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SOWNY » Lack contents of Breakfast Television? » January 30, 2026 10:34 am

Tuned in to BT this morning, around 7:50am where Devo is promoting and interviewing the cast of season 4  Bridgerton.

Doing my errands here and there and tuned back to BT at 9:20am, it's the same content!  Same interviewees, same discussion and same end of questions game.

Seems like Dina is only pre-recording her segments the 8am intro, after the 8am news, 8:30am for the national program, and 9am.  Still no Dina at 9:30 in this Flamenco Dancing.  Stella and Devo are interviewing.

Where is Tim? Is he following Dina's ways as well?

SOWNY » Christine Richey back on 680 NewsRadio » January 29, 2026 11:51 pm

She is back! But who knows how long she will be on air.

Last year she was briefly anchoring for 2 weeks and then she disappeared.

SOWNY » 680's Loss Is Kiss' Gain » January 18, 2026 12:16 pm

RadioActive wrote:

Broadcast Dialogue reports that longtime 680 news anchor and reporter Chloe Bernabei has left the airwaves for a behind-the-scenes position at Kiss 92.5's morning show. She's now the station's Digital Audio Producer. She'd been with the all news outlet for 2 years.

Asher Roth made the announcement on Jan 2 bidding farewell at the start of the 11:30am news.  By fluke I was on my way driving to work and heard the news.

mic'em wrote:

=12pxThere have  been recent stories regarding one of the male performers being abusive to the female on the team posted here. Go through the posts of a few months ago, you will find them. 

Are you referring to the one that has deceased?

SOWNY » How Much Of 680 News Is Taped Overnight? » January 18, 2026 12:04 pm

The overnight anchor is Julia Vellucci, the pre-recorded news clips after sports is Dylan Maguire who solo-anchored the Saturday evening (6pm-12am).  When Dylan report the first 15 minutes for the evening news, pre-recorded new clips are presented by Mitch Burke and Lisa Amaral from the afternoon shift (12pm-6pm) alternating evening 30 minutes.

Brendan Lang is doing an exceptional job as anchor/traffic reports.

Ben Howes keeps making mistake reporting news or traffic.

I've brought this up previously in Summer 2025 that the weekend evening news anchors reduced from 2 to 1, modelling the overnight news since sometime in December 2024 (could be earlier).

Last week's weekend evening news did have 2 anchors for some reason.

But yes, Rogers is saving money.

SOWNY » 680 News Radio - Fri Dec 19 » December 20, 2025 1:16 am

Today's schedule followed the weekend format:
6am-noon - Irene Precklet, Alex Bloomfield
Noon-6pm - Sarah Parrott, Scott Burnett
6pm-Midnight - Lisa Ammaral, Dylan Maguire
Midnight - National Newsradio anchored by Michelle Mieklejohn

Just when I thought Rogers had it down pat with the staffing at 680 News.

SOWNY » Another pre-recorded segment on Breakfast Television » December 15, 2025 9:29 pm

Does anyone PVR Breakfast Television last Thursday and Friday?

I am totally convinced Dina's being present foe the show is pre-recorded.

1. Last Thursday, Emily Agard filled in for Devo Brown. Then Friday filled in again. Devo was away at the beginning of last week.

2. Oddly enough on Friday before 8am, Tim said Devo is back joining Dina and himself.

[At this point I had to leave for work, so I do not know if Emily Agard was still doing entertainment news, bright spot and celebrations.]

3. This morning (Mon Dec 15) after the 8am news and weather, we are rejoined with Devo, Dina, Tim and Caryn.  Tim giggled and spike "Speaking of welcome back..." seems like he (Tim) almost spilled the beans Dina and Devo were in fact away last week and with the segments they were "present".

SOWNY » 680 News Brings In Morning Anchors For Rare Sunday Shift » November 4, 2025 10:58 am

Evuguy wrote:

I think Rogers has repatriated 680's overnights back to Toronto. I haven't heard the Vancouver content in a while now. The news readers also seem to be good during the overnights. At one time, they were not.

For the last 1-2years the Toronto has been reporting the news. They have reduced from 2 to 1 anchor for overnights. The 1 anchor would report up until :15 and :45 and pre-recorded news from the evening news anchors.

More recently, the weekend evening news format has also reduced to 1 anchor with the afternoon anchor pre-recorded the news.

SOWNY » Another pre-recorded segment on Breakfast Television » September 3, 2025 10:00 am

Brittany (the BT contributor for the Bachelor/Bachelorette/Paradise) was promoting for the CIBC run and it is quite obvious it was pre-recorded.

Is it hard to have guests to appear in the morning on set to promote for a cause?

Is Rogers really hiding Dina where she pre-records her parts in a week and have a vacation for the rest of the month?

SOWNY » 680 Newsradio: An Overly Long Pause For Thought » September 3, 2025 9:34 am

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 15

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I do notice that Rogers tend to hire the interns as on-air anchors for overnights news.

I guess the hourly rate is significantly less than the anchors were usually hear.

SOWNY » Where's Dina Pugliese? » August 6, 2025 10:08 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 11

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Tuned into BT this morning.

Melanie Ng sitting in this week with Devo Brown.

Devo announced Tim Bolen off this week while Dina will return in September.

That's 2 months off for Dina! Mind you she was a judge on Bake Master Battle, the shoe concluded July 29, 2025.

But wow! BT has become a rotating hosts.

SOWNY » Little did we know at 680 News... » August 6, 2025 12:16 am

Jill Taylor had departed Newsradio early July.

https://x.com/Jill777Taylor

Anne Lavrih had retire couple days ago via Madison Fitzpatrick's instagram post.

https://www.instagram.com/p/DM1ee3eMqa7/

SOWNY » Cynthia Mulligan of Citynews featured on Jimmy Kimmel Live! » July 26, 2025 12:35 pm

The news clip caught the writers' attention that it had to be featured in the opening monologue.

https://youtu.be/Ri401WAKDTE?si=ZKMOVJ62MJlqYf0U

Cue to 4m16s.

SOWNY » Where's Dina Pugliese? » July 14, 2025 10:46 am

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 11

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She's been missing on BT since July 2nd...

SOWNY » Patricia Jaggernauth files human rights complaint against Bell Media » July 4, 2025 7:36 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 25

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While this is resolved.

What about Danielle Graham or Jennifer Valentyne?

SOWNY » Format changes to 680 weekend evening news? » June 8, 2025 9:54 pm

Occasionally I tune into 680 Newsradio on weekends just to know the news updates and what not.

A couple Saturdays ago, I noticed the 6pm newscasts only had 1 anchor, and after the :15 minute headlines and sports, a prerecorded news from the 12pm newscast anchors alternate on the half hour news time frame.  The traffic and cottage reporters would self introduce themselves on the on the :21 and :19 respectively.

This weekend the same is happening, but with both evenings tonight.

I noticed the 1 anchor format began about 1.5 year ago with the overnight news, but I guess to save more money, they are doing the same to the weekend 6pm news.

SOWNY » Some Broadcasting Questions About Election Coverage » April 28, 2025 9:34 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 11

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What I'm noticing is the Canadian Media outlets (Citynews, CTV News, CBC news) are livestreaming on YouTube.

I thought the news outlets are banned!

SOWNY » What is the labour law for working at a radio station? » April 18, 2025 6:16 am

I tune into 680 Newsradio basically every single time I drive.

Chloe B and Andy P were the anchors for the evening show last night.

Kate H anchored overnight.

This morning John L and Kaitlyn L anchored.  I was surprise to here Chloe B to be announcing traffic at 6am when she ended 12:30am.

Is there a labour law where an employee must have a rest time between shifts?

SOWNY » Pre-recorded material on BT? » April 5, 2025 7:10 pm

Brad wrote:

Shorty Wave wrote:

yyzradioveteran wrote:

Dina is only in Toronto one week of the month. The other 3 she is back home in the Cayman Islands. BT pre-records every segment during that one week she is here. Nightmare for continuity. 

 
Did not know that. Somehow I think this is BS since BT is a live morning show, their host should be live and spontaneously keeping us informed/entertained instead of pre-taped generic info.Fairly lame.

Is that's true that is such bullcrap. You're now an executive producer and you're only there one week a month. Pathetic.

I don't think segments with Dina are pre-recorded.

I thought it was odd that BT correspondent Bridgitte live eye but 30 minutes later she is back in the studio with a rep from Jamieson promoting vitamins and supplements.

This is something Rogers or BTS staff should have planned and layout out for airing.

SOWNY » Pre-recorded material on BT? » April 2, 2025 9:00 am

It's interesting to see these changes of the show.
- Dina does not appear until 8am
- Devo is in every sit in conversation  with Dina and Tim
- no news after the 8am session

Just now before the 9am, BT correspondent Brigitte Truong doing a segment for Jamieson vitamins and supplements.  However, before 8:30am she is live at the Courtright Centre making maple syrup.

No so live now I guess.

SOWNY » Breakfast Television slept in?/New hosts revealed » March 19, 2025 9:25 am

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 29

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I wake around 7:30am-ish and tune in to BT as my warm up session to get myself into the groove for the day.

Since the announcement of the new co-hosts, I don't see Dina until 8am.

Anyone know if she was on-air at 6am, 6:30am, or 7am?

SOWNY » Breakfast Television slept in?/New hosts revealed » March 17, 2025 7:03 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 29

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So all along, she knew she was coming back giving the boot to Sid and Meredith, and cancelled Tracy and Cheryl's 5th hour of BT.

SOWNY » CITY on the Move » March 15, 2025 12:06 am

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 57

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RadioActive wrote:

I was just thinking back to the very beginning. How many times has City TV moved itself? It started in 1972 at 99 Queen St. E. That led to what employees there always called "The New Building" at 299 Queen St. W. They used to refer to it as the "Building That Shoots Itself," to which I always wanted to add, "In The Foot."

Then it was on to Yonge & Dundas, a site Gord Martineau suggested after the craziness with Bell buying City, and being forced by the CRTC to sell it to Rogers, leaving City no choice but to get out of 299. have sets. 

After the move to Yonge and Dundas. The set for BT was on the ground floor.  Eventually they moved up to one of the floors.  Unsure why they decided to relocate out of ground floor.

SOWNY » CITY on the Move » March 13, 2025 7:40 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 57

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Brad wrote:

I don't know if they would do the radio show on TV thing. The promo for their new studio did show two seats at a desk in the studio.

Tim and Sid happened, why can't they do something similar with Breakfast Television.  CHFI can live stream/simulcast air over the radio while Gurdeep and Pooja are hosting.

SOWNY » CITY on the Move » March 13, 2025 2:33 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 57

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It could Pooja and Gurdeep live on TV from the CHFI radio room.  They'd being doing double duties.

SOWNY » Something is fishy with 680 Citynews Radio » February 28, 2025 7:40 pm

Yesterday had an election special news broadcast 8pm-12am with Mitch Burke and Laura Carnay.

What's interesting is that afternoon sports was covered by John Letherby while 2:30pm-8:00pm were anchored by Maria Kestane and (back fromthe sport chair) Alex Seixeiro.

Today listened to the afternoon drive, Alex is back to the sports desk while Alex Bloomfield and Laura are anchoring.

Casually looked at Alex Bloomfield's Twitter/X with his title as Afternoon Drive News Anchor.

Very curious what happened with this change.

SOWNY » More changes to Breakfast Television... » February 16, 2025 7:32 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 28

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If anyone had PVR or Tivo Breakfast Television the last week with Meredith Shaw and Sid Seixeiro, I vaguely remember Sid commenting Meredith "This will keep your job."

I don't recall what segment it was, but I thought it was odd that he would say that.

SOWNY » 680 Newsradio: Bringing You Vancouver's News » February 16, 2025 7:15 pm

RadioActive wrote:

Maybe it's the fact it's a long weekend. 

Maybe their staff couldn't get in thanks to the weather.

Or maybe Rogers is just cheap. (We've known that for a while.)

Whatever the reason, on a miserable night for terrible weather and ahead of a potentially record breaking snowstorm, what did early morning listeners hear on the only station that is live and supposedly local overnight? The feed from News 1130 in Vancouver. All night long. 

I woke up at 5:15 AM Sunday and hoped to get the latest updates on how the weather was affecting the GTA. Instead, I heard a simulcast of the local news station in B.C., learning there was a water main break in New Westminster, a Canadian flag rally in that same city and that it was pouring rain and 5C in Vancouver itself. Good to know.

To be fair, they did try and spread the headlines around, referencing the mess outside here in a brief story and also giving us Calgary news - which means this simulcast of "local" news was going on across the country. And they did their usual traffic and weather cut-ins, brief though they were in order to rejoin the network on time. 

I know the audience is low overnight on weekends, but on a day when the GTA is in the middle of a snow emergency, serving up news from thousands of miles away wasn't the best choice.

They went back to being fully local at 6AM. But good luck to those who were up early and looking for updates.

There's a reason CKO didn't work, and one was it was a national news network not serving local listeners. Shame they haven't learned that lesson of Canadian radio history. 

The simulcast started at 12:00am midnight.  Cate Hayes was not anchoring (who normally does on overnight and weekends), while on the :01 every 10 minutes Lisa Emerill was announcing the traffic updates with pre recorded weather announcements.

There was a period where weekend overnight news were simulcast with Vancouver, but it seems the news were taken the previous half hour an

SOWNY » Canine Star Of Hudson & Rex Has Passed Away From Cancer » February 16, 2025 7:07 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 12

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RadioActive wrote:

I've never watched this show, but as a dog owner, it fills me with pain to know such a wonderful creature is gone. He was not only beautiful but very smart. A real loss. 

From Canadian TV scribe Bill Brioux:

Diesel vom Burginwald 2016-2024

This was announced on 680 NewsRadio 2 or 3 nights ago, very late night.

When Mitch Burke made this on air with the first words, I thought John Reardon had passed.

I wonder if the show will go on for the next season?

SOWNY » More changes to Breakfast Television... » February 13, 2025 2:03 am

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 28

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TomTV wrote:

haydenmatthews14 wrote:

I wonder how many viewers BT will lose. Maybe lots?
Is there another better Canadian morning show that is good? I watch CHCH's Morning Live and it's pretty good. I don't watch CTV's Your Morning. I sometimes watch CBC's morning show.
But is the Global Morning show good too?

Global's morning show can be fun, but the major negative about it is that it feels mostly like a giant infomercial for either Jameson vitamin products or Corus programming (usually one of their home renovation or cooking shows), interspersed with some useful health and travel segments. The hosts are both very likeable which is probably why the show remains popular, but the producers really need to put in some work to make the segments not feel incredibly repetitive from week to week.

 

Sid and Meredith are OK as cohosts but they both start at 7am with Devo, Frank and Tammy/Caryn open the show at 6am.

My only complaint with the BT hosts, since Sid and Meredith, is they reintroduce themselves after every commercial break. As if we have a memory of a goldfish...

Back then Kevin Frankish would start off BT and Dina phase in 30min or 1 hr.

Melanie Ng is now filling in as guest host. I am curious if Devo is getting paid as fill-in host or his base position since he is doing double duty.

SOWNY » More changes to Breakfast Television... » February 11, 2025 4:36 pm

KenkuKwanchi
Replies: 28

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newsnstuff wrote:

Binson Echorec wrote:

Likely unrelated, no Alex Seixeiro on 680News today.

Alex S. is back on sports at 680 and it has nothing to do with anything else. Completely voluntary decision

Or maybe they are short staff for Fan 590. Mike Leach moved up to afternoon sports, he was previously announced during evenings and weekends.

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