Out here in the Ottawa Valley, I'll likely rotate through MBC's three radio stations (myFM Renfrew, myFM Pembroke and WOW FM Arnprior) and Cogeco's "YourTV" out of Pembroke for local coverage, and for City of Ottawa coverage, CBC and CTV. Former CFRA host Mark Sutcliffe is the incumbent in Ottawa, seeking a second term as the capital's mayor.

The YourTV channels across the province (places like Windsor, Burlington, Peterborough/Lindsay, Kingston, and of course the Ottawa Valley) have been producing a lot of content for this year's municipal election campaigns... things like candidate profiles and debates, plus the returns they'll be broadcasting live on Monday night.

Since the polls don't close until 8pm, why would the CBC need to start their election coverage at 7pm. An hour of useless chat plus Corrie Street gets kicked back to the afternoon.

Anywhere but the CBC.

I just heard that Zoomer Radio is also doing election night coverage, with Libby Znaimer hosting a "panel of experts." I think it might be an audio simulcast from Vision TV. But at least a non-talk station (well most of the time) is doing something to cover this.

What's really different is that it will also be airing on Classical 96.3, which I wasn't expecting.  

mace wrote:

Since the polls don't close until 8pm, why would the CBC need to start their election coverage at 7pm. An hour of useless chat plus Corrie Street gets kicked back to the afternoon.

If you think that's bad, AM640's election show starts at 6:30 PM - more than an hour and a half before the polls close. So no results and no real discussion of issues.

I'll be curious to see how they fill the first 90 minutes+ before the results start trickling in. What will Greg Brady and Ben Mulroney talk about to fill all that time? I guess we'll find out.

But in the end, the only thing that matters is who wins. And once that's out and we get a few words from the victor and the vanquished, will anyone stay for the rest?

I remember the old City TV election coverage, which would come on at 7 PM before the polls closed. The entire hour consisted of what the news director called a "reel," going from one campaign H.Q. to the next, filling in time.

My dim memory seems to recall seeing Peter Silverman standing in one candidate's rented party room tasting the food, and commenting on whether it was good or not. 

Hey, anything to fill time! And at least he got fed. You know the stories of news people and free food. I'm surprised there was anything left by the time the polls closed.

radiokid wrote:

It's all about getting lead in listening/viewing.   Some die hard types will tune in early and stay with them during the coverage.    680 really doesn't need to do this as they will be able to cover things leading up to the 8pm closing of the polls.    I think it's why you are seeing them not start full coverage until 8pm officially.      To be honest I don't need to hear the endless conversations from talking heads of their opinions.    I will be with 680 for this fact.   It also could be over within 30 mins due to eletronic counting. 

Yep. The municipal vote was always my favourite one to work because it was over very early. The province was second. And I hated the federal elections because they could stretch on until 3 AM if there was no decision in the east and the West Coast had the final say. Those were brutal. 

Just saw on Instagram that Zoomer's providing coverage tonight, simulcast on Classical.