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October 18, 2019 5:54 am  #1


A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

With the Federal Election coming after this weekend, who will your go to T.V. station be for election coverage?

Global T.V. is ready for it...and sent out a media release this week to announce their election night coverage and line-up... here is the link...  https://www.newswire.ca/news-releases/global-news-delivers-2019-federal-election-special-decision-canada-october-21-with-lead-anchor-dawna-friesen-867049452.html


But, that being said, what T.V station or network gets your vote this coming Monday and feel free to share why as well?


 


What T.V. election night broadcast will you be watching on Monday night?












The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

October 18, 2019 6:42 am  #2


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

I'll probably try to tune in CKNT - I hear they've already assembled their election team.

 

October 18, 2019 6:48 am  #3


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Saul wrote:

I'll probably try to tune in CKNT - I hear they've already assembled their election team.

I'm hoping to catch a bit of the coverage on WFIR-Roanoke.

I guess we will have to wait for another election to see how "Grapevine Radio" (CFAJ) and 'Radio Humsafar" (CIRF) cover elections.  

 

October 18, 2019 7:41 am  #4


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

I can't really vote in your poll since I'll be doing what I'm betting most who use conventional media will do - graze all the channels over the night. So I can't really pick just one. I've worked on tons of these over the years and it was always my least favourite night of the year.

Most of it is filler, with endless talking heads yakking to take up airtime while they wait for some definitive results, then tearing those apart. Then you have to wait through the reporters at the various leader headquarters wasting time talking to supporters, assessing the food, the music, the mood - all while waiting for the candidate to arrive or say something. It's hardly riveting TV.

For the staff, it's an endless night, since you have to stay on air waiting for all the major leaders to speak, with the winner usually going last. And because one of them -Scheer- is from out west, that can take forever. I remember one year when coverage started at 8 PM and we didn't get off the air until after 2 AM. Now THAT was a long night!

Still, this promises to be a horse race, so it might be more interesting than usual.

I should add that at some point I'll be walking the dog, so my radio stations of choice will include CFRB, CFMJ and to a lesser extent CBC. But the same caveat applies to them as it does to TV - a lot of hurry up and wait.

 

October 18, 2019 9:16 am  #5


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Other than brief glances, I haven't watched TV election coverage of any level of government since 1980 as I have been working them and will be working this one too.  Could be a long night though.

 

October 20, 2019 10:12 am  #6


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

What’s more interesting to me than who you’ll be watching on Monday, is what the various stations and networks are doing to cover this busy - and expensive - cross-country event.
 
The polls close at 9 PM in Ontario – and yet some channels will be airing special coverage as much as two hours early! What in the world will they do to fill so much time when they can’t report on any results and are bound by certain restrictions on what they can talk about on Election Day?
 
Both CBC and CTV – which each have all-news networks to help make it easier – will start their shows at 7 PM. CBC’s French network begins its coverage at 7:30. Expect more filler than your average dog food!
 
Global waits until 9 PM to start its show – after two American simulcasts, of course. (Fox’s Prodigal Son and 911.)
 
CTV2 & The OMNIs don’t appear to be planning any real election programming that I can see scheduled.  
 
But perhaps the most surprising to me is City TV, which now has enough stations across the country to be considered a semi-national network. When it was owned by CHUM and was a stand-alone, City was famous for its eccentric “party politics” shows, which consisted of a guy playing the piano in the middle of a soiree, with frequent throws to Colin Vaughan and others for expert analysis. Peter Silverman sampling the food at one of the leader's headquarters was always a highlight.
 
So what is Rogers doing? Perhaps outside of a few cut-ins, it appears absolutely nothing. City’s Monday listings show two Modern Family episodes at 7, a two-hour Dancing With The Stars at 8 (simulcast with ABC) followed by the NBC-simulcast (and now cancelled) “Bluff City Law” at 10. It doesn’t appear there will be any major coverage until their news starts at 11 PM.
 
My how times have changed. CHUM, which had very limited budgets, spent a fortune in past election nights. Rogers, which has almost limitless resources, is apparently spending next to nothing. Kind of sad to me, but others might contend at least they’re presenting an alternative.

 

October 20, 2019 10:19 am  #7


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Counterprogramming gets my vote. Why watch a wide swatch of random talking heads when, with the touch of a button, I can get hyper local results of my riding on the web?

 

October 20, 2019 10:25 am  #8


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

And I wonder if that was part of Rogers' thinking. Why compete with Bell and the CBC when it costs a fortune to cover this thing? Still, you could argue its almost part of a public service obligation to at least do something. I could see them, for instance, anchoring live coverage out of Toronto and feeding it to the City stations across the country. Apparently, they don't think it's worth it. 

And yes, the web has certainly changed the need for this coverage. 

Meanwhile, CFRB, GNR 640 and CBC Radio 1 are all starting coverage as early as 7 PM. So expect hours of blather before you get to the final score. 

 

October 20, 2019 10:48 am  #9


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Public service? The public is well served with what is being served tomorrow. No need for all the stations to be on the same page.

Not everyone gives a darn about politics. And the radio? I would argue that election coverage is a visual medium with their instant graphics etc.

No, I believe City IS performing a public service by airing something different.

 

October 20, 2019 10:51 am  #10


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Always enjoy election coverage, especially federal.  Elections bring out the personalities and human qualities of the news anchors and reporters since they have so much time to fill and constantly need to ad lib. I was always impressed with both Lloyd and Peter on election nights with their humour and ease which they handled these major broadcasts.

Citytv when owned by CHUM was always a breath of fresh air with their festive party atmosphere.  I always liked how they treated elections as a celebration and made their coverage fun with the outdoor tents, open bar and even sometimes entertainment.  Guests and politicians would drop in to chat, have a drink and move on. Others since have attempted this a little like CNN with a reporter in a bar on election night, but City was the first, did it up right and were the best.  Too bad that Rogers has made City just another channel now, and the brand has lost all the fun and creativity of the CHUM/Moses era.

The real battle for coverage will be CTV and CBC. I usually find these two a bit of a draw. We will see who has the highest tech and slickest graphics. During the campaign coverage, I would give the nod to CTV overall.   

 

October 20, 2019 11:01 am  #11


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Ok RA here's the CityPulse way elections were covered...as cheaply as possible, but different!
As Leo in editing used to say "just take two tin cans and piece of sting, and that was the live eye".
There was always some kind of party, so that the  "has beens" and "wanna be's" could show up, schmooze, drink the free booze and drop their veggies into the peanut butter dip.
Beer had to be poured into plastic cups as to not have the companies logo appear in the background, as it would piss off sponsors.  Everyone that worked on the election had to wear some form of a shmatte with the election slogan plastered over it like "X lies and Videotape" etc etc, counter to the networks that had a plain and simple "Election ___________".
If there was a way doing things "cost effectively" CityPulse was the master of that craft!
 

 

October 20, 2019 11:02 am  #12


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Just checked out TVO's sked for Monday. No election coverage in sight, not that I would have expected any. I'm sure Steve Paikin will have a lot to say Tuesday on "The Agenda."  

 

October 20, 2019 11:12 am  #13


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

The Foxer wrote:

Ok RA here's the CityPulse way elections were covered...as cheaply as possible, but different!
As Leo in editing used to say "just take two tin cans and piece of sting, and that was the live eye".
There was always some kind of party, so that the  "has beens" and "wanna be's" could show up, schmooze, drink the free booze and drop their veggies into the peanut butter dip.
Beer had to be poured into plastic cups as to not have the companies logo appear in the background, as it would piss off sponsors.  Everyone that worked on the election had to wear some form of a shmatte with the election slogan plastered over it like "X lies and Videotape" etc etc, counter to the networks that had a plain and simple "Election ___________".
If there was a way doing things "cost effectively" CityPulse was the master of that craft!
 

Yes, Foxer. I recall City's hallmark as being extremely cheap. It always looked it on air, although IIRC, Moses liked that look. Not only was it different from the competition, it was also inexpensive, which I'm led to believe was something he insisted on.

As for those infamous T-Shirts, I've managed to snag a few of them from collectors over the years. 







But perhaps the best one I recall came during the re-election attempt by Premier Harris in Ontario in 1999. Its name: "Mike Check!"

What other station would use that for its election coverage?



 

 

October 20, 2019 11:17 am  #14


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Just found a few more I'd long forgotten about. Wish I had that "X, Lies & Videotape" one - sounds like a keeper! (Although I thought I did see it somewhere - I'll have to go back and check.)






 

 

October 20, 2019 11:44 am  #15


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

For whatever it's worth, Foxer, I found that one, too. It's from 1993.

 

October 20, 2019 12:10 pm  #16


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Great research RA,  I have two more that I found in the closet....I will photograph and send later!
But here's the best election story...SAP Secondary Audio Programming (I think that's the correct acronym)
I can't remember what civic election it was, I think the first or second one after we moved into 299, anyway, our hard working, under appreciated engineering dept headed by Ron Reid, put a microphone in the control room and fed that to SAP.
And Ron was also in charge of getting the results computer from City Hall to talk to our computer, so we could have instant access to the results.    Well wouldn't you know it, it works in rehearsal, but craps out during the show. OOPS, panic in the control room and all that foul language and yelling for those who have their TV's with SAP on, had a grand old time listening to the air turn blue.
 

 

October 20, 2019 12:13 pm  #17


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Let that be a lesson to all broadcasters - NEVER put a live mic in a control room during a live show, or on the sidelines or a locker room during a sporting event. The results are never air-worthy - although they are a lot of fun!

 

October 20, 2019 12:17 pm  #18


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Saul wrote:

I'll probably try to tune in CKNT - I hear they've already assembled their election team.

    

Ross Poll (who else?) out of K-W
 

 

October 20, 2019 12:51 pm  #19


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

And what of Cobourg and Northumberland county? Can't wait for Kevin's automatons to track the numbers.

 

October 21, 2019 1:42 am  #20


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

I'll be checking Twitter during the evening to find out the results.🤞

It will be interesting to see how some of the media outlets blatantly bought and biased coverage is handled by the rest of the media, and the following day by radio hosts, and various panelists, and if it even gets discussed. I'll be listening to Newstalk, am640 and CBC radio on Tuesday, and see if I can watch the reroll of television coverage on YouTube News, they often post major events.

Last edited by betaylored (October 21, 2019 1:43 am)

 

October 21, 2019 12:52 pm  #21


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

The Foxer wrote:

If there was a way doing things "cost effectively" CityPulse was the master of that craft!
 

BT was talking about City's plans for tonight.

I kid you not...an outside screen set up in the parking lot and free poutine.  No mention of a piano, evening wear or "'adult " beverages.
 

 

October 21, 2019 5:21 pm  #22


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Yes when City really was City TV, they always made election night coverage fun, even a celebration. I remember the large tent, open bar, sometimes a band playing in the parking lot. Of course all the celebs and politicians dropping in and out all night long made for an entertaining evening, even if you really weren't into politics.!  Everyone was relaxed especially the politicians who lost

Nobody had election coverage like City, and it didn't matter if it was municipal, provincial or federal, same eccentric fun coverage everytime.  They would have had a blast with this past campaign if City was still really City TV

 

October 21, 2019 7:10 pm  #23


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Is that Amanda Lang on CTV??

 

October 21, 2019 7:32 pm  #24


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Media Observer wrote:

The Foxer wrote:

If there was a way doing things "cost effectively" CityPulse was the master of that craft!
 

BT was talking about City's plans for tonight.

I kid you not...an outside screen set up in the parking lot and free poutine.  No mention of a piano, evening wear or "'adult " beverages.
 

Are you not thinking about CP24? This coverage is a little closer to what City TV used to have. CP24 is having a Your Vote block party and inviting everyone down to the parking lot. They have Tiny Toms donuts and Smokes Poutinerie set up, but no sign of any booze that I can see. Not many people in the parking lot yet. We will see how they do later in the evening..

Amanda Lang works for CTV, mostly on BNN Bloomberg TV.

 

October 21, 2019 7:49 pm  #25


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Meanwhile, the community station in Cobourg bought a small box of crackers, placed it on the sidewalk and had one of their volunteers shout the results into the ether.

 

October 21, 2019 7:50 pm  #26


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Hi RA,
As promised, I dug into the dusty old closet and found these two gems you might like. I wore one to class today and only one staff member asked about it....I must be getting old.

 

October 21, 2019 7:51 pm  #27


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

paterson1 wrote:

Media Observer wrote:

The Foxer wrote:

If there was a way doing things "cost effectively" CityPulse was the master of that craft!
 

BT was talking about City's plans for tonight.

I kid you not...an outside screen set up in the parking lot and free poutine.  No mention of a piano, evening wear or "'adult " beverages.
 

Are you not thinking about CP24? This coverage is a little closer to what City TV used to have. CP24 is having a Your Vote block party and inviting everyone down to the parking lot. They have Tiny Toms donuts and Smokes Poutinerie set up, but no sign of any booze that I can see. Not many people in the parking lot yet. We will see how they do later in the evening..

Amanda Lang works for CTV, mostly on BNN Bloomberg TV.

You are correct.   I was channel hopping and obviously not paying attention to what channel I was actually watching.  Having just checked the listings,  I see that City isn't even providing election coverage (which I forgot that RA posted yesterday) until 11:00 pm.
 

Last edited by Media Observer (October 21, 2019 11:37 pm)

 

October 21, 2019 8:05 pm  #28


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

paterson1 wrote:

Media Observer wrote:

The Foxer wrote:

If there was a way doing things "cost effectively" CityPulse was the master of that craft!
 

BT was talking about City's plans for tonight.

I kid you not...an outside screen set up in the parking lot and free poutine.  No mention of a piano, evening wear or "'adult " beverages.
 

Are you not thinking about CP24? This coverage is a little closer to what City TV used to have. CP24 is having a Your Vote block party and inviting everyone down to the parking lot. They have Tiny Toms donuts and Smokes Poutinerie set up, but no sign of any booze that I can see. Not many people in the parking lot yet. We will see how they do later in the evening..

Amanda Lang works for CTV, mostly on BNN Bloomberg TV.

thanks
 

 

October 21, 2019 11:09 pm  #29


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

Lloyd Robertson is still going strong. 

 

October 22, 2019 12:45 am  #30


Re: A Poll for the Polls. Who will you watch on Election Night?

cash wrote:

Lloyd Robertson is still going strong. 

Yeah,  he was on his game tonight.

Craig Oliver on the other hand...