RadioActive wrote:

Among those getting cut are a few well known names. From The Daily Hive:

"CTV National’s Alberta bureau chief Bill Fortier, Montreal reporter Vanessa Lee, and Winnipeg bureau chief Jill Macyshon have all been axed, per the sources."

How ironic then, that Fortier plays a part in this weekend's soon-to-be-defunct W5 report about companies that provide rip-off service. 

Galen Weston must also be happy his name has dropped down, if not below the fold to an inside page for a change

Another apparent victim of the cuts. Nice to see how much Bell appreciated the quarter of a century he gave them. Hope it's a huge severance!

SportsCentre host Cory Woron off the air after 24 years at TSN

BowmanvilleBob wrote:

This just in...
"Rogers can't f*cking believe they're the less evil telecom giant"
https://www.thebeaverton.com/2021/02/rogers-cant-fucking-believe-theyre-the-less-evil-telecom-giant/
 

I'm just waiting for Frank Magazine to get its hands on this story and basically make Bell their personal punching bag.

Brad wrote:

The Hamilton Spectator spoke with Whiteoaks about buying CKLH and the Niagara stations. They say no format changes or staffing changes will happen after the deal is done. Bounce and Move will get new names since they belong to Bell. HTZ-FM and 610 CKTB to remain as is.

https://www.thespec.com/news/bell-media-cuts-mean-ownership-change-looms-at-hamiltons-bounce-102-9-the-old-k/article_8bbf8eff-159c-5fd1-b313-5a7c1334a77e.html

I'm guessing they don't think it's worthwhile or economically feasible to lease the Bounce and Move brands from Bell, the way Stingray and Corus have done with the Boom brand?



PJ
 

I found it interesting that, of all the radio stations being sold off, only one was CHR. So they are continuing to operate the rest (eleven, I think) CHR stations. When I first heard of the number of stations being sold, my first thought was probably all the CHRs except for the major market ones (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver). I am surprised at CKLH and CHTZ as both are well established and have sizeable audiences and listener shares. 

RadioAaron wrote:

Storm wrote:

I found it interesting that, of all the radio stations being sold off, only one was CHR. So they are continuing to operate the rest (eleven, I think) CHR stations. When I first heard of the number of stations being sold, my first thought was probably all the CHRs except for the major market ones (Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver). I am surprised at CKLH and CHTZ as both are well established and have sizeable audiences and listener shares. 

The CHRs are mostly in the profitable larger markets. Neither format nor ratings would have been a consideration when choosing what to sell.

Regardless, I believe that was you RadioAaron that called it first? Suggesting that Bell would most likely sell
Hamilton's 102.9 FM? Congrats! 

From the Canadian Press...

https://www.msn.com/en-ca/entertainment/other/depressing-to-see-w5-affected-by-bell-media-cuts-says-former-host-kevin-newman/ar-BB1i3xDI?ocid=msedgntp&pc=U531&cvid=1c087341bf164963b5a4df3c6adeb748&ei=34
 

paterson1 wrote:

It is worth noting as well that CBS got out of the radio business six years ago in the US, selling their 185 stations to Entercom (now Audacy).  This has not worked out well for Audacy which is now in chapter 11 bankruptcy.  They took on too many stations at once when the radio market was starting to soften, all of this prior to COVID.

Audacy paid $2.4 billion for CBS radio and last month when they filed for bankruptcy they listed $2.66 billion in total debt.  With chapter 11 they will be able to slash $1.6 billion of the debt.  Bell Media, Corus Entertainment, and Rogers Media are all profitable. However both Bell and Rogers have high debt loads from their other divisions. 

Bell selling these 45 so called under performing radio outlets to six different and smaller companies is a much safer bet.  And all of them are familiar running smaller stations which again is a plus.  All six made their companies successful in smaller/medium markets. 

If  Bell decides to sell their larger and healthy medium sized stations in the future, let's hope that Pattison,  Cogeco and a few smaller/regional players buy these stations. 

In time, alll of this could be the best thing to happen with radio in Canada for years. Let those more familiar with broadcasting run these stations, and not a mega conglomerate like BCE, where radio has only been a minor sideline since day one.  


 

I have heard rumblings that bell will be selling more stations. Plus I heard Corus and Stingray will also be selling stations. So I am sure a lot will change in the next year or so

paterson1 wrote:

In time, alll of this could be the best thing to happen with radio in Canada for years. Let those more familiar with broadcasting run these stations, and not a mega conglomerate like BCE, where radio has only been a minor sideline since day one.  


 

I'm curious what you think of JON POLE's answers in the other thread about playlist size and jock break frequency. 

JON POLE may have some innovative ideas around sales, and it will be great that his reps won't treat radio as just another commodity with CP24 and Billboards, but let's not pretend that there will be significantly different sounding programming from Bell.

brian451 wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

It is worth noting as well that CBS got out of the radio business six years ago in the US, selling their 185 stations to Entercom (now Audacy).  This has not worked out well for Audacy which is now in chapter 11 bankruptcy.  They took on too many stations at once when the radio market was starting to soften, all of this prior to COVID.

Audacy paid $2.4 billion for CBS radio and last month when they filed for bankruptcy they listed $2.66 billion in total debt.  With chapter 11 they will be able to slash $1.6 billion of the debt.  Bell Media, Corus Entertainment, and Rogers Media are all profitable. However both Bell and Rogers have high debt loads from their other divisions. 

Bell selling these 45 so called under performing radio outlets to six different and smaller companies is a much safer bet.  And all of them are familiar running smaller stations which again is a plus.  All six made their companies successful in smaller/medium markets. 

If  Bell decides to sell their larger and healthy medium sized stations in the future, let's hope that Pattison,  Cogeco and a few smaller/regional players buy these stations. 

In time, alll of this could be the best thing to happen with radio in Canada for years. Let those more familiar with broadcasting run these stations, and not a mega conglomerate like BCE, where radio has only been a minor sideline since day one.  


 

I have heard rumblings that bell will be selling more stations. Plus I heard Corus and Stingray will also be selling stations. So I am sure a lot will change in the next year or so

I don't expect Bell to keep their Windsor stations for very much longer. I can also see Corus selling CKDK Woodstock which is Country 104 right now. A regional company like Blackburn might go after that one.

RadioAaron wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

If  Bell decides to sell their larger and healthy medium sized stations in the future, let's hope that Pattison,  Cogeco and a few smaller/regional players buy these stations. 

 

Pattison in an investment firm, not a broadcaster. They won't be making any major investments in a declining sector. Cogeco is a publicly traded company; they'd be under the same cost-containment pressures as Bell, Rogers, or Corus,

Sure they are a broadcaster and have been since 1965.  50 radio stations (latest purchased 5 months ago), 3 TV stations, with Pattison Media also owning Pattison Outdoor Advertising one of Canada's largest outdoor advertising companies.  Enables them to cross promote their radio and TV stations with outdoor advertising.  Rogers has been in broadcasting since 1962 and many would argue that their radio outlets are better run than Bell. Cogeco is on the TSX but actually controlled by the Audet family, so nothing like the situation with Bell.  The family owns most of the voting shares in company. 

paterson1 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

In time, alll of this could be the best thing to happen with radio in Canada for years. Let those more familiar with broadcasting run these stations, and not a mega conglomerate like BCE, where radio has only been a minor sideline since day one.  


 

I'm curious what you think of JON POLE's answers in the other thread about playlist size and jock break frequency. 

JON POLE may have some innovative ideas around sales, and it will be great that his reps won't treat radio as just another commodity with CP24 and Billboards, but let's not pretend that there will be significantly different sounding programming from Bell.

I thought it was fantastic that Jon took some questions and answered back.  I give him and his organization credit for being a growing, successful and independent broadcast company.  Can't say I have listened to MY radio much since we don't have any in the area I live.  I did hear their station in Strathroy on a Saturday afternoon a few years ago.  Live announcer and the station had  live reports from downtown merchants and lots of local ads, great sounding small town radio station.  This alone made them sound different from Bell.

If he gets the Bell stations in Kingston will they sound much different than they are now?  Unless there is a format change likely similar, but it will solve the problem with the station on the NY border with their lack of advertising. 

I didn't ask if you liked *that* he answered, I asked if you liked the *actual* answers.  Anyway, it was obviously rhetorical.

The future of radio when the phone company leaves and the "radio people" pick up the scraps sounds like MyFM, not CFNY or Energy 108.

RadioAaron wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

Pattison in an investment firm, not a broadcaster. They won't be making any major investments in a declining sector. Cogeco is a publicly traded company; they'd be under the same cost-containment pressures as Bell, Rogers, or Corus,

Sure they are a broadcaster and have been since 1965.  50 radio stations (latest purchased 5 months ago), 3 TV stations, with Pattison Media also owning Pattison Outdoor Advertising one of Canada's largest outdoor advertising companies.  Enables them to cross promote their radio and TV stations with outdoor advertising.  Rogers has been in broadcasting since 1962 and many would argue that their radio outlets are better run than Bell. Cogeco is on the TSX but actually controlled by the Audet family, so nothing like the situation with Bell.  The family owns most of the voting shares in company. 

Pattison is as much as broadcaster as Bell is. Radio's actually a smaller part of their portfolio than it is for Bell. Pattison's primary purpose is to buy existing businesses and increase their profits. Radio would be a terrible move for them.
 

Then why did they just buy another radio station?

RadioAaron wrote:

paterson1 wrote:

RadioAaron wrote:

I'm curious what you think of JON POLE's answers in the other thread about playlist size and jock break frequency. 

JON POLE may have some innovative ideas around sales, and it will be great that his reps won't treat radio as just another commodity with CP24 and Billboards, but let's not pretend that there will be significantly different sounding programming from Bell.

I thought it was fantastic that Jon took some questions and answered back.  I give him and his organization credit for being a growing, successful and independent broadcast company.  Can't say I have listened to MY radio much since we don't have any in the area I live.  I did hear their station in Strathroy on a Saturday afternoon a few years ago.  Live announcer and the station had  live reports from downtown merchants and lots of local ads, great sounding small town radio station.  This alone made them sound different from Bell.

If he gets the Bell stations in Kingston will they sound much different than they are now?  Unless there is a format change likely similar, but it will solve the problem with the station on the NY border with their lack of advertising. 

I didn't ask if you liked *that* he answered, I asked if you liked the *actual* answers.  Anyway, it was obviously rhetorical.

The future of radio when the phone company leaves and the "radio people" pick up the scraps sounds like MyFM, not CFNY or Energy 108.

I didn't agree with 4 breaks per hour for voice tracking. I don't think that is adequte. In terms of the overmodulation of voice tracks, doesn't matter what station large or small it sounds bush league when the levels are off.  I was surprised you didn't chime in with some questions Aaron. 

Was that intended to be a slam about the "radio people"?  Doesn't Freq FM in Peterborough sound similar to CFNY?