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When CFRB's John Moore was promoting the station's online feed on Wednesday, he admitted something I wasn't expecting.
He doesn't own a radio.
Instead he listens to his station at home on his Smart Speaker.
Yes, the guy who is on the most important shift in the medium doesn't own an actual device to listen to himself on air.
Although I suspect he does have at least one he wasn't thinking about - the radio in his car.
I suppose it's not that big a deal but I'm not sure if a guy who makes his living on the radio should be admitting he doesn't actually have one.
I wonder how many other announcers/hosts in the city would say the same thing.
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I would expect that all radio professionals at least have a basic HAM license. Doesn't seem a high bar to clear.
I also expect broadcasters to know what they're talking about at any given time. Perhaps I am too demanding.
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Binson Echorec wrote:
Lol, what is this, 1958? Did we lose a war? I'm middle aged and HAM radio felt ancient to me in 1985.
HAM radio also struck me as something for hobbyists and anybody I met who was an enthusiast made it clear they weren't professional broadcasters. By your rationale, should all radio professionals also have a proper CB handle?
Functionally it is for hobbyists but there's zero harm in learning and being qualified on how some of the technical (and regulatory) sausage is made.
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Binson Echorec wrote:
Chrisphen wrote:
Functionally it is for hobbyists but there's zero harm in learning and being qualified on how some of the technical (and regulatory) sausage is made.
Fair enough - but even so, I'd only expect the radio engineers to know anything about HAM radio. I'm willing to bet most hosts/DJs know it exists but that's about it...and that's okay.
The Ontario Science Centre has a Ham radio...look at the age of the volunteer running it!
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This is more common than you'd think. When Seamus O'Regan began on Canada AM it became known that he didn't own a TV. Our Exec Prod immediately sent him to the stores to get one.
As a tech reviewer I dutifully try to include cool items our audience can use to listen/watch our show, but this often earns me the annoyance of hosts who want to avoid any attention as to how they listen or watch (or don't). LEGO just released a vintage 1970's transistor radio you can build that actually works! I'd love to include it in a radio report, but know it'll get me grumbles behind-the-scenes.
Oh & shout out to my Ontario Science Centre friends at their HAM station. They are super fun to hang with.
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It's always surprising to me that the number of users on this board who work in or have worked in radio, always seem to be rooting for the demise of the medium. Like cheer leaders for online streaming.
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Kris Abel wrote:
LEGO just released a vintage 1970's transistor radio you can build that actually works! I'd love to include it in a radio report, but know it'll get me grumbles behind-the-scenes.
And here is that radio. It takes a streaming cell phone inserted inside to make it work but it should sound like the real thing.
Lego Radio
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RadioActive wrote:
When CFRB's John Moore was promoting the station's online feed on Wednesday, he admitted something I wasn't expecting.
He doesn't own a radio.
Instead he listens to his station at home on his Smart Speaker.
Yes, the guy who is on the most important shift in the medium doesn't own an actual device to listen to himself on air.
Although I suspect he does have at least one he wasn't thinking about - the radio in his car.
I suppose it's not that big a deal but I'm not sure if a guy who makes his living on the radio should be admitting he doesn't actually have one.
I wonder how many other announcers/hosts in the city would say the same thing.
What’s the difference exactly between listening live to CFRB with a radio and listening live with a smart speaker (other than method of distribution)?. It’s the same exact program going out live to whoever is listening.
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ED1 wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
When CFRB's John Moore was promoting the station's online feed on Wednesday, he admitted something I wasn't expecting.
He doesn't own a radio.
Instead he listens to his station at home on his Smart Speaker.
Yes, the guy who is on the most important shift in the medium doesn't own an actual device to listen to himself on air.
Although I suspect he does have at least one he wasn't thinking about - the radio in his car.
I suppose it's not that big a deal but I'm not sure if a guy who makes his living on the radio should be admitting he doesn't actually have one.
I wonder how many other announcers/hosts in the city would say the same thing.What’s the difference exactly between listening live to CFRB with a radio and listening live with a smart speaker (other than method of distribution)?. It’s the same exact program going out live to whoever is listening.
There really isn't that much difference beyond portability. I just found it somewhat ironic that a guy who's made such a lengthy living doing radio for a living doesn't actually have one.
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RadioActive wrote:
There really isn't that much difference beyond portability. I just found it somewhat ironic that a guy who's made such a lengthy living doing radio for a living doesn't actually have one.
Yes. I heard Moore's comments this morning as well. If memory serves, I believe he said he used to own a nice "Tivoli" but moved to streaming due to the higher fidelity and convenience.
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turkeytop wrote:
It's always surprising to me that the number of users on this board who work in or have worked in radio, always seem to be rooting for the demise of the medium. Like cheer leaders for online streaming.
I don't know whether it's so much a case of rooting for the demise of traditional radio, but rather, lamenting the rather sad, sorry state it's currently in. Although given the number of good people that have gotten screwed over by radio in the past few decades, I wouldn't blame anybody that's rooting for its demise.
I agree with Jodi. There's so many other options out there providing much better content than terrestrial radio, which used to be vibrant and exciting at one time — those very qualities that enticed many of us to pursue it as a profession. Nowadays, with a few exceptions, most traditional radio stations are like wallpaper: they're just there, blending into the background.
PJ
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Jody Thornton wrote:
ED1 wrote:
What’s the difference exactly between listening live to CFRB with a radio and listening live with a smart speaker (other than method of distribution)?. It’s the same exact program going out live to whoever is listening.
This!
Although, going one step further, if the stream could somehow become independent of the broadcast undertaking, we could have audio not under the purview of the CRTC, and have a lot more open content, and less regulation.
They could do it tomorrow, but unfortunately that cuts it off from ratings, which are still essential in bigger markets.
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RadioActive wrote:
There really isn't that much difference beyond portability
Portability?
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RadioAaron wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
There really isn't that much difference beyond portability
Portability?
Hard to take my Smart Speaker out with me to listen to the radio when I'm walking the dog.
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RadioAaron wrote:
Airpods?
I have a perfectly good (great even) Sangean portable with over-the-ear headphones. Why would I want to spend money on impossibly overpriced Apple products? I know people love the company, but their insistence on proprietary equipment that only works on their systems turned me off of them a long time ago. I don't like gougers in the name of status.
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That's great if it's what you prefer.
I just mean generally, portability isn't an issue for streaming. I'd say easier given that most headphones sold now are bluetooth and cannot be connected to a radio.
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Just as well Moore doesn't own a radio. He'd have to go to 'Jiffy-App' to come over and turn it on for him. Useless twit.
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newsguy1 wrote:
MMMMMM Ham.
No ham, no fowl.
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Walter wrote:
Just as well Moore doesn't own a radio. He'd have to go to 'Jiffy-App' to come over and turn it on for him. Useless twit.
I also thought this hearing his shill for the fix-it app. His dog leaves nose-prints on windows that he is unable to tidy up himself? Maybe time to look into the assisted living offers his station pimps.
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Chrisphen wrote:
Walter wrote:
Just as well Moore doesn't own a radio. He'd have to go to 'Jiffy-App' to come over and turn it on for him. Useless twit.
I also thought this hearing his shill for the fix-it app. His dog leaves nose-prints on windows that he is unable to tidy up himself? Maybe time to look into the assisted living offers his station pimps.
Those spots are largely written by Jiffy. The money is good.
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RadioActive wrote:
When CFRB's John Moore was promoting the station's online feed on Wednesday, he admitted something I wasn't expecting.
He doesn't own a radio.
Instead he listens to his station at home on his Smart Speaker.
It's possible he owns a radio but doesn't know it. The greater share of smartphones come with an FM radio app that uses wired headphones for the antenna. For years smartphone manufacturers had the FM radio chip hardwired into their phones but it wasn't activated. Now they seem to have come around. No AM, but I use the FM to pick up public address announcers at Mosport which has a local signal at 90.7 that fades quickly once you leave the 900+ acre facility in Clarington. They also have WiFi and cell towers.
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RadioAaron wrote:
Those spots are largely written by Jiffy. The money is good.
Awww. You make him sound like Bill Carrol.
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SpinningWheel wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
When CFRB's John Moore was promoting the station's online feed on Wednesday, he admitted something I wasn't expecting.
He doesn't own a radio.
Instead he listens to his station at home on his Smart Speaker.It's possible he owns a radio but doesn't know it. The greater share of smartphones come with an FM radio app that uses wired headphones for the antenna. For years smartphone manufacturers had the FM radio chip hardwired into their phones but it wasn't activated. Now they seem to have come around. No AM, but I use the FM to pick up public address announcers at Mosport which has a local signal at 90.7 that fades quickly once you leave the 900+ acre facility in Clarington. They also have WiFi and cell towers.
Yes, but unless it has HD, he still wouldn't be able to listen to his own AM station if FM was the only band it receives! (Unless he streamed it through his phone.)
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I've never worked in radio. But if I did, the station where I worked would be the last station I would want to listen to in my off time.
I'm retired now but, when I worked, I used to go out of my way to avoid even driving past my workplace during my vacation.
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RadioActive wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
There really isn't that much difference beyond portability
Portability?
Hard to take my Smart Speaker out with me to listen to the radio when I'm walking the dog.
There's also the radio apps on your phone that you can listen to with headphones, unless you don't take your phone with you.
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ED1 wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
RadioAaron wrote:
Portability?Hard to take my Smart Speaker out with me to listen to the radio when I'm walking the dog.
There's also the radio apps on your phone that you can listen to with headphones, unless you don't take your phone with you.
You're right, I could. But seeing as I already have the Sangean that needs no set up, is simple to tune and uses no data, there's no reason to change. Not to mention, I'm an inveterate channel switcher, which is not as easy on a phone.
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Try this app on your phone simple radio
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I have a collection of vintage radios, with the oldest being from the 1920's. All told, I own 21 radios, and 3 vehicles with radios so I suppose 24. It ain't braggin motherf@#@r if you can back it up. ' Kidrock'
Last edited by mic'em (June 6, 2024 7:26 am)