RadioActive wrote:

You'll probably remember last year when Rogers completely cheaped out on their Jays radio broadcasts by substituting the TV audio on the Fan 590. Fans, newspaper columnists and even Jerry Howarth went on record to complain that it simply didn't work. Eventually, they returned to a radio only format, with Ben Wagner doing the entire game solo. 

Another casualty of the company's penurious penny-pinching came after the contests ended, when the Jays Talk post-game show aired with the occasional text but no callers. I noticed on Sunday that they were opening the phone lines again, restoring the program to the way it used to be (well, minus Mike Wilner, who is now with the Toronto Star.) 

It can certainly be argued that callers don't always add all that much, with many openly anxious to display their ignorance by asking often ridiculous questions. But the show simply works better with the occasional listener contribution, and I'm glad to see they've decided to go back to it. Although it took them almost 35 minutes of a one-hour show to "go to the phones."

I often find calls are like part of a talk show recipe. Too many and it becomes inedible. Too few and there's no spice. It's nice to see - and hear - they've decided to restore this part of the show, with the host promising callers are back for the rest of the season.

Now if they can just get Wagner some company in the booth...

I rarely have ever listened to Jays Talk, but I do like post-game call-in shows. I was a big fan of Leafs Talk when Andy Frost did that. Still remember Mike in Buffalo, who had an unbeaten streak of calling in for every show since 1995!

Leslieville Bill wrote:

Listening to Jays Talk with callers is like chewing tin foil.  "So Mike, if the Jays had Babe Ruth in their lineup do think they would have made the playoffs?"  "How about Charlie put the batting order in alphabetical order.  That would get them out of their slump!"

That's precisely why I suggested it has to be done in moderation. There's nothing worse than taking call after call just to get people on the air and pass the time. A good screener can separate the wheat from the chaff and just put the best ones with an intelligent point to make or a good question to ask on the show. That's why an experienced producer is so important. 

That said, I actually like it when they go to calls. Hearing two hosts drone on and on for an hour (minus spot breaks) is almost too much to take in one sitting. It's the mix that matters.