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January 10, 2022 1:22 pm  #1


If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

Things I would do if I was the new PD at Newstalk 1010: I have no idea why I’m writing this, but these points keep bouncing around in my head, so I figured I would share just to get them out!  

(ONE) Frequent group meetings with the stars.  You need to get the talent on board with a common direction.   The station hasn’t had a new PD in years, the staff cutbacks have taken a huge toll and likely everyone is “pandemic’d” out.   So getting everyone on the same page is key.  When there is turmoil - direction and goals will build a team.   Outline which goals are priorities for the shows and station.   There should be no shortage of cheerleading.  (I'm sure this is being done - it's just on my list)

(TWO) Change some little things quickly to show you’re serious.   I would start with adding a female “imaging voice”.   The station has a clear lack of female talent.   The fastest way to address that is adding an imaging voice.   I would use a “male voice” for all the promos and use the “female” for all the Network RE-JOINS.   I would never use them together - each voice would have a clearly defined role.

(THREE) Evenings.   Seems like a bit of a mess.   I believe there are three options.  1.  Put Jim in evenings.  (No need for him to be overnights)  This would allow you to find a news oriented female sidekick for Jay.  2.  Give credit, where credit is due - bring back Barb.   Her ratings were twice as good as the current situation.   It would help show some respect to the audience and you get a solid talent.   It could even be a 1 yr contract.   Give yourself a bit of time to figure out the long term plan.   3.  Give up on evenings.  Admit defeat.  There are only so many hours in the day - and for 365 days putting your focus on 6a-6p may bring better returns.   If I chose this option (which I wouldn’t) I would have the John Moore segment last.  6p-9p is still important.  If you put Bill Carrol first, at least someone who could be in traffic hears something different than on the drive in.   I would also make sure these segments are super produced / edited.  Good content can be recycled - lazy recycling causes problems.  Someone needs to edit them to be more evergreen and tight. The imaging needs to be good too. Not blah.

(FOUR) Create an over-all content guide.   The news is piped in, so it’s no longer the concern.   The focus should be on show content.   Are we playing the hits?  What is our rotation?   How do we deal with evolving stories?   How do we screen calls / get calls BETTER, How are the shows casted?   How do we make sure we give more context than the headlines?

(FIVE) Build a real bench.   Newstalk 1010 has always had a great bench of commentators, interesting people and newsmakers.   It needs some work.  

(SIX) Start with one show - get dedicated to digital.   Every day a 10 minute best of on youtube, a 1 minute highlight to twitter, IG and Facebook.   A podcast that includes a bit more than just the on-air show.    Content in the show that is built for the purpose of “best-ofs”.   The goal of this should be content and revenue.  Once you build a model - its easy to replicate to other shows.

This is the most important one:   Make a list of the 5 things that need to be sold immediately on the station.   The audience and talent have not been the biggest challenge for Newstalk 1010 - it's the sales department.  Period.   As the PD - you’re only as good as the value of the brand.  So you need to improve the value of the brand by leading the push on sales.   I would make it a point w/ the GM and GSM that this is on your list, and you’re not going to let it go.  Audit success of other N/T stations on the planet and steal things they are selling.  Getting stuff sold on your station should be a mission.  

There are of course a bunch of other things too... but they would have to pay me for them

 

January 10, 2022 2:17 pm  #2


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

There are of course a bunch of other things too...but they would have to pay me for them  
 
It would be money well spent RadioQuiz.  Good job and great suggestions.  Newstalk 1010 has lost it's way and needs help.  And don't listen to those who always say that it doesn't matter since the results would just be the same.  That  lazy defeatist attitude is what is slowly killing radio and TV.

 

January 10, 2022 5:36 pm  #3


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

I asked this the other day with no response.  Who would you hire to do the weekend morning show now that Trafford is gone

 

January 10, 2022 5:54 pm  #4


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

AMFM wrote:

I asked this the other day with no response.  Who would you hire to do the weekend morning show now that Trafford is gone

It looks like they aren't hiring anyone for that slot.   I guess a live body is too expensive. It's just rerolls and "CP24 Morning" simulcasts (see my post in this thread).
 

Last edited by AspectRatio (January 10, 2022 5:55 pm)

 

January 10, 2022 5:57 pm  #5


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

I would hire a woman.
Have her run 6a-10a.
6a-7a could be prepackaged.
You would need someone who could fill in other places as well. (A newscast / TV / talk shows)

If I were in charge - I would try:

Charlene Close
Jaime Pulfer
Cynthia Mulligan

If you only wanted a part-timer I would say Taylor Kaye.

All well respected and versatile.

Last edited by RadioQuiz (January 10, 2022 6:08 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

January 11, 2022 3:28 am  #6


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

RadioQuiz wrote:

...(SIX) Start with one show - get dedicated to digital.   Every day a 10 minute best of on youtube, a 1 minute highlight to twitter, IG and Facebook.   A podcast that includes a bit more than just the on-air show.    Content in the show that is built for the purpose of “best-ofs”.   The goal of this should be content and revenue.  Once you build a model - its easy to replicate to other shows.

(SEVEN). Just switch to BNN Radio already.  Because all that stuff costs way more money than it'll ever make in 2022, and we're talking about Bell here.   Also, a bespoke podcast takes a lot of time and effort and most national/regional advertisers won’t even bother with you unless you’re pulling in more than 50k listeners per show.  And even then we’re not talking that much money.  Otherwise, you’ll be hawking whatever affiliate sales deals you can get. 

Can you say: ‘Z-i-p-R-e-c-r-u-i-t-e-r’?

Last edited by Mavridis (January 11, 2022 3:29 am)

 

January 11, 2022 4:17 am  #7


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

Mavridis wrote:

RadioQuiz wrote:

...(SIX) Start with one show - get dedicated to digital.   Every day a 10 minute best of on youtube, a 1 minute highlight to twitter, IG and Facebook.   A podcast that includes a bit more than just the on-air show.    Content in the show that is built for the purpose of “best-ofs”.   The goal of this should be content and revenue.  Once you build a model - its easy to replicate to other shows.

(SEVEN). Just switch to BNN Radio already.  Because all that stuff costs way more money than it'll ever make in 2022, and we're talking about Bell here.   Also, a bespoke podcast takes a lot of time and effort and most national/regional advertisers won’t even bother with you unless you’re pulling in more than 50k listeners per show.  And even then we’re not talking that much money.  Otherwise, you’ll be hawking whatever affiliate sales deals you can get. 

Can you say: ‘Z-i-p-R-e-c-r-u-i-t-e-r’?

AMEN!!!  Bell will forever ask the question "That's great...but how can we do things...CHEAPER????"
and it will never ever stop.

It's actually a miracle that the NT 1010 morning show isn't live from some street corner with the guy yelling "Change? Anybody got change?" doing the shift.
Even then, they'll still look hard to find ways to do things cheaper...and cheaper...and cheaper. 

Bell is pathetic and really shouldn't be in the radio business at all.

Plus also, radio needs to get back to being an advertising business, not a shareholder business. 


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

 
 

January 11, 2022 8:07 am  #8


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

I don't disagree with your belief that bell would mess it up.   That's entirely possible.

I disagree w/ that the digital would not pay dividends.  There are many examples where it does.

I do agree that how you're viewing it there would be little ROI.

Last edited by RadioQuiz (January 11, 2022 8:08 am)

     Thread Starter
 

January 11, 2022 8:48 am  #9


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

My worry is that the new P.D. has been brought in with marching orders - cut the budget, don't hire anyone new and do whatever you can not to spend a dime. It shows already. 

 

January 11, 2022 9:43 am  #10


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

Mavridis wrote:

   (SEVEN). Just switch to BNN Radio

Can we have an EIGHT please.   
Where is ol' Steve Kowch now that he's needed to rescue 1010?
 

 

January 11, 2022 10:17 am  #11


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

RadioQuiz wrote:

(THREE) Evenings.   Seems like a bit of a mess.   I believe there are three options.  1.  Put Jim in evenings.  (No need for him to be overnights)  This would allow you to find a news oriented female sidekick for Jay.  2.  Give credit, where credit is due - bring back Barb.   Her ratings were twice as good as the current situation.   It would help show some respect to the audience and you get a solid talent.   It could even be a 1 yr contract.   Give yourself a bit of time to figure out the long term plan.

Yes. Bring back Barb.  Make her the weekend morning host.  She has done mornings before when she was on the early days of The Fan 1430/590 back in the day.  I think they are relying on John Moore way too much.  He is on mornings between M-F, now re-runs in the evenings, then a sort of highlight show Saturday at 11, and I think while driving one Sunday evening, I heard him as well.  Maybe look for his successor while they are at it, in case he decides to leave when he can't take the BS at Bell anymore.

Last edited by chrishch (January 11, 2022 10:21 am)

 

January 11, 2022 10:48 am  #12


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

geo wrote:

Mavridis wrote:

   (SEVEN). Just switch to BNN Radio

Can we have an EIGHT please.   
Where is ol' Steve Kowch now that he's needed to rescue 1010?
 

When Kowch was in charge Newstalk 1010 was a great talk station.  Even weekend programming was worth listening to.   Now I find very little reason to listen to RB.
 
I like John Moore but not in the habit of listening to him and quite often I am just getting up around 8-8:30.  Jerry Agar is of no interest to me, he should just move to the US where he really wants to be and live out his Republican dream. Evan Solomon has his moments and attracts good guests.  I don't like the Rush in the afternoon.  Even without Ryan Doyle the show is too immature for my taste.  Yesterday they had a nurse on talking naturally about COVID and both hosts interrupted her too much with inane comments.   Evenings don't listen.  Weekends would be when I would listen, but now there is nothing on air that is of any interest to me at least.

NINE- If you want a real short career at Bell, recommend to them to sell most of their AM stations  since they seem to have no interest in them.   Bell shouldn't be allowed to slowly kill their AM outlets and hold on to them just to keep someone else out.  

Holding on to stations like CHUM, CFRB, CFRW, and many others,  actually indicates Bell is afraid that another group could make a go of the AM operations, so they hang on to them. CKLW AM likely brings in most of the radio revenue in Windsor for them, and this shows that AM can still be viable.  LW is by far the most popular station in Windsor.  If  Bell's sales department can't make money on this station, they need a new sales manager.  CFRA in Ottawa likely still is a money maker for them too. 

I know it likely won't happen but it would look good on Bell if the CRTC didn't renew some of their AM stations when they come up for renewal, or give them a six month renewal.  Can't have it both ways boys and girls.  

 

January 11, 2022 11:27 am  #13


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

I don't think Bell is deliberately tanking their AM stations at all. The accountants who run Bell have determined that, because you can't guarantee anything when it comes to radio ( ratings, revenue, etc.), it's better to spend less and therefore lose less. That's not tanking, it's a deliberate philosophy. I believe the best chance for these stations is private ownership, where the bottom line isn't the only thing they look at. There's no question that radio at large and AM in particular have taken a big hit during the pandemic; the real question is, is this a permanent change or is it Covid related. 

 

January 11, 2022 11:42 am  #14


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

Rune wrote:

   The accountants who run Bell have determined that, because you can't guarantee anything when it comes to radio ( ratings, revenue, etc.), it's better to spend less and therefore lose less 

M. Bibic is not an accountant.    Neither is W. Oosterman.   
 

 

January 11, 2022 3:04 pm  #15


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

I stand by what I wrote. If it walks like a duck, squats like a duck...it's a duck...and they're both ducks 

 

January 11, 2022 10:01 pm  #16


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

The Rush needs help in a big way.

Jim Richards on evenings makes sense because he sounded out of sorts once again during the show today, like he did not want to be there, at one point he started petulantly grumbling to Jay, something about saying me or I instead of we, referring to both of them thanking a guest contributor. It's the same passive aggressive beaking he's displayed with his producer but it's totally inappropriate to get snarky with a co-host. And J.M. did not appreciate it.

Jay is starting to sound like he doesn't know where to turn, his tone of voice with Jim today at times was merely polite and reserved, without any of the cheerfulness and spark that's such a part of his on-air personality.

Funny thing is last Friday they sounded okay together during the last hour which is why I tuned in today.

Barb and Jay would be an improvement. Anything, even Jay solo would be an improvement unless they can find a way to replicate last Friday's sound performance.

Perhaps Jim Richards is unhappy/unwell, and doesn't actually want to work afternoons.

I hope that things change for the better for him, for the listeners and Jay Michaels too.

Last edited by betaylored (January 11, 2022 11:04 pm)

 

January 11, 2022 11:10 pm  #17


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

Idea: 1010 should give Mike Stafford and Peter Shurman an hour of airtime and call it "Coles Notes: the story behind the story"

also, why is 1010 going to the phones so often, nobody needs to hear the kind of Royal Canadian Air Farce characters that call in. What was the old bit, "Dave, from Canmore.."

 

January 12, 2022 9:47 am  #18


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

betaylored wrote:

     the old bit, "Dave, from Canmore.."

Dave was an anti-vaxxer and died over Christmas.     His half-brother Mike from Canmore is alive and well
 

 

January 12, 2022 10:19 am  #19


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

Nothing is more painful than Shawn from Oakville.

     Thread Starter
 

January 12, 2022 11:00 am  #20


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

betaylored wrote:

also, why is 1010 going to the phones so often, nobody needs to hear the kind of Royal Canadian Air Farce characters that call in.

I both agree and disagree with you on this. Idiot callers (and that's unfortunately too many of them) can be a real time waster. But I like to think of callers as using salt in your food. Too much and it's inedible and unhealthy. Too little and it's bland. But if you can find the right mix and put in just enough, it really adds to the taste. 

The problem, of course, is finding them and then letting them speak without too many interruptions from the host. Good callers are rare but they can really add to a show. This is where a great screener comes in and doesn't let the inarticulate or the crazies get on, just because they're the only ones calling. 

I well remember something Tom McConnell on CKTB said a long time ago on air, when a listener complained he didn't take enough opinions from the public. Noting that he was the pro and had been doing this a long time, he said something like this, in a very non-egotistical way: "More of me and less of you makes for a better show." He's right, of course (although I still think he pauses way too much - so long, in fact, that I sometimes think the station has gone off the air.) but he knows he needs both to make the show work and give him something to bounce off of. (But we could certainly do with fewer appearances of "Sonny from Richmond Hill.") 

It's admittedly a tough balance to find but when it works, it can be magic. 

 

January 12, 2022 1:41 pm  #21


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

"Regular callers" can be the spice to a show for sure.   What makes "regulars" great is how the host deals with them and works them into the fabric.

The same callers "regulars" all day is a bigger issue.

Howard Stern has some annoying callers that he cleverly controls so they "add" to the show... but they would be annoying to hear 3 hours later, and arguably would be less valuable for his show.

     Thread Starter
 

January 12, 2022 2:22 pm  #22


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

The days of viable local PDs are long over....programming is done from above for the greater good of the cluster...PDs are now mostly deck chair organizers that need to make sure they know and tow the party line and keep track of the books...it's mostly money...and depending on the station that means not loosing any or making as much as possible...damn most of the minions that work there and the overall product....

 

January 12, 2022 5:40 pm  #23


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

geo wrote:

betaylored wrote:

     the old bit, "Dave, from Canmore.."

Dave was an anti-vaxxer and died over Christmas.     His half-brother Mike from Canmore is alive and well
 

funny and helpful, thanks geo. 💉🎙️😁

 

January 12, 2022 5:41 pm  #24


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

RadioQuiz wrote:

Nothing is more painful than Shawn from Oakville.

Except being Shawn from Oakville.

 

January 12, 2022 6:05 pm  #25


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

I well recall a line from the late, great Michael Magee, who - among other characters - played old curmudgeon Fred. C. Dobbs on CKEY & TVO. 

In a separate character, known as Mario Sartorio, a "famous TV director" who always wore a beret, he was asked what he would do if he controlled Canada's national broadcaster. 

"The first thing I'd do if I owned the CBC," he said, "is fade to black!" 

It's been around 50 years, but for some reason, I still remember that line.

 

January 13, 2022 8:27 pm  #26


Re: If I was the new PD of Newstalk 1010.

Hmmmmmm ... Gone but not totally forgotten. Thanks Geo and Peterson1 for your kind words. It made this old man  smile. But what is happening at CFRB today makes me sad!

Thanks to Bell Media, CFRB has lost it's way by abandoning it's committment to listeners to keep them informed of what is going on in the GTA!  Can't be done with a two minute newscast at the top of the hour. No longer is there the excitement of breaking news on CFRB, when it interrupted programming with live coverage of major news conferences. That is no longer part of CFRB's DNA. 

It should no longer call itself a "newstalk" radio station when it has NO NEWSROOM. No one believes CFRB is where you get answers. It's a talk station. Full stop! Period!  

And that's OK. There are great talk show hosts on CFRB.  Bell should rebrand the radio station as a talk radio station where you share your opinions and debate major issues of the day.

That's my two cents worth. Now I'm going back to hiding under the bed so Covid can't find me.