It happened again on Monday.
 
I tuned in CKTB in St. Catharines and really thought they’d gone off the air.
 
And it wasn’t the first time.
 
Turns out they were still there. It was just mid-morning host Tom McConnell proving why he’s arguably the best “pauser” in the business. Most of us have it hammered into us early on in radio that dead air is the worst thing you can have on your station. But McConnell apparently doesn’t agree or doesn't care.
 
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve switched the dial to 610 only to be sure their signal is gone. But it’s just Tom letting some time go by as he either considers his next point or stops for effect. I’ve heard it go on as long as 4 seconds, which doesn’t sound like much, but anyone in radio knows it feels like an eternity.
 
Not saying it’s a bad thing, just very different. Effective on air pauses are something of a lost art. And I admit, it gets me almost every time I tune in.
 
Which is why I hereby ("hear"-by?) nominate Tom McConnell as the best “pauser” in the local radio biz. The sounds of his silence can be deafening.
 
But sometimes, they really work well, too.

As long as they're still on the air.