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When Silverman Helped At City TV
CTV Toronto has Pat Foran. Global has Sean O'Shea. And City TV? When it comes to having a consumer reporter, you're on your own.
But it wasn't always that way. City was one of the first to employ a consumer specialist in Toronto TV and Peter Silverman, a former general in the Israeli army, was the guy they chose to take on the bad guys. (Remember the "Watch it buddy!" moment that went into the intro and all their promos?)
I never did really understand why City got rid of a reporter assigned to that beat, since the stories are extremely relatable and often very compelling. Foran's reports are one of the most popular features on CTV's 6 PM news.
If memory serves, they had three staffers - Silverman, a terrific producer named Terry O'Keefe (who did most of the set-up work) and at least one other person to follow up. Those stories were some of City's most memorable back in the days of CityPulse. In any event, I came across this rare pamphlet that the crew from Silverman Helps used to send to anyone who called them with a story. Because they obviously couldn't get to everyone, they hoped the info on it would at least help guide them in the right direction. 
- Glen Warren
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
I might be mistaken, but was Peter Silverman on Global News as a general reporter in the mid 70s before he went to City TV?
- RadioActive
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
According to Wikipedia (so take it for what's worth) Silverman was a reporter at Global in 1974 and moved to City in 1981. I hadn't realized he also did a Saturday morning radio show on CFRB after Rogers very unceremoniously booted him out in 2008.
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Thread Starter- 6079 Smith W
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
I remember bumping in to Peter Silverman once in the Starbucks across from what was the CITY studio building at Queen and John. He was lightheartedly badgering the baristas that they should be demanding stock options from Starbucks.
- Holliday
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
I still occasionally quote him from one of his segment promos, a confrontational warning: “Watch it buddy!!!”
- The Foxer
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
Hi RA,
It seems it was a right of passage at CityPulse that every new editor was thrown into an edit bay with Peter and his usual greeting was "who the fuck are you?" If you made it past this point, you usually kept your job.
Further along in the "Silverman Helps" days of Pulse, it was common for Terry and Peter to have some heated discussions right smack in the middle of the editing bay along with the entire newsroom watching. I don't mind telling you that I, along with other editors were always stuck in the middle of the shit show. Peter used to call the editors "techies" and myself "short-ass". Poor Terry. Silverman had a heart of gold, but his bark was out of this world!
- Radiowiz
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
Peter Silverman is also known for grabbing the attention of CNN back in the day...
Last edited by Radiowiz (January 10, 2020 12:25 am)
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- John D
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
I had the pleasure of working with Peter for awhile, Sunday mornings where he followed me; on News Talk 1010. A great guy!!!
- the original hank
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
i'm guessing you'd want a person with a gruff /no-nonsense exterior to fill this type of "advocate" role. being passive and friendly wouldn't cut it (especially when trying to right a wrong created by people of questionable character.... aka: "sleaze balls").
- Prod Guy
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Re: When Silverman Helped At City TV
RadioActive wrote:
CTV Toronto has Pat Foran. Global has Sean O'Shea. And City TV? When it comes to having a consumer reporter, you're on your own.
And CBC has Rosa Marchitelli and Erica Johnson.