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July 29, 2020 10:23 pm  #1


What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

If you've been listening to any news broadcast, you'll know that Justin Trudeau has been called before the House of Commons Committee looking into the WE mess in Ottawa on Thursday. Both CFRB and GNR640 have been promising to take the 60 minute appearance live at its scheduled time of 3PM. (Not sure about Radio 1.) All have been hyping it endlessly. 

But now I'm reading that there's been a new motion and there's a good chance that testimony - or what I expect will be closer to a "testy"-mony - could last three solid hours instead of just one. 

So now what do the stations do? An hour of uninterrupted airtime is expensive but not a big deal. Three hours - especially if it leaks into the afternoon drive - is a huge commitment. I wonder how they will handle this. Do they just dump out of it after the first hour and continue as if it's no longer happening? Or do they take the whole thing and risk turning off listeners who may not care about what can be a tedious process?

I'm not sure what I would do, especially considering how high profile, unusual and historic this whole thing is. (A sitting PM appearing before the Opposition in this kind of forum to be grilled by them about his ethical lapses in the middle of a scandal is a very rare moment in Canadian history.) 

My guess? Take the first hour as scheduled and then drop in and out of it as needed if something big happens. I just don't know if three hours of it in a row would be too much of a tune out or too costly otherwise. But if it does go on longer than they expected, they have some decisions to make on Thursday.

 

July 29, 2020 11:00 pm  #2


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

It will indeed be interesting to see (TV) and hear (Radio) how it is handled.

I agree with you RA, that the shock and awe factor will be there for the first hour or so, and then it becomes a sport or theatre for the true purists of politics.

I'm not a producer, but if I were, I'd be angling to go live earlier to layout for the audience what we know, how we have got to this point, and what is expected to transpire. And then carry it for the hour or so. After that I'd want to do half hour bulletins, and then have another team ready to delve in and analyze in depth at 6pm or on the supper hour newscasts.

The question that does come to mind given the fact that this is the middle of summer, is do the various stations and outlets have enough seasoned experienced staff available to be both in front of the cameras and mics, as well as producing and operating in the booths? 

ie. Remember that Corus just said "goodbye" to a number of staffers just last week....  

 

July 30, 2020 12:43 am  #3


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

I would plan to carry it all live.  The Prime Minister of a minority government being called to testify could create a situation that brings down the government and forces an election.  If it gets dull or gets mired in procedural mumbo jumbo you bail.

Last edited by Prod Guy (July 30, 2020 12:45 am)

 

July 30, 2020 1:10 am  #4


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

it's a tough call. carry some, all, or none. whatever you decide, if you want to get listeners in the mood, be sure to include a certain brenda lee hit in your intro.

 

July 30, 2020 7:09 am  #5


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

the original hank wrote:

   whatever you decide, if you want to get listeners in the mood, be sure to include a certain brenda lee hit in your intro   

"Sweet Nothin's", peaked @ #3 on CHUM in '60
 

 

July 30, 2020 9:31 am  #6


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

Kosmos Kagool wrote:

the original hank wrote:

   whatever you decide, if you want to get listeners in the mood, be sure to include a certain brenda lee hit in your intro   

"Sweet Nothin's", peaked @ #3 on CHUM in '60
 

Gee, the first Brenda Lee song that popped into my head was "I'm Sorry"

 

July 30, 2020 10:06 am  #7


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

Indeed, here's my list for the JT songbook:

-I’m Sorry –Brenda Lee
 
-Sorry, I Ran All The Way Home – The Impalas
 
-I’m Sorry – John Denver (including the very apt lyrics, “I’m sorry for the way things are in China…” and  “I’m sorry for myself.”)
 
-I’m Sorry Suzanne – Hollies
 
-Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word – Elton John
 
I have a feeling there will be a lot of song and dance (and non-answers) coming our way. Back when I was producing documentaries for a radio network, we used to sometimes cut the excessive “ums” and “ahs” out of interviews to save time. You’d be surprised how it all adds up.
 
If anyone had to do that when Trudeau was speaking, they’d die of old age before they could finish!

     Thread Starter
 

July 30, 2020 3:06 pm  #8


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

More JT sorry songs... and more

AKON "I'm sorry blame it on me"

Madonna "Sorry"

John Mayer "My stupid mouth"

Demi Lovato "Sorry, not sorry"

R Kelly "I admit"

Cher "If I could turn back time"



 

 

July 30, 2020 3:17 pm  #9


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

Why, in God's name, does Peter Shurman on GNR 640 feel it necessary to interrupt the audio from the hearing? Who cares what he has to say? The whole idea is to hear the PM and the questioners. You would think that's a no-brainer. 

     Thread Starter
 

July 30, 2020 4:14 pm  #10


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

Not only did GNR640 keep interrupting, they stopped carrying it altogether before the first hour was up and missed the highlight of the whole thing - including a grilling from Pierre Poilievre and a "convenient" power outage! Why did they even bother carrying the thing? What a terrible, terrible, terrible showing for the Corus station. 

Meanwhile, CBC Radio 1 didn't feel it was necessary to even present the testimony at all. So much for their supposed mandate of helping Canadians know more about themselves and their country. 

Only CFRB carried the entire thing, with just one interruption - a top of the hour ID and a very brief explanation of what listeners were hearing, for those just tuning in. Bravo to them.

Their competitors should hang their heads in shame.

     Thread Starter
 

July 30, 2020 4:57 pm  #11


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

mace wrote:

   the first Brenda Lee song that popped into my head was "I'm Sorry"

I tried to hang in but got sweet nothin' out of it

K.K.
 

 

July 30, 2020 5:38 pm  #12


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

People that are really interested in this are watching it on CTV, CBC, CP24  news channels, on the app or on line.  Much better coverage and you get to see Justin and Katie squirm. And what I have seen has been interesting and unfiltered.   Radio sadly is not even close to driving the coverage, and judging by the comments above only confirms this.   

Last edited by paterson1 (July 30, 2020 5:38 pm)

 

July 30, 2020 5:39 pm  #13


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

And specifically about his disheveled appearance, doesn't he know that barbers are open?

 

July 30, 2020 7:50 pm  #14


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

So CBC carries the committee hearing on the main network...  and they have Rosie cut in and announce that Nfld. and Atlantic viewers will be now be getting their local news... fair enough.

And then at 5:30 during Telford's testimony, they cut in again to announce that the main net is leaving the testimony, and it continues on News Network, the web etc., blah, blah...  

And what did Ontario viewers get entertained with? A ten year old episode of that Fremantle staple... "Bondi Vet"

I'm sure that they could have stayed with the Telford testimony for another 30 minutes instead of bailing to Dr. Chris and the Bondi gang....

 

Last edited by Glen Warren (July 30, 2020 7:52 pm)

 

July 30, 2020 10:39 pm  #15


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

the original hank wrote:

it's a tough call. carry some, all, or none. whatever you decide, if you want to get listeners in the mood, be sure to include a certain brenda lee hit in your intro.

Fool #1?


 


"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
 

July 30, 2020 10:50 pm  #16


Re: What Do These Stations Do About Trudeau's Appearance Now?

Dale Patterson wrote:

the original hank wrote:

it's a tough call. carry some, all, or none. whatever you decide, if you want to get listeners in the mood, be sure to include a certain brenda lee hit in your intro.

Fool #1? 

My favourite Brenda Lee song.