The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / What Is It With The Background Music On 680's Sports Stories?

**Posted by RadioActive** September 22, 2024 12:51 pm

I've asked this before, but after hearing it again on Sunday, it seems nothing has changed. Can someone please, please explain why whenever 680 does a sports story outside of their regular :15 and :45 updates, they insist on putting background music behind it?

It does not add anything to the piece, it's actually quite distracting and as longtime producer, I can tell you there is absolutely no reason at all for it to be there. They don't do it for any other kind of voicer, and the song they use is usually an instrumental of some kind that has zero relevance to the topic at hand. (In this case, the one I heard was something about the Leafs' NHL pre-season kicking off.)

I would truly love an explanation for this. It doesn't fit and they just keep doing it. There has to be a reason. I'd love to know what it could possibly be.

**Posted by Forward Power** September 22, 2024 2:16 pm

Don't remember if other TV stations did this, but CKVR used to run sporty-type music in the background on sports highlights during the last few years of the "Total News" era in the '90s.

Edit: the CBC Morning News did this too, as did Citytv... I remember one of the songs they'd use was the intro from the Red Hot Chili Peppers' version of "Higher Ground".

Last edited by Forward Power (September 22, 2024 2:36 pm)

**Posted by RadioActive** September 22, 2024 2:35 pm

Sports highlights are a different animal. These are sports stories that have no "action" in them. The music is very soft but it's there, which makes it even weirder.