The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » 91.5 The Beat morning show and Scott Fox

Storm · Yesterday 12:05 am

I have just read in another post that Dave Blezard is becoming the permanent co-host with Kat Callaghan on the morning show. Scott Fox has been off for some time apparently due to something that happened to one of his feet and Dave has been filling in the past couple of weeks. This is in addition to his position as PD for The Beat; 107.5 Dave Rocks, both in Kitchener; Energy 95.3 and Y108, both in Hamilton; Magic 106 and possibly CJOY, both in Guelph and Music Director of 91.5 The Beat. That should keep him busy.

I am wondering if the Hamilton management positions will be taken over by someone else, or do they also fall under the umbrella of the "Kitchener/Guelph Cluster".

A while ago I read that the Kitchener stations were going to move into the Magic 106/CJOY building in Guelph and I am wondering if that is happening. Corus owns the building in Guelph while the Kitchener stations offices and studios are in rented premises. There have been renovations going on to the studios in Guelph and I am now seeing Kitchener stations vehicles in the Magic/CJOY parking area.

And last, what happened to Scott Fox?

Radiowiz · Yesterday 6:41 am

Storm wrote:
And last, what happened to Scott Fox?

Strictly a guess, but maybe his father is finally retiring and he can take on those rolls, returning to the Evanov group?

TheWiz · Yesterday 9:47 am

Storm wrote:
I am wondering if the Hamilton management positions will be taken over by someone else, or do they also fall under the umbrella of the "Kitchener/Guelph Cluster".

I've heard rumblings that the Hamilton cluster will be shut down. 95.3 will be run out of Toronto and 107.9 is moving to London.

Storm wrote:
And last, what happened to Scott Fox?

According to the last sentence of this article, he was let go: https://nwbroadcasters.com/2024/12/19/corus-making-changes-within-ontario-radio/

Last edited by TheWiz (Yesterday 9:47 am)

RadioAaron · Yesterday 9:57 am

Storm wrote:
I have just read in another post that Dave Blezard is becoming the permanent co-host with Kat Callaghan on the morning show. Scott Fox has been off for some time apparently due to something that happened to one of his feet and Dave has been filling in the past couple of weeks. This is in addition to his position as PD for The Beat; 107.5 Dave Rocks, both in Kitchener; Energy 95.3 and Y108, both in Hamilton; Magic 106 and possibly CJOY, both in Guelph and Music Director of 91.5 The Beat. That should keep him busy.

The Ottawa PD is now serving as PD for all Ontario stations outside of Toronto.

km93 · Yesterday 11:30 am

TheWiz wrote:
Storm wrote:
I am wondering if the Hamilton management positions will be taken over by someone else, or do they also fall under the umbrella of the "Kitchener/Guelph Cluster".
I've heard rumblings that the Hamilton cluster will be shut down. 95.3 will be run out of Toronto and 107.9 is moving to London.

Storm wrote:
And last, what happened to Scott Fox?
According to the last sentence of this article, he was let go: https://nwbroadcasters.com/2024/12/19/corus-making-changes-within-ontario-radio/

I can understand moving 95.3 to Toronto as they've always ran 95.3 as a semi-Toronto focused station. But 107.9 to London-I get that 107.9 and FM96 are essentially a clone of each other-but then how can you focus on selling for the Hamilton market if your office is in London?

Binson Echorec · Yesterday 11:32 am

TheWiz wrote:
Storm wrote:
I am wondering if the Hamilton management positions will be taken over by someone else, or do they also fall under the umbrella of the "Kitchener/Guelph Cluster".
I've heard rumblings that the Hamilton cluster will be shut down. 95.3 will be run out of Toronto and 107.9 is moving to London.

No rumblings or "will bes" about it, those FM moves happened when Corus shuttered CHML in August. There are no people left in Hamilton per se.

RadioAaron wrote:
The Ottawa PD is now serving as PD for all Ontario stations outside of Toronto.

The Ottawa PD is a rock star and a true talent - easily one of my favourite people in the industry today.

RadioAaron · Yesterday 11:49 am

Binson Echorec wrote:
The Ottawa PD is a rock star and a true talent - easily one of my favourite people in the industry today.

100%

Radiowiz · Yesterday 12:02 pm

Well gee, if 103.5 can operate just outside of Kipling station and somehow serve Orangeville, then I guess Corus is just taking notes from Evanov group then. They can operate from Toronto offices, but 95.3 still has an obligation to serve Hamilton in licence. Same with 107.9.

The CRTC doesn't care where they broadcast from, just who they serve in their broadcast licence.
Heck, Y108 can still go live on location in Hamilton for something and that would be (some) proof that Hamilton is not being ignored.

brian451 · Yesterday 12:32 pm

Word is that the Kitchener stations will move to Guelph and operate out of those studios. 95.3 is already running from Toronto as none of the shows are broadcast locally. Y108 is going to move into the Guelph studios but they only have one host that broadcasts from within the studio anyways. Everything else is broadcast from elsewhere. These changes should all be happening early 2025

Radiowiz · Yesterday 12:47 pm

brian451 wrote:
Word is that the Kitchener stations will move to Guelph and operate out of those studios. 95.3 is already running from Toronto as none of the shows are broadcast locally. Y108 is going to move into the Guelph studios but they only have one host that broadcasts from within the studio anyways. Everything else is broadcast from elsewhere. These changes should all be happening early 2025

I don't see any regulation that dictates where a radio station must broadcast from 24/7, just that each station must serve their location of licence.
Therefore, as I mentioned, the smart thing to do is carry on with their new plans, but also send a body or two live on location for a special event in Hamilton (for Y 108 & 95.3) just to show support for their broadcast licence.
This way, it silences the CRTC, preventing them from complaining that communities are not being properly served.
(it helps also, if Y 108 continues to identify themselves as "Y108 Hamilton" regardless of where they are truly broadcasting from.)

haydenmatthews14 · Yesterday 7:28 pm

Storm wrote:
I have just read in another post that Dave Blezard is becoming the permanent co-host with Kat Callaghan on the morning show. Scott Fox has been off for some time apparently due to something that happened to one of his feet and Dave has been filling in the past couple of weeks. This is in addition to his position as PD for The Beat; 107.5 Dave Rocks, both in Kitchener; Energy 95.3 and Y108, both in Hamilton; Magic 106 and possibly CJOY, both in Guelph and Music Director of 91.5 The Beat. That should keep him busy.

I am wondering if the Hamilton management positions will be taken over by someone else, or do they also fall under the umbrella of the "Kitchener/Guelph Cluster".

A while ago I read that the Kitchener stations were going to move into the Magic 106/CJOY building in Guelph and I am wondering if that is happening. Corus owns the building in Guelph while the Kitchener stations offices and studios are in rented premises. There have been renovations going on to the studios in Guelph and I am now seeing Kitchener stations vehicles in the Magic/CJOY parking area.

And last, what happened to Scott Fox?

Dave Blezard was also the program director for the London cluster as well. My mom liked The Scott and Kat show. We will have to see how Dave does. My guess is this might affect the ratings for 91.5, does this mean that 105.3 might do a bit better?

Storm · Yesterday 8:10 pm

TheWiz wrote:
Storm wrote:
I am wondering if the Hamilton management positions will be taken over by someone else, or do they also fall under the umbrella of the "Kitchener/Guelph Cluster".
I've heard rumblings that the Hamilton cluster will be shut down. 95.3 will be run out of Toronto and 107.9 is moving to London.

Storm wrote:
And last, what happened to Scott Fox?
According to the last sentence of this article, he was let go: https://nwbroadcasters.com/2024/12/19/corus-making-changes-within-ontario-radio/

The last paragraph in this article was not in the one I read yesterday. I wonder why Scott Fox was let go? Scott & Kat have been together for several years and left Z103.5 for the Beat where their show seemed to be a hit and they were simulcast on Energy 95.3 plus they were also on other Corus CHR stations. Dave Blezard did a great job filling in while Fox was off and he and Kat seemed to have a great rapport. Maybe Corus decided he could handle co-hosting the morning show along with his PD responsibilities which would eliminate one paycheck and save Corus some money.

If you go way back, Scott Fox and Dave Blezard co-hosted the morning show on Z103.5 along with Melanie Martin and later Josie Fenech (Guerra) and then Ashley Greco.

Magic 106 and Energy 95.3 have the exact same playlist, including past hits, except during the morning show and right now while Magic is all Christmas music.

I don't think the morning show on Virgin 105.3 is close to the Beat and I don't think Dave Blezard replacing Scott Fox will make a difference. Virgin 105.3 and Virgin 97.5 London are the same station. Same hosts - same music - round the clock. The morning show is hosted from London and PM drive in Kitchener. The rest of the programing is from Toronto.