BMac may as well MOVE to K-Town...
Saturday, October 1, 2005, 10:14 p.m. ET
This weekend's post comes from my aunt & uncle's home in west-end Kingston. My primary reason for taking this solo excursion was to catch up on some family stuff, partly from my mother's side, but there was also some shopping, and taking in Kingston's Chilifest, which was held today across from City Hall. CHUM Radio was the big media sponsor for the event, and Carl Richards of FLY FM (CFLY-FM 98.3) was on hand emceeing, as well as manning the CHUM booth with Deborah Mitchell and BOB FM (CJPT-FM 103.7 Brockville) morning man Mike Reid. While chatting with Carl about our Toastmasters experiences and CHUM's move to new digs, he mentioned that the move included some equipment upgrades, most notably new on-air consoles to replace the 20-year-old McCurdy boards used at the downtown studios. Photos may be coming soon! On the topic of FLY FM, my MP3 player's FM tuner could not receive FLY at all last night while I was still on the train. Most of K-Town's other FMs (and some of Watertown's) were coming in fine, but FLY was pretty much non-existent - even right in the city! Perhaps it was a combination of a) transmitter location - FLY FM transmits from way north of town, in Harrowsmith, and b) a poor tuner/antenna configuration - maybe the cord on my AKG headphones doesn't make a good antenna, unlike the cheap earphones you find at the dollar store. Still, this shocked me, especially with FLY FM running at just under 100,000 watts ERP from a more than 500-foot tower. One of my first thoughts was that FLY was off the air or transmitting at reduced power, but god forbid that happen at this time of year! Once I got into the bedroom upstairs, I checked the clock radio (which I had set to 98.3 during my previous visit in August), and it was there, loud and clear. I'm off to sleep soon, and I'll be back in the 'frew tomorrow night!
CKVR @ 50?
Wednesday, September 28, 2005, 11:53 p.m. ET
Too bad most broadcasters today tend to disregard their history... it was fifty years ago today that CKVR-TV (Ch. 3 Barrie) first signed on, from the same studio/transmitter location it's called home since day one - 33 Beacon Road, in Barrie's south end. A quick check on the "A-Channel" website shows nothing. Were there any in-studio celebrations or on-air mentions?
BMac's music review - Santana and Michelle Branch
Tuesday, September 20, 2005, 11:24 p.m. ET
Being a music director for two radio stations, I get exposed to many, many songs and many, many artists. These range from international superstars to largely unknown local outfits. I recently threw in a bunch of new songs on myFM (CHMY-FM 96.1 Renfrew, CIMY-FM 104.9 Pembroke), including one song I just couldn't stop playing in my office since I first listened to it this morning: "I'm Feeling You" by Santana and Michelle Branch. For starters, I do like Michelle Branch's stuff, but this track surpasses just about anything else she's put out since her 2001 debut. The only thing I'd change would be when the song was released to radio... "I'm Feeling You" sounds so much like a summer song, and I would have liked the song even more if it had been released to radio in June or July. Still, it's an awesome song, and let's hope for number one on this track... after Daniel Powter's "Bad Day" (another great song) ends its days at the top of the charts.
A fair to remember, and a rock jock does the weather
Monday, September 5, 2005, 10:57 p.m. ET
Spent the weekend across the river, at the 149th Shawville Fair. Among this year's sponsors were Ottawa country outlet Y101 (CKBY-FM 101.1 Smiths Falls), and the Pontiac's bilingual community station, CHIP (101.7 Fort-Coulonge QC). Veteran Y announcer Mark Papousek had the honour of introducing the performer who lured some 40,000 fans to this largely-Anglophone Quebec community (pop. 2000 or so), and jammed them into the town's fairgrounds Sunday night: Stompin' Tom Connors. After seeing the concert in person, it was the lead story on Sunday's 11:30 pm newscast on CJOH-TV (Ch. 13 Ottawa). Also on CJOH that night, handling weather duties, not Shawville native J.J. Clarke, but rock jock Stuntman Stu! Yes, Stuntman Stu of next door neighbour/ex-sister station 106.9 The Bear (CKQB-FM Ottawa). What was even more surprising was the fact that Stu used his on-air nickname, rather than his real name... anybody care to comment about possible credibility issues?
myFM coming to Pembroke
Thursday, August 25, 2005, 10:33 p.m. ET
You've probably been wondering why the posts on this blog have been few and far between. One thing that's been occupying a lot of my time has been the opening of another radio station, this time up Pembroke way. Pembroke will be getting "myFM" (CIMY-FM 104.9) tomorrow at noon. Test transmissions began on Tuesday, from a tower in the city's west end, and if you're looking for the studios, you'll find them downtown in the Peter White building, near the corner of Pembroke and MacKay Streets. As for programming, it's much the same as the existing myFM (CHMY-FM 96.1 Renfrew), but with news and information specifically for the Pembroke-Petawawa area. Any questions? E-mail me.
Movin' on up... to Pembroke
Monday, August 8, 2005, 09:11 p.m. ET
Last week, we got the word that we (My Broadcasting Corporation, Renfrew, Ont.) have been granted permission to open a new FM station in Pembroke! 104.9 FM, with a directional signal that'll cover the upper Ottawa Valley from, at the most, Deep River to Cobden. Also, we have an application before the CRTC, to add a low-power rebroadcast transmitter in Arnprior at 104.7 FM. This 50-watter will rebroadcast our existing Renfrew signal (CHMY-FM 96.1), which in Arnprior has come up a bit short of our expectations. Any questions? E-mail me!
Broadcasters, bookmark this one!
Monday, July 25, 2005, 07:46 p.m. ET
Kudos to the person on the Southern Ontario/Western NY Radio-TV Forum who posted this link... it goes to the archives of "RPM Weekly", an old trade publication for the Canadian music and broadcasting industries. RPM was published from 1964 to 2000, and every chart that was printed in RPM during its 36-year run can be found (and searched) on this site, a branch of Library and Archives Canada.
I'll club this seal for a deal...
Monday, July 18, 2005, 12:10 a.m. ET
Finally, somebody who feels the same way as I do. Click the link.
Back to Bellevegas... at least for a weekend
Tuesday, July 12, 2005, 07:06 p.m. ET
I did return to the great city of Belleville this past weekend to, for the first time, actually take in the city's Waterfront and Ethnic Festival. You see, when I was living in Belleville, I was pretty much flat broke both times that "Waterfront" rolled around, so that meant no Shore Pass, no entertainment (save for the echo of Bif Naked that reached my downtown apartment during Waterfront 2002), and no international cuisine. Anyway, I finally got to check it out this year, and other than a little rain on Friday, it was a great experience. Now what would this post be without a few words about the radio scene? Probably just like every other blog out there, so let's get to it. Classic Hits 95.5 (CJOJ-FM) was the title sponsor of this year's Waterfront Festival, and Mix 97 (CIGL-FM 97.1) sponsored the midway. While we're on the topic of the Mix, is it just me, or has Mix's processing been dialed down? It didn't sound as hot or dense as I remember. Also on Friday, I dropped by CJLX (92.3), met this summer's afternoon jock, and took a peek at what had changed since I last visited the Loyalist radio department in August 2003. As previously mentioned on this blog, CJLX is now running Scott Studios' SS32 for on-air playback and automation, while the prod rooms' computers have been upgraded to Pentium 4-based Dell systems running Windows XP and Adobe Audition, as well as Scott's TLC, and in a couple of rooms, VT32. After my visit to CJLX, I took in the Waterfront parade, where all five of Belleville's commercial radio stations were represented. Worth nothing: Steve Marlin of AC Lite 107 (CJTN-FM 107.1 Trenton) was behind the wheel of the Lite van, while 95.5's Kathleen Rankine was on foot alongside the Classic Hits vehicle, handing out Waterfront schedules. Overall, it was an excellent weekend!
CHUM Kingston on the move
Tuesday, June 14, 2005, 07:03 p.m. ET
After more than fifty years in an old bank building downtown, CHUM Radio's Kingston combo moved to new digs this past weekend. A job posting on Milkman UnLimited says the new address for AC "FLY FM" (CFLY-FM 98.3) and popular standards CKLC (1380) is 993 Princess Street, Suite 10... this new location near the Kingston Centre shopping mall is only a block or two from the KPMG Building, home to "K-Rock 105.7" (CIKR-FM) and cross-border country "Kix 102.7" (WBDR-FM Cape Vincent NY). Last year, I had heard that Scotiabank, the current owners of the old V&G Trust building at Brock & Wellington Streets, wanted the radio stations out because the bank had another office across the street, and they wanted to put all of Scotia's services under one roof, which was not possible with radio occupying the three upper floors. At the same time that FLY & 'LC relocated, FLY picked up a new logo, very similar to that of CHUM FM (104.5 Toronto). Next time I'm in K-Town, which could be sometime this summer, I'll have to take a look at CHUM Kingston's new facilities... that is, if I can get in touch with any friends there. (UPDATE 8/25/2005 - CHUM Radio Kingston's new studios are in the Ontario Government Building, near the corner of Princess Street and Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard.)
Another month, another telemarketing campaign
Monday, June 13, 2005, 09:46 p.m. ET
Next batch of telescum to add to your blacklist... I'm not exactly sure who it is, but they've called my number twice so far: once this afternoon, and once on Saturday morning. Call display shows "TASTE BETTER", and it's obviously an Ottawa call centre... the numbers are 613-224-4239 and 613-224-4316. Whoever it is, like all telemarketers, they are most certainly not welcome to call my numbers. Go ahead and call some other schmuck who actually deserves to be bothered by telemarketers, but please, for my own sanity, leave me alone!
The year of the reunion?
Tuesday, June 7, 2005, 07:17 p.m. ET
Seems like it right about now... the Loyalist radio class of 1990 had its 15th anniversary reunion the other weekend in Belleville. myFM SM Mike Chafer was among the attendees... his wife Bev is a 1990 radio grad, yet Mike's a Conestoga alum. Anyway, for the past little while, a couple of my classmates from radio '03 have been planning a reunion of sorts, at a sunny spot in the Kingston area (kudos to Jesse and Bill). We've agreed to meet on June 25th and 26th, and I'll be there, along with some twenty other classmates and friends. Next month, I may be off to Belleville to, among other things, check out the Waterfront and Ethnic Festival. This year's entertainment is headlined by Theory Of A Deadman and the Northern Pikes. If time allows, I may also check in with some other pals in town, and possibly run back to the college to see what's changed since I left the city two years ago. Either way, it should be a blast!
From the commish...
Thursday, May 19, 2005, 08:47 p.m. ET
A couple of CRTC applications mentioned earlier on this blog have been approved! CHUM Limited has been granted permission to alter the directional signal of City of Kawartha Lakes AC "Y92" (CKLY-FM 91.9 Lindsay), by decreasing the peak ERP from 27.5 kW to 11.4 kW, and raising the antenna to nearly three times its current height, most likely by building a new tower at the transmitter site. These technical changes will result in a more efficient use of power, and improved coverage over both the City of Kawartha Lakes and the City of Peterborough. The application also calls for the use of SCMO on Y92, and I'll discuss that later in this post. The other notable application approved was that of Pineridge Broadcasting, who now have permission to move CHUC (1450 Cobourg) to 107.9 FM with just over 1000 watts, from the Global TV tower on Alnwick Hill. This means CHUC won't have to rebuild its AM directional array... CHUC already had permission to change its frequency to 1580 AM and boost power to 10,000 watts day & night, and would have made that change had the FM conversion been denied. CHUM Ltd. and Corus Entertainment didn't like Pineridge's FM app, mainly because sister hot AC "Star 93.3" (CKSG-FM Cobourg) is calling itself a Peterborough station and sells advertising in the city. There was even a request for the Commission to impose a condition of licence that would not allow CHUC to sell advertising in Peterborough County or in the municipality of Clarington, in Durham Region. In the end, CHUC will move to FM, and provide a better radio service for Cobourg & Port Hope residents. Back to the SCMO thing at Y92 - it turns out that radio stations can't transmit RDS unless they have authorization to transmit SCMO signals. Good thing I didn't leave RDS active on the audio processor when myFM (CHMY-FM 96.1 Renfrew) was testing... Industry Canada and/or the CRTC might not have liked that.
BMac loves K-Town, part umpteen
Sunday, May 1, 2005, 08:30 p.m. ET
Took a little non-radio trip to Kingston this weekend, to see my aunt, uncle and cousin (mom's side) for the first time in over six years, and to see my sister perform in a dance competition in Belleville Saturday night. Still, like a lot of my jaunts, radio will have at least a little involvement. I'll start with VIA Rail, whose male voice for anglo announcements and radio ads is veteran CHUM announcer Gord James. French announcements are from a different voice. Next, we'll go to CHUM's Kingston and Brockville stations, where I'll say hi to Bill Porter and Chris Holski of 103.7 BOB FM (CJPT-FM Brockville), both of whom were on the air (VT?) this weekend. Porter was one of my classmates at Loyalist, and Holski was in broadcast journalism when Porter and I were in second-year radio. Also a big hello to fellow Toastmaster and former co-worker Carl Richards, who was doing the weekend thing on FLY FM (CFLY-FM 98.3 Kingston). Unfortunately, because I didn't have a radio with me in Belleville, nor did I have control of the radio in my uncle's car, I don't have any notes from the Belleville radio scene. Also worth noting is a little tower site I discovered as the train passed through Smiths Falls... in a clearing beside the tracks is a very short AM-like tower, complete with base insulator, tower lights, and insulated guy wires. Smiths Falls doesn't have a non-directional AM station (the late CJET 630 was directional from a six-tower array way out of town), so I checked Industry Canada's TAFL database, and after checking the station's coordinates with a detailed map, it looks like it's a non-directional beacon (NDB) transmitting at 334 kHz.
If you're a tower hunter, you're in for a treat when you take the train between Ottawa and Toronto... see my post-Christmas '04 entries in the Archives.
Will they ever learn?
Monday, April 25, 2005, 10:16 p.m. ET
I am getting really sick and tired (on top of the cold I've picked up) of American radio industry news appearing on Canadian radio industry websites. Scroll down this page to my April 4 entry titled "An open letter" for a related story. The PR machines at The Fox (WRCD 101.5 Canton NY) in Massena, New York (U.S.A.), decided to keep convincing Canadians that The Fox is a Canadian station. Listen, John, John, and Tim... The Fox is NOT a Canadian radio station, never has been, and never will be! The Fox comes from studios in Massena, and a transmitter on U.S. soil. That does not equal a Canadian radio station. Do I have to remind you of Cornwall's radio stations? They are Variety 104 (CFLG-FM 104.5), Rock 101.9 (CJSS-FM), The Jewel (CJUL 1220), CHOD-FM 92.1, CBC Radio One (CBOC-FM 95.5), SRC Premiere Chaine (CBOF-FM-6 98.1), and the now-testing CHRI rebroadcaster (CHRI-FM-1 88.1). If the call letters begin with a "W", it's not a Canadian radio station. Remember that. Boy, life would be easier if 1) those Martz dolts weren't screwing with Canadian radio, and 2) Milky wouldn't keep posting news items from them.
A lesson they don't teach you in broadcasting school
Monday, April 25, 2005, 10:05 p.m. ET
If you work at a radio station (full-time, part-time or intern/co-op student), don't ever discuss your musical likes/dislikes with the music director. Keep your tastes to yourself. If you tell the PD or MD you don't like whatever song is hot at the time, he's bound to beat the living crap out of you. I learned that the hard way a couple of years ago... I made the fatal mistake of telling an MD how much I couldn't stand the then-hot "Calling All Angels" by Train. He screamed at me! Let that be a lesson to you radio business newbies. I'm now the MD (at another station, of course), and believe me, if a subordinate walks up to my desk and says they don't like that Michael Buble song or they've heard Los Lonely Boys or Kelly Clarkson too many times, not only will the critic get reamed by yours truly, but also my boss! What you just said to me was a direct insult! I spend several hours every day at my computer, creating and editing music logs, then you come along and completely degrade my product! Maybe you don't like "Heaven" or "Breakaway", but I've got news for you: there are many, many more people who love those songs, and they far outnumber you! I may already be sick of the new Jann Arden song, but there are thousands more people who love "Where No One Knows Me", and right now it's one of the ten most-played songs on Canadian adult contemporary radio, so I'll play it anyway. You're not the music director, and we didn't hire you to tell us your musical tastes, so shut up and get back to work.
Telescum update
Sunday, April 17, 2005, 02:07 p.m. ET
On the way back from running a couple of errands this afternoon, I checked the numbers 416-628-6221 and 328-851-5177, using a payphone and a long distance card. The Toronto number belongs to Strand Communications, whose Collingwood call centre tried calling me earlier via 705-446-1217, and Ekos' supposed 328 number is invalid, so it's safe to say Ekos Research is sending phony caller ID data, and hence, Ekos no longer has any credibility.
Don't answer for Ekos
Sunday, April 17, 2005, 01:13 p.m. ET
You hear about Ekos Research polls in the news all the time. But until now, you never hear about how they bother you, lie to you and invade your privacy to get your opinion. Almost every day for the past week, Ekos has been trying to get through to me for some reason. They've been using a bunch of Ottawa numbers in the 288 exchange, but the first time they tried calling me (last Wednesday, the 13th at 8:14 pm) a bogus phone number popped up on Call Display: 328-851-5177. I looked all over the Net, and 328 is not an active area code, nor has it been allotted! Hence, Ekos Reserach won't be getting my opinion (other than maybe a friendly "go fuck yourself") anytime soon.
Another day, another blacklisted telemarketing number
Monday, April 4, 2005, 09:57 p.m. ET
Next addition to my telemarketing blacklist is 416-628-6221. No luck matching this Toronto number to a name (yet), nor have I bothered answering the phone when these bastards call. Last time they called was 8:40 tonight, when I was still at Toastmasters. If you've received a call from 416-628-6221 and know who's trying to screw us over like every other telemarketing firm on the planet, please e-mail me using the address at the top of this page.
An open letter...
Monday, April 4, 2005, 09:39 p.m. ET
Why is a website about Canadian radio promoting happenings at an AMERICAN radio station? Case in point - top story on a famous broadcasting industry website's page mentions a Keith Urban promotion put on by Wild Country 96.5 (*WVNV*), a country station in MALONE, NEW YORK, U.S.A.! NOT CORNWALL, ONTARIO, CANADA! Sure, Wild Country may have some advertisers and some salespeople in Cornwall (and Montreal), but WVNV IS *NOT* A CANADIAN RADIO STATION, AND IT NEVER WILL BE! Nor will any of its co-owned stations! I made this very clear last year, and I can't believe it hasn't gotten through to you! If the call letters don't start with CB, CF, CH, CI, CJ, CK, or VO, then it doesn't belong on a website about Canada's radio industry! I'd also like to know why the site's owner is posting job openings for this company. I know the stations' owner is paying money to have these openings posted, but again, the stations he owns are not Canadian, so they had better not be mentioned again on a website about the Canadian radio industry. Thank you.
April Fool's... big deal
Friday, April 1, 2005, 10:50 a.m. ET
I don't care what today is... I'm tired, bitter, and certainly not in the mood to fall victim to your childish pranks. So far, we've had idiots coming up with phony stories about Roger, Rick & Marilyn calling it quits, a lost radio/TV outfit in Pound Ridge, NY, and a clothing-optional resort opening in the Ottawa Valley. Pull anything on me, and you'll be sorry.
For the TV geek in you...
Sunday, March 27, 2005, 10:14 p.m. ET
Check out this batch of antenna and control room pics from Mican Communications, a Toronto-based communications consulting firm. Some of the installations photographed include the microwave and TV/FM antennas at the CN Tower (including a look inside the microwave radome!) and the master antenna at First Canadian Place. You can also check out the dish farm at CTV headquarters in Scarborough, as well as the new Alliance Atlantis television master control facility. Browse through Mican's image gallery by clicking the link above.
Congratulations!
Saturday, March 26, 2005, 08:06 p.m. ET
Now is the time to avoid your telephone, if you can... an RCMP-confirmed phone scam is attacking Canadian phones - land lines, cell phones, and even 911 call centres! An auto-dialer in Florida (305-675-6263) is "war dialling", or calling every possible number in almost every possible exchange in Canada... and I've answered one of these calls at the radio station. If you answer, you'll get a recorded message saying you've "won" a vacation for $99 U.S. per person, and that you can find out more by pressing "9". Reports say that by pressing 9, you will allow the caller to bill long distance calls to your phone number. Obviously, I just hung up when the call came into the office - on line two, an unlisted number! They tried calling my home number this afternoon, but since I didn't recognize the number (I don't personally know any permanent residents of Florida) I let the VM take the call. If 305-675-6263 comes up on your Call Display, don't answer. If you don't subscribe to Call Display, and you answer to the recorded message, hang up. In both cases, report the call to PhoneBusters... it's an anti-fraud call centre run by the RCMP and the Ontario Provincial Police. Click above to go to PhoneBusters' website.
Classic Blog
Saturday, March 26, 2005, 08:04 p.m. ET
Looking for older entries? Click the link above or hit "Archives" at the top of the page.
