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December 20, 2020 10:28 am  #1


Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

It's pretty subjective, I'll admit, but in my increasingly addled mind, this is the worst week for radio in the entire year. Many of the regular hosts are off for the holidays and those who are subbing won't be there long. By the time Dec. 23rd comes along, it's a series of reruns, fill-ins and holiday overdrive.

If that's what you like, then you'll have no problem finding something to listen to. 

But if you're not in the mood for all Yule all day and night, you might as well not even turn on the radio at all. As in years past, I have no objection to Christmas on the radio. I do, however, object to non-stop Christmas on EVERY station, which happens every year at this time. Especially on talk formatted outlets, which tend to change their programming entirely for a full week. Perhaps 680 News is the only exception. 

I happened to be up very early Sunday because of an ongoing family situation, and turned on the radio just to see what was on. There wasn't much. While I appreciate CFRB having a live weekend morning show, it is a hodgepodge of PSA-related interviews, idle chatter and the return of a segment called "FYI," which tells me about things I could not care less about, and appears to go on forever. And it's on every hour!

Even my last ditch go-to, Funny 820, is running infomercials. 

I've never been a big fan of early weekend radio in this city, and I suspect it's the same in other markets, a lost time period that few care about and so don't really program for. But the week ahead will only accentuate it and by Thursday, it will be all holiday all the time. Which doesn't completely make sense - Toronto boasts one of the most multi-cultural populations on Earth. Many of them do not celebrate the holiday. They're left out for weeks as programmers hit the Yule overkill. 

I should conclude by noting I have absolutely nothing against Christmas - indeed, the spirit of the holiday is terrific - but for radio listeners like me, this is not the most wonderful time of the year. And I already can't wait for programming to get back to normal.  

Oh, and a final Grinch-y side note to Mariah Carey: All I Want For Christmas is not to hear you on the air for another year! After this year, I think we can all agree that 2021 cannot come fast enough. 

 

December 20, 2020 12:38 pm  #2


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

In my brief 13 year run in radio, I was always the new guy at every station I worked at who got volunteered to work Christmas eve and day , as well New Years eve and day. At least at some stations, I was able to broadcast the top songs of the year countdown, whether it was country or pop/rock. At others it was just running pre-recorded tape. I miss Marsdens Christmas Eve show on CFNY . I know he still does it online but it just isn't the same to me . 

 

December 20, 2020 1:22 pm  #3


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

RadioActive wrote:

RA,  I am going to forward this to a lot of people;  who like me will agree with this sentiment regarding 2020.

One of the few escapes for me has been this Board and the many fine individuals like yourself;  who not only post their thoughts but take the time to an answer inquiries from non-broadcast members like myself.

My sincere thanks to all.
 

 

December 20, 2020 2:58 pm  #4


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I always got the short straw every year at Christmas as well, since I don't celebrate the holiday. With the exception of one year, I let the married and more religious staffers take off. I really didn't mind - it was a pretty predicable day for the most part. The Queen's and Prime Minister's message, the Pope preaches peace at midnight mass, local church services and Christmas comes to the Middle East. And there was usually feeding the homeless at the local missions and a sad fire that burned out a family for the holiday. 

It was the same thing year after year after year and I could have written most of the yarns in advance. Still, it's surreal to be in a very busy newsroom that's deathly quiet on just that one day of the year. I remember it was just me and the assignment guy in his little booth. And that was it. There was no show and no one else was in the building. 
 
The Christmas at work that stands out to me was the year we actually had a real headline and I was working on the station's website. And it was a sad one. A family of four from Ontario was travelling down south in the U.S. on vacation when they were involved in a serious collision. Everyone in the car was killed. It was terrible but at least it was genuine news. 

A few minutes after I posted the tragic tale to our site, the phone rang. It was an absolutely irate viewer cursing me out left and right. "Why did you publish such a depressing story on Christmas Day?" he demanded. "You've ruined my holiday!" I tried to explain it was the most important story of the day - and that every other news outlet was leading with it - but that didn't change his mind. He was livid with me and threatened never to watch our newscast again! (Does anyone ever make good on those vows?)

When I asked him why he was looking at news websites on Xmas if that was his feeling, he told me he thought he'd get a feel good story about the holiday. I reminded him of the fact that every December 25th was Christmas and that wasn't exactly a story. And with that, he called me an idiot and hung up.

He was probably right about me bring an idiot - I've been called much, much worse! - but that was the right lede for the day, and in fact, the only one. To this day, I'm just sorry I ruined the guy's holiday!

     Thread Starter
 

December 20, 2020 5:28 pm  #5


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I have shared this before but years ago when Mojo radio was on air...Jeff Marek, Michael Landsberg did a fun show on Christmas Day, called Jews on Christmas! Oy vay you say! They had Saul Korman on and other local Jewish pop culture guests. It ran for a few hours and was quite good and refreshing to hear live radio on that day.

My feeling is radio should be live from at least 9-4 that day.

Benji Karsh used to cover at Chum-fm that day as did Terry Steele...the only live broadcast is All News 680... 

I guess, now I will watch the Queen's speech and a re-roll of the Grinch that stole Christmas...

Here is a little clip of when Mojo came to market earlier in this millennium! 






 

Last edited by Muffaraw Joe (December 20, 2020 5:29 pm)


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

December 20, 2020 5:39 pm  #6


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I actually remember that and it was very entertaining amidst the endless Christmas music and "special programming" (read: pre-recorded) on all the other stations. That was a very creative idea on a day when there's almost no way to NOT mark the holiday.

I find Boom to be fairly creative. I wonder if they have anything special planned this year?

     Thread Starter
 

December 20, 2020 7:06 pm  #7


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

A Toronto radio station changes format and it gets a report on CBC news?  Wow how times have changed.  When 1050 CHUM announced they were dropping top 40, both CBC and CTV national newscasts gave it a report back in June 1986.

 

December 21, 2020 12:13 am  #8


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

It will probably be even worse this year; so much vacation time went unused, because, well, what are you going to do with it? Lots of burning off unused days the next couple weeks.

Going live on the 25th is nice and all, but listenership is miniscule. If paying someone to work the 25th means they get any other day off, it's not worth it.

 

December 21, 2020 2:12 am  #9


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

This discussion happens every year here.  Paying time and a half for the few people listening isn't worth it.  I'd suggest finding a podcast and binging on it for a few days.

 

December 21, 2020 9:41 am  #10


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I agree. There's no value in having anyone in live when listener levels are so low. But perhaps instead of just playing the same songs as music stations, the talk stations could air some pre-recorded programming that stays true to their formats. It's a huge cop out for a place like CFRB to start airing music for 24 hours or more because they can't think of any other way to fill the time. 

Corus' annual old time radio reruns of reruns of reruns is at least an effort, although it's a bit tiresome, and surely there are other radio shows they could air instead of the same ones as the past 20 years. 

There are dozens of places to hear Xmas tunes if that's what you want. Finding a creative alternative is the challenge. I never thought I'd say this in my lifetime, but thank God for Funny 820! 

     Thread Starter
 

December 22, 2020 8:34 am  #11


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

John Moore disappears from CFRB as of Wednesday.

Jerry Agar is off and won't be back until 2021.

Evan Solomon is gone, as well.

So is John Oakley on GNR640, and more are to follow.

It's just the start of the disruptions coming to a talk radio station near you, as the great Christmas break hits the industry. 

On his show Tuesday, Moore was noting how ironic it is that so many will be off on a much needed vacation - but because of the pandemic, won't be able to go anywhere. He joked that on his time off he finally gets to sleep in - which means he doesn't wake up until 5 AM! The life of those on the morning shift is a strange existence, indeed.  

     Thread Starter
 

December 22, 2020 3:20 pm  #12


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

CHUM-FM had a tradition of playing Beatles music on Christmas morning. I believe Benjy Karsh hosted it, or maybe it was Brian Master. Then there was Wes and Carol Atkinson on Christmas morning on FM 108, and Stan Roberts on WGR 550. Probably a few more that I haven't thought of.


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

December 22, 2020 5:28 pm  #13


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

RA,  I received this from a friend in Boston,  after i emailed him your Christmas Ornament photo.  

Last edited by Media Observer (December 22, 2020 5:30 pm)

 

December 22, 2020 6:08 pm  #14


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

That's brilliant - and little too close to the truth. You might say it's vision-ary.

Thanks for posting. 

     Thread Starter
 

December 22, 2020 6:45 pm  #15


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

RadioActive wrote:

That's brilliant - and little too close to the truth. You might say it's vision-ary.

Thanks for posting. 

It's the most punderfull time of the year.

Last edited by Media Observer (December 22, 2020 6:45 pm)

 

December 23, 2020 9:31 pm  #16


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

Turns out I might have been wrong. As I listened to show after show on the various talkers Wednesday, I heard almost every host tell their audience this was their last day on air until Jan. 4th. 

I'm kind of curious about what they'll use to fill the schedule between Dec. 24 and Jan 3rd. That's 10 very long days. So it's possible next week may be the worst of the year for local radio.

     Thread Starter
 

December 24, 2020 12:35 pm  #17


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

P Sherman as well 

 

December 24, 2020 9:52 pm  #18


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

It’s Christmas Eve and as I feared, there’s almost nothing to listen to on regular broadcast radio. I understand why so many stations go to special Christmas programming – there’s virtually no one listening, those who are may be in the mood for all Yule all the time and they want to give their respective staffs the night off.

Still, this is a very different holiday, with many people isolated by COVID non-visitation rules and perhaps craving the sound of a human voice as a connection to break the silence. It might have been nice if at least one talk station stayed true to its format on Dec. 24th. 
 
Anyway, just out of curiosity, I did a little local dial spinning Thursday night. Here’s what I found.
 
All of the sports stations had regular programming. So did Q107. Virgin Radio and 680 News. KiSS-FM at 92.5 was doing a mix of holiday and regular tunes with its "Kissmas" special that started at 8 AM and continues until sometime on Christmas Day. 
 
After that, it was a mixed bag. CKTB, GNR640 and CHML all went with their usual old time radio shows, tiresome but at least faithful to the format in that it’s spoken word.
 
CFRB completely abandoned its listeners and just played Xmas tunes all night. This is not their format and if people are looking for holiday music, there are dozens of FM stations they can find that will satisfy their needs. I hate when a station can’t think of anything else and just abandons its regular format. There must have been something else they could have run that would have been more consistent. But they took the easy and cheap way out.
 
AM 740, Jewel 88.5 and Boom 97.3 went all Christmas, as well, with their respective eras being represented in the choices. CHUM-FM and CBC Radio 1 also went into non-stop holiday mode, while CHFI has been there since November. (As for CJBC, well really, who knows?)
 
And as noted in the initial post, thank God for CHAM. All comedy all the time. Considering what the others are up to, it’s no laughing matter.

     Thread Starter
 

December 25, 2020 2:02 pm  #19


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I know I'm in a bit of a minority about Christmas programming on the radio and I don't want to harp on this too much. (Too late!)  I'm not trying to be a Grinch, but I find this non-stop Xmas stuff overwhelming, if only because it's on practically every single station and there are so few alternatives. 

But if radio broadcasters are going to jump into the Yule pool with both feet, the next question has to be - when should they come out of the deep end? 

Is noon Christmas Day too soon to go back to at least part of a regular format? How about 6 PM? The stroke of midnight Dec. 26th? If not then, when? It seems ludicrous to still be playing "Santa Claus Is Coming To Town" when he's already come and gone long ago. And yet that's what I'm hearing on many local stations. I'm aware there's no one in on this day and I think it's great that employees get the day off. But automation can easily accommodate their absences. Xmas comes on Dec. 25th and then it's over. Except, it seems, on local radio airwaves. 

I'll be curious to see when CHFI reverts back from its annual all holiday mode to its so-called Perfect Music Mix. As a huge consumer of broadcast radio, I'm ready for this thing to come to an end. But it sounds like too many local PDs aren't. 

For this would-be listener, at least, it's time for the Yuletide to rush out. 

     Thread Starter
 

December 25, 2020 2:42 pm  #20


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I can only tolerate one or two Christmas songs per hour before December 25th. I only listen to radio stations that have that policy. Won't be listening to any radio today. I have a date with Uncle Earl's Classic TV Channel.

 

December 25, 2020 4:16 pm  #21


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

Wally Crouter used to do a live phone-in shown on Christmas as I recall. 

 

December 25, 2020 7:28 pm  #22


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

For Christmas programming, given that we've now established quite the lead-in, I don't see why it wouldn't also have a bit of a tail too.

(In normal years) People still have dinners and parties and get-togethers up to New Years.

I'm not going to listen to it, but it makes sense to extend the Christmas Music a bit

 

December 26, 2020 2:34 am  #23


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

For the record - George Noory is always live on Christmas Eve.

As have I. Live on Christmas Eve at CHUM-FM - CFNY-FM - Syndication - COAST 1040 Vancouver and for 11 years at 94.9 FM and this year and for 6 preceding years live at NYTheSpirit.com.

I can't imagine being a radio person and not wanting to be live. Well OK - if it were formatted I am quite sure I wouldn't want to be live.  :-) 

I compliment George for this choice. 

Last edited by Marsden (December 26, 2020 2:36 am)

 

December 26, 2020 7:29 am  #24


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

RadioAaron wrote:

      it makes sense to extend the Christmas Music a bit   

EXACTLY!   Blayne Lastman will be extending Bad Boy's Boxing Day event 'til St. Patrick's Day, so we should be able to enjoy Rudolph at least 'til then

geo 
 

 

December 26, 2020 5:15 pm  #25


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I don't disagree that Tom's (and others) ads can be mind-numbing at times. However, in this age of the Humpback Whales known as Google, Facebook, etc. devouring everything in their paths, most any terrestrial radio ads should be welcomed with open arms, no?
 

 

December 26, 2020 6:50 pm  #26


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

I know there's no real relief from all Yule all the time until the clock strikes at least midnight on Dec. 26th, but really, Roger Ashby's Oldies Show doing two straight weeks of Christmas only music? I can take one of them but not both. First time since the show debuted that I just couldn't listen to it. I am Christmas music-ed out. Enough until next year. 

     Thread Starter
 

December 26, 2020 7:24 pm  #27


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

RadioActive wrote:

I know there's no real relief from all Yule all the time until the clock strikes at least midnight on Dec. 26th, but really, Roger Ashby's Oldies Show doing two straight weeks of Christmas only music? I can take one of them but not both. First time since the show debuted that I just couldn't listen to it. I am Christmas music-ed out. Enough until next year. 

Actually Jewel is repeating last weeks Christmas show, this isn't another one.  This morning CKWW in Windsor played a show from May and it was billed as an encore presentation for Ashby's show.   Interesting that the Christmas program actually broke a rule since they played Bob and Doug Mackenzie's 12 Days of Christmas which was from 1981, and didn't fall into the general mid 50's to mid 70's timeframe.  Guess allowances can be made for Christmas programming, and it is Bob and Doug.

A few stations that were playing all Christmas music have now cut back and mixing in regular playlist material and some have gone back to regular programming. CHFI and CHYM are still all santa all the time though.. 

 

December 26, 2020 10:08 pm  #28


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

paterson1 wrote:

Actually Jewel is repeating last weeks Christmas show, this isn't another one.  This morning CKWW in Windsor played a show from May and it was billed as an encore presentation for Ashby's show.

Which explains everything. I didn't listen to last week's show (which you say is also THIS week's show) for the exact same reason. Too much Yule gruel. Hopefully, we'll be back to normal next week. Thanks for the update.

     Thread Starter
 

December 27, 2020 11:36 pm  #29


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

paterson1 wrote:

Actually Jewel is repeating last weeks Christmas show, this isn't another one.  This morning CKWW in Windsor played a show from May and it was billed as an encore presentation for Ashby's show.   Interesting that the Christmas program actually broke a rule since they played Bob and Doug Mackenzie's 12 Days of Christmas which was from 1981, and didn't fall into the general mid 50's to mid 70's timeframe.  Guess allowances can be made for Christmas programming, and it is Bob and Doug.

Filling the Cancon requirement seems to have entered into it as well. He also played Grandma Got Run Over by The Rovers which is from 1982, and pushed the boundaries a bit with The Band's Christmas Must Be Tonight which didn't come out until 1977 -- although it was recorded in 1975. Both of those were at least by artists from the oldies era, however, and so it would be easier to sneak them in ... I like Bob and Doug, but I'm a bit more surprised by that one. However, he had to double up on a couple of Canadian artists as it was, so it obviously wasn't that easy to come up with enough Canadian songs. 
 

 

December 28, 2020 1:17 am  #30


Re: Is This The Worst Week Of The Year For Radio?

Lorne wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

Actually Jewel is repeating last weeks Christmas show, this isn't another one.  This morning CKWW in Windsor played a show from May and it was billed as an encore presentation for Ashby's show.   Interesting that the Christmas program actually broke a rule since they played Bob and Doug Mackenzie's 12 Days of Christmas which was from 1981, and didn't fall into the general mid 50's to mid 70's timeframe.  Guess allowances can be made for Christmas programming, and it is Bob and Doug.

Filling the Cancon requirement seems to have entered into it as well. He also played Grandma Got Run Over by The Rovers which is from 1982, and pushed the boundaries a bit with The Band's Christmas Must Be Tonight which didn't come out until 1977 -- although it was recorded in 1975. Both of those were at least by artists from the oldies era, however, and so it would be easier to sneak them in ... I like Bob and Doug, but I'm a bit more surprised by that one. However, he had to double up on a couple of Canadian artists as it was, so it obviously wasn't that easy to come up with enough Canadian songs. 
 

Yes it would have been a challenge, however with 100% Christmas music for any program, the regular format is already out the window regardless.  The Eagles Please Come Home for Christmas which was played in the show came out in 1978 but  became a Christmas classic a year or two later, and didn't show up on the A/C charts until 1997.

Wasn't anything from Anne Murray's Christmas material, possibly Ginette Reno or an instrumental from someone like Percy Faith or Oscar Peterson which would have been cancon.  .Don't know if the Crew Cuts, Travellers or Four Lads had anything appropriate.  Even some of the non cancon Christmas music wasn't really familiar either.  Overall he did feature a lot of the Christmas oldies standards and a mix of lesser known material with background information or explanation.  But you are right, it would have been a bit of digging for cancon from the era.