RadioActive wrote:

Playing the anthem was once a staple of stations at sign-on and/or sign-off, but since most are now 24 hours, that doesn't happen any more. 

That, and on some stations, God Save The Queen/King... CFTO did it, followed by the 1983 O Canada film with the kids choir and RCMP Band on Parliament Hill:



When Global still played the anthem at sign-on and sign-off, they used the "With Glowing Hearts" film from the late '70s, with Vic Vogel's arrangement of O Canada from the Montreal '76 summer games... we play this version at the local junior hockey games:



...and for a good chunk of the '80s and '90s, this rendition of our national anthem was the standard on many CBC Television and Radio stations, including CBLT, as seen/heard here in 1992:


 

Amazing, isn't it, what a threat from abroad will do for our nation's solidarity?
🇨🇦

Performative and gimmicky. They should actually do something to help. Or..... if you're going to do this.. don't do it at noon.....

Playing all Canadian songs on Saturday was definitely a gimmick, I never said otherwise. This is almost as bad..... there's a reason stations would only ever air it at the end of the broadcast day, because it's performative to air this in the middle of the day for no reason. Disrespectful, really, that they're using the anthem as a prop. You'd never see this in a rated market because the tune-out factor would be immense. 

torontostan wrote:

Performative and gimmicky. They should actually do something to help. Or..... if you're going to do this.. don't do it at noon.....

I will jump on in on this.

Toronto Stan - no idea who you are, or your experience. Hope you're well. 

Here's what I can tell you.   In my 30 years of radio (and I've done ok) - playing the National Anthem at noon is one of the BEST decisions we've ever made.   The audience reaction has been nothing but positive since we started years ago.   Obviously today's political environment has increased the positive response, but it has always existed since we started.  In rated and non-rated markets.   Pembroke has been doing it through surveys the longest and 104.9 myFM is #1 in every day part 25-54... so it's not hurting us.

Also - You're wayyyyyyyy overthinking it. It's 90 seconds before the news.  If I'm being honest - if a listener doesn't like us taking 90 seconds to pay tribute to our country... I'm not sure I want them as a listener?  We've had exactly ZERO complaints.  This board is the only place I've seen anything negative about playing our Anthem.


Now you know.

P.S - if asked I would recommend every station in the country add it immediately.  I would encourage Canadian artists to send custom versions that stations can play for variety.  There is no down side.

P.S.S - I posted this 6 days ago.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jonpole_this-is-a-text-exchange-with-my-19-year-old-activity-7306711992818442240-EhV0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAAIFQzEB3ZQQ4lq75dv9JWuKHVz_Pr_0YeQ

Last edited by JON POLE (March 21, 2025 1:09 pm)

JON POLE wrote:

torontostan wrote:

Performative and gimmicky. They should actually do something to help. Or..... if you're going to do this.. don't do it at noon.....

I will jump on in on this.

Toronto Stan - no idea who you are, or your experience. Hope you're well. 

Here's what I can tell you.   In my 30 years of radio (and I've done ok) - playing the National Anthem at noon is one of the BEST decisions we've ever made.   The audience reaction has been nothing but positive since we started years ago.   Obviously today's political environment has increased the positive response, but it has always existed since we started.  In rated and non-rated markets.   Pembroke has been doing it through surveys the longest and 104.9 myFM is #1 in every day part 25-54... so it's not hurting us.

Also - You're wayyyyyyyy overthinking it. It's 90 seconds before the news.  If I'm being honest - if a listener doesn't like us taking 90 seconds to pay tribute to our country... I'm not sure I want them as a listener?  We've had exactly ZERO complaints.  This board is the only place I've seen anything negative about playing our Anthem.


Now you know.

P.S - if asked I would recommend every station in the country add it immediately.  I would encourage Canadian artists to send custom versions that stations can play for variety.  There is no down side.

P.S.S - I posted this 6 days ago.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jonpole_this-is-a-text-exchange-with-my-19-year-old-activity-7306711992818442240-EhV0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAAIFQzEB3ZQQ4lq75dv9JWuKHVz_Pr_0YeQ

Good on you. I am happy you are doing this. And I agree. Canadian artists should send versions to stations so they can be played. I would love hearing different versions instead of the same one.

JON POLE wrote:

I will jump on in on this.

Toronto Stan - no idea who you are, or your experience. Hope you're well.

Here's what I can tell you. In my 30 years of radio (and I've done ok) - playing the National Anthem at noon is one of the BEST decisions we've ever made. The audience reaction has been nothing but positive since we started years ago. Obviously today's political environment has increased the positive response, but it has always existed since we started. In rated and non-rated markets. Pembroke has been doing it through surveys the longest and 104.9 myFM is #1 in every day part 25-54... so it's not hurting us.

Also - You're wayyyyyyyy overthinking it. It's 90 seconds before the news. If I'm being honest - if a listener doesn't like us taking 90 seconds to pay tribute to our country... I'm not sure I want them as a listener? We've had exactly ZERO complaints. This board is the only place I've seen anything negative about playing our Anthem.


Now you know.

P.S - if asked I would recommend every station in the country add it immediately. I would encourage Canadian artists to send custom versions that stations can play for variety. There is no down side.

P.S.S - I posted this 6 days ago.

https://www.linkedin.com/posts/jonpole_this-is-a-text-exchange-with-my-19-year-old-activity-7306711992818442240-EhV0?utm_source=share&utm_medium=member_android&rcm=ACoAAAIFQzEB3ZQQ4lq75dv9JWuKHVz_Pr_0YeQ

That's a small market approach, and if it works for you, good for you, but I would feel bad using the anthem to strum up brand awareness/brownie points. It's not the time or place to air it, and I would be surprised if any high rated large station took this up unless it would be frowned upon if they didn't. Saying "I'm not sure I want them as a listener?" is bizarre in this day & age.... you can't pick & choose. 

I wish you well with your new stations on Monday.... I heard they're sliding up the Pole, so to speak....

It never fails to amaze me how humourless some people can be when they have a grudge against someone or something. That was meant as a total joke and not a dig against CanCon. Talk about people who can't let something go...

No, it was totally meant as a joke. I'm sorry you can't see the intent, but not everything I post is a knock against CanCon. Believe me, if it had been a rant against the rules, it would have been a lot more cogent and long winded than a simple sentence or two.

And by the way, as the author of that small bit of doggerel, I'm the only one who knows what I meant. And I'm telling you. If you choose not to accept that, then you're simply incorrect. 

I don't have a issue with O Canada being played, a very long time ago I remember hearing an American radio station doing this, but I can't remember where this was being done.
But in stead of at noon, would it not be better to play it at the being of the broadcast day just before 6am or 7am on weekends. There have been so many recordings of O Canada there is no need of playing the same one each day. I would even take it a step further by having local groups recording O Canada and using this from time to time. It gets people involved with the local station  and helps with Canadian pride at that same time.

DXers pay attention to anthems. In Newfoundland, we scanned up and down the AM dial at the annointed time for stations on the pretty extensive All India Radio network. We identified tons of outlets that way. here in Ontario, I do much the same when Mexican stations all play their anthem daily at 0600 and 1200 local timne (usually translating to 0700 and 0100 Eastern Time). With CJCL 590 off for maintenance once a few years ago, I logged a station from the Dominican Republic by recording overnight, listening, and pulling out what sounded like an anthem and station sign-on in Spanish. I went through a file I keep of anthems, and the DR one matched up. I also managed a very clear station ID.
As for the anthems themselves, I'm not expressively patriotic. Doesn't mean I don't cherish the country in which I live and which has played a significant role in my ability to be who I am. But I don't wear it on my sleeve, so to speak. I'll stand up at hockey games out of general courtesy and respect for the people around me. But I'm generally not won over by overt displays of affection - sometimes there's something else going on besides love. 
As for Jon Pole's stations and others airing the anthem. That's the owner's prerogative. I don't feel extra love for the stations because they air the anthem, but I don't lose any appreciation for them either. Overall, I guess I respect the decision to air them. Probably because the stations do a very decent job of serving their communities. And that strikes me as an ultimate lithmus test of really liking this country we mostly by pure luck happen to live in.

Last edited by Saul (March 22, 2025 10:16 pm)