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Why Were Local Vancouver Sports Shows Playing On The Fan 590?
A very interesting and worrisome read from the folks at The Athletic. It talks about MLB's All-Star Week, one of the slowest in all of the sports year, when two of Rogers' "Fan-programmed" stations in Canada were both forced to simulcast a third station's local programming.
Rogers' PR claims it was designed to "showcase" talent from other markets during a dull week, who would otherwise never be discovered by listeners.
But two former Fan 590 programmers suggest it has a lot more to do with layoffs and cheapness at the broadcasting giant than any desire to spotlight anyone else. And given that I know Nelson Millman, I'm inclined to believe him.
“I get what they’re saying: It’s the spin I’d put on,” said Millman. “But it’s like, ‘OK, it’s cost-cutting.’ They just don’t have the resources.”
Why Sportsnet imported Vancouver voices to Toronto's 590 The Fan
- MJ Vancouver
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Re: Why Were Local Vancouver Sports Shows Playing On The Fan 590?
We’re used to local Toronto programming or advertising in Ontario outside the GTA and in other provinces. Some examples - mostly Rogers related:
- Breakfast Television, as broadcast on Citytv Vancouver, includes news headlines and weather for a Toronto and Ontario audience
- Sportsnet Pacific, broadcast only in BC, regularly shows ads aimed at an Ontario audience. Two examples include ads for online gambling services only available in Ontario, and Harvey’s which does not exist west of Calgary. (They have the full ability to air alternate ads for BC, which they sometimes do.)
- CBC’s local Toronto news is broadcast to most of Ontario outside of the Ottawa area, and Windsor at 6:00. Global’s Toronto news is also broadcast to all of Ontario, including Ottawa.
I think Toronto listeners of Sportsnet 590 can handle a single day of Halford & Brough from Vancouver.
- paterson1
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Re: Why Were Local Vancouver Sports Shows Playing On The Fan 590?
torontostan wrote:
- Sportsnet Pacific, broadcast only in BC, regularly shows ads aimed at an Ontario audience. Two examples include ads for online gambling services only available in Ontario, and Harvey’s which does not exist west of Calgary. (They have the full ability to air alternate ads for BC, which they sometimes do.)
I agree with your example except Sportsnet Pacific is not broadcast only in BC, it's available to all subscribers. Plus, there's a bit of grey area as I don't believe speciality channels in Canada are allowed to sell local advertising. For what it's worth I've seen it the other way around too, with west coast advertisements airing on the Ontario feed. Really they can regionalize the ads a little across the feeds, but it's not going to be as localized as OTA broadcast networks.
It's sort of confusing since Sportsnet often (but not always) has the same programming on many of their channels-SN-O.E.W,P. Sportsnet 360 and often SN 1 will have something else on.
However on SN Pacific, West and occasionally East I have noticed more localized commercials than what was on the Ontario and SN1 networks. Ads for Vancouver car dealerships on SN Pacific and West that weren't playing on the other channels. Also ads for BC lottery, provincial government ads and grocery and convenience store chains that are not in Ontario. This is quite sporadic and not even all of the spots in the break. Most of the ads are national, but I definitely have seen local provincial ads that were only running on the Pacific, East or Western networks.
TSN seems to have more varied programming over their 5 channels so I haven't noticed if this happens as much with them.
Last edited by paterson1 (July 22, 2022 10:06 pm)
- Tomas Barlow
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Re: Why Were Local Vancouver Sports Shows Playing On The Fan 590?
- Sportsnet Pacific, broadcast only in BC, regularly shows ads aimed at an Ontario audience. Two examples include ads for online gambling services only available in Ontario, and Harvey’s which does not exist west of Calgary. (They have the full ability to air alternate ads for BC, which they sometimes do.)
I agree with your example except Sportsnet Pacific is not broadcast only in BC, it's available to all subscribers. Plus, there's a bit of grey area as I don't believe speciality channels in Canada are allowed to sell local advertising. For what it's worth I've seen it the other way around too, with west coast advertisements airing on the Ontario feed. Really they can regionalize the ads a little across the feeds, but it's not going to be as localized as OTA broadcast networks.
Regional sports networks can absolutely sell local ads. That's the reason they exist.
Sportsnet drives me insane. Last night there was a US west coast baseball game on. I understand it being on Sportsnet East, Ontario, West and Pacific because they are essentially regional feeds of a national network. However this game was also on Sportsnet One and Sportsnet 360. Sportsnet One was launched because it was supposed to have completely separate programming than the 4 regional channels, and 360 existed as a separate channel that was licensed to show highlights the majority of the time before Rogers annexed it. If you have so little programming that you need to treat 6 channels as a single feed, it's time to shut some of them down.
I remember Rob Faulds filling in for Bob McCown when Sportsnet One was announced and he was shilling for the company like his life depended on it, saying it was a revolutionary opportunity for fans to have more choice than ever before. The callers unanimously told him he was full of it and that Rogers didn't need a yet another poker channel. They were right then and they're right now.
Last edited by Tomas Barlow (July 23, 2022 9:05 pm)
- paterson1
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Re: Why Were Local Vancouver Sports Shows Playing On The Fan 590?
But it seems like the regional sportsnets do have some time for local ads. 1:20 today Sportsnet West had an ad for Mercedes Benz Edmonton West, this didn't run on any of the other channels. Sportsnet Pacific had ads for the Traveland RV dealers in BC, Alta, and Sask. an ad for Fat Burger which is western hamburger chain and a promo for the Vancouver Canadians Family Fun Day on Sundays. All of these were only on SN Pacific. SN Ontario also had an ad for the Prezler Law firm which is only in Ontario and mostly Toronto, also a promo for KISS 92.5 Toronto.
I agree with torontostan that it would be much better if the regional sportsnets featured more localized programming. More expense yes, but also more local ads and likely better ratings. Why endless repeats of Sportsnet Central during the day when they could show some regional sports and sell it out with local advertising.
Last edited by paterson1 (July 24, 2022 2:01 pm)
- RadioAaron
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Re: Why Were Local Vancouver Sports Shows Playing On The Fan 590?
A "local" ad is defined as one that airs only in a single market, whether or not that business has locations outside of that single market. Airing a "local" ad on a regional feed is something the regulations don't really consider as it would seem to be inefficient.
I remember the brief period when Radio 2 ran ads; they were also supposed to only be national. But one of the more recurring spots was for Bay Bloor Radio.