The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / O Canada returns to the airwaves

**Posted by Forward Power** January 12, 2025 9:25 am

Was in a local convenience store this morning, picking up my regular "fuel" (caffeine), and the cashier & I were surprised to hear, on Renfrew's 96.1 myFM, the playing of our national anthem just before the 8am news! Whether this is a political statement given current events, or just bringing back tradition or whatever, who knows? (Please don't bring partisan stuff into this discussion.) Last heard the regular airing of O Canada on the radio just over 20 years ago, on Cobourg's CFMX, when the Rosenthal family still owned the station and its Toronto operations; CFMX aired the anthem around 6 o'clock every morning.

Either way, it brings back memories of O Canada being played during television stations' sign-on and sign-off. Who remembers, from a 1987 CKVR sign-on, this '83 rendition of the anthem by the RCMP Band and a children's choir? (CKVR threw in some local scenes in the second half.)

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** January 12, 2025 9:35 am

Good!
We nead to be proud of our country!
Lets get back at those pescy americans!

**Posted by Shorty Wave** January 12, 2025 10:33 am

I think it is great that they play our national anthem! I don’t remember the last time I heard it on a radio broadcast, good on them! I remember as a kid in Africa they’d play the national anthem in cinemas before the movie started and you had to stand up and be respectful. How times have changed!

**Posted by ig** January 12, 2025 10:39 am

Well done.

**Posted by RadioActive** January 12, 2025 10:47 am

This is slightly off topic, but in the 1980's, comedian Steven Wright made a rare half hour film called "The Appointments of Dennis Jennings." It was a short flick that also starred the great Rowan Atkinson (aka Mr. Bean), and tells the story of why Dennis (played by Wright) was trying to shoot his psychiatrist (Atkinson.)

It is a hilarious bit of fluff, with a lot of bizarre side jokes that have nothing to do with the pretty thin plot. One of them involves Dennis going to his shrink's waiting room, where, for no explained reason, the U.S. national anthem is constantly playing at an overly loud volume.

There are also tons of inside visual jokes, including the following newspaper headline, a complete throwaway sight gag.

I saw this a long time ago and have never been able to forget it. I'm glad it's on YouTube for free. It's hysterical.

**Posted by paterson1** January 12, 2025 11:35 am

One thing that concerns me. If a certain president-elect doesn't get off this kick about amalgamating the two countries, you will eventually hear people booing the US anthem at sports events in Canada.

This is never good or nice to see. Even though most people really don't mean it, they want to send a message back to, you know who.

Let's hope it doesn't come to this, and people in the stands revert to some comical signs, or find another effective but friendlier way to get the message across.

However, I must admit, it is refreshing to hear the Premier of Quebec actually defending Canada.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** January 12, 2025 11:38 am

I would boo no matter who the presedent is.
Both parties in the states are getting dumber and dumber.
But back to broadcasting, I remember in the 00s, tv channels used to play a beep sound then the national anthom.
I'm not up at night, do over the air channels still do this?

**Posted by Dial Twister** January 12, 2025 2:56 pm

Cobourg's Classic Rock 107.9 plays our national anthem every day at 12:00 noon.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** January 12, 2025 6:22 pm

I'm glad John Pole's a proud Canadian when broadcasters like Rogers are becomming to americanised.