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February 9, 2021 1:28 pm  #1


TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

Word is that Bell has turned TSN 1150 into BNN Bloomberg radio. TSN 1150's Twitter account has been deleted.

Last edited by eladb (February 9, 2021 1:28 pm)

 

February 9, 2021 1:40 pm  #2


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

Vancouver and Winnipeg gone too

 

February 9, 2021 1:40 pm  #3


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

I'm guessing the owner of 1220 says thank-you? If they ever officially sign on...lol


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

 
 

February 9, 2021 1:42 pm  #4


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

So sad. So very sad. Would anyone recommend my, about to be university student age, to go into broadcasting?I Is it "safer" to be behind the mic/camera or behind the scenes. He really wants to go into broadcasting, but it seems like an unsound choice "during these times"
 

Last edited by leafs67 (February 9, 2021 1:42 pm)


never worked ever, in radio
 

February 9, 2021 1:53 pm  #5


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

Wonder how safe TSN 1050 is.   BNN Bloomberg radio coming to Canada's financial capital?  How about Funny 1050?  So sad... 

 

February 9, 2021 1:55 pm  #6


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

The Vancouver and Winnipeg stations didn't have their cities' NHL rights, Ottawa and Toronto do.

Also, Bell doesn't have NewsTalk stations in Vancouver or Winnipeg...

 

February 9, 2021 1:58 pm  #7


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

This makes sense - cents? - to me. The station was near zero in the ratings, TSN1050 is easily receivable there, there is no business format in Southern Ontario and BNN Bloomberg is turning out material that can easily be reused.

I hate Bell for what they did last week, but this move was too long in coming. 

 

February 9, 2021 1:59 pm  #8


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

Here is a little more info regarding TSN 1040 in Vancouver.  I thought Bell closed the station but apparently a new format is coming on Friday.  Won't be BNN Bloomberg Radio since it is already in Vancouver. 
https://theprovince.com/sports/vancouvers-tsn-1040-pulled-off-air-as-bell-canada-continues-with-cuts

 

February 9, 2021 2:04 pm  #9


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

The press release:

BNN Bloomberg Radio 1150 Launches in Hamilton Today

The 1150 website (which is still up but merely as a reference.)

[img]https://www.tsn.ca/polopoly_fs/1.355142!/fileimage/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/default/tsn-1150-banner.jpg[/img]
 

 

February 9, 2021 2:06 pm  #10


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

The following text now appears when one enters the TSN 1290 (Winnipeg) site:
"We have some news to share today about changes to our programming. CFRW 1290 AM will no longer be a sports talk radio station.

It was a difficult decision, but the realities of the quickly evolving broadcast media landscape in Canada have made this change unavoidable.

We want to thank our on-air personalities, advertising partners and sponsors, and everyone who has contributed to this station. But especially we want to thank our listeners. Our work here at TSN 1290 was driven by our passion to bring you the very best sports, news and discussion. We sincerely appreciate the time you have spent with us.

You can continue to find TSN sports content on the iHeartRadio Canada platform and on TSN, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.

Thank you again for your loyalty over the years."

     Thread Starter
 

February 9, 2021 2:12 pm  #11


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

TSN 1260 (CFRN) Edmonton is still on the air doing sports talk. They don't have either NHL/Oilers or CFL/EE Football radio rights. They only had WHL hockey. I'm happy they're still on the air, but I wonder how they survived. 

 

February 9, 2021 2:15 pm  #12


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

RadioAaron wrote:

The Vancouver and Winnipeg stations didn't have their cities' NHL rights, Ottawa and Toronto do.

Also, Bell doesn't have NewsTalk stations in Vancouver or Winnipeg...

TSN in Vancouver did have rights to the Whitecaps and the CFL BC Lions.

 

February 9, 2021 2:16 pm  #13


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

RadioActive wrote:

This makes sense - cents? - to me. The station was near zero in the ratings, TSN1050 is easily receivable there, there is no business format in Southern Ontario and BNN Bloomberg is turning out material that can easily be reused.

I hate Bell for what they did last week, but this move was too long in coming. 

I think what made the Hamilton station unique was its coverage of the Tiger-Cats. Listeners appear to be most upset about that.

     Thread Starter
 

February 9, 2021 2:40 pm  #14


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

I liked "Yes Guy" Jim Tatti on this station and they did a mighty fine job of the Hamilton Tiger Cat broadcasts, I know people on here don't give a shit about the CFL, but from a purely coverage view point, TSN Hamilton did a great job of that.


I preferred 1150 to 1050 personally.

Wow, as the saying goes, I picked a bad week to be in radio, or was that a bad week to give up  amphetamines?  Either one is true...


 


The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
 

February 9, 2021 2:56 pm  #15


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

Muffaraw Joe wrote:

they did a mighty fine job of the Hamilton Tiger Cat broadcasts

I beg to differ. The Ti-Cats Play-by-Play is the worst Play-by-Play I've ever heard on any station of any sport. The announcer will say (for example) "the ball gets pushed out at the 18-yard line". Then they announce the line of scrimmage is at the 23. I can understand being off by a yard or even two... but being off by 5 yards?

And listening to the announcers describe they play afterward, they describe every aspect of the play in detail... you have to listen for 30 seconds before you find out where the ball ended up.
 

 

February 9, 2021 3:00 pm  #16


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

Moving forward at Bell Media

To: All Bell Media team members

Cc: Bell CP5/6/7 leaders

From: Wade Oosterman

Hi Team,I wanted to take the opportunity to update everyone on our progress in revitalizing the way we do business at Bell Media, including upcoming changes to some of our radio properties that are a great example of our strategy in action.

As we've refined the mandates for Bell Media's core content, technology and sales groups and completed our team restructuring, there have been a number of departures in several parts of the business, an unfortunate and often high-profile reflection of the change necessary for Bell Media to prevail in a transforming sector that has also been uniquely impacted by COVID-19.

While these changes are now complete, it has been difficult to see any of our colleagues leave the company. I should note up front that many of the recent changes would have happened last year if not for the work here at Media and across the company to help get the national Bell team through 2020 intact.

Considering the extraordinary losses in revenue across all of our media platforms and in many other parts of Bell's business, we did apply for federal wage support in 2020 as a supplement to our cross-company program to redeploy affected team members into service and support roles, which successfully minimized the impacts on jobs last year.

With our new structure, we've also made strategic updates to the business that reflect the reality of sweeping change facing our organization … the way Canadians consume media, the ongoing torrent of new viewing and listening options, and the growing impact of new and aggressive competitors, including the major global players changing the way media works in virtually every country around the world.

In that context, Bell Media is focused on making unmatched investments in creating the content Canadians (and increasingly international audiences) want the most, and building the next-generation delivery platforms that will ensure they can access it their way. To make that happen, we're streamlining the way we work to enhance our efficiency, reduce our costs, and make Bell Media more accessible and easier to deal with for all stakeholders audiences, creators, technology partners, advertisers and distributors.

The adjustments we're making to some of our radio stations this week offer a good example of Bell Media's readiness to change when it's right for the business, especially when our costs are too high to justify or we simply have a better model to serve a given marketplace.

Today we're announcing that TSN Radio 1150 in Hamilton will become BNN Bloomberg Radio, reflecting the success of our initial business radio station in the Vancouver market. The Hamilton AM channel can also serve BNN Bloomberg listeners in the GTA and other parts of Southern Ontario, similar to TSN Radio 1050 Toronto's coverage of the same region.

Later this week, we'll also transition TSN radio stations in Winnipeg and Vancouver to our Funny format, which has already proven highly successful in markets like Hamilton and Calgary with its stand-up comedy content.

While these are relatively modest changes to our overall radio business (we have more than 100 stations in 58 markets across the country), they align with our strategy of focusing on serving the largest possible audiences with the content they want the most while leveraging the efficiencies of our broader organization.

For example, changes to some radio news and talk properties, such as at CJAD 800 in Montréal and Newstalk 1010 in Toronto, reflect our focus on maximizing the efficiency of the resources across our broader operations. Bell Media has the top News team in the country, and they're a great example of the talent that will be working more closely together in these cities and others to keep delivering the best in news across all of our platforms.

Business decisions may be logical, and they may offer the best benefits to the company and to the broader team over the long term, but they have impacted some of our colleagues, the real people affected by this necessary change. We're ensuring those that have left the company do so with support, and our respect and thanks for all their contributions to our company and our communities.There's never a right time to make these kinds of changes, other than when they're required for the stability and growth of the business and the benefit of our broader team nationwide.

As we move forward in a new year, the changes we've made also mean new or expanded responsibilities for many people at Bell Media and new opportunities for all of us. With our organizational structure now in place, I'm looking forward to working with you to deliver for all our stakeholders as we build on our position as Canada's #1 multimedia provider.I'm excited about the opportunities ahead. We're making major investments in new and compelling content from our in-house teams and independent production partners, significantly ramping up our profile in a Québec media marketplace ripe for new options and fresh ideas, and taking the lead in Canada's media platform innovation, including leveraging next-generation technologies like mobile 5G.

I look forward to telling you more about our progress and plans, including joining senior Bell Media leaders like Karine Moses, Stew Johnston and Nauby Jacob at upcoming town hall sessions that will be announced soon.

Thank you for your dedication and perseverance as we've worked together to create a more agile, efficient and responsive organization that can thrive now, as our sector undergoes historic transformation, and into the future. Bell Media remains a critical part of Bell's success, and I'm very proud to be working with you as we chart a bold new course for our company.

Wade

Last edited by Ida Spencer (February 9, 2021 3:03 pm)

 

February 9, 2021 3:02 pm  #17


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

TheWiz wrote:

Muffaraw Joe wrote:

they did a mighty fine job of the Hamilton Tiger Cat broadcasts

I beg to differ. The Ti-Cats Play-by-Play is the worst Play-by-Play I've ever heard on any station of any sport. The announcer will say (for example) "the ball gets pushed out at the 18-yard line". Then they announce the line of scrimmage is at the 23. I can understand being off by a yard or even two... but being off by 5 yards?

And listening to the announcers describe they play afterward, they describe every aspect of the play in detail... you have to listen for 30 seconds before you find out where the ball ended up.
 

re: .. the worst Play-by-Play I've ever heard on any station of any sport ..

the worst? 

Please acquaint yourself with Jack Edwards, the Bruins Play-by-Play guy on NESN. 

 

February 9, 2021 3:09 pm  #18


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

A couple of interesting takes from the "Wade" memo above:

1) "Later this week, we'll also transition TSN radio stations in Winnipeg and Vancouver to our Funny format, which has already proven highly successful in markets like Hamilton and Calgary with its stand-up comedy content."

Translation: completely automated and needs no human intervention, saving us a fortune in salaries and benefits. 

2) "Bell Media has the top News team in the country."

Translation: Not any more we don't, since we got rid of so many of them.

But hey, why let facts get in the way of a feel good spin memo on firing over 200 people in less than a week?  

 

February 9, 2021 3:16 pm  #19


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

grilled.cheese wrote:

TSN 1150 carried SNME, Sunday Night's Main Event, a wonderful wrestling programme hosted by Jason Agnew.  Hopefully it gets picked up by another station or maybe on 1010.

From Agnew's Facebook page:

 

February 9, 2021 3:19 pm  #20


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

grilled.cheese wrote:

Jim Tatti also had a great run with Frank D'Angelo. 

I remember him on Sportsline on Global. Even earlier than that he was at CityPulse.

 

February 9, 2021 3:22 pm  #21


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

 

February 9, 2021 3:22 pm  #22


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

RadioActive wrote:

A couple of interesting takes from the "Wade" memo above:

1) "Later this week, we'll also transition TSN radio stations in Winnipeg and Vancouver to our Funny format, which has already proven highly successful in markets like Hamilton and Calgary with its stand-up comedy content."

Translation: completely automated and needs no human intervention, saving us a fortune in salaries and benefits. 

Not surprising this is the route they're choosing. Cheap and doesn't require much thinking to program.
 

     Thread Starter
 

February 9, 2021 3:25 pm  #23


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

A report by The Canadian Press shows they did this in a particularly unfeeling and brutal way, as befits Bell Media

"In Vancouver, the morning show cut away during a commercial break Tuesday before it was announced that the station would be “reprogrammed” as of Friday. The news was followed by Green Day’s “Good Riddance (Time of Your Life)” before the airwaves turned to music."

The announcement was terse and showed how little they care about their listeners or the employees, who would seem to have had no idea what was coming.

“As of today, CKST will no longer be a sports radio station,” the recorded voice memo said on air.

“We want to thank our on-air personalities, advertising partners and everybody who has contributed to this station.

“Our work here at TSN 1040 was driven by our passion to bring you the very best news, sports and discussion.”

“The new format of the station will be launched this Friday at 7:00 am.”


Classy, huh? 

 

February 9, 2021 3:36 pm  #24


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

As its owners destroy another radio station, a nostalgic peek back at the way they were:






 

 

February 9, 2021 4:23 pm  #25


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

eladb wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

A couple of interesting takes from the "Wade" memo above:

1) "Later this week, we'll also transition TSN radio stations in Winnipeg and Vancouver to our Funny format, which has already proven highly successful in markets like Hamilton and Calgary with its stand-up comedy content."

Translation: completely automated and needs no human intervention, saving us a fortune in salaries and benefits. 

Not surprising this is the route they're choosing. Cheap and doesn't require much thinking to program.
 

They could probably save even more money by turning in the licenses.
 


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

February 9, 2021 5:40 pm  #26


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

leafs67 wrote:

So sad. So very sad. Would anyone recommend my, about to be university student age, to go into broadcasting?I Is it "safer" to be behind the mic/camera or behind the scenes. He really wants to go into broadcasting, but it seems like an unsound choice "during these times"

Behind the camera isn't much safer.  Broadcast tech isn't what it used to be.

I'm not sure about other stations, but the CKCO -- errm -- CTV Kitchener news often show some nice bumpers in and out of commercial breaks featuring the newsdesk framed by a couple of cameras.  The first thing you'll notice is that there is nobody behind them -- they are robotically controlled.  No need for a cameraperson.  Almost all reporters, even some at the CBC, do their own camerawork.

Then there's the broadcast tech itself.  It's more I.T. than anything else.

It's also, in the grand scheme of things, a relatively small industry.  There's a reason why the most successful broadcasting programs in the 70s and 80s kept their intake relatively small.  Now it seems as long as you have pulse, you're in.

I have a nephew who years ago became a drywaller and he's quite good at it.  The money he's making these days makes my head spin.
 

 

February 9, 2021 5:55 pm  #27


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

Peter the K wrote:

leafs67 wrote:

So sad. So very sad. Would anyone recommend my, about to be university student age, to go into broadcasting?I Is it "safer" to be behind the mic/camera or behind the scenes. He really wants to go into broadcasting, but it seems like an unsound choice "during these times"

Behind the camera isn't much safer.  Broadcast tech isn't what it used to be.

I'm not sure about other stations, but the CKCO -- errm -- CTV Kitchener news often show some nice bumpers in and out of commercial breaks featuring the newsdesk framed by a couple of cameras.  The first thing you'll notice is that there is nobody behind them -- they are robotically controlled.  No need for a cameraperson.  Almost all reporters, even some at the CBC, do their own camerawork.

Then there's the broadcast tech itself.  It's more I.T. than anything else.

It's also, in the grand scheme of things, a relatively small industry.  There's a reason why the most successful broadcasting programs in the 70s and 80s kept their intake relatively small.  Now it seems as long as you have pulse, you're in.

I have a nephew who years ago became a drywaller and he's quite good at it.  The money he's making these days makes my head spin.
 

Robotic cameras aren't a new thing for local news. However, as mentioned in another thread, CKCO News is done out of a control room at CTV in Toronto (Agincourt). Cameras and footage is fed from Kitchener to Toronto.

 

February 9, 2021 6:05 pm  #28


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

I've heard NBC Nightly News cameras are all robotic. At least they were back in 1987 when The New York Times published this story. 

NBC News To Use Robot Cameras

 

February 9, 2021 6:08 pm  #29


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

paterson1 wrote:

Wonder how safe TSN 1050 is.   BNN Bloomberg radio coming to Canada's financial capital?  How about Funny 1050?  So sad... 

How about TSN 690 Montreal and TSN 1200 Ottawa? How safe are they? It appears those two AM radio stations were unaffected by the change, including TSN 1050 Toronto. 
 

 

February 9, 2021 6:39 pm  #30


Re: TSN 1150 Hamilton is no more

RadioActive wrote:

I've heard NBC Nightly News cameras are all robotic. At least they were back in 1987 when The New York Times published this story. 

NBC News To Use Robot Cameras

Global in Toronto has had robotic cameras since the mid-90s. I remember they had a story about it when they were first introduced.

Global BC, and I assume other Global stations using virtual sets, use robotic cameras, though I believe they are controlled from the same building in CHAN's case. Not the case for some other stations.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (February 9, 2021 6:39 pm)