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July 12, 2022 7:16 pm  #1


Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

He's been in Vancouver for most of his 47 years on the air and now Dean Hill is calling it a career. Like most journeyman radio jocks, his job has taken him all over the country, including Toronto. But apparently, he didn't stay in Canada's #1 market for long. 

"The only job I ever begged for was to get out of Toronto," he says; that led him to CFOX in Vancouver."

Hmmm. There's no mention in the story of which station he tried so hard to escape, but does anyone remember a jock named Dean Hill on air here? The name is definitely not familiar.

His final show in B.C.'s biggest city will be July 15th. 

Long-time Vancouver radio DJ hanging up the headphones after decades on air

 

July 12, 2022 7:25 pm  #2


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

You might find the answer here


Cool Airchecks and More:
http://www.lettheuniverseanswer.com/
 

July 12, 2022 7:36 pm  #3


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

He was on Q107 in Toronto. Had the pleasure of working with Dean many years ago. Consummate professional and an absolute legend to his audiences at Rock 101 and LG73. Enjoy your retirement, Mr. Hill!

 

July 12, 2022 7:36 pm  #4


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

From 2018…

https://www.pugetsoundradio.com/2018/05/26/jj-salutes-dean-hill/

Last edited by mike marshall (July 12, 2022 7:39 pm)

 

July 12, 2022 8:49 pm  #5


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

Thanks for the answer! But it leads to another question - what went so wrong at Q107 that Dean Hill couldn't wait to get out of Toronto?

     Thread Starter
 

July 12, 2022 8:57 pm  #6


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

Never heard of him. 

 

July 12, 2022 9:37 pm  #7


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

Guess Dean didn't like living in the supposed 8th most livable city in the world and opted to move to Vancouver which is apparently the 5th.  He missed out though, Calgary with all of those chinook winds,  the Stampede and endless pancakes came in at number 3.  This according to the Economist livability rankings.  Canada somehow had three of the top ten most livable cities for 2022.  The city of Vienna in Austria, and their little sausages, was again most livable city anywhere according to the Economist.   

 

July 12, 2022 9:50 pm  #8


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

In our neck of the woods, Hill was heard as the off-camera announcer for the late '80s game show "Talk About" with Wayne Cox, produced at CBC Vancouver and aired around here on CBLT and CHEX, among other stations.

 

July 12, 2022 11:53 pm  #9


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

People in Vancouver are proudly anti-Toronto.  They resent having all of the media organizations based in Toronto with a Toronto first view of every issue and Torontonians are considered unfriendly by Vancouverites and people in Vancouver say they work to live where as Torontonians live to work.  They think Vancouver is a more laid back city. 

Last edited by Tomas Barlow (July 12, 2022 11:53 pm)

 

July 13, 2022 9:55 am  #10


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

Dean is a terrific talent.  In the 1980s LG73 could be heard out here some mornings and evenings, while CFMI was available on satellite.

Adding to paterson1's comment above:

As noted in JJ "Jim" Johnston's article at the link mike marshall posted, Dean was part of the original on air line up Ralph Connor and Ross Davies assembled for the June 1977 launch of Calgary's C-JAY 92.

Other C-JAY alumni that later worked at Q107 Toronto include Al Joynes and Jim (Jimi James) O'Callaghan.  Jesse Dylan worked down the hall at C-JAY's sister station, AM 106, as Steve Woodman.

Life is pretty good in the third most livable city in the world.  Years ago Rawlco's 66 CFR (now CityNews 660) referred to Calgary as "Canada's Greatest City . . ."


Faster cars, younger women, older cheese, more money . . .
 

July 13, 2022 10:01 am  #11


Re: Veteran DJ Leaving The Biz Couldn't Wait To Get Out Of Toronto

Tomas Barlow wrote:

People in Vancouver are proudly anti-Toronto.  They resent having all of the media organizations based in Toronto with a Toronto first view of every issue and Torontonians are considered unfriendly by Vancouverites and people in Vancouver say they work to live where as Torontonians live to work.  They think Vancouver is a more laid back city. 

Hard to compete with Vancouver's natural beauty.  I have noticed that Canadian media, especially CTV is too Toronto centred.  I sometimes watch the Jays games on Sportsnet Pacific or West, just to see some commercials that I have never seen before. They often have ads for western based companies.

Nothing wrong with Toronto itself or the people in my mind, overall a good city with a lot to offer. But this year was bested by Calgary and Vancouver, both great cities in their own right and locally good radio, newspapers and TV.

The media in Toronto might be the issue.  Too negative about almost everything and they dwell on small local conflicts way too much in my opinion especially news media. Toronto media is too self conscious and wants to be in the big leagues, but doesn't put the effort, money or time into it.  Oddly, Toronto itself is in the big leagues when it comes to TV and movie productions and TIFF, but local Toronto media in many ways is still in the minors, and does a mediocre to average job reflecting the city and area. 

Funny how so many people in the rest of the country dislike or possibly are jealous of Toronto.  We even see this in other parts of Ontario. Ottawa for example has a great dislike for "Hogtown."  Internationally however, the city is usually very well regarded.

Same with Canada in general.  A sizable minority of people living here that tend to be critical of all things Canadian because it isn't American enough.  Internationally Canada is almost always in the top 10, and near the top in surveys pertaining to quality of life, government, health, education, recreation, social belonging, general society etc.  However you would never know it day to day when you listen or watch the news that seems filled with nothing but negativity and endless complaining. 

Last edited by paterson1 (July 13, 2022 10:15 am)