1 of 1- RadioActive
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It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
I guess I wasn't surprised to see the usual suspects - CFRB and AM640 - go into reroll mode on Family Day Monday morning. 1010 early risers were greeted by the ubiquitous "Best Of John Moore" at 6 AM, followed by the usual CP24 simulcast.
AM640 was even worse - not only did they air a Best of Greg Brady but they didn't even hit the news at the top of the hour.
Only 680, CBC Radio1 and CKTB were actually live Monday morning, with local newscasters providing updates on open and closed attractions and the big dig out repercussions from that near record breaking storm on the weekend. (And special kudos to 610, which managed to field a very entertaining AM drivetime show, including a host, a contributing producer, and even a sportscaster.)
I don't begrudge the hard working morning crew getting an extra day off, with listener levels likely low. But Family Day isn't a regular holiday - it's a made up provincial day off that pointedly does not include those covered under federal jurisdiction, which includes broadcasting. So technically, no overtime. And because it's Ontario-only, many people still had to work on Monday. They should have been better served with live radio.
- betaylored
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
Totally agree with you RadioActive. I turned on my radio just before 8 am., looking forward to hearing a "best of" Moore In The Morning and instead was dismayed to encounter CP24 which is like thinking you're going to enjoy a homemade chocolate chip cookie only to find out life's given you store bought oatmeal raisin.
Thankfully there's days and days of MITM podcast episodes and one can even skip certain sections to remain in a good mood and avoid a bad case of the trumps.
Today was a golden opportunity for stations to build their numbers, there's a captive audience dying to be informed, entertained and also looking to be reminded of the reason why they tuned in in the first place. Live human beings on the airwaves.
Happy Scrambly Day to all who'd like to listen to decent radio on Family Day!
Last edited by betaylored (February 17, 2025 9:33 am)
- torontostan
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
betaylored wrote:
Today was a golden opportunity for stations to build their numbers, there's a captive audience dying to be informed
There's virtually zero audience on statutory holiday morning hours. No reason to lose money doing a show nobody is listening/watching..... plus if they are watching, they'd watch anyways.
- Scarboroughbluffsradiof99
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
Also, there's days and days of the night shift with shane huit to listen to.
And the show from CJAD, his first name is nikos.
I was hoping they wold air that show for something different and live.
- newsguy1
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
When I started off in radio the understanding was it is a 24/7 lifestyle.
Especially for young people starting out.
Later seniority might, that's might count for something and you don't have to work stat holidays or weekends, but someone else will.
No longer.
big radio stations don't even want to pay tiny amounts to young ambitious people.
The result, like today on 1010, reruns of John Moore interviewing people, and making references to things like "it'll be Christmas in a couple of weeks," etc.
Lame.
- RadioActive
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
Also, there's days and days of the night shift with shane huit to listen to.
And the show from CJAD, his first name is nikos.
I was hoping they wold air that show for something different and live.
I think the guy you're referring to from CJAD is Elias Makos.
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Thread Starter- betaylored
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
Today was a golden opportunity for stations to build their numbers, there's a captive audience dying to be informed
There's virtually zero audience on statutory holiday morning hours. No reason to lose money doing a show nobody is listening/watching..... plus if they are watching, they'd watch anyways.
Virtually zero audience perhaps because people have been stuck with stale rerolls for decades now, however I respect your more expert knowledge on the subject torontostan.
As I posted a few days ago, whoever was filling in for Vassy mentioned on Friday that Scott Reid is going to be doing her show today from noon to 2 so if this turns out to be true, those of of us who don't dislike Scott can enjoy a little live radio on Newstalk 1010.
- RadioActive
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
To be fair, Greg Brady and Alex Pierson are both in for a live post election debate show on Monday night. So they will be on, just later in the day. Which makes me wonder if Brady will be there for his morning show as usual on Tuesday.
I noticed that Global did not do a noon news, while CTV's usual Toronto 12 PM show was replaced by a feed from CTV News Channel. So the staff got a partial day off, because they'll still be in for the 6 and 11:30.
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Thread Starter- torontostan
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
Virtually zero audience perhaps because people have been stuck with stale rerolls for decades now, however I respect your more expert knowledge on the subject torontostan.
Thanks for that. I hear you, but unfortunately now more than ever radio is a car medium, and on stat holiday/weekend mornings there just isn't a high enough potential audience that could be reached, even if a program is good. Just look at how barren the local television landscape is across the country and even in the US/UK, very few live & local weekend morning programs. 680 should be live, and beyond that nobody else would be able to justify the cost, you wouldn't make it back in advertising. You could have a great show, but if nobody is awake and in their car, nobody will listen.
- Aytononline
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Re: It Was Hard To Find Live Morning Show Programming On Family Day
I agree with a lot of what has been said. As much as I would like live local programs because of the weather and the leaders debate tonight. Even on 680, there was really nothing to say. No traffic on my way in this morning, the GTA was cleaning up the snow and the political people were preparing for tonight.
In less than an hour me radio was off. If radio is for the car, there was not many of us on the road today, so I understand why some stations took the day off.