The Detroit Free Press has an article on what it calls the "sensationalistic" newscasts that once emanated from CKLW. Unfortunately, it's behind a very strong paywall. But you don't need to read the recap to remember the style The Big 8 pioneered. 

An almost cliched deep voiced newsman, in stentorian tones, would often start his "20/20" newscast by saying, "The Metro Murder Meter has clicked up again..." before relating some gruesome details of the latest mayhem in Motown. The one I remember best was about an attack on a woman. It went something like this:

"Detroit Police are on the hunt for a criminal creep this morning. Last night, a man with a knife dragged a woman into an alley. He took out his blade and raped her."

Yes, I actually heard this. Can you imagine anyone trying that copy today? I suppose the logic was the kids wouldn't listen to the news unless you made it palatable for them. So they came up with a style that was almost impossible to ignore, even if you weren't into headlines. Appropriate or not, it was quite remarkable. Here's a perfect example if you've never heard it.




I remember CFTR used to get criticized for some of its writing style, especially Larry Silver. I believe the CRTC once called it "yellow journalism." But I don't think there was much they could do about it. 

As for the CanCon reference, I came across this remarkable article from TVO, of all places, published back in 2020. It asserts that the Canadian Content rules didn't cause any decline in the station's ratings. Not that they didn't try and get around them as much as possible and expressed strong resentment for the entire concept.  

"CKLW officials didn’t like the idea of playing songs that members of the Maple Leaf System admitted had been picked strictly because they were Canadian. “We want the freedom to serve our audience,” CKLW program director Frank Brodie told the Windsor Star in August 1969. “We’re not about to cram anything down their throats. To me it doesn’t really matter whether a record is Canadian or American, as long as it is good and is available to our audience.”

Frank Brodie, of course, was the great Mike Marshall and I have to wonder if he'd have the same attitude if quizzed about the subject today. 

The article also notes that at one point, John Bassett was considering buying the station. His solution to get around the CanCon regs? 

"One contentious aspect was a plan to, four times an hour, air one-minute “previews” of Canadian music played on its FM station to help fulfil the AM side’s Canadian-content requirements. The application claimed that this would boost CKLW-FM’s ratings."

The best laid plans etc....

The TVO piece, while a few years old is well worth a look. 

How Windsor’s CKLW reckoned with the brand-new CanCon rules