Very interesting - I recognized the name right away, but hadn't thought of him for a while! He was one of the rare 1010 news personalities not named Dave (at various times, that group included Dave Trafford, David Bent, Dave Agar, Dave McKee, Dave Bradley, Dave Woodard and David Craig - 'The Daves I Know' indeed!).

Always appreciated his calm/mellow but informative delivery - great vibe for the overnight.

I see his bus line linked to this video message of his amongst their other drivers and the voice is definitely familiar.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLUPSOebilc

Wow! Thanks for your long delayed post! I really appreciate your words and I'm sure I'm not the only one. What time (and Bell) has done to this heritage radio station is almost criminal IMHO. I used to listen to you on my way home from the TV newsroom where I worked at the time. Always appreciated your writing and your delivery. You were probably the best local overnight news voice I ever heard in this city. 

(Sorry Fred Cripps, who I worked with at CKEY at one time! Although he's long left us, he was a wonderful man. For some reason, he was a huge fan of Jeannette MacDonald and Nelson Eddy. But I really digress!)

I take it you had no desire to get back into the business. I'm sure a place like 680 News could really use your talents, although I strongly suspect you left the industry because it left you and you may not have ever wanted to return to what it's now become. Plus, I see by your Linked-In page, you've long since retired.

I, for one, would very much like to read your poem. Forgive the gushing, but I was a big fan of your on-air work and I'm very happy that you checked in with SOWNY, and hope you'll return if you have something more to say. 

I remember, quite a few years ago, when as a volunteerI along with anout 6 or 7 other voluntees assisting OPP, Peel Region and halton  Police and ambulance, along with Oakville and Mississauga fire, calling in tips on accidents, road closures and fires to John, Sheila Walsh, Deborah Edwards and Catherine Pope,

He was a gentleman along with the other ladies

Thank you to all of you who wrote such wonderful comments, I truly appreciate them.    I will try to share them with both of my sons.   
     Yes, I have had some urge me to get back into radio, but I felt that I couldn't take the long shifts anymore, and I always explained that "part time in radio means nights and weekends, and I promised myself I would never do that to myself again."      
     I did mention that I put together some creative writing about the huge cutdown at CFRB in January 2009, which also affected Jane Brown, David Bent, Bill McDonald and Richard Syrette.  Well over a century of news experience was terminated.  I am glad all 4 of them continued broadcasting,  but I really needed a break. One of you said you would like to read my composition.  So here it is.   It is in the pattern of Don McLean's famous song "American Pie" about "the day the music died" except it's by a Canadian guy, and it's not about music. 

   The Day the News Had Died.  

A long long time ago I can still remember
How talking to the listeners was a dream and an honour.
I knew if I had my chance,  I could tell the audience
All the news and sports they'd need, in a way that made a little sense.
But war and mayhem made me shiver, with every newscast I'd deliver
Hearing bad news on the radio, made us all start to suffer.
I don't believe I ever cried, but I sure felt as if I was fried
By the time that we all were fired, for surely that day, the news had died.
So bye-bye to a long career.  I gave my guts to it for 36 years.
The competition, deadlines, lack of sleep:  What did it cost, and what did I reap?
And who's left to carry the load, like those of earlier times who paved the road
with class and integrity?   Now all I hear is a lack of ability.
A profound failure to communicate, using shoddy language I have come to hate.
Perverted from that which I'd always loved, so it's the off button that I have shoved.
From among many loyal ears, she asked me for some happy news. 
I thought about those hectic years, searching through my fading views. 
But as I feared, I was finding none.  My reporting life was past and done.
Yes something stabbed me deep inside, the day the news had died. 

    

Last edited by John Elston (March 25, 2026 9:40 pm)

Thank you for sharing that with us, John.



PJ

Thank you for this John, nicely put. I think there’s a few of us who can relate to this sad reality. Good to have you here on SOWNY!

My first on-air gig at Talk640 Toronto was overnight oping and top of the hour live newscasts...worked from 11pm to 6am for about 2 years in the late 1990's....fricken killer on the brain and body...listened to John's casts all the time as he was the standard...I copied a lot of his stuff, so a very belated thanks!...great delivery and a solid (and local) newscast every time.