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I think we can all admit that CKNT (aka Sauga 960) isn't exactly the most popular station in the GTA. But now I wonder how anyone is supposed to take the place seriously.
First, Richard Syrett left a few weeks ago to go to podcasting only. But so far, he has yet to be replaced and they're still airing his reruns during the afternoon drive slot.
But it doesn't end there. On June 4th, morning man Marc Patrone announced he was taking a month off and would not be back until July 4th. Did they try to replace him? Nope. Instead, the station is going with - you guessed it - rerolls of his show from the last month. The fact that he deals with breaking issues that are in the news doesn't seem to matter.
So in the two most important time slots for any radio station, they're airing completely dated reruns. And not just once or twice but for at least an entire month. Who does that?
I don't take this station very seriously, but I've never heard of even a small radio outlet putting on repeats in the morning and afternoon drive shifts. They are ridiculous and have lost all credibility - if they ever had any.
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Agreed. I don't pay attention to the station beyond what's posted here (or mentioned in Toronto Mike'd episodes, like the regular Mike Richards appearances there), but this is disappointing to read.
Surely there are some broadcasting program graduates (or even final-year students) toiling away in some other capacity or can't find work that, though "green" and not experienced, could be better than the rerolls and one would hear them improve on-air during these stretches. Heck, a Kelly Cutrara or even a Mike Stafford getting in there for coverage as some freelance work.
Years ago, Newstalk 1010 (probably then "CFRB" in branding) did "Talk Radio Idol" on Sunday nights where they had everyday members of the community competing for an eventual show (I don't think that ever materialized, though) in that slot. Two female best friends who were known for chatting it up on everything and anything, a male standup comic, I think even a husband-and-wife team (think "The Motts") that traded playful barbs and observations. I would think even this would be better than the rerolls if they had a decent producer or board op to keep them on track and moving with ad breaks, etc.
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I would love to see their ratings. However, the station probably can't afford the Numeris subscription fee.
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I'm guessing a lot of the place is paid time. For instance, Marc Patrone has control of his morning show, which means he offers it as a paid subscription if you want to hear it as a podcast. It is not on Sauga's website. It's on his Substack account instead.
Therefore I can only assume he owns it and pays to be in the time slot. Which would explain why he isn't replaced when he goes on vacation. Again just a guess, but how else to explain the price for the podcast?
I guess this works for the owners, but it's a terrible way to run a radio station!
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With the number of hosts that pay radio stations to get on the air becoming increasingly the new normal, no wonder the competition for radio jobs is fierce.
PJ
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RadioActive wrote:
They are ridiculous and have lost all credibility - if they ever had any.
I'm leaning towards "they never had any credibility".
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Unfortunately the talk radio stations are just getting burned out.
It's a shame.
Poor John Moore has lost his edge and now just fills time with talking about which celebrity or government member he plays golf with or what black tie gala he attended.
Even his speech has slowed.
And he's developed the strange habit of finishing pretty well every interview with "thanks for this."
In the car I tend to listen to 680 to get the 15-minute roundup, news weather, traffic etc.
CBC Radio is more of a stay at home and listen kind of station in the rather old fashioned kind of way, but yes they have the funding to have real reporters and resources.
FM music stations are still quite entertaining.
BOOM is good.
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They actually have less than 100 listeners so not much to care about in all honesty...
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newsguy1 wrote:
Unfortunately the talk radio stations are just getting burned out.
It's a shame.
Poor John Moore has lost his edge and now just fills time with talking about which celebrity or government member he plays golf with or what black tie gala he attended.
Even his speech has slowed.
And he's developed the strange habit of finishing pretty well every interview with "thanks for this."
Don't forget his other go-to phrase, "Good to have you".
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kevjo wrote:
newsguy1 wrote:
Unfortunately the talk radio stations are just getting burned out.
It's a shame.
Poor John Moore has lost his edge and now just fills time with talking about which celebrity or government member he plays golf with or what black tie gala he attended.
Even his speech has slowed.
And he's developed the strange habit of finishing pretty well every interview with "thanks for this."
Don't forget his other go-to phrase, "Good to have you".
"We're out of racetrack."
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RadioActive wrote:
kevjo wrote:
newsguy1 wrote:
Unfortunately the talk radio stations are just getting burned out.
It's a shame.
Poor John Moore has lost his edge and now just fills time with talking about which celebrity or government member he plays golf with or what black tie gala he attended.
Even his speech has slowed.
And he's developed the strange habit of finishing pretty well every interview with "thanks for this."
Don't forget his other go-to phrase, "Good to have you".
"We're out of racetrack."
What's his name again ? who am I talking to ?
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Oh, yes, that expression really bugs me since the actual expression is "we're out of runway."
Planes have runways that they can run out of --, hence out of runway.
Racing cars go around and around in an oval, or at least on a racetrack that ends up where the race started.
You can't run out of racetrack.
ever.
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newsguy1 wrote:
Oh, yes, that expression really bugs me since the actual expression is "we're out of runway."
Planes have runways that they can run out of --, hence out of runway.
Racing cars go around and around in an oval, or at least on a racetrack that ends up where the race started.
You can't run out of racetrack.
ever.
I agree it's a bit clunky. But I always instinctively interpreted his use of that saying to mean the particular race is over - i.e. no more laps to be run. "We're all out of racetrack" - that's it, race is done, you can't go around again. You've had X laps and they're all used up. The racetrack is indeed a structure that one couldn't run out of, so is perpetually there, but we're not talking about showing up to an empty track on an off day and going around and around. We're in the context of a race where the number of laps or time is finite and pre-determined, i.e. "End of the horserace".
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I would think their entire broadcast day is paid time. It's an infotainment station.
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On their overnights are they paying for the all night prayers or praying for someone to pay them?
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newsguy1 wrote:
Oh, yes, that expression really bugs me since the actual expression is "we're out of runway."
Planes have runways that they can run out of --, hence out of runway.
Racing cars go around and around in an oval, or at least on a racetrack that ends up where the race started.
You can't run out of racetrack.
ever.
Does Mr. Moore sometimes linger here? At the end of the 2nd Roundtable on Friday, he concluded by saying "We're out of runway" - not racetrack. Newsguy1, you may be rubbing off on him!
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alangee wrote:
On their overnights are they paying for the all night prayers or praying for someone to pay them?
I recall back in the nineties that the fundie ministers would book half hour blocks of airtime on WWKB AM 1520 in the evenings, as that signal would cover a lot of the east coast of the US and even up to the Maritimes. With streaming, I wonder if there's more of a focus there than over the air. 🤔
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Ravinder Pannu and Mr. Elliot still have the station listed with a U.S.radio station broker for a fortune in $U.S.
The broker's listing is totally bogus, not based on any financials, or the actual true reach of the station.
I guess that the listing just stays in his system, week after week.
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tvguy wrote:
Ravinder Pannu and Mr. Elliot still have the station listed with a U.S.radio station broker for a fortune in $U.S.
The broker's listing is totally bogus, not based on any financials, or the actual true reach of the station.
I guess that the listing just stays in his system, week after week.
So, panu does have an ownership stake in sauga?
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Wasn't this station up for sale at one point for some crazy high unrealistic price?
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One thing that is positive about Sauga 960. It is proof that hard right wing, US style evengelical conspiracy radio is not a draw in the GTA or Southern Ontario. Generally this type of radio is a waste of time and a road to nowhere and hasn't been well received here. If people like this style of shouty and dumbed down broadcasting in the US...fill your boots folks!