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October 11, 2022 7:31 pm  #1


Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

I know a poster already put this up on the Mark Towhey thread, but I thought it significant enough that it deserved one of its own. The host who will not disappear is back - 6 months after Bell let Jim Richards go from the overnight show he originated, they've hired him back to host "Newstalk Tonight," the newcomer that Towhey was forced to give up, apparently for health reasons. 

I hope Richards has some sort of guarantee that this gig will last for a definite period of time. I'm not a fan, but he certainly has not been treated well by a company he worked at for so many decades.

My only complaint is about what kind of show it will be now. It's national, so he's back on the network. But he does tend to often take a lighter side of things, and I'm not sure if that was what the original concept of the program was.

 

October 11, 2022 8:10 pm  #2


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

Dracula lives!!

 

October 11, 2022 8:50 pm  #3


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

By the way, it appears the Evan Solomon Show has been renamed "Newstalk Today." So now they have one during the day and another at night, both airing on iHeart stations across the country. 

Evan Solomon said one last goodbye in a pre-recorded message on the Thanksgiving Day reroll, his final true broadcast on iHeart. It isn't clear who is taking on this show on a permanent basis, but frequent fill-in CJOH-TV anchor Graham Richardson was on Tuesday.

As for "Question Period's" new anchor, Solomon noted CTV reporter Joyce Napier will be taking his place "for a while" fronting that show. Sadly, his final time in front of the camera on QP Sunday was never shown on most of the CTV Network, pre-empted by a London, England NFL game that started at 9 AM our time. 

I'm hoping Napier is not the permanent host, because I find her biased towards one side. The thing I liked about Solomon was he would ask the tough questions to both the left and the right, not playing favourites. I hope Napier can manage that, too, but from what I've seen in the past when she's filled in, she often softballs the side she supports.

     Thread Starter
 

October 12, 2022 1:39 am  #4


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

Congratulations to Jim Richards, it's got to be a good feeling, returning to the mic and reconnecting with the listeners from previous shows as well as building a new audience.

 

October 12, 2022 6:57 am  #5


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

Not to mention a timeslot that's a lot more conducive to a normal lifestyle!

     Thread Starter
 

October 12, 2022 2:54 pm  #6


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

Jim wasn't "let go"
to quote Jim he stated
"Was never fired!!! Health is a private matter Was on a leave and am grateful to management for the time. Happy to be back 7-11 weekdays"

 

October 12, 2022 3:22 pm  #7


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

citats wrote:

Jim wasn't "let go"
to quote Jim he stated
"Was never fired!!! Health is a private matter Was on a leave and am grateful to management for the time. Happy to be back 7-11 weekdays"

Interesting. With neither his side or the Bell side saying anything, it sure appeared he was quietly turfed and waiting out a non-compete with no apparent spot in the schedule for him. So if the "Newstalk Tonight" experiment doesn't work out, does that mean he goes back to the overnight showgram and David Cooper is out there? Maybe Towhey's heart issues created an opening sooner than expected.

He could've updated his Twitter or Instagram bio blurbs to read "On leave - Bell Media", "On Hiatus" or something similar - a few words of quiet explanation would've stopped speculation and assumption. That said, health - physical or mental - is indeed a personal thing and no explanation is owed if one doesn't wish to indicate anything.
 

 

October 13, 2022 12:29 am  #8


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

 

October 15, 2022 8:46 am  #9


Re: Jim Richards Back On Bell Media

I wasn’t aware that Jim Richards was returning to 1010 and caught him quite by chance on his first show back. I listened for about an hour and enjoyed it, although he had to think about the show’s title a few times going to break….! Welcome back Richards, you were missed.