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November 27, 2020 9:58 am  #1


Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

GNR640 has lost another morning drive host. Supriya Dwivedi made a tearful farewell on air Friday morning, just before the end of what would turn out to be her last show. She cited an endless amount of hate email she's received over the years, much of which was about her. But recently, those threats have become aimed at her kids and for her, that was the last straw. 

Mike Stafford also called in to say goodbye, the first time he's been back on air since he broke his neck in a ladder accident last summer. 

No word yet on who might replace her. It leaves the morning show very thin. Stafford has been off the air for, as he noted Friday, "135 days" and it's not clear when he might return. The pair has been doing the morning show together for just over two years. He says he'll return "as soon as the man lets me."

Meanwhile, fill-in co-host Greg Brady signed off the show saying he'd be back on Monday, "in a different form," whatever that might mean.   

 

November 27, 2020 10:10 am  #2


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

I think this is a devastating reflection of what we're like as people.  This is exactly the sort of thing that stops new and diverse voices from coming to air.  I listened to her back in the Canadaland Commons days, and I thought she was a level-headed and interesting person.

Sad news.
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 27, 2020 11:02 am  #3


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

I was never a huge fan of Supriya's on air work, but she certainly didn't deserve any abuse from anyone, let alone threats. I'm grateful my on air days were before social media, which may be one of the worst things ever created in its destructive power. And I say that even as I'm using it. 

As for finding it online, I haven't been able to yet. I'm hoping they'll eventually put it up because it was quite sincere and quite moving - the kind of genuine emotion you rarely hear on radio these days. I congratulate her on her honesty and her courage. It was remarkable radio. 

If it does turn up, it will most likely be on this page, so check back to see if they've decided to post it. 

As for Supriya, I have no doubt she'll land on her feet quickly. The woman is a lawyer, speaks several languages and is obviously very intelligent. There's a lot of firms that I'm sure will be able to use her considerable talents. 

     Thread Starter
 

November 27, 2020 11:11 am  #4


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Jody Thornton wrote:

    this is a devastating reflection of what we're like as people . . . Sad news.   

Coincidentally, an article on pg. A8 of this morning's Globe 'n Mail deals with similar harassment and argues that much of it is coming from offshore (China, Iran & Russia)
 

 

November 27, 2020 3:20 pm  #5


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Am640 does a reroll of the morning show on the weekends, not sure of the exact start time 6:00am or 7:00 so perhaps they'll run Supriya's farewell and Mike Stafford calling in tomorrow morning or Sunday.

I like Supriya's intelligence, her sense of humour and the way she'd slide in a bit of background on a topic at times to bring listeners up to speed.

I hope the questionable human beings threatening her child are found and charged.

(What if Stafford is coming back, but didn't want to announce it during Supriya's farewell?)

All the best to Supriya, I look forward to seeing and reading/listening to what she does next. A roundtable guest on a rival radio station down the road? Probably not...but stranger things have happened. 🤔

Last edited by betaylored (November 27, 2020 7:28 pm)

 

November 27, 2020 7:48 pm  #6


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

From her Twitter feed....
  As some of you may have just heard on air, after submitting my resignation to Corus early last month, today was my last show. Without turning this into an annoyingly long thread, a few things: thank you so much to the listeners over the last 4 years. It's been 1/

There are three more tweets related to the above...

https://twitter.com/supriyadwivedi

And this sure didn't take long...
https://globalnews.ca/author/Supriya-Dwivedi/
 

Last edited by Dial Twister (November 27, 2020 7:50 pm)

 

November 27, 2020 10:38 pm  #7


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Charlie wrote:

Reading through all that drivel, can somebody explain how Twitter has done anything but damage to the world?
 

Why was what she wrote drivel in your estimation?
She seems to have had a rough time with this, and also wanted to express her gratitude to listeners and colleagues.
 


Cheers,
Jody Thornton
 
 

November 27, 2020 11:06 pm  #8


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

grilled.cheese wrote:

Some people take their radio hosts / programming far too seriously and need to bring it down a few notches.  

And in the inverse of that, is it possible the hosts take their commenters too seriously? I have no idea, but perhaps Supriya's motivation wasn't 100% the "hateful commentators" - maybe she was tiring of the gig or wanted to try something else - and ultimately it's your own life and career and you have to do what's right for you, so she has every right to make this decision and step away, of course. But any remotely public figure has to deal with this and many deal with it as just "background noise" and tune it out or choose not to be bothered by it.

 

November 28, 2020 2:16 am  #9


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

what is twitter??

 

November 28, 2020 8:29 am  #10


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

She will fit into CBC radio quite easily if that is the direction she goes. Where ever she lands, she will do a great job. Good luck Supriya. I am sorry for the way you were treated in this market. 

 

November 28, 2020 5:20 pm  #11


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

'market'.

 

November 29, 2020 2:15 am  #12


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Didn't care for SD - she wasn't a talk-show host.  She was a wealth of knowledge of 'getting into the political weeds'.  I do miss that - no Taylor Parnaby to give me the facts and then break it down.  Oh well, GNR640 is somewhat rudderless as evidenced by letting Conrad Black go because of his completely truthful statement that Canada is NOT a systemically racist country - despite what the woke-folk (640 managers) 'feel'


Come out to the coast, we'll get together, have a few laughs... 
~ John McClane
 

November 30, 2020 5:54 pm  #13


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

At face value, this is a terrible reason for anyone to quit their job.  I'm surprised Corus didn't take action against the commenters, or at least publicly address this together with SD.

I wasn't a big fan of hers in this particular role, but GNR640 is obviously trying to get a younger demographic and I respect her taking on this challenge.

If GNR640 insist on a Male-Female team to host the morning, Stafford with Tina T were pretty funny together (in my opinion).

 

December 1, 2020 11:47 pm  #14


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Supriya: I'm getting rape and death threats against my family.

Corus lawyer: You knew you were woking at a station with a conservative audience.

 

 

December 2, 2020 11:09 am  #15


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

RadioAaron wrote:

Supriya: I'm getting rape and death threats against my family.

Corus lawyer: You knew you were woking at a station with a conservative audience.
 

/Thread

 

 

December 2, 2020 11:27 am  #16


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

RadioAaron wrote:

Supriya: I'm getting rape and death threats against my family.

Corus lawyer: You knew you were woking at a station with a conservative audience.

 

hmm... if conservative is code word for racist perhaps... but I would argue not all conservatives are racist.   The line is crossed when then people start making death and rape threats.    If they didn't like her views, fine, but this to me is clearly people going to far and in fact attacking her and her family because she was a woman of colour.    I think Corus would not want to try to make excuses for this regardless if they view their listeners as "conservative".    Corus should infact try to deal with the issue and make it known racists are not welcome. 

Last edited by radiokid (December 2, 2020 11:29 am)

 

December 2, 2020 11:36 am  #17


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

I found it significant that in her complaint to the Human Rights Commission, she goes out of her way to mention Stafford is not one of those she's upset with, this despite his infamous tweets of last year

"Dwivedi indicated she liked Stafford, didn’t believe he was racist, and never asked to stop working with him." 

However this works out, what a terribly sad story this is. I suspect there can be no happy ending. 

     Thread Starter
 

December 2, 2020 12:29 pm  #18


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Not all CFMJ boot boys carry ragged, dog-eared copies of The Turner Diaries to COVID closure protests. Some leave them at home.

 

December 2, 2020 8:07 pm  #19


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

     Thread Starter
 

December 2, 2020 8:48 pm  #20


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

This just confirms again how poor Toronto news organizations are at covering local media.  The Star is actually the first established media to cover this story.  In other large markets this would have been covered and commented on at length days ago.   But Toronto?...zzzzz  

This is a sad and very disturbing story, and it seems like Toronto media is handling the situation the same amateurish way that Corus did.  And the excuse of cutbacks doesn't cut it.  They all have the people and resources to give this story the profile it should have...but so far Toronto media has decided not to. 

 

December 2, 2020 10:06 pm  #21


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Is the SOWNY direct line to 640 open again? I know someone with vintage Radio South Africa records willing to let them go if the price it right.

 

December 2, 2020 10:29 pm  #22


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Corus's legal response as stated in the Star, if true, is appalling. Supriya was a smart lady working at a stupid station.

Last edited by alangee (December 2, 2020 10:29 pm)

 

December 2, 2020 11:58 pm  #23


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

Supriya will be on "Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen" on Friday morning at 11 AM ET talking about her departure. Ryan Jespersen was also a former Corus radio host in Edmonton until he was turfed by the company back in September. His show streams live on ryanjespersen,com, Mixlr, and YouTube. 

https://twitter.com/ryanjespersen/status/1333944415509835776

 

December 3, 2020 1:34 am  #24


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

ED1 wrote:

Supriya will be on "Real Talk with Ryan Jespersen" on Friday morning at 11 AM ET talking about her departure. Ryan Jespersen was also a former Corus radio host in Edmonton until he was turfed by the company back in September. His show streams live on ryanjespersen,com, Mixlr, and YouTube. 

https://twitter.com/ryanjespersen/status/1333944415509835776

Thanks ED1, Supriya is moving the conversation and public awareness forward about how women, and people of colour are treated on and off the airwaves. It's the expression "Use your power for good." in action...with a personal cost tho...

 

December 3, 2020 8:07 am  #25


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

paterson1 wrote:

  This just confirms again how poor Toronto news organizations are at covering local media

Being poor is a struggle, and daily newspapers are both poor & struggling

 

December 3, 2020 9:24 am  #26


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

geo wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

  This just confirms again how poor Toronto news organizations are at covering local media

Being poor is a struggle, and daily newspapers are both poor & struggling

Toronto newspapers and media in general are in no worse shape than other major markets, everyone is struggling.  But they still have a job to do.   In  other "smaller markets" like Buffalo or Detroit the local newspapers have always covered local radio and television. Here newspapers started giving coverage of local media a pass 15-20 years ago when times were good,  This story should have been given much more prominence than it has so far, and it just highlights what a poor job they do covering media in Toronto.  If newspapers and broadcasters in other smaller cities can do it so can Toronto which is one of the largest media production  centres in North America. 

 

December 3, 2020 10:03 am  #27


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

paterson1 wrote:

    If newspapers and broadcasters in other smaller cities can do it so can Toronto which is one of the largest media production centres in North America. 

Toronto has four (4) dailies, all seeking material that will grab subscriber's attention or sell more individual copies at Mac's Milk.   That's the business they're in.   This story lends itself to the Star's editors; less so to the Globe 'n Mail and the National Post's business focus.   

I admit to being a consumer of print; the foregoing is personal observation, only.
 

 

December 3, 2020 11:29 am  #28


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

geo wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

    If newspapers and broadcasters in other smaller cities can do it so can Toronto which is one of the largest media production centres in North America. 

Toronto has four (4) dailies, all seeking material that will grab subscriber's attention or sell more individual copies at Mac's Milk.   That's the business they're in.   This story lends itself to the Star's editors; less so to the Globe 'n Mail and the National Post's business focus.   

I admit to being a consumer of print; the foregoing is personal observation, only.
 

Point taken but this story first broke 6 days ago and so far The Star is the only major media to cover it at all.  The Star and the Sun should have been on this days ago, along with local CTV, CBC, City, Global and radio.  The Globe and Post could have given it some play by now as well but since their focus is more national not so prominent as it should have been locally. 

My point is Toronto media (papers, TV and radio) do an awful job of any coverage regarding local media.  Things like ratings, the odd story on local announcers or a stations morning show or a new TV anchor or radio format should  be in the paper from time to time.   Yes, the odd "fluff piece" that readers would likely find interesting. 

But when they actually have something that is important and very newsworthy like this disgraceful story involving Supriya Dwivedi...nothing.

Hey, let's give lots of coverage again to 20 people who don't feel like wearing a mask during a pandemic and are shouting about it at Dundas Square. And what is buddy's go fund me total today.  Has  he reopened the restaurant yet Etobicoke??. Does he have enough to pay another fine??.. .Let's get some more comments from the owner and his customers...

 

December 3, 2020 11:45 am  #29


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

paterson1 wrote:

The Star and the Sun should have been on this days ago, along with local CTV, CBC, City, Global and radio.  The Globe and Post could have given it some play by now as well but since their focus is more national not so prominent as it should have been locally.

You really think Postmedia's organs would touch this from any angle aside from Chorus' legal/PR teams?

 

December 3, 2020 11:55 am  #30


Re: Supriya Dwivedi Makes Tearful Farewell To GNR640 After Online Threats

I agree with paterson1 about radio coverage in the local papers. (In fact, they've vastly cut back on local TV stories as well.) The Star recently fired almost all of their entertainment reporters, and boy, does it show, especially in their increasingly shrinking Saturday edition. Their coverage of radio disappeared years ago and it takes something incredible to bring it back into print. 

Charlie is also right - I'm pretty sure this very worthy story only makes the cut because it's filled with politically correct symbolism. But if it were a regular story about a prominent radio employee being fired for some other reason, it likely would never have seen the light of day. And it took Vice to issue it first.
 
The Star used to have Greg Quill covering radio every week. But even then, 99.9% of his columns were about the CBC, as though private radio never generated any real news of its own. The last real radio stories I recall in Canada’s biggest newspaper before the Dwivedi issue was Mike Wilner being let go and Roger Ashby retiring after half a century at CHUM. Other than that, there hasn’t been much. (But paterson1, I suspect Global wouldn't touch this story with an 80' pole!)

It's not that way everywhere, even with the strangled state of newspapers these days. Try Google News for "British radio" and dozens of stories come up, with new ones added daily. They cover everything that happens right down to what some "presenters," as they're called over there, are wearing on their way to work. If anything, they go overboard on this tabloid stuff. But at least when something happens, you know you can read all about it in the British press. You can’t say that in mainstream publications here. And that’s a shame.
 
SOWNY carries a lot of fluff sometimes, but when there’s a big radio story, someone usually posts it. I recall typing up this very thread even as Supriya was delivering her stunning farewell speech. (It was posted at 8:58 AM, before she was even officially off the air.)

Others posted rapid tales of the latest Rogers cuts and the Wilner firing. While some papers had a few of those stories, many were simply Canadian Press reprints without a lot of detail.
 
I’m not trying to blow this site’s horn. What I’m trying to say is that there are a ton stories that are worthy of print if only they had the desire or the reporters to cover them. They don’t. And they – and we – all lose as a result of those cutbacks.

     Thread Starter