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


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

SOWNY » Quincy Jones dies at age 91 » Today 6:20 am

Glen Warren
Replies: 1

Go to post

Legendary producer Quincy Jones passed at the age of 91 on Sunday in Los Angeles. 

SOWNY » Rogers Xfinity » October 31, 2024 12:14 am

Glen Warren
Replies: 6

Go to post

Xfinity is a Comcast platform...   iirc, Rogers acquired rights to deploy the platform and hardware in Canada this past summer when they (Rogers) pulled the rug out from under Corus Entertainment for some of the specialty  channel brands...

 

SOWNY » Tower in Halton Hills? » October 29, 2024 8:50 am

Glen Warren
Replies: 16

Go to post

Capricasix wrote:

Was that from the derecho?

I'm sorry, but I don't understand the big weather word that you are using. 

In my defense, I gained all of my weather knowledge from watching Toronto TV weathercasts...

SOWNY » Tower in Halton Hills? » October 28, 2024 10:18 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 16

Go to post

May 31st 2022 storm damage at CHLO  site...


 

SOWNY » Another Radio Tower Crumples In The U.S. » October 27, 2024 7:53 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 2

Go to post

Most likely caused by neglect...  aging infrastructure, coupled with a lack of qualified structural inspections and then acting on the engineers structural report.

Towers are also subject to extreme weather events...  A lightening strike can do severe damage to the heavy gauge structural steel on a tower.   While it probably won't bring the tower down, it will compromise it. Repairs can and have to be made.





 

SOWNY » Former CHCH Stoney Creek transmitter site... » October 22, 2024 9:08 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 3

Go to post

The developer who purchased the former CHCH TV  transmitter site property in Stoney Creek is in the initial stages of performing required preliminary archaeological assessment on the property.

Today the archaeological team was working to the north side of the property along Ridgeview Rd. at First Road W.
The is the area that is near Glover's Falls.

The first photo shows the outer concrete ground anchor (left of frame) which secured the upper guys line from the tower. The team is working to the right of frame.



The second photo shows the secondary site which will be studied next. The work area is flagged with orange markers. The inner concrete ground anchor (left of frame) secured the lower guy lines from the tower. 


 

SOWNY » High level rescue from atop a 250' AM Tower » October 20, 2024 10:18 am

Glen Warren
Replies: 6

Go to post

andysradio wrote:

So I wonder if this person would have started climbing while the tower was hot, it being AM.

That is one of the first thoughts I had...  Since the person was safely brought down is a patient harness, I assume that they were OK.  

The person might have lucked out and climbed a tower that was part of the night pattern, which was not energized.

Lucky....

SOWNY » High level rescue from atop a 250' AM Tower » October 19, 2024 7:56 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 6

Go to post

This occurred three days ago...  

A "person in crisis" climbed a 250' AM broadcast tower in Eagan  Minnesota.
A specially trained police unit climbed the tower and was able to safely rescue the person.




 

SOWNY » More cable/linear channels rebranding » October 18, 2024 9:56 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 13

Go to post

Barry Diller's USA Network was changing their schedule, and modelling it to some degree after City TV so, this is why there was access to some of the USA Networks programming.

from Wikipedia...

Diller planned to remove shopping shows and infomercials from most of the stations' broadcast days and replace them with local and syndicated programs, including a few produced by sister production unit Studios USA Television that also aired nationally on USA Network. He wanted to tie each of the stations very closely to the communities they served, and to open up opportunities for locally produced programs. This format was dubbed "CityVision", and took heavy influence from the format used by CITY-TV in Toronto (and more prominently, that station's sister broadcast television properties that became charter stations of Citytv, when CHUM Limited expanded the format to other Canadian markets as a television system in 2002, and similar to USA's sale of its stations to Univision, suffered a similar fate when CHUM agreed to merge with CTVglobemedia (now Bell Media), owner of the CTV Television Network).

In the 80's, USA Networks also produced or co-produced programs at both CFTO and Global.  Check it Out...   Jack Pot,  and Chain Reaction amongst others....  The low Canadian dollar exchange rate was attractive to US producers..


 

SOWNY » What A Day For Local Radio To Be Asleep At The Switch! » October 14, 2024 1:33 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 9

Go to post

CBC News Channel was gearing up to carry an address by the RCMP Commissioner on the matter earlier this morning...   The address / presser was slated for 11:30 am....   I assume that they are pulling clips and SOTs from this press conference...

 

SOWNY » FM Station Adopts New Format: Radio For Dogs » October 7, 2024 7:02 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 13

Go to post

Seth MacFarlane already beat them to the format....

SOWNY » Did They Change The Rules On Drug Ads In Canada? » September 30, 2024 8:37 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 14

Go to post

Radiowiz wrote:

I found the coffee shop ad (for that R pill, whatever it is called) to be the most annoying. Just as they say what the pill is for, the coffee grinder makes too much noise.  Very disturbing. 
We shouldn't have to google what it's for. The ad should be allowed to tell us in the first place.

 

I also agree with you about the annoying commercial for Rybelsus.... And as bad and as annoying as the English version of this commercial is, it is equally as annoying en francais. The same set-up... cafe, clientes, un moulin a cafe....    They even cast the same male customer (blue suit and beard) in the French version... he is bilingual.

Still, C'est terrible...

(Rybelsus is an oral semaglutide tablet used for improving blood sugar levels in adults Type II Diabetes)


 

SOWNY » Saturday Night Live Kicks Off Season 50 Tonight » September 28, 2024 11:47 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 12

Go to post

well, they just lost me with musical guest "Jelly Roll"... and he has not even performed yet.

SOWNY » Anthem Sports & Entertainment Acquires Hollywood Suite » September 27, 2024 11:57 am

Glen Warren
Replies: 6

Go to post

RadioActive wrote:

Wasn't Kines a big muckedy-muck at City TV for a time?

Operations Director of Much Music...   then iirc, he replaced Denise Donlon as VP Programming when she left for Sony Music.


 

SOWNY » Corus Launching 2 New Cable Channels Replacing Those They Lost » September 18, 2024 1:50 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 25

Go to post

Radiowiz wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

Corus definitely has a solid library of their own popular Canadian productions to float their channels for a while. The question would be whether they'd be able to afford to continue creating that content moving forward.

Bang on! I think for the short run they will work with what they have and take it from there.

Both of you are correct! This is the current plan / thinking going forward. 

The majority of the library for HGTV and Food Network was successful on the Specialty Channels for their first runs, and many of these titles from the library have been airing on Global for a second window (typically 4 or 5 years later/delayed).

 

SOWNY » CHCH signal interruption... » September 15, 2024 5:49 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 0

Go to post

CHCH-DT virtual 11 (RF 15) is currently sitting in black, no sound. Its been down since 3pm Sunday afternoon

They have lost feed signal from their Toronto MCR to their Flamborough site.  It appears to be an issue with their ISP provider / Carrier... 

No estimate of time as to when restoration will occur....

***********
And it appears that they are back on air...  apparently it was due to a "power issue" affecting some fibre gear...


 

SOWNY » CHCH Signal » September 12, 2024 7:42 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 14

Go to post

Hi Dave:

I'm in Burlington...  no reception problems here for me....   I still have my antenna array in the attic, (plywood roof deck, and one layer of asphalt shingle...) 

Checking on my LG, I'm getting ~72% to 74% signal strength w/ 100% signal quality.

Are you able to receive CITS on RF 14 / Virt. 14?  Both CITS-HD and CHCH-DT are combined and transmit on the same antenna.
 

SOWNY » Flying Solo Now » September 9, 2024 10:50 am

Glen Warren
Replies: 2

Go to post

So they have at least two listeners...   laffin and myself....

Wonder what this will do to their Sunday morning re-roll show...  Just Biggs by himself? 
 

SOWNY » Global News Toronto Expands Early Evening Newscast » September 4, 2024 7:51 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 12

Go to post

Global is wants to go head to head with CTV Toronto... They could care less about City News
It also gives them an additional half hour Mon - Fri... Cancon, news, but still Cancon...  kinda makes up for the loss of ETC.

Also, if Corus wants to make a case to get local news funding restored, this is trying to put a best foot forward.  

 

SOWNY » TV Baseball Play-by-play. » August 31, 2024 4:44 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 2

Go to post

I hear you...  but perhaps this is above Mr. Shulman and Mr. Martinez...  

The constant chatter / stream of consciousness might very well be what the producer wants or  feels is necessary for the telecast.  It might also be a directive from up above the producer....

just wondering...

 

SOWNY » Is Mr. Dressup Really The Greatest Canadian TV Show Of All Time? » August 29, 2024 7:50 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 21

Go to post

1966 / 67  Morning "trifecta" for kids on CBLT...

10:00am     "Chez Helene"  w/ Louise and her hair ribbons,,,,

10:15am     "Friendly Giant"  (my brother liked Rusty, I thought the castle was inside our TV)

10:30am     "Mr. Dressup"

(I even remember the slide of new Toronto City Hall which CBLT aired during sign on...  as a young kid in Oakville, I always thought it was a picture of a submarine... oh well, it was preschool).
 

SOWNY » Talk Show Pioneer Phil Donahue Dies At 88 » August 25, 2024 8:37 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 9

Go to post

Here is a clip of Donahue as a guest on Fox's "O'Reilley Factor"...   circa 2008

Donahue basically hands O'Reilley's ass back to him on live TV...





(gotta luv the uTube)


 

SOWNY » With All The Media Available, How Is This Still Possible? » August 22, 2024 7:23 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 29

Go to post

Hansa wrote:

I'm sure a lot of people who didn't realize there was a rail strike knew minutes after it was announced that Ben Affleck and J. Lo are divorcing.

WHAT ???   When did this happen?  I can't believe I missed this...
 

SOWNY » 900 CHML Closing » August 15, 2024 9:32 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 152

Go to post

Saul wrote:

..... I imagine the 900 transmitter site is more valuable as real estate...

Not too sure about that...  immediately to the S/W of the TX site, sits the former Beverley landfill site (I think it was originally part of the former Wentworth County)...  Also, in the area there are also 3 high pressure pipelines (one owned by Trans Canada, and the other two owned by Enbridge)  as well as an oil tank farm also owned by Enbridge.

Just my opinion, but not a very desirable area for mega bucks rural development homes...
 

SOWNY » Rogers Exec suite... » August 15, 2024 9:08 am

Glen Warren
Replies: 5

Go to post

New title for E.S. Rogers III role has been announced.
He is now the Executive Chair but previously he was Chair of the Board.
What does this mean? More responsibilities? Increase in financial compensation? Free tix to Jay's games?

from Bloomberg/BNN:

TORONTO — Rogers Communications says Edward Rogers is becoming the company's executive chair effective immediately. The company says Rogers, previously chairman, will lead the development and review of the company's long-term strategy for growth.

and this release from Rogers:

Edward Rogers appointed Executive Chair of Rogers Communications

https://about.rogers.com/news-ideas/edward-rogers-appointed-executive-chair-of-rogers-communications/



 

SOWNY » 900 CHML Closing » August 14, 2024 6:29 pm

Glen Warren
Replies: 152

Go to post

In addition to the CHML radio closure, CORUS is also making further cost cutting  /streamlining announcements today...  Voluntary packages are being offered (read... you should strongly consider) to long term employees on the TV side.....   so far, a couple of people in Toronto at Barber Greene, and about a dozen positions out west at Global BC.

 

Board footera