The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Why Was Barb DiGiulio Co-Hosting CFRB’s Morning Show Monday?

RadioActive · March 18, 2019 8:45 am

Apparently a lot of people on social media were asking the same question, when ’RB evening host Barb DiGiulio suddenly showed up on NT1010’s morning show Monday. She’s played fill-in host before, but this time it was different - John Moore was still there.

They peripherally addressed the issue from time to time with the very unsatisfying explanation that she was “just hanging out” and “keeping him company” but would be back to her regular Nightside gig on Tuesday. That simply doesn’t make sense. You don’t take a regular host off an established show and plug her into a different slot – especially that slot – just for a lark.

Last week, Jerry Agar appeared on the Roundtable only to confirm he wouldn’t be doing his regular mid-morning shift that day, leading me to speculate he was possibly attending a staff meeting and that there may be change afoot at Canada’s biggest talk station and perhaps at Bell Media itself.

I admit it’s only a guess on my part but are changes in the offing at ’RB after recent ratings erosion? Perhaps they’re thinking of establishing a male-female host relationship in the morning, a la 640. Or they’re testing out tinkering with the format.

I do know this – the reasons they’ve given for her presence on Monday make absolutely no sense. Nothing in morning radio happens by accident. I wonder if anyone here knows if this apparent “test run” is a hint of what’s to come.

And by the way, for the record, I like Barb there, allowing her to actually deal with news, instead of the “can you help your kids with their homework?” pabulum she’s forced to do after dark.

Radiowiz · March 18, 2019 9:08 am

RadioActive wrote:
You don’t take a regular host off an established show and simply plug her into a different slot – especially that slot – just for a lark.

I've been told that as long as it is NOT a ratings period it's okay to fiddle.
This kind of behaviour during a ratings period might actually get a PD fired... (?)

RadioActive · March 18, 2019 10:12 am

Another tweak - they've now dropped their weekday post-news "MoneyWatch" business feature that leveraged their BNN-Bloomberg tie-in. But its presence isn't gone entirely. Instead, it appears they're employing it as strictly a voicer in their newscasts on one story only. Clearly, they're making subtle changes as they go.

Last week, I noted that they've quietly lost their TSN 1050 sports updates that used to run after various newscasts - and that they've also disappeared from some CTV newscasts, as well, where the anchors now recap highlights of last night's local teams with varying degrees of success.

RadioActive · March 18, 2019 10:14 am

I've been told that as long as it is NOT a ratings period it's okay to fiddle.
This kind of behaviour during a ratings period might actually get a PD fired... (?)

I've been told by endless P.D.s over the years that we're supposed to consider that EVERY DAY is a ratings period. For whatever that's worth.

RadioAaron · March 18, 2019 10:34 am

We're in the thick of the 13 week spring book right now.

AspectRatio · March 18, 2019 7:53 pm

I noticed Barb's random appearance, too, this morning, and never heard a satisfactory answer on-air as to why she was there. My impression was a "test drive" of a co-host format to attempt to freshen up the format and what most stations (i.e. the music ones) in the market are doing. For what it's worth, I thought John and Barb had a decent, easygoing chemistry that seemed to "click" fine and would only develop more over time.

RadioActive · March 19, 2019 10:17 am

It got even more strange on Tuesday, when Dave Agar was subbing for John Moore, whom he announced was "on vacation."

So he comes in at the beginning of the week for one day doing an unannounced tandem with the evening host with no tangible explanation, then immediately leaves to take time off? Who starts a vacation on a Tuesday?

I think something's up over there, but we'll just have to wait and see what it is.

Mr magoogain · March 20, 2019 9:51 pm

What would Bill Carroll say

BeatleTeunis · March 24, 2019 8:28 pm

Will John be back tomorrow?

AspectRatio · March 25, 2019 6:18 am

BeatleTeunis wrote:
Will John be back tomorrow?

He's away still with Dave Trafford continuing to fill in. Based on John's Twitter ( https://twitter.com/MooreintheAM ) looks like he's enjoying the vacation.

Last edited by AspectRatio (March 25, 2019 6:26 am)

milton · March 26, 2019 9:32 am

AspectRatio wrote:
BeatleTeunis wrote:
Will John be back tomorrow?
He's away still with Dave Trafford continuing to fill in. Based on John's Twitter ( https://twitter.com/MooreintheAM ) looks like he's enjoying the vacation.

Dave Trafford was indeed back on this morning. I was listening Friday and do not recall Dave mentioning he would back, only that he would be on mornings for the weekend, as usual.

There is something they are not telling us. Maybe it will be in the Mueller Report.

RadioActive · March 26, 2019 9:40 am

Whatever's going on, it appears John is still a big part of the station's plans and will remain in the AM drive slot.

They're still making a point of saying things like, "Dave Trafford in for John Moore," and the fact they're referring to the show clips in newscasts as "John Tory told Moore in the Morning last hour that..." proves he'll be back. Who knows, maybe he really is on an extended scheduled vacation and will return sooner than later.

AspectRatio · March 28, 2019 9:54 pm

On the episode posted today of Toronto Mike with guest Marc Weisblott (of the "12:36" newsletter), around the 70 minute mark, Marc recollects that there were two co-host tryouts with John Moore (one being Barb) and that Moore himself confided on-air he was "burned out" and that "he went to management" and told them he needed some help on the shift - then suddenly on vacation.

It'll be interesting to keep an eye on the slot and see what changes might transpire - and with a possible co-host?

milton · March 29, 2019 4:08 pm

I listened to the last hour or so this morning and Dave Trafford did not AFAIK mention anything about who would be in the chair on Monday. John Moore has been gone two weeks less a day now, unannounced. Odd.

Mr magoogain · March 29, 2019 4:53 pm

Just read his Twitter

He’s taking April off. Burnt out and his dads health is to blame

RadioActive · March 29, 2019 7:10 pm

My mother is 96 now and suffers from dementia. I served for a while as her primary caregiver and I can tell you despite all my years in broadcasting, I've never known stress and suffering quite like that.

I don't know what John Moore is going through but I can tell you it's not easy. So whatever the truth is here, I'd cut him some slack.

Mr magoogain · March 29, 2019 8:08 pm

RadioActive wrote:
My mother is 96 now and suffers from dementia. I served for a while as her primary caregiver and I can tell you despite all my years in broadcasting, I've never known stress and suffering quite like that.

I don't know what John Moore is going through but I can tell you it's not easy. So whatever the truth is here, I'd cut him some slack.

Agreed

milton · March 29, 2019 8:42 pm

Mr magoogain wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
My mother is 96 now and suffers from dementia. I served for a while as her primary caregiver and I can tell you despite all my years in broadcasting, I've never known stress and suffering quite like that.

I don't know what John Moore is going through but I can tell you it's not easy. So whatever the truth is here, I'd cut him some slack.

Agreed

It cannot be easy and yes he deserves not only some slack but sympathy. John does not invite the audience into his family the way his predecessor Bill Carroll did, but he has been frank about his struggles with his father and the latter's situation, and John's struggles therewith are something he has drawn his listeners attention to many times, particularly recently.

Best wishes John

Last edited by milton (March 29, 2019 8:46 pm)

Media Observer · March 29, 2019 8:56 pm

RadioActive wrote:
My mother is 96 now and suffers from dementia. I served for a while as her primary caregiver and I can tell you despite all my years in broadcasting, I've never known stress and suffering quite like that.

I don't know what John Moore is going through but I can tell you it's not easy. So whatever the truth is here, I'd cut him some slack.

Absolutely agree. If his employer is ok with it, then do what you have to do.

RadioActive · April 18, 2019 10:54 pm

Jon Pole announced on Thursday night that John Moore is expected back on air a week from Monday, or April 29th. He's been off for just over a month.

Here's hoping the break was exactly what he needed. I expect he'll be commenting on what happened, so I'll be sure to tune in to hear what he has to say about this very long pause.

betaylored · April 18, 2019 11:30 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Jon Pole announced on Thursday night that John Moore is expected back on air a week from Monday, or April 29th. He's been off for just over a month.

Here's hoping the break was exactly what he needed. I expect he'll be commenting on what happened, so I'll be sure to tune in to hear what he has to say about this very long pause.

Terrific news RadioActive, as John's lastest tweet from a couple of days ago showed, he not only took a pause, but also picked up some paws, a new puppy named Rory.

When John puts the Moore back in "Moore In The Morning" on April 29th, it'll be a sweet sweet Monday.