1 of 1- RadioActive
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CFRB's Xmas Eve Programming: "Behind The Christmas Hits"
I was wondering what CFRB would broadcast when the news and the talk of Newstalk 1010 disappeared for Christmas Eve and now there's a hint: its website says the station will broadcast a series of iHeart Radio podcasts called "Behind The Christmas Hits."
The show, hosted by Drew Savage, aims to find the untold tales about how those famous Xmas tunes that get repeated over and over were created and the stories that inspired them. Many of the shows are already online and have been for a while. Savage's podcast is into its 4th season. He's a Vancouver broadcaster who co-hosts the Nat & Drew Morning Show on Move 105.3 in the B.C. city.
While it's not entirely true to the talk format, at least it's something different. Episodes of the show run from 6 PM Tuesday night to at least 10, with a far more generic "Christmas Programming" being listed after that. Rerolls follow all night, with more generically described "Christmas Programming" starting all over again at 5 AM Wednesday.
What comes next? That's a good question. Deb Hutton announced on Tuesday that she won't be back on until sometime in early January and all the other hosts are off on elongated vacations, as well. So what fills the week in between? Should be interesting to find out.
Meanwhile, over on the other yakker, AM640's webpage claims the station will be sticking with rerolls of its regular schedule. I have my doubts, but we'll see if that's what gets aired. Drex has already noted he'll be live for Oakley on Thursday and Friday afternoons.
At least it's not the Xmas "We Give Up" pabulum we usually get every year. 
Last edited by RadioActive (December 24, 2024 11:21 am)
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Re: CFRB's Xmas Eve Programming: "Behind The Christmas Hits"
For a couple of years Kowch let me go live on Christmas morning. Taking calls, playing Christmas requests, doing shout outs to the kids. It was one of the most fun things I've ever done. Made that much better by working with ops who really got into the entire thing.
I'm one of those who's not ashamed of what CFRB was, became and is. It's evolution. I've walked those halls in one way or another since 1979, and next to the original CKFM, it's my station. It was convenient; they were both in the same building 
.
But for those few hours each Christmas morning, the real magic of radio was coursing through me, and I loved every second of it.
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
- RadioActive
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Re: CFRB's Xmas Eve Programming: "Behind The Christmas Hits"
What you say rings true for me and the secret ingredient is that you were live. No generic computer airing some otherwise unknown show or worse, a reroll. They don't do the kind of show you describe anymore. Imagine Bell having to pay overtime for a host and a producer! The horror!
You're not the only one I've heard this kind of thing from. I think it was John Donabie who told me he hosted something similar live on Christmases past, and they were always the most heartwarming of shows. Those days, alas, are long gone.
Maybe you should ask Santa if he can bring you one for Christmas...
Music stations can get away with voice tracking or just letting a computer play liners and songs on Christmas. Talk stations are a special problem at this time of year and I'm always curious to see how they fill this particular time period. I'll be tuning in on Wednesday to see how some of them are doing it.
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Thread Starter- newsguy1
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Re: CFRB's Xmas Eve Programming: "Behind The Christmas Hits"
I don't know about this years, but for years 1010 used to play solid Christmas music from midnight to midnight Christmas eve and day.
Over of 640 they played back to back old scratchy Christmas radio plays... Scrooge, a wonderful life, etc.
Awful!.
This year.... if I hear that bloody Spence Diamonds ad that gives us "our official per-mission" to buy bracelets for two thousand dollars etc....one more time. Well, I won't cause I won't be listening.