The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / None Too "Swift?" How Much Taylor In Toronto Media Hype Can You Stand?

**Posted by RadioActive** November 13, 2024 11:09 am

There has never been an event in Toronto quite like the Taylor Swift series of concerts this week and next.

As the shows draw closer, I'm already starting to hear the endless hype mobile get revved up into overdrive. Traffic is being rerouted, construction projects are being temporarily called off, the homeless are being forced to move, scalpers are getting outrageous amounts for her tickets, as are scam artists, hotels are gouging guests, street signs have been temporarily changed and economists have been spewing reams of blather about how much these concerts will swell Toronto's coffers.

Look, I admit this is a big deal. This amazing woman has become almost her own solar system, with city-planets orbiting around her wherever she goes.

But my question, as a radio listener: how much of this publicity machine can you stand? Is it already too much? Or are you interested in more? (Because like it or not, more is what you're going to get as this thing moves closer.)

The one thing media always manages to do when events like this take place is to drive up the hype, as they said in Spinal Tap, "to 11." I'm curious: is it already too much or not enough? And how much attention are you paying to this?

Either way, for the next two weeks, it's going to be almost impossible to escape every time you turn on your radio or TV.

**Posted by Radiowiz** November 13, 2024 1:05 pm

& what about markets far away from Toronto?
Aren't Roz & Mocha on air all over the place?
A major tune out for listeners that are nowhere near Toronto that might prefer to listen to anything else but Taylor this, Taylor that...

**Posted by newsguy1** November 13, 2024 3:02 pm

A caller on one of the talk shows today, can't recall if it was 1010 or 640, said he bought his daughter a ticket for 750 dollars a year or so ago.
She was just offered 35 thousand dollars for it --- and said no.
The man sounded a little in despair, noting, she could buy a car -- or even put it toward a downpayment on a house. You could hear the sigh in his voice.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 13, 2024 4:46 pm

I just heard that CFTO will be doing at least part of its newscasts on Thursday from the Rogers Centre. Yes, they'll have Andria Case on the inside doing reports, but the news anchors themselves have a reserved place outside the arena. I strongly suspect they won't be the only ones.

As a sponsor, Rogers is heavily involved. I can only wonder what City News has planned.

And so it begins...

**Posted by betaylored** November 13, 2024 5:10 pm

I'm okay with the fanatic Swift fuss if only because it's bringing in a heck of a lot of money into the city and helps me forget how much I'm dreading the annoying upcoming big soccer event we'll all be footing the bill for, pun intended.

T.S. is like Chickenman right now, so much so there's even a current Spence spot that uses one of her most famous lyrics as a line of copy... by accident or on purpose is anyone's guess.

Last edited by betaylored (November 13, 2024 5:15 pm)

**Posted by Saul** November 13, 2024 5:16 pm

RadioActive wrote:
... for the next two weeks, it's going to be almost impossible to escape every time you turn on your radio or TV.

When I listen to my radio over these next two weeks, I'm quite sure I won't hear any mention of TS on 1240 WJMC Rice Lake WI, 1089 TalkSport in Brookmans Park UK, or whatever else happens to fade in. All it takes is avoiding certain frequencies.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 13, 2024 5:34 pm

Saul wrote:
All it takes is avoiding certain frequencies.

And every newspaper and local Internet news site and every TV newscast.

**Posted by Saul** November 13, 2024 6:19 pm

Get smart. Use the Cone of Silence...

**Posted by RadioActive** November 13, 2024 6:30 pm

Saul wrote:
Get smart. Use the Cone of Silence...

**Posted by NW** November 14, 2024 7:49 am

Saul wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
... for the next two weeks, it's going to be almost impossible to escape every time you turn on your radio or TV.
When I listen to my radio over these next two weeks, I'm quite sure I won't hear any mention of TS on 1240 WJMC Rice Lake WI, 1089 TalkSport in Brookmans Park UK, or whatever else happens to fade in. All it takes is avoiding certain frequencies.

I can confirm that this morning (the first day of the Taylor Swift concerts) that 1240 WJMC Rice Lake WI came out of the CBS news with a female announcer who led off with local weather. No mention of what it would be like outside of the Rogers Centre. Earlier at 6 a.m. on co-channel WSDR Sterling IL there also was no mention of Taylor Swift, just a plug for the Sauk Valley YWCA.

**Posted by mic'em** November 14, 2024 8:04 am

Here's one for you... the local Rogers hit station in Sudbury , Kiss 105.3 , has been running ad's for a contest to win Swift tickets, the catch being you had to download the Seekr app. Well, they announced the winner, it is the evening producer , Courtney , who works on the very same station. I couldn't believe my ears when this was said by Cory and Jamie at 4.30pm yesterday. I am still having trouble believing they would allow this to happen, but, apparently they did.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 14, 2024 8:17 am

A long time ago, City TV used to do a big publicity deal for what I think was the Princess Margaret Lottery. They staged the draw for the winner live on Breakfast Television, with a huge drum filled with all the entrants.

The day the contest came to an end, they made a huge thing about mixing all the tickets together, then Jennifer Valentyne dramatically reached into the drum, felt around for a few seconds and breathlessly drew a name. "And the winner is..." and she named the person.

It took a few minutes for everyone at the station to realize the winner was one of City TV's own reporters! When that got out, there were massive cries of "Fixed! Fixed!"

Viewers were outraged. But apparently, it was simply an amazing coincidence and she legitimately won the grand prize, which included a huge mansion and a substantial cash prize.

Fair and square, but boy did it look bad.

**Posted by Shorty Wave** November 14, 2024 8:26 am

Not a huge Taylor Swift fan but with all the woes of the world currently, Gaza, Ukraine, US elections, etc., I don’t mind the distraction. I don’t think I have ever seen Toronto pay so much attention to an event of any sort, especially a concert series!

**Posted by RadioActive** November 14, 2024 8:29 am

Wait until those World Cup soccer games come here. There will be no place to hide!

**Posted by Shorty Wave** November 14, 2024 8:37 am

RadioActive wrote:
Wait until those World Cup soccer games come here. There will be no place to hide!

You’ve got that right, and good luck trying to get tickets for that as well! At least it will be broadcasted….!

**Posted by mace** November 14, 2024 9:14 am

BMO Field will become Toronto Stadium because FIFA frowns on Corporate named stadiums during the World Cup. Same thing applies to Met Life Stadium where the Final will be played.

**Posted by Walter** November 14, 2024 9:20 am

Shorty Wave wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
Wait until those World Cup soccer games come here. There will be no place to hide!

You’ve got that right, and good luck trying to get tickets for that as well! At least it will be broadcasted….!

'Pay per view'?

**Posted by Shorty Wave** November 14, 2024 10:12 am

Walter wrote:
Shorty Wave wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
Wait until those World Cup soccer games come here. There will be no place to hide!

You’ve got that right, and good luck trying to get tickets for that as well! At least it will be broadcasted….!
'Pay per view'?

Probably!

**Posted by Johnny B** November 14, 2024 10:34 am

Any event that draws over 350,000 spectators to 1 venue in 1 city over 6 days would garner huge coverage...never mind the spin off parties and huge, positive economic impact on the community...Swift is clearly the largest musical talent on Earth right now...her numbers alone live up to the hype.

**Posted by Saul** November 14, 2024 11:19 am

NW wrote:
I can confirm that this morning (the first day of the Taylor Swift concerts) that 1240 WJMC Rice Lake WI came out of the CBS news with a female announcer who led off with local weather. No mention of what it would be like outside of the Rogers Centre. Earlier at 6 a.m. on co-channel WSDR Sterling IL there also was no mention of Taylor Swift, just a plug for the Sauk Valley YWCA.

You mean no mention whatsoever of what TS ate for breakfast? 1240 WJMC is truly THE place for the beleaguered radio listener to seek refuge from the harsh world. Did you linger beyond the weather and catch up on the local news? Were cabbage rolls with a bun, leek and potato soup and fruit salad on tap for today's Ladies' Lunch at Heritage Manor? Or was it roast chicken, gravy, mashed potatoes, green peas and tomato juice?

**Posted by RadioActive** November 14, 2024 1:42 pm

17 Minutes! 17 Minutes!

That's how much time CFTO devoted to this story off the top of its noon show, with one of its anchors, Michelle Dube, outside the Rogers Centre. (They also went back for more at the bottom of the hour.)

Again, I'm not denigrating how big a deal this has become. But nearly the first 20 minutes of a major newscast devoted to this and nothing else? That's pretty outrageous. There are lots of other stories that deserve attention (a double stabbing, new details in that big shootout, the looming Canada Post strike, Trump's crazy cabinet picks, just to name a few) but they were shunted off to the bottom of the show for a description of a concert that hasn't even taken place yet.

All the major stations led with this, but none kept going that long. But here's another thing - do the fans who follow Taylor Swift so intimately even watch broadcast TV news? My guess is not really. So exactly who were they doing all this for?

**Posted by paterson1** November 14, 2024 2:02 pm

There are stabbings and shootouts almost everyday, Trump does something crazy almost everyday, the looming Canada Post strike hasn't happened yet....so the only big story is the one they led with..simple.

All of those other stories did get attention, so I don't see why giving Swift and her concert debut tonight in Toronto prominence is so "pretty outrageous" as you say. 17 minutes...so what??

Lots of Taylor Swift fans who can't get downtown or to the concert will want to see what is happening. Are they watching on broadcast TV, maybe not, or maybe they are. That isn't the point...

**Posted by RadioActive** November 14, 2024 2:06 pm

The CBC And Global both gave it 5 minutes off the top. That's about right. As a producer of TV news, I can tell you you have to decide how much is too much. I'm suggesting this was too much.

Although it's going to get even worse during and after the first concert. If they do this by, say, concert #5, that will be overkill.

**Posted by paterson1** November 14, 2024 2:30 pm

CBC had a lot of coverage during the noon hour, including about 12 minutes with some visitors in for the concert tonight. CBC News Network is broadcasting live this afternoon from outside the Rogers Centre starting at 4pm and will have a special tonight at 7pm on Canada Tonight hosted by Travis Dhanraj.

CTV National News I believe will be live from outside Rogers Centre this afternoon and at 11pm. I can only imagine what CityTV, CP24 and Global are planning this evening and tonight.

**Posted by RadioActive** November 14, 2024 3:05 pm

Yep, it will be Taylor-made for coverage. Which brings me back to my original question: how much is too much? It's beginning to resemble those seven-hour Super Bowl pre-game specials, which are longer than the actual game.

**Posted by newsguy1** November 14, 2024 4:06 pm

I've got nothing against some superstar coming to Toronto and causing all sorts of excitement, but please, adult news people, stop telling me about how much money this will inject into Toronto.
Not because it won't but because -- and I'm asking here -- will anyone of the Sowny Baord benefit financially from this in any way?
I didn't think so.

**Posted by ED1** November 14, 2024 4:11 pm

I'm kinda siding with RA about how much news time TSwift is getting, especially on the national level.

I can totally understand if the local TV newsrooms in Toronto would cover this and give it more than 5 minutes on their local shows, and do live broadcasts on location - it's a major event in their backyard. However I find it a bit over the top for CTV National News to be doing their show from the venue tonight, and for CBC to be doing "special coverage" on CBC News Network.

Last edited by ED1 (November 14, 2024 4:12 pm)

**Posted by g121** November 14, 2024 4:57 pm

Anything that bumps the down south absurd craziness from the news is A-OK with me ..

**Posted by newsguy1** November 14, 2024 5:53 pm

Yeah there's four years of that coming our way, so what's a couple of weeks of concert coverage.?

**Posted by betaylored** November 14, 2024 7:55 pm

Deb Hutton mentioned today that she's going to Taylor's concert tonight with her daughters. And she made a point of saying she paid for the tickets. I guess someone she knows has a box at the venue so we'll all be getting a first hand review of the experience tomorrow afternoon.

I need to hunt down the story they teased on the 1010/CTV crossover chat on the afternoon drive show about the couple who are getting a divorce and are fighting about what to do with their two tickets for an upcoming TS concert. The judge gave them three choices and I'm curious about the outcome.

Imagine how much media coverage we'd be inundated with if, er, when! the Toronto Maple Leafs make it to the Stanley Cup finals!