I also did a band scan on Christmas morning and it was pretty well what I expected - CFRB is playing a Shane Hewitt special, which is essentially Christmas music. And CKTB is also playing wall to wall Xmas tunes.

I pay particular attention to the talk stations on Dec. 25th, because music formats can get away with murder on Christmas Day. They can automate or voice track or both, work in a holiday tune if they're not wall-to-wall with the genre and generally vamp until things get back to normal. 

But when a station that is all talk 364 other days of the year suddenly starts playing music, it drives me crazy. In the first, place, who is listening to AM radio for music when so many others are doing the same thing on FM - in stereo no less? I guess RB & TB are just out of ideas and can't be bothered putting much effort into finding a way to stay with their formats. 

Over on 640, they're replaying old interviews, for which I'm actually grateful. At least that's what you expect when you turn them on. And some of them may be new to listeners who perhaps missed them the first time around. 

And yes, I'm aware audiences are miniscule. But at least whoever turns on CFIQ is hearing what they expect - unlike News (Non-)Talk 1010. 

680, as expected, stayed all news, which was a relief and the only live programming I could find in Toronto. 

Before the sun rose, I happened across WABC and heard their hosts boasting that they were in live on Christmas Day and there were "no pre-tapes for us," Whatever you think of their programming, at least it was live! Over in Buffalo, WBEN-AM appeared to be taking some ABC Radio network programming, but it was at least talk, as per their format. Buddy Shula's The Patriot 1270 was shilling for the White House as always, so nothing new there. 

And Mace is right, the sports stations were taking their U.S. syndicated stuff, which is fine and expected. But at least it's sports and not Brenda Lee's "Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree," which I've now heard three times in less than two hours. 

Sauga960 was re-airing "best ofs", but at least it was talk. 570 News in Kitchener was also rerolling some of their talk shows, which was fine because I hadn't heard them the first time. 

AM740 has gone all Christmas for the day, which is not surprising. 

Meanwhile, over on FM, CBC Radio 1 and CBC Music seem to have both gone all Yule all day, Boom is also playing holiday tunes as was CHUM-FM when I tuned them in. That last one surprised me, because I expected them to do their regular shtick. And we all know about CHFI.

Virgin, Indie 88 and Q107 seemed to be carrying on as usual when I was listening. 

Over on 95.3, there were Christmas specials, as we await a possible new format after the holidays. 

That was in the morning. What awaits this afternoon, I suspect, is a lot more of the same.

Merry Christmas to Walter and the rest of the SOWNY gang joining us under the tree in the morning. Hope you found a new radio under there this AM. (Or FM!)