Happy New Year and welcome to our annual look back at the stories and topics you posted about in the year just passed. I couldn’t include everything in this list, so feel free to note anything you think I missed. In some cases, these were the big stories of 2019. In others, as in the case of the CKNT thread, just the ones that turned out to be far more popular than anyone could have expected. Click on the title to see the original topic. 
 
Thanks for all your contributions for the past 365 days. And for keeping all SOWNY members “posted.”   
 
January
 
Jan. 14: Letter Rip!
 
CIAO Brampton becomes CHLO, sparking controversy and more than 8,000 page views on the board about the change – and whether it really happened. In the end, it did.
 
Jan. 25: The Battle For Jazz FM Begins
 
It would become a hot topic for a good part of the year, as disgruntled members and listeners of JAZZ FM began a battle for the hearts, minds – and purse strings – of the station. Among the first casualties – veteran broadcaster Terry McElligott, who got out before things got worse.
 
Jan. 18: Mike Bullard Disappears From The Airwaves
 
Much speculation on the board, as Mike Bullard, doing afternoons on CKNT Sauga 960, suddenly disappears. Turns out he’s in hospital, apparently suffering from a bleeding ulcer. He never returns to the show.
 
Jan. 25: Happy Landings
 
After 45 years on the air and in the air, longtime Rogers traffic expert Darryl Dahmer retires.
 
February
 
Feb. 1: Talking Change I
 
Word surfaces that Mike Wilner is being promoted to full time Blue Jays play-by-play man, shifting Scott MacArthur to Jays Talk. He will not remain there very long.
 
Feb. 6: The Saga Of Sauga 960
 
Not really one of the stories of the year, but included here because for some reason, it was the most popular thread in all of 2019, with some seven pages of replies and nearly 62,000 page views. CKNT could only wish it had that many listeners on a daily basis!
 
Feb. 8: Corus Cuts Deep
 
A round of layoffs at Global and Corus strikes GNR640, claiming mid-morning host Matt Gurney. He lands on his feet – and back at his old employer – as a columnist for the National Post.
 
Feb. 11: What’s In A Name?
 
The Move 95.3 becomes The Flow for a second time, although the songs remain the same.
 
Feb. 27: Talking Change II
 
GNR 640 unveils a major revamp to its schedule, putting TV anchor Alan Carter on the noon shift, and adding morning show host Jeff McArthur to early afternoons. Kelly Cutrara gets the old Stafford shift in mid-mornings, while John Oakley starts an hour earlier at 3 PM. The new line-up officially starts March 4th.
 
March
 
March 6: Disturbing Diagnosis
 
Jeopardy host Alex Trebek stuns fans with his revelation that he’s fighting pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly forms of the disease. Despite sometimes grueling treatment, he remains on the hit game show. 
 
March 18: Moore To The Story
 
It started with an innocent question: why was CFRB Nightside host Barb DiGiulio co-hosting the station’s morning show with John Moore? The answer would surface after a prolonged absence for the veteran early riser, facing long hours and a serious family illness.
 
He would return weeks later, confessing to having suffered burn out and thanking management for giving him the time off he needed to recuperate. 
 
March 18: News On The News
 
Word surfaces that the federal Liberals plan to help the ailing newspaper industry by supplying millions of dollars in funding. The plan creates immediate controversy over whether the government will have a say in future coverage of political stories.   
 
April
 
April 5: Game Over
 
After an amazing 50-year career, veteran hockey play-by-play broadcaster Bob Cole calls it quits.
 
April 22: RB Reporter Gets “P.M.” Exposure On Fox
 
CFRB news reporter Lucas Meyer reveals he did the voice of Justin Trudeau on that week’s upcoming Simpsons episode, garnering him interviews on a host of other radio and TV stations.   
 
April 23: Baby, I’m Going Away
 
GNR640’s morning co-host, Supriya Dwivedi disappears from the station for the next year on maternity leave, forcing Mike Stafford to do some of the show solo. Tina Trigiani eventually turns up to helps him out midway through the program. 
 
April 30: Gone Too Soon
 
Fitzroy Gordon, the owner of G98.7, passes away, leaving the station with questions about who owns which assets and problems with Can Con.
 
May 
 
May 6: Mellot’s Milestone
 
Larry Mellot celebrates 30 year at the same station – CJOY in Guelph, where’s been morning man, P.D. and the voice of the local hockey team. In late June, he remains as play-by-play man, but gives up his other duties.
         
 May 23: Same Old, Same Old
 
To the surprise of few, the CRTC chooses Rogers’ existing OMNI service as its national ethnic broadcaster of choice, starting in 2020. Competition for the nationwide must carry service was fierce.
 
June
 
June 1: Dragged Down By An Anchor
 
Scott Pelley leaves as anchor of the CBS Evening News, a rare turnover of a network’s most prestigious position. Ratings weren’t good, although he’ll continue at 60 Minutes. His replacement, Buffalo native Jeff Glor, meets a similar swift fate just months later. The person who takes his place, Norah O’Donnell, doesn’t do much to help the anemic numbers.
 
June 14: Higher & Higher
 
CIND, aka Indie 88.1, gets a power boost, from 2,100 to 4,800 watts and announces plans to introduce some HD stations.
 
June 20: McCown Not A “Fan” Of Retirement
 
Bob McCown stuns some of his longtime listeners by announcing he’ll be leaving The Fan at the end of the week. He’s been on Primetime Sports for 30 years although McCown confirms the choice wasn’t entirely his.

July   
 
July 11: A Gross Revelation
 
After decades as morning sports anchor at 680 News, Peter Gross is let go. In a candid interview with Toronto Mike, he later admits he was often late, gambled on the job and fell asleep, so it wasn’t entirely unexpected.
 
July 21: A New TV Trend – From Free To Fee?
 
Sci-fi fans are outraged after Seth MacFarlane’s popular space series “The Orville” moves from free TV – on Fox – to Hulu, a service not available in Canada. To some it signals a possible future trend, where popular shows will migrate from over-the-air television to pay stations once they become hits. City TV, which has the rights in Canada, says it will continue to air it free here when it returns in 2020. 
 
July 23: Changing The Channel(s)
 
One of the biggest and craziest changes to local over-the-air TV hits GTA antenna owners, as WUTV, WIVB, WNLO and CITS (aka YesTV) all get reassigned to new channels at the same time. Veteran Scott Fybush explains just how much planning it took to pull all of it off in a remarkable post that still has heads spinning.
 
July 24: Still On The “Mike”
 
After a Twitter post centering on “head scarves” at a hospital, there are rumours that GNR’s morning drive host Mike Stafford may have hurt his career. But after deleting the offending words and being taken off the air for about a week, Stafford returns, and little more is said about it.
 
July 24: Shifting His “Gays”
 
It shouldn’t have been a big issue, but for some, it was. Jays Talk host Scott MacArthur posts a video admitting he’s gay, noting how much his secret has been weighing on him. He takes some time off from his on air duties and is later named one of the co-hosts of the Fan morning show.
 
August
 
August 22: “Grapeline” Withers
 
“Grapeline,” a longtime radio feature starring Don Cherry and Ron McLean, disappears from the air after 36 years. It would not be the last time Cherry would sign off in 2019.
 
September
 
Sept. 6: The Morning After
 
Roger Christian, a familiar voice to Buffalo radio listeners and to some in the GTA, is let go from Star 102.5 after 43 years on air. Undaunted, he winds up soon after doing the same chores for all oldies WECK.
 
October
 
Oct. 24: Matt Moves To Mid-Morning
 
CBC Metro Morning host Matt Galloway surprises listeners with the news that he’s moving to “The Current” in the New Year, replacing the departed Anna Maria Tremonti. It’s a big deal since his Metro Morning is the #1 show in the market during AM drive. His final broadcast in December involves a thankful sign-off.
 
 November 
 
Nov. 5: “Power” Play
 
In one of the weirder stories of the year, Corus sued Harvard Broadcasting in Edmonton over the use of the word “Power,” a long discarded branding name. To the surprise of many, a court rules in favour of Corus, forcing the new “Power” to change its name. It's now known as "Play 107."
 
Nov. 10: A Sour “Cherry”
 
Don Cherry’s goes on a rant about people who don’t wear poppies in advance of Remembrance Day, but his words are judged racist by many and it costs him his gig at CBC’s Coach’s Corner. After the CBSC received so many complaints, its site was briefly affected, Cherry resigns or is fired, depending on who you believe, ending a 38-year- staple. Soon after, he’s back – this time, with a podcast.
 
Nov. 12: Absence Explained
 
Weeks after National Post columnist Christie Blatchford disappears from CFRB’s morning and afternoon “Roundtable,” the station reveals she’s suffering from cancer and is getting treatment. They hope she’s back in the New Year.
 
Nov. 19: Hats Off To Larry
 
Fans are angry after Bell Media cuts Larry Fedoruk’s long running afternoon drive show on CKTB, switching mid-morning host Tom McConnell to the slot instead. He’d been at the station for 20 years.
 
December
 
Dec. 6: Anchor’s Away
 
To the surprise of viewers, CTV Toronto’s Ken Shaw reveals he’s leaving the anchor desk he’s occupied for almost six decades. His last newscast will be January 6th, 2020.
 
Dec. 9: An Upper For Downer
 
CP24 anchor Nathan Downer is unveiled as Ken Shaw’s replacement during the 6 PM CTV News.
 
Dec. 18: Streaming Or Steaming?
 
The federal government announces plans to force U.S. streaming services like Netflix or Amazon to more prominently feature Canadian content on its platforms. There may also be taxes applied to subscribers to help support the initiative.
 
Dec. 19: Canadian NFL Ad Fans Get Bowled Over
 
In a long awaited ruling, the Supreme Court decides the CRTC overstepped its bounds and cancels the right for cable and satellite to broadcast the U.S. feed of the Super Bowl so Canadian viewers can see the commercials.
 
Dec. 27: Imus In The Mourning
 
One of radio’s pioneer shock jocks dies at age 79.
 
 
Necorology of 2019
 
Dale Patterson has covered all of the major deaths in radio this year in this great post, but some also caught the attention of many on SOWNY. Here's when they were mentioned. 

Jan. 2: Darryl Dragon, the “Captain” of the Captain & Tennille,” 76.
 
Jan. 11: Mark Elliot, Former Top 40 jock and host of “People Helping People” on CFRB and other stations, 65.
 
Jan. 11: Brian Henderson, longtime sportscaster and host of CHUM-AM’s morning show, 73.
 
Jan. 14: Doug Cameron, worked for various stations across Ontario, including CHIC, CHAM and the Jewel 88.5, 74.
 
Jan. 25: Rick Richardson, one time owner of CHOK Sarnia and CJBK London, 83.
 
Jan. 30: Wayne Bjorgan, former news director at CKBB Barrie, 80.
 
Feb. 10: Mike Cleaver, a longtime GTA newscaster and broadcasting professor, as well as a frequent contributor to SOWNY and other Canadian radio boards. He was claimed after a lengthy battle with kidney disease. 72.
 
Feb. 11: Joe Schlesinger, longtime CBC Foreign Correspondent for both radio and TV, 90.
 
Feb. 21: Peter Tork, a member of the Monkees, 77.
 
March 12: Hal Blaine legendary drummer with “The Wrecking Crew,” played on more than 6,000 singles, many of them huge hits, 90.
 
March 15: Dude Walker (real name John Doughtery), former CHUM-AM jock in the 70s, succumbs to a stroke following heart surgery, 75.
 
May 21: Dave “Bookie” Bookman, former Edge 102.1 and Indie 88.1 personality, after suffering an aneurysm, 58.
 
May 22: Christine Crosby, former CFTO and Global anchor, from cancer 53.  
 
May 23: Gord Kidder, former radio sales expert at CKTB and later in Toronto, suffers cerebral hemorrhage while in Prague. A Go-Fund-Me page in April helps bring him home, but he never regains consciousness and dies a month later. 74
 
May 28: Sarika Sehgal, former news anchor at Toronto 1 as well as CBC and CTV’s cable channels, 42.
 
Aug. 29: Kerry Stratton, host on Classical FM and an orchestra conductor, succumbs to ALS, 66.
 
Sept. 13: Ric Ocasek, lead singer of The Cars, 75
 
Dec. 29: Neil Innes, legendary songwriter for Monty Python’s Beatles-satire “The Rutles”, 75