RadioActive wrote:

A pretty bizarre war or words broke out on noontime radio Wednesday, after Mike Stafford ventured an opinion on AM640 that his 12 PM namesake at 1010 wasn't especially funny.

I heard it too, but it should be clarified that Stafford was reading a listener's email. That's whose opinion he was conveying.

Regardless, stations taking shots at each other does sound fun when it happens. The thinking of "don't mention the competition" is as archaic as "no holidays during ratings".

BoredOp wrote:

The thinking of "don't mention the competition" is as archaic as "no holidays during ratings".

The competition deserves a good solid spanking, every now and then, if 'one' can actually pull that off with the truth.  [and Mike isn't funny...which explains why he was set adrift by the network all those years ago.  NOR could he do even a 1/2-assed interview well.] 

Taking holidays during ratings though?  That's not standing up to an archaic rule of thumb.  That's about as basically smart as it gets.  [unless YOU suck at what you do and it's a blessing for the audience to celebrate your absence.]  Don't mess with your loyal listeners when you want them to 'be there' for you.  At the very least you HAVE to be there for them. 

As 'the boss' I would insist on NO time off for 4 weeks prior to a [spring or fall] book nor for one week after.
 

Prizing doesn't have to be THAT extravagant geo.  A chance at one 2 dollar off coupon good for weekdays [only] at Pizza Pizza [pick-up only] should nail it for any station worth it's salt.

On the subject of never mentioning the competition, one of the funniest or at least most startling things I ever heard on radio happened back in the mid-70s, when WNBC was fighting WABC's Dan Ingram for afternoon drive supremacy in the media capital of the planet, NYC. As they came out of a series of spots, listeners to NBC heard that iconic "Dan Ingram!" name sing, followed by the famous 77 WABC jingle. 

After it ended, the late, great Bob Vernon (aka "Vernon with a V") came on and in his deepest announcer voice intoned, "Dan Ingram is not here. Nor do we know where you can find him. Thank you." A WNBC jingle then led into music.

It's been more than 40 years, but I remember it like it was yesterday. This personality version of WNBC (circa 1975 or so) remains my all time favourite radio station, with the PD vowing that every jock they hired would be a "morning man" type of talent. And all of them were. In the end, it didn't work, but boy was it hilarious while it lasted.   

Sadly though I find it rich anyone at 640 is throwing mud at 1010, when 1010 on their WORST day still has higher ratings than 640.   For a guy who "isn't funny" or "entertaining", they sure get a lot more of a following.

Don't get me wrong I like Stafford, and if the world around him was better, there is no reason he wouldn't be at the top with the rest...   I have opinions on 640, and what could be done to right the ship on the budget they have currently, but this is not the right place for those opinions.

 

What have I done now?  Oh, I read an on-air email.  Thanks for catching that Bored Op. I wouldn't trash Mike Bullard because I haven't met or worked with him and he and I have similar likes/dislikes.   I HAVE heard Moore attack Oakley and I don't know why.  In the current reality it would be like Pontiac attacking Oldsmobile.  We're all facing irrelevancy.

As for throwing mud, I've heard that 'RB is preparing promos that will trash AM 640 as "tabloid radio", "trash", "electronic ebola" (I just made that up) etc.  Probably just an off-air caller, claiming to be from Bell Media, pulling somebody's leg at work.  I can't see anyone at the Mighty 1010 using those delicious, expensive radio sticks on Southdown Road to deliberately promote, even negatively, another frequency.  Crazy business these days.  And I'm not Ziggy either.

Last edited by Miker (June 23, 2016 6:44 pm)

Miker wrote:

What have I done now? Oh, I read an on-air email. Thanks for catching that Bored Op. I wouldn't trash Mike Bullard because I haven't met or worked with him and he and I have similar likes/dislikes. I HAVE heard Moore attack Oakley and I don't know why. In the current reality it would be like Pontiac attacking Oldsmobile. We're all facing irrelevancy.

As for throwing mud, I've heard that 'RB is preparing promos that will trash AM 640 as "tabloid radio", "trash", "electronic ebola" (I just made that up) etc. Probably just an off-air caller, claiming to be from Bell Media, pulling somebody's leg at work. I can't see anyone at the Mighty 1010 using those delicious, expensive radio sticks on Southdown Road to deliberately promote, even negatively, another frequency. Crazy business these days. And I'm not Ziggy either.

Not sure why the sensitivity, Mr. S. Most of us here agree you do a great show and would like to see you promoted to drive time. Plus, you're definitely not Ziggy. Another plus!

My original comment wasn’t that you’d done anything wrong. I just get a kick out of those sort of internecine radio wars. Kind of like George Burns breaking the fourth wall on the old "Burns & Allen" show to talk directly to the audience. It just doesn't happen that often.
 
There were two long standing regular feuds that stand out in my mind. The late John Michael used to constantly use his show on CKTB, St. Catharines, to get on John Larocque’s case. The latter was the morning man on rival CHSC, which no longer exists. Every once-in-a-while Michael would issue some sort of insult about his competitor, but it was generally done with a light touch and in good fun. I’m not sure if Larocque ever responded in kind.
 
And then there was Jay Marvin, who used to run a hilarious late night talk show over blowtorch WLS-AM in Chicago in the 1980s and 90s. Every few nights, he’d phone the producer of the show talk show opposite him on WGN-AM and say something ridiculous to the screener, dialing and then putting the call live on air.
 
Yes, it was juvenile and yes, it was something I likely wouldn’t have appreciated when I was doing that job at a few Toronto talkers years ago. But I have to admit, it was a pretty funny bit. As was the brief exchange between you and Bullard the other day - although neither of you knew at the time it was going on.

StevieB wrote:

Who owns/stole the SkyDome BTW?

Rogers did not steal anything. Skydome was going bankrupt. Rogers rescued them. 
If it were not for the Rogers centre, the Blue Jays would not have a home.
 

Damn Iain, the off-air Andy vs. Ed stuff was shocking stuff.  And RadioActivity I wasn't being sensitive, you're a P-1 to a lot of stations and tend to interpret some stuff that just doesn't have any basis in fact.  Respect your passion.  RadioKid, lick. Frost Fence in February rookie.

A little back and forth between radio stations is nice.