.  

SOWNY » CKNT Reveals Live Programming Date. No, Really. This Time They Mean It » August 28, 2018 3:15 pm

cGrant
Replies: 26

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Holliday wrote:

Looks like they’ll be called Sauga 960, and afternoon drive will be a gentleman named Avtar Rakhra.

Well, look out GNR640! This show will be fresh and new compared to what they have on in that time slot. I wonder if this station will be full-time or another weekday-only outlet like 640?

How long will it take for my pillow, Frank, Tom and the bevy of unemployment lawyers flock to this new venture and pollute it?

Speaking of... haven't heart Saul on air. Has he... well... you know.
 

SOWNY » 640 Is Full Of Weekend Rerolls But This Is Ridiculous » August 27, 2018 8:46 pm

cGrant
Replies: 13

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NW wrote:

I wonder how many people (aside from people on this board) would actually tune into 640-CJRH/CFGM/CHOG/CFYI/CFMJ  on a Sunday to hear late-breaking news?

 And yet, between the endless shills for my pillow and Frank the wonderkid Leo, they drone about the area deserving a greater Toronto. As long as it's Monday-friday 9-5. They wonder why their ratings are hovering barely above a flatline.

SOWNY » Is This The Best Newscaster Name Ever? » August 27, 2018 3:35 pm

cGrant
Replies: 19

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Is it either humorous or ironic that posters on this board mostly using absurd aliases or partial names are pointing out absurd aliases and partial names?

As for changing on-air names: again, say it with me, that time is in the past. Certainly it was the norm years ago to radioify or Anglicize given names into something more palpable. This isn't really a "thing" anymore unless the jock wants a change for whatever reason.

SOWNY » Is This The Best Newscaster Name Ever? » August 27, 2018 1:20 pm

cGrant
Replies: 19

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It's still good to know, that in the year 2018, a woman's worth is measured by her alliance with a man.

SOWNY » Is This The Best Newscaster Name Ever? » August 27, 2018 9:25 am

cGrant
Replies: 19

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Muffaraw Joe wrote:

Anita Bathe...just makes you wonder why no PD ever asked them to change their names?

Because it's the CBC.
 

SOWNY » McCain death announcement » August 26, 2018 11:39 pm

cGrant
Replies: 11

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RA, with respect, we really need to advance our thinking here. How many people are sitting in their grand living room watching television in REAL time? Most will PVR their viewings and fast forward to the actual program. Those waiting for Walter Crankcase to dismiss them are simply not the order of business. Times have changed and people don't consume television like they did when the Titanium Level of the Illuminati were being formed during Chum's 1957 provincial period. Eric Severide won't magically anoint the viewer and grant them the license to return to their programming already in progress. 

I most highly doubt there will be throngs of people seeking PTSD coverage through their health provider because there was a jarring juxtaposition of transitions. And, bluntly, those that are scarred for life because of this change should, frankly, be institutionalized... in the secure wing of the Museum of Broadcasting.

SOWNY » McCain death announcement » August 26, 2018 6:59 pm

cGrant
Replies: 11

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Don wrote:

I don't disagree about 'shit happens', but...what? The jock absolutely has the ability to change a song in a situation like that. Maybe not the authority, but I've never worked with an MD or PD who would give them trouble for that. Either way, we're talking about 1980 - so, yes, there was someone in the studio, and there's a good chance they were controlling the playlist, at least to some extent 

And in 1980, they had their news department tear off the rip 'n read BN copy, run into the live booth, have the jock read it and what...?!? It didn't happen. The song played. So, your theory, whilst in a perfect world would have been great, didn't even happen that way.

But, McCain didn't die alongside Reagan, he died yesterday.
 

SOWNY » McCain death announcement » August 26, 2018 6:22 pm

cGrant
Replies: 11

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Peter the K wrote:

Although it was rather odd, there's no need for folks to get upset.  I'm assuming that bulletin went out across the whole network, in which case central and west coast were watching different programming.  You can't really control what you're cutting in and out of.

It wasn't deliberate.

Legend has it after Ronald Reagan's assassination attempt, Q107 played "Happiness is a Warm Gun" by The Beatles.  If that's true, _that_ would have been rather inappropriate.  
 

How is one "inappropriate" and the other isn't? Radio music logs are generated in advance and the jock has absolutely no control over what element is airing. That's assuming there actually was a live body in the studio. Shyte happens. What's the solution? They hire someone to monitor EVERY news source for possible negative news and adjust accordingly? C'mon.
 

SOWNY » McCain death announcement » August 26, 2018 2:25 pm

cGrant
Replies: 11

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I saw the clip. I guess I'm confused that there are people out there that don't understand what "joined in progress" means. What would you have them do? Stop the active show and cut to a moribund soundtrack of celestial-inspired harp music to visuals of doves flying in the sky?

SOWNY » 640 Is Full Of Weekend Rerolls But This Is Ridiculous » August 26, 2018 11:03 am

cGrant
Replies: 13

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640 is on-air during the weekends/holidays? Who knew?!

The more serious issue is their Global branding.  While the television-side of Global is "always on", INCLUDING the weekends with "live" and current information, their sister radio station, 640, is not. Why? And what kind of image is the radio-side giving the rest of the network and affiliation?

Share prices or not, they will NEVER improve their ratings if they just play at this on a part-time basis. As they say, either poop or get off the... well, you know.

SOWNY » Why Is There Still A MuchMusic Video Awards Show? » August 22, 2018 6:08 pm

cGrant
Replies: 9

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Old Codger wrote:

Y'o.k. Mr. know it 'all'.

Am I wrong? Are you within the MMVAs target demo? Do you even watch the channel regularly? Can you intelligently comment on the intrinsic state of today's popular culture? Can you sing along to any of today's Top 10 Pop tunes? Can you identity with the tween and teen culture of the live participants of the audience?

If not, where am I wrong?
 

SOWNY » Why Is There Still A MuchMusic Video Awards Show? » August 22, 2018 5:49 pm

cGrant
Replies: 9

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One must, I mean, REALLY, must see the absolute irony in people within this board's Illuminati commenting, critiquing, and bitching about the MMVAs that clearly are way outside the target demo. Let's stick with the premise that our rose glasses and mindsets are permanently stuck with the 1957 Chum era and anything outside of that is... garbage. (not my word as I celebrate progress)

SOWNY » When A Music Legend Dies, How Do Automated Radio Stations React? » August 21, 2018 11:30 am

cGrant
Replies: 7

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Radiowiz wrote:

how sudden can someone like John Tesh be available to replace some of his content with "Current happenings" and some music from the recently passed Artist?  

You don't think he doesn't have pre-produced bits ready to be fired in cases like this? Again, insertion takes literally seconds.

Think of the BBC and the very immanent passing of the Queen. "London bridge is down" protocol has been in place for years. They are dying to use these elements.
 

SOWNY » Another Longtime Ontario AM Station Bites The Dust » August 20, 2018 4:48 pm

cGrant
Replies: 4

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The saddest day was when 1450 CHUC shutdown. People's thirst for obits and buy, trade or sell programming was never satisfied with its "replacement".

SOWNY » When A Music Legend Dies, How Do Automated Radio Stations React? » August 20, 2018 1:52 pm

cGrant
Replies: 7

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It's very easy to insert elements via IVT. Literally takes seconds.

That said, while there seems to be a contest here of the inner sanctum of the Illuminati committee in charge of the Death Watch, do most (and I mean NOT the inside baseball types that frequent here) actually care if an artist receives their toe tag?

SOWNY » ​MyFM Wins “Excuse Of The Month Award” In CRTC Decision » August 17, 2018 4:11 pm

cGrant
Replies: 3

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MyFM should be flogged mercilessly for their assertions that they are "hyper local". They are NOT. Sure, most of their morning drives are local, but the rest of the day is tracked out to the entire network out of (I believe) Pembroke. That is not local.

It follows the same model as UCB. Except they don't even do a local drive. Their entire line-up is tracked to the whole net out of Belleville and/or Chatham.

May the shirtless floggings begin.

SOWNY » MARILYN DENIS . . . » August 16, 2018 5:53 pm

cGrant
Replies: 9

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Radiowiz wrote:

cGrant wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

Earth flat or round has nothing to do with the fact that radio (or television) is a business before it can be anything else.
Business is business. 
Furthermore, this is BELL.
It ain't no CHUM group no more...

WTF does that have to do with this thread?! The rumours about Ms. Denis have been rebuffed, regardless of the continuance of the questionable practises of that cream promoter.
 

WELL IT SURE AS HELL HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH WHETHER OR NOT THE EARTH IS ROUND OR FLAT!
That's not even an analogy. That's just someone being an ass!!

 

Perhaps. But it has more to do with the mentally weak people believing every dim innuendo the internet provides. Like a celebrity quitting their show to promote a cream. That DOES have more to do with the earth being flat than some yet another corporate-bashing manifesto about Bell/Chum etc.

... And the Bell/Chum rant IS an analogy?! If you're going to counter-argue, make sure you have your b-asses covered.
 

SOWNY » MARILYN DENIS . . . » August 16, 2018 5:11 pm

cGrant
Replies: 9

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Radiowiz wrote:

Earth flat or round has nothing to do with the fact that radio (or television) is a business before it can be anything else.
Business is business. 
Furthermore, this is BELL.
It ain't no CHUM group no more...

WTF does that have to do with this thread?! The rumours about Ms. Denis have been rebuffed, regardless of the continuance of the questionable practises of that cream promoter.
 

SOWNY » MARILYN DENIS . . . » August 16, 2018 4:32 pm

cGrant
Replies: 9

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Kilgore wrote:

Rumor keeps poppin' up, though 

And?!?!?! Some people believe the earth is flat; it doesn't make it so.
 

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