The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Mike Bullard Returns To GTA Radio

RadioActive · October 28, 2018 6:23 pm

I thought this was worth a separate thread, simply because it's so unexpected.

As noted by RadioPaulPA in the CKNT post, Sauga 960 has apparently hired former CFRB noon show host Mike Bullard to front their afternoon drivetime effort, beginning Monday.

It follows the comedian's long court battle over his involvement with City TV's Cynthia Mulligan, which effectively ended his career. Or at least it threatened to, until he landed this. It will be very interesting to hear if he refers to those troubles on his inaugural broadcast on the new station, which happens at 4 PM.

(CKNT may seem like a strange place to land, but he's long been associated with Mississauga, and frequently waged a war of words against former Mayor Hazel McCallion when he was on 'RB. And after so many years in the wilderness, a paying gig is a paying gig.)

Chrisphen · October 28, 2018 7:32 pm

*shrug*

cash · October 28, 2018 8:29 pm

does this station have a website ??

Brad · October 28, 2018 10:59 pm

cash wrote:
does this station have a website ??

Their facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/Sauga960AM/ references https://sauga960am.ca/

Nothing on it right now besides an audio feed.

Brad · October 28, 2018 11:00 pm

The latest post from Facebook:
Sauga 960 AM 8 hrs ·
How exciting, daily Monday to Friday programming begins Monday Oct 29th at 9 am.
The Marc Patrone Show 9 am to 11 am Politics and Business
The Mid Day Show with Norm Murray and Martha Kruk Lifestyle and Entertainment.
Foster & Decker 2 pm to 4 pm Conversation that will amaze you.
The Getaway with Mike Bullard and Lawrence Morganstern 4 pm to 7 pm Your Drive home show, entertaining to no end.
Sauga 960AM www.sauga960am.ca

Last edited by Brad (October 28, 2018 11:02 pm)

Radiowiz · October 28, 2018 11:59 pm

I'm still amazed CKNT found the money to hire Norm Murray!

Dale Patterson · October 29, 2018 9:55 am

Surprised they haven't filled traditionally the most important time slot, that of morning drive, yet. You'd think that would be the first thing they'd do, instead it will be the last.

Hansa · October 29, 2018 10:33 am

Everyone has the right to work so as much as I'm not a fan of Bullard's personality or comedy, I'm not going to begrudge him employment. I just hope he's sought the help he desperately needs or else he may find his old problems resurfacing.

markow202 · October 29, 2018 2:14 pm

grilled.cheese wrote:
Today is the big day.
CKNT is taking over the airwaves.

Sarcasm right?

How about they put up atleast one highway billboard. If you take 10 people right now and ask them if they know about CKNT station 0 would know.

October 29, 2018 2:36 pm

It's a test for whether there truly is demand for "local" radio.

If your sample of ten people know that it exists in (say) six weeks, the answer will be obvious. On the other hand, can you suggest anything to compare it with? For example, Bayshore Broadcasting is running all over southern Georgian Bay touting "local" radio, but after a few hours of listening, people point out that it's an Owen Sound broadcaster with a $1,000/month tower in every one-horse town.

Good luck to Mike Bullard, you're the Conrad Black of Mississauga.

geo

October 29, 2018 4:07 pm

Mike Bullard is ON THE AIR dudes of all ages are glued to the parlor radio. Can Cam Stewart + Lou Schizas be far behind?

Last edited by geo (October 29, 2018 4:09 pm)

RadioActive · October 29, 2018 4:11 pm

"For the last two years, I've been on a modern dance scholarship in France."
-Bullard on his first show back, explaining where he's been all this time.

He then elaborated on having "some legal problems," noting they've been resolved, before joking, “I spent more time in jail than Johnny Cash and less time than Nelson Mandela.”

He added, “I didn’t stalk anyone nor did I park in front of anyone’s home.”

Without using any names, he claims he broke up with his girlfriend “four times, none of which was my fault,” and was “charged with everything under the sun.”

He relates that he had a gall bladder attack during the court proceedings, needed surgery, and that his attorney didn’t tell the judge, so he was charged with breaching his release conditions. Add to that, his mother died in the middle of all this, which only added to the stress.

Eventually, he says, he “admitted to what I did” and now he just wants to put it all behind him.

Perhaps the most disturbing statement, though, came from his comedian co-host, who insisted Bullard didn’t do anything that he was accused of!

The verdict would suggest otherwise.

He related what it was like to have to go the bathroom in jail, his court experience and why he hated the Crown Attorney who, he claims, went after him with every charge he could think of.

His co-host also wondered why almost no one was calling. They made jokes about it, but the real unstated answer is that no one (except maybe me, Geo and Dial Twister) is actually listening or knows that CKNT exists.

Last edited by RadioActive (October 29, 2018 4:27 pm)

Dial Twister · October 29, 2018 4:15 pm

Slash my wrists...or keep listening? Decisions. Decisions.

October 29, 2018 6:03 pm

Radioactive wrote:
no one (except maybe me, Geo and Dial Twister) is actually listening or knows that CKNT exists.

"Many are called; few are chosen"
Matthew 22:14

Dial Twister · October 29, 2018 6:19 pm

Abusive-guy music radio. Man, this show isn't just off the rails...it's in the weeds.

mic'em · October 29, 2018 7:23 pm

Bullard the love sponge

RadioAaron · October 29, 2018 8:49 pm

I especially enjoyed Mike and his co-host disagreeing on what the station's name is. Just awful radio.

Pretty good reception here in High Park until the sunset power-down though.

Hansa · October 29, 2018 9:04 pm

Christ, it was unbelievably unfunny.

AspectRatio · October 29, 2018 10:55 pm

A bit of a rough listen indeed. Stiff and awkward - and that's being charitable. But, I'm willing to give them some time to settle into *some* sort of groove.

Poor newscaster Indira Tarachandra got pulled far more into the show and giving opinions than she likely would've liked ("Is that a compliment or not if construction workers hoot and holler at you?"), but at least managed to come out mostly unscathed.

One offhand comment made by Lawrence Morganstern was how him and preceding timeslot comedian Glen Foster were "poached" from Funny 820 and they jumped over to this station. Not sure if that's the best career move. However, that earlier show "Foster & Decker" was actually reasonably listenable.

Last edited by AspectRatio (October 29, 2018 10:56 pm)

Hansa · October 30, 2018 8:07 am

It sounded like two guys at a bar who think they're having a great conversation while everyone sitting within earshot just wants them to shut up.

Radiowiz · October 30, 2018 11:28 am

RadioActive wrote:
His co-host also wondered why almost no one was calling. They made jokes about it, but the real unstated answer is that no one (except maybe me, Geo and Dial Twister) is actually listening or knows that CKNT exists.

I tuned in shortly after 11 PM today.
What's with the use of a phone number that is not the easiest to remember?
They should have requested a number ending in "0960"...at least.

Last edited by Radiowiz (October 30, 2018 11:43 am)

October 30, 2018 4:09 pm

another brutal, day-long wait but it's 4:00 and southern North York, rural Pennsylvania & Western GTA again celebrate Mike LIVE on CKNT

Last edited by geo (October 30, 2018 4:51 pm)

RadioActive · October 30, 2018 5:30 pm

I actually listened to about five minutes of it on Tuesday and Bullard announced they'd be moving to a brand new studio next week. From the sound of it, it might not be in the same building but an entirely new place.

Questions: why would you sign on a brand new radio station (relatively speaking in CKNT's case) when you were only going to move to a new location a few weeks/months later? Wouldn't you just finish the new digs after having seven years to get everything ready and stay there?

I've asked this before and I'll ask it again: what is going on over there?

October 30, 2018 6:03 pm

RadioActive wrote:
why would you sign on a brand new radio station (relatively speaking in CKNT's case) when you were only going to move to a new location a few weeks/months later?

Did the average listener care whether Roger, Rick + Marilyn's voices were coming from 1331 Yonge or 250 Richmond?

Last edited by geo (October 30, 2018 6:04 pm)

RadioActive · October 30, 2018 8:25 pm

Aytononline wrote:
Like having multiple ways for people to contact the show.

In the five short minutes I listened, I heard Bullard say that they should have a "star-960" cell phone line by next week. Again, shouldn't that have been taken care of before sign on?

Dial Twister · October 30, 2018 9:51 pm

Morgenstern said it on day one..."We're pirate radio out in Lake Ontario".

betaylored · October 31, 2018 1:28 am

There's a tweet from Joe Warmington that leads to one from Mike Bullard that reads: "Just had Joe Warmington on to talk about Sherman murders. Call in with your theory.." and then a 905 phone number. Anybody hear this segment?

I can't get the station on my free radio app, but I'll be picking up a new transistor radio this week, and checking the afternoon drive show out then.

Last edited by betaylored (October 31, 2018 1:43 am)

Dial Twister · October 31, 2018 10:21 am

Dial Twister wrote:
Abusive-guy music radio. Man, this show isn't just off the rails...it's in the weeds.

Day one, they took a look at abusive men, as depicted in popular music over the years. I missed how they get off on this tangent, but it definitely flowed from their discussion of Bullard's history with the courts and a certain woman.

This example of what they played was recorded by Nat King Cole and Dean Martin in 1958. Lordy, lordy, how things have changed.

Bullard's fade-in started at the 1:45 mark...