1 - RadioActive
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With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Christmas is a wonderful holiday. (Chanukkah, too!) But the annual holiday is perhaps the most disruptive event in all of radio. All the regular personalities and programs start to disappear for the next two weeks. (CFRB's Jim Richards, for example, confirmed on The Roundtable Wednesday that he'll be leaving this week for vacation. I suspect he's just one of many.)
If they're not already airing endless Xmas tunes, the topics tend to start becoming dull as can be. ("What are your Christmas traditions?" "What was your best Christmas present?" "What's your favourite Christmas movie/song/experience?" etc. etc. etc.) If it wasn't for this week's very entertaining tumult in Ottawa, I can only imagine what the talk stations would have to discuss right now. (Real news, especially political stuff, this close to Dec. 25th is very rare.)
If history is any judge, by next Tuesday night, Christmas Eve, CFRB will completely abandon all talk and play nothing but music for 48 hours, and AM640 will churn out those same old radio shows on repeat for two or three days straight. And most music stations will be on autopilot. I hope I'm wrong, but I will be surprised if I am.
I love the holidays as much as anyone and they all deserve time off, but as someone who consumes a ton of radio during the average day, I already can't wait for January 2nd, when things finally start to get back to normal.
All I want for Christmas is normal programming back!
- Easily Amused
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
CHML AM at least ran old time radio shows straight through from Christmas Eve afternoon, right through Christmas Day. That gave a majority of the staffers time off. This year, they'll be offering holiday static. 🙁
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I miss CHML, although it never came in very well in Toronto. I still wonder if Corus even tried to sell it or just closed it without any attempt at saving it.
It survived everything for 97 years, until coming down with a fatal case of Corus.
There seems to be no cure for that.
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Thread Starter- mace
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Unfortunate you are not a football fan at Christmas. Two games on Saturday, loads on Sunday, one on Monday and two on Christmas Day. Oh and CBS has the DH game this week with the Bills playing at 4:25. Expect a late start to 60 Minutes.
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
It's happening even sooner than I expected. Both CFRB's Jim Richards and Deb Hutton said goodbye to their audiences on Wednesday, saying they won't be back until the New Year. There's still a week to go to Christmas!
What is going to be in their timeslots Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday? I guess we'll find out.
But talk about leaving early.
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Thread Starter- mic'em
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I have been stocking my PVR with movies to get me through. CBC just aired ' A Christmas Story " last night , that will be my first watch Christmas Day, a kinda sorta tradition for me. I can never see little Ralphie almost shoot his eye out enough times. 
- Radiowiz
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I remember YEARS ago AM 640 ran a network feed from December 24th-26th.
The network was playing music and the announcer would come on addressing it as "NO NAME RADIO".
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- Shorty Wave
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
mic'em wrote:
I have been stocking my PVR with movies to get me through. CBC just aired ' A Christmas Story " last night , that will be my first watch Christmas Day, a kinda sorta tradition for me. I can never see little Ralphie almost shoot his eye out enough times.
Hey mic’em, Hollywood Suite is running their Christmas free preview at the moment and have some decent movies to select from, my PVR has been working overtime! Check them out, they’re commercial-free to boot, I’m even thinking of subscribing.
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
The musical chairs continue. Anthony Furey will be sitting in for Greg Brady on AM640 Friday, while Brady subs for Ben Mulroney, who booked a trip when he was only doing weekends - and now finds he has to have someone take his place on the weekday show he didn't have at the time.
You can't tell the players without a program.
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Thread Starter- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
John Moore is doing a special Christmas program on CFRB Friday - five days before the actual holiday! Sounds like next week's shows before the Big Day itself are going to be a vast wasteland.
Jerry Agar is headed for Texas after Friday.
What kind of programming are they going to be running on Dec. 23rd and 24th when no one is there?
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Thread Starter- Binson Echorec
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I have been stocking my PVR with movies to get me through. CBC just aired ' A Christmas Story " last night , that will be my first watch Christmas Day, a kinda sorta tradition for me. I can never see little Ralphie almost shoot his eye out enough times.
Hey mic’em, Hollywood Suite is running their Christmas free preview at the moment and have some decent movies to select from, my PVR has been working overtime! Check them out, they’re commercial-free to boot, I’m even thinking of subscribing.
Hollywood Suite also has an Irish crime drama called Kin available. They only have S1 on offer but the show is decent and has a great cast.
Last edited by Binson Echorec (December 19, 2024 12:37 pm)
- Muffaraw Joe
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I feel someone live on air from 10-4 would be a wise programming decision. Darren Laidman when he was on air in Hamilton would go live as did Terry Steele on 1050 Chum and Benji Karsh on Chum FM.
It did make radio sound not so vacant on that day.
Plus, David Marsden went live for years and still does on his podcast channel on Christmas Eve. The Marsden Theatre was and is in top form on Christmas Eve and if you ask David why he does the show, it is so people who feel alone on that night, have a little company.
Jeff Marek, Michael Landsberg did a fun "Jews on Christmas" show on MoJo 640 back in the day...it was great fun and of course guests included Saul Korman, 569 Danforth Avenue and a few other local celebrities.
Bottom line, it is time to have live programming that day.
Last edited by Muffaraw Joe (December 19, 2024 8:50 pm)
The world would be so good if it weren't for some people...
- Shorty Wave
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
It's happening even sooner than I expected. Both CFRB's Jim Richards and Deb Hutton said goodbye to their audiences on Wednesday, saying they won't be back until the New Year. There's still a week to go to Christmas!
What is going to be in their timeslots Thursday, Friday, Monday and Tuesday? I guess we'll find out.
But talk about leaving early.
Deb Hutton was on yesterday and she mentioned she would be doing her show plus Jim Richards’ right up to Christmas Eve, busy woman!
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
John Moore confirmed on Friday that John Tory will be sitting in on the morning show Monday and Tuesday. So at least there will be some form of normal programming at a time when a lot of people will still be running around doing last minute chores.
I'm pretty sure that the period from Tuesday (Christmas Eve) to the following Monday will be taken up with more filler than a Botox injection, but we'll see.
I think most of my Xmas listening will be confined to 680, since there will likely be nothing else live or relevant and everyone else will be on autopilot. But boy, am I ever going to miss Funny 820, which was my go-to during the Christmas holiday period!
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Thread Starter- Binson Echorec
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
One time Q107 PD Dave Farough used to do a live on-air shift on Dec 25 - but that was back when PDs ran one station.
- Shorty Wave
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I think most of my Xmas listening will be confined to 680, since there will likely be nothing else live or relevant and everyone else will be on autopilot. But boy, am I ever going to miss Funny 820, which was my go-to during the Christmas holiday period!
Funny 820 was also one of my go-tos for anytime radio got dull, like the festive doldrums!
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I think most of my Xmas listening will be confined to 680, since there will likely be nothing else live or relevant and everyone else will be on autopilot. But boy, am I ever going to miss Funny 820, which was my go-to during the Christmas holiday period!
Funny 820 was also one of my go-tos for anytime radio got dull, like the festive doldrums!
This may help...
iHeart Radio Comedy Stream
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Thread Starter- Hansa
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I used to enjoy listening to shortwave radio on New Year's Eve as a kid tuning in to various special broadcasts as midnight struck in different time zones around the world. Then I got old enough to go out to NYE parties.
- Walter
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
1010 could just do 'Best Of 2024' shows for Agar, Hutton and Richards. Sadly, they wouldn't fill a complete hour of air time.
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
At least that would be true to the format, instead of a talk station suddenly reverting to 72 hours (or longer) of Christmas music out of the blue. They have done this non-stop music (translated as "we can't be bothered to think of or prepare anything else") programming for several years. I don't expect it to be different this Yule.
A series of P.D.s over the years drummed into me the value of consistency - give the listener what they're expecting every single time they tune in. I doubt CFRB or 640 listeners are tuning in for music, because there's a million better places they can go on FM for the same songs. So figure out how to stay true to your format, without abandoning those, few though they may be, who are tuning in for talk.
I'm not expecting it. But it sure would be a nice change.
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Thread Starter- Shorty Wave
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I think most of my Xmas listening will be confined to 680, since there will likely be nothing else live or relevant and everyone else will be on autopilot. But boy, am I ever going to miss Funny 820, which was my go-to during the Christmas holiday period!
Funny 820 was also one of my go-tos for anytime radio got dull, like the festive doldrums!This may help...
iHeart Radio Comedy Stream
Thanks RA, I have checked this out in the past, tried the George Carlin stream here as well, but it isn’t just him! I also listen to a couple of SiriusXM’s comedy channels, the retro one plays some questionable comedy by today’s standards, a fair bit of misogyny from the 50-60s, a bit cringy!
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
AM640 went with Kevin Vuong for its morning show Monday, while CFRB opted for John Tory. Whatever you think of the former mayor, at least he has extensive radio experience.
Vuong is OK as a guest. But as a host? Parachuting a guy with no real experience - especially into the always busy morning slot - makes me wonder what they were thinking. I'm going to assume he'll also be in Tuesday, before Christmas programming kicks in everywhere and there's nothing to listen to on the radio.
Bring back Funny 820!
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Thread Starter- Shorty Wave
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Tory is doing fine, he always sounds very comfortable on-air and is fairly chill today!
And yes, bring back Funny 820!
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Let the rerolls begin! Ben Mulroney is being replayed on AM640. He made a fairly big deal last week telling listeners he was going on vacation, so he's not back yet.
Meanwhile, over on 1010, Deb Hutton will sit in for Jerry Agar, who went to visit his son in Texas, and former city councillor Rob Davis is supposedly taking her regular spot at 2 PM - another pundit who's been on the radio but to my knowledge, has never actually hosted his own show.
But Hutton also announced Mark Towhey will be her replacement. So I guess we'll have to wait and see who sits-in where and when.
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Thread Starter- Walter
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
640 had stale re-runs on Monday. 1010 had Mark Towhey live, subbing for the dull and duller Hutton and Richards. First time I've listened to 4 hours straight of CFRB in years. It was great.
- RadioActive
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Drex was live on 640, in for John Oakley. He'll repeat that shift on Tuesday.
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Thread Starter- Walter
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Drex was live on 640, in for John Oakley. He'll repeat that shift on Tuesday.
Don't care for him. I'll take Towhey, thanks.
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Drex was live on 640, in for John Oakley. He'll repeat that shift on Tuesday.
Don't care for him. I'll take Towhey, thanks.
Don't entirely disagree but I heard a promo for him on Monday night. He's in Tuesday, taking Wednesday (Christmas) off and will be back live on Thursday and Friday. Nice to know there will be some live programming on the station after Dec. 25th. That's not what they did in the past.
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Thread Starter- Walter
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
Drex was live on 640, in for John Oakley. He'll repeat that shift on Tuesday.
Don't care for him. I'll take Towhey, thanks.
Don't entirely disagree but I heard a promo for him on Monday night. He's in Tuesday, taking Wednesday (Christmas) off and will be back live on Thursday and Friday. Nice to know there will be some live programming on the station after Dec. 25th. That's not what they did in the past.
Agreed. Any live voice during the Christmas dead zone is better than reruns, and lousy holiday music. At least CFRB put a merciful end to those syrupy 'It's Beginning to Look A Lot like Christmas' fillers a while back.
- betaylored
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Re: With A Week To Go Until Xmas, Radio Is About To Enter The Doldrums
I enjoyed listening to Mark Towhey yesterday afternoon enough to tune in again later today, Christmas Eve afternoon, although one topic he did about the Donald being a bully gave me a bad case of PTSD. President Trump Stress Disorder.
P.S. pretty shabby of 1010 not to take a moment and record two "you're listening to the Deb Hutton/Jim Richards show with special guest host Mark Towhey" intros, surely someone could have voiced them.
Last edited by betaylored (December 24, 2024 1:39 am)