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February 3, 2021 1:04 pm  #61


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

No top of the hour noon news leading into Evan Solomon on CFRB. Just endless spots. 

I guess Colton Praill is busy in Ottawa. 

 

February 3, 2021 1:21 pm  #62


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Noon news for CTV Toronto goes to ads heavily promoting "MOVE FM" and not a single ad for CHUM FM.
 

Last edited by Radiowiz (February 3, 2021 1:22 pm)


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

February 3, 2021 1:51 pm  #63


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

They have been promoting CHUM on CP24 a lot. 

 

February 3, 2021 2:04 pm  #64


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

RadioActive wrote:

No top of the hour noon news leading into Evan Solomon on CFRB. Just endless spots. 

I guess Colton Praill is busy in Ottawa. 

They found Colton for the 1 PM cast. If yesterday is any indication, he'll be on until 10 PM tonight! (Pre-taped, of course)

Less than 24 hours since the carnage and they've already become a joke. 

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 2:21 pm  #65


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Yes, when CHUM became an audio version of CP24 after it abandoned oldies, the criticism was huge. It started in March 2009 under the unwieldy name of "CP24 Radio 1050," but it didn't last long. The goal was to be able to take CP24 with you in your car, but for the very reasons you state, it didn't work and drew huge complaints - and few listeners. 

An article in the Toronto Sun not long after the launch pointed out all the pitfalls of the idea. Ironically, considering what happened yesterday, it was written by Ted Woloshyn.

https://web.archive.org/web/20090329050740/http://www.torontosun.com/comment/columnists/ted_woloshyn/2009/03/28/8914056-sun.html

-------

Edit: By the way, if you choose the "comments" tab in the link above, one of them, posted so long ago, could just as easily be relevant to what happened yesterday. Proving some things involving Bell never change.

"What a friggin' nightmarish disappointment this is. No warning? No goodbye? NO CLASS! If this is what the future of media convergence is then count me out. Way to completely ignore loyal listeners just because they aren't 18-34 males. Nice.

Sure the format was eventually gunna die but could you at least have given us a chance to say goodbye? Marc Chambers must be (rockin' and) rolling in his grave. All of that fine work flushed down the can so that another 10cents could be squeezed outta CP24.

And thanks for taking the CHUM charts off the web. Scumbags! Do the current owners feel passion about anything except making a quick buck?" 

Last edited by RadioActive (February 3, 2021 2:26 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 3:15 pm  #66


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Is Jim Richards among the cuts at 1010? The Rush with Doyle and Michaels began at 2:00 instead of 4:00 and, according to the 1010 website, they are now on weekdays from 2:00 to 6:00.

 

February 3, 2021 3:29 pm  #67


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

It would appear that way.... The tv audio starting at 6pm.... show me one place that has ever worked?

This is the prime example of what happens when accountants run the show and not people with the bigger picture. 

 

February 3, 2021 3:37 pm  #68


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

 Based on https://www.iheartradio.ca/newstalk-1010 (as of this particular moment I write this, anyway), Jamil Jivani moves to 7 pm ET and 10 pm is a reroll of "Question Period with Evan Solomon". Not sure if that implies Jamil is moving to a 3 hour slot or it's just an hour of his show and 2 hours of other rerolls or fillers they haven't formally published in the schedule yet.

 

February 3, 2021 4:19 pm  #69


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

This doesn't really surprise me, given everything that happened this week. CKTB has been airing segments from Solomon's CTV show at night for months. It costs them nothing because it's already produced, needs no talent to be in the studio, no producer or operator. Of course Bell will take the cheapest route.

Although he's Tweeted today, there's not a word on Jim Richards' Twitter or Instagram accounts about what happened. The closest is a note about Fred vanVleet's scoring record, which says "This was great. On a tough day."

If there's any good news, it's that Richards is one of the longest serving hosts at 1010. His severance payday pay out could be in the 6-figure range. 

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 4:37 pm  #70


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

CKTB's website has been updated to reflect that Jerry Agar is now simulcast on 610. Today it was on from 10:00 a.m. to noon but looks like starting tomorrow it will be the entire three hours.

Last edited by eladb (February 3, 2021 4:41 pm)

 

February 3, 2021 4:58 pm  #71


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Which confirms the earlier report about the "iHeart Radio Talk Network" extro he used at each break. (By the way, at one point on Wednesday, as they went to commercial and the stinger music was playing, he talked completely over it until it more than ended and then stumbled, prompting him to say, "I'm still getting used to this!")

This will change his show immensely. It will be hard to talk about the "idiots" at Toronto City Hall or any truly local city issue when you're on in other parts of Ontario, where T.O politics don't matter. Joe Cressy must be breathing a sigh of relief!

By the way, I'm not sure how this will be greeted by listeners in other places. I remember when Mike Bullard was being simulcast on 610. After the show was over, local programming resumed, and caller after caller expressed anger that a Toronto-based show was being presented in St. Catharines. There's nothing to say they won't feel the same way about Agar, and of course, RB's signal reaches the Niagara area, so if they wanted to hear him, they could. 

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 5:31 pm  #72


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

radiokid wrote:

It would appear that way.... The tv audio starting at 6pm.... show me one place that has ever worked?

This is the prime example of what happens when accountants run the show and not people with the bigger picture. 

A few radio stations do this - I know CJBK has done this with CTV London's 6pm news for several years now. And on the west coast CKNW airs the first half hour of Global BC's News Hour and then Global National at 6:30. If I'm not mistaken WCBS 880 in NYC also simulcasts the CBS Evening News. No idea how any of those work out in the ratings.

 

February 3, 2021 5:36 pm  #73


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Steve Faguy is reporting the weekend newscasts on CTV Vancouver Island are cancelled. That is a CTV2 station, so I wonder if that will extend to Ontario.

That said, CTV VI does more local news production than the CTV2 stations in Ontario; they're the only CTV2 station to have a 5:00 newscast in addition to their 6:00. So CTV VI has more to cut than the others without violating the local news requirements in their license. But I also know Windsor and London have simulcast weekend news in the past, so I wouldn't be surprised to see that return.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (February 3, 2021 5:41 pm)

 

February 3, 2021 5:49 pm  #74


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

MJ Vancouver wrote:

radiokid wrote:

It would appear that way.... The tv audio starting at 6pm.... show me one place that has ever worked?

This is the prime example of what happens when accountants run the show and not people with the bigger picture. 

A few radio stations do this - I know CJBK has done this with CTV London's 6pm news for several years now. And on the west coast CKNW airs the first half hour of Global BC's News Hour and then Global National at 6:30. If I'm not mistaken WCBS 880 in NYC also simulcasts the CBS Evening News. No idea how any of those work out in the ratings.

It does about as well as CP24 Radio 1050 did..    It's cheap programming... but it's not going to build any audience for radio, or keep them..   Global News at 6 on GNR isn't moving any audience to 640 either.. that's your recent local example.   

Last edited by radiokid (February 3, 2021 5:56 pm)

 

February 3, 2021 5:54 pm  #75


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

radiokid wrote:

It would appear that way.... The tv audio starting at 6pm.... show me one place that has ever worked?

This is the prime example of what happens when accountants run the show and not people with the bigger picture. 

GNR640 has been running Global's Toronto newscast every night at 6 PM for a while. And on weekends, they also simulcast Global National at 6:30 PM. Cheaper than real original radio programming.

Speaking of TV audio on the radio, both WCBS-AM NYC and WBBM-AM Chicago air the audio from "60 Minutes" every Sunday at 7 PM EST (6 PM in Chicago.) What's most interesting about the simulcast is that it goes on air regardless of whether there are football or other sports overruns on the TV network. 

(Years ago both CFRB and CKTB would do the same thing for a while, but it didn't last long and since giving up their affiliation with CBS Radio, it's now impossible.)   

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 5:57 pm  #76


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

RadioActive wrote:

radiokid wrote:

It would appear that way.... The tv audio starting at 6pm.... show me one place that has ever worked?

This is the prime example of what happens when accountants run the show and not people with the bigger picture. 

GNR640 has been running Global's Toronto newscast every night at 6 PM for a while. And on weekends, they also simulcast Global National at 6:30 PM. Cheaper than real original radio programming. 

That's my point...   It's cheap... but doesn't do anything to help a already weak rated station.   Every market that does this in Canada, does not see payoffs.   Reruns that cost 0 would be better after a pre-recorded radio newscast than hearing "as you can see" every 5 mins on radio with sounds of wind over the mic. 

60 mins works because it's an interview heavy news magazine that doesn't use as much time without a voice over.    It's still not great but I would say for a once a week program, the way it's produced, works for both platforms.   Even while it was on 1010 and 610, both never noticed any ratings bump or benefit from airing the program..  

Last edited by radiokid (February 3, 2021 6:11 pm)

 

February 3, 2021 6:26 pm  #77


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

When television news runs anytime in the evening on radio, Global or Bell are not thinking at all about the radio station.  It is used to promote their TV news.  6pm is all about Global TV news and their battle with CTV news Toronto.  Global could very well be making some inroads against  CTV Toronto.  The newscast is live, so any breaking news makes it to the radio as well as a bonus, but it is all about TV.

Looks like for now Jerry Agar is only on in Toronto and CKTB mid morning in Ontario. But this happened about 15 years ago as well when "The Mott's" simulcast on 1010 and CKTB for a time mid morning. 

Don't know if Jerry running anywhere else in the country.  But if he on any stations in western Canada he may well like it.  Gives him a chance to bash the liberals and Trudeau even more than his almost daily rants on 1010.  And a national audience maybe?  Jerry is likely well pleased and plotting the next move even as we speak.....

 

February 3, 2021 7:08 pm  #78


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Jay Michaels just signed off The Rush by telling listeners he would see them tomorrow "at 4".. long pause..."at 2!"

Seems it's not that easy for them to get used to. 

If I were a regular listener without any special knowledge of what's going on, I would be P.O.d that no one on the station is explaining the sudden changes. Where's Jim Richards? Why is The Rush starting at 2? Where's David McKee's News & Views? What happened to Barb's show? Since when is the TV news on at 6 PM?

What a disservice to their loyal listeners who find all their regular features gone without a trace in a single day - and absolutely not a word of explanation. In fact, this is a huge deal - and it hasn't been reported on any of their stations, not even BNN Bloomberg that I could find - and it's inarguably a huge business story. With the exception of a small Canadian Press story on the CTV News website, the company has all but ignored it.

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 7:12 pm  #79


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

radiokid wrote:

Global News at 6 on GNR isn't moving any audience to 640 either.. that's your recent local example.   

Forgot about that, so checked: 640 loses 25% of its share at 6pm, and the 6-7pm hour underperforms the station as a whole by almost half.
 

 

February 3, 2021 7:28 pm  #80


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

paterson1 wrote:

Don't know if Jerry running anywhere else in the country.  But if he on any stations in western Canada he may well like it.  Gives him a chance to bash the liberals and Trudeau even more than his almost daily rants on 1010.  And a national audience maybe?  Jerry is likely well pleased and plotting the next move even as we speak.....

Western Canada's private talk stations not owned by Corus (namely AM 1150 Kelowna, NL Radio Kamloops, and CJME/CKOM in Saskatchewan) all broadcast Corus shows including Charles Adler and Roy Green, and I'm not aware of any currently carrying Agar. Even AM 1150, which is owned by Bell, opts to carry Adler, simulcast with CKNW. Adler must be popular enough in Kelowna for Bell to allow a Global News-branded show there instead of a Bell-produced show.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (February 3, 2021 7:30 pm)

 

February 3, 2021 7:34 pm  #81


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Alex Pierson led off her show on 640 by lamenting the layoffs at the competition. She admitted that it's unusual for one station competing with another to talk about the firings, but she felt she needed to speak out about "the continued death of local news." 

Kind of refreshing to see the veil drop. You know it's what everyone in the biz is talking about off mic. 

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 8:15 pm  #82


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

RadioActive wrote:

This doesn't really surprise me, given everything that happened this week.

Yeah. Jamil "re-introduced" his show at 7 pm tonight for the first 15 minutes or so, with the national re-configuration of it (and expansion to 3 hours, and its new slot); "This is who I am, welcome", "These are the topics I tackle", "All this and more on the first episode of The Jamil Jivani Show", etc.   I see 580 CFRA out of Ottawa is currently carrying it as well - maybe plans for other stations pending their own evening show cuts and/or website updates.

 

February 3, 2021 8:57 pm  #83


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

A bit of confusion.  Were 210 let go in just Toronto?  Broadcast Dialogue in their story reads like it will be up to 210 jobs lost across the country by the end of the week.  This post's heading reads like it is Toronto that is losing 210 jobs.  
https://broadcastdialogue.com/bell-medias-200-job-cuts-go-against-commitment-to-local-news-says-unifor/

 

February 3, 2021 8:58 pm  #84


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Bell's death by a thousand cuts hit CFRA and other stations outside the GTA Wednesday.

Bell Media cuts hit CFRA Ottawa as weekend host Dahlia Kurtz confirms departure

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 9:00 pm  #85


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

paterson1 wrote:

A bit of confusion.  Were 210 let go in just Toronto?  Broadcast Dialogue in their story reads like it will be up to 210 jobs lost across the country by the end of the week.  This post's heading reads like it is Toronto that is losing 210 jobs.  
https://broadcastdialogue.com/bell-medias-200-job-cuts-go-against-commitment-to-local-news-says-unifor/

According to Cartt.ca

Cartt.ca has learned 210 positions will be cut in Toronto alone.

They are a fairly reliable source. 

     Thread Starter
 

February 3, 2021 9:20 pm  #86


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

If cartt.ca is correct, wonder how many employees have been cut across the country then.  Probably Bell isn't finished yet but they did some layoffs out west too.  Still odd that Broadcast Dialogue and the union sort of make it sound like it is up to 210 across the country. I am sure we will find out soon enough.

 

February 3, 2021 9:29 pm  #87


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

Makes me miss Christie Blatchford all over again.

The hugely popular up close and interactive town hall meeting, get-together, (or whatever the actual name was) that Newstalk 1010 used to hold featuring all their on-air talent candidly talking, answering questions, spilling the beans, even swearing!, in person with their listeners every summer, those days and that respected station: gone.

To quote a wise radio man: " - 30 - "
😔

 

February 4, 2021 6:27 am  #88


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

betaylored wrote:

I'd take a Dave Agar reroll over a Jerry Agar reroll any day of the week and twice on Sundays. The Early Edition with Dave and Robert Turner made 5:00am a perfectly logical time to turn the radio on. Still enjoy the Early Edition with Robert solo.

"The Early Edition with Robert Turner" seems to be gone as well. "Moore In The Morning" now seems to start at 5:00 am in the previous Turner slot, but that half hour is a back-and-forth format with Moore and Turner (who remains as the technical producer/board op).

That Turner show couldn't have cost much since Turner was there for his morning show duties anyway (and his own show was board op'd by an overnight producer; maybe that position got cut), but without a functioning newsroom where Turner was sometimes joined by reporters from there or catching listeners up on the just-breaking or overnight news, maybe it no longer made sense.

 

February 4, 2021 9:14 am  #89


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

betaylored wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

Dale Patterson wrote:

They carried a John Moore re-run, now it's Dave Agar in re-roll.

I think you mean Jerry Agar but it's still a reroll.

I'd take a Dave Agar reroll over a Jerry Agar reroll any day of the week and twice on Sundays. The Early Edition with Dave and Robert Turner made 5:00am a perfectly logical time to turn the radio on. Still enjoy the Early Edition with Robert solo.

Jerry Agar wasn't really my cup of joe, and since the traveling during the pandemic incident, his views and opinions don't hold a lot of water. Pot meet kettle.

Agreed.   If Newstalk 1010 wanted to do some house cleaning,  Jerry Agar & Mark Towhey should have been first out the door.  They're just rude & toxic.  And yes, why would anyone put stock in Jerry's views when he couldn't grasp that discretionary vacation travel to Florida & Texas during a pandemic was pure selfishness & irresponsible.

Last edited by g121 (February 4, 2021 9:15 am)

 

February 4, 2021 10:47 am  #90


Re: Big Bell Bloodbath Hits Properties In Toronto - 210 Positions Cut

It's all about shareholder value. Mirko Bibic (BCE CEO) was on BNN Bloomberg this morning touting all the profits, and talking up his slashing and burning (my words, not his).

If a few underlings have to have their careers and the financial lives kicked to the curb, oh well. At least Mr. Bibic will get his massive bonus.