The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / AM640's Doubletalk

**Posted by RadioActive** June 14, 2025 10:12 pm

Did anyone else tune into AM640 on Saturday afternoon? What I heard was frankly embarrassing for a major market station. I was curious to see if they were going to do any original programming on the weekends (the morning show with Davelle Morrison was not on for the first time in weeks, replaced by a reroll of Greg Brady. Is it one of the cutback victims?)

Would they do another repeat at 2 PM or go live as they have been? Turns out they would re-use an old show, but not in the way you'd expect. When I checked them out, the station was running two repeat shows at once, both talking over each other. Same with the commercials. I'm not sure what time it started but it went on for over 2 hours at least, as two repeats of Alex Pierson's Show, featuring guest host Mike Drolet, ran at the exact same time. You couldn't make out either one of them because they were both at full levels.

This is what happens when the entire place is on autopilot and there's no one to fix it. Finally, around 4:15 PM., the double talk stopped for good. When you cut your weekend staff, this is what can - and ultimately did - happen. Given the budget drain over there, it would not surprise me if this occurs again.

**Posted by 67GreenRambler** June 14, 2025 11:00 pm

I heard it from 3:38 to 3:40pm. That's all I could take. Don't know how you tolerated it as long as you did.

**Posted by RadioActive** June 14, 2025 11:04 pm

I tuned in and out just to see if it was still happening. It was unlistenable otherwise.

**Posted by Paul Jeffries** June 14, 2025 11:24 pm

RadioActive wrote:
Given the budget drain over there, it would not surprise me if this occurs again.

The real surprise is that they're still on the air. How they've managed to avoid the proverbial Grim Reaper is anybody's guess.

PJ

**Posted by Radiowiz** June 15, 2025 6:10 am

Paul Jeffries wrote:
RadioActive wrote:
Given the budget drain over there, it would not surprise me if this occurs again.
The real surprise is that they're still on the air. How they've managed to avoid the proverbial Grim Reaper is anybody's guess.

PJ

They see in ratings that they are doing better than NT1010 and they just leave it at that. (for now...)

**Posted by RadioActive** June 15, 2025 7:44 am

Just my guess, but I would think giving up a signal in the major market in the country is the last thing they'll want to do. It may help explain some of the other cuts across the country. But apparently not even 640 is immune, as their live weekend programming appears to have been all but eliminated - at least if this weekend is any indication.

**Posted by Saul** June 15, 2025 8:06 am

RadioActive wrote:
I tuned in and out just to see if it was still happening. It was unlistenable otherwise.

Cool! If this was Air Canada you'd have been on flights to Amsterdam and Puerto Vallarta at the same time.

**Posted by mic'em** June 15, 2025 8:20 am

I have heard some similar miscues on Kiss 105.3 here in Sudbury. It's like a moth and a bright light, you can't tune away , you have to see how it ends.

**Posted by mic'em** June 15, 2025 8:29 am

If you want to just hear the same 100 songs on auto repeat, then the various rock station heard in the southern Ontario markets are ok. To hear something different, try MAX FM out of Orillia. That is the one station I truly miss since moving to Northern Ontario.

**Posted by Binson Echorec** June 15, 2025 3:08 pm

RadioActive wrote:
(the morning show with Davelle Morrison was not on for the first time in weeks, replaced by a reroll of Greg Brady. Is it one of the cutback victims?)

Signs point to yes.

**Posted by jughead jones** June 15, 2025 4:26 pm

Is it time to put Mulroney in the morning and Brady in the afternoon?

**Posted by RadioAaron** June 15, 2025 4:39 pm

jughead jones wrote:
Is it time to put Mulroney in the morning and Brady in the afternoon?

They probably shouldn’t move Brady; he’s got the most momentum anything’s had at that station in quite some time.

**Posted by mace** June 15, 2025 4:51 pm

If 640 eventually goes down the same path as CHML, I can listen to KFI late at night again.

**Posted by Saul** June 15, 2025 6:13 pm

mace wrote:
If 640 eventually goes down the same path as CHML, I can listen to KFI late at night again.

You're more likely to hear WMFN Petone IL (Black Information Network), WHLO Akron OH and WOI Ames IA (NPR), among other closer-ins that now run all night. WMFN is consistently strong in second place under CFIQ in the Kawarthas.

**Posted by NW** June 15, 2025 8:06 pm

Saul wrote:
mace wrote:
If 640 eventually goes down the same path as CHML, I can listen to KFI late at night again.
You're more likely to hear WMFN Petone IL (Black Information Network), WHLO Akron OH and WOI Ames IA (NPR), among other closer-ins that now run all night. WMFN is consistently strong in second place under CFIQ in the Kawarthas.

Would also make it easier to hear WSM Nashville on 650 without the 640 splatter. And CFCO (before they move to FM permanently) and WSBN-Washington and WLAP-Lexington on 630.

**Posted by Campaign Desk** June 16, 2025 9:39 pm

mace wrote:
If 640 eventually goes down the same path as CHML, I can listen to KFI late at night again.

Honestly, the programming on Toronto stations has gotten so bad I already listen to KFI - but from the iHeart app.

Moore in the morning, then Agar, Vassy (probably the best thing left on AM Radio), then over to Oakley for the drive home (Deb & Jimbo just don't cut it).

Evenings are a wasteland - but KFI is great for Coast-to-Coast overnight (when it's not a paid sponsor pushing snake oil pills...)

**Posted by Dparker** June 17, 2025 9:15 am

I heard Davelle was part of the cuts last week, along with some behind the scenes staff. First AI liners, now automation for most of the day- shouldn't they care a little more about their audience.

**Posted by RadioActive** June 17, 2025 11:04 am

Dparker wrote:
I heard Davelle was part of the cuts last week, along with some behind the scenes staff. First AI liners, now automation for most of the day- shouldn't they care a little more about their audience.

I'm pretty sure they only care about the bottom line and keeping the lights on at this point.

Too bad. The weekend morning show was the only live and local talk on Toronto radio (680 excluded.) It now appears Saturday and Sunday are Reroll Central at 640.

**Posted by mace** June 17, 2025 11:23 am

Saul wrote:
mace wrote:
If 640 eventually goes down the same path as CHML, I can listen to KFI late at night again.
You're more likely to hear WMFN Petone IL (Black Information Network), WHLO Akron OH and WOI Ames IA (NPR), among other closer-ins that now run all night. WMFN is consistently strong in second place under CFIQ in the Kawarthas.

Obviously, a lot has changed since 1988 when Toronto took over 640. WHLO was a daytimer back then and I think there was a Cuban station that signed off around 1AM. Only then could I hear KFI.