Comments on: 940 News switching formats, slashing staff

By: Eric K

Eric K — Wed, 02 Jul 2008 18:30:25 +0000

I just loved the News/Talk 940 adopted in the latter part, and miss those guys sorely. I gave up on CJAD a long time ago, and only listed to its Saturday / Sunday mornings once in a while. CBC is great for news but pontificates way too much in my opinion. Now I just discovered Vermont Public Radio, and while it is not “local” to Montreal, it does have some REALLY great talk. So while I miss the 940 Talk/News, I am slowly getting used to the CBC/VPR combo. For 940 music, hmm, let’s say I can’t find it on my dial.

By: Tony

Tony — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 23:20:25 +0000

Changing the format is a shame we don’t need another music station. 940 News/Talk kept the English community in this province informed about what was going on in Quebec the good and the bad. I wouldn’t be too surprised if the station was forced to close down due to political reasons, more of the english rights taken away.

By: ROBERT LOVELL

ROBERT LOVELL — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 20:33:05 +0000

Joe Cannon and all the rest I will miss you. talk show for me sadly is now CJAD, not as good as you guys someone let me know If Joe is joining a talk format. Joe they even closed Chorus Country in Cornwall your old alma mater. I might have to move to Cornwall to hear you, Someone let me know where ol Joe went.
Thanx

By: Martin

Martin — Tue, 17 Jun 2008 16:17:54 +0000

Well, I see this as a good thing. At least Tracey Mckee now doesn’t have a chance in hell of nabbing an on air slot at CJAD as she recently tried. Too much better talent will be competing against her.

By: Former CBC'er

Former CBC'er — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 01:09:32 +0000

The only good thing about the format change is that a couple of 940 regulars are looking for work. I’ll miss Joe Cannon and the top and bottom of the hour newscasts.

By: rob

rob — Thu, 12 Jun 2008 02:10:40 +0000

It is a shame that 940 News/Talk is moving into a format even more passé than News/Talk. I haven’t been listening to the station very much since the Team came on the air in ‘01 (I think), But I have appreciated the fact that I had an option for English language news beside the Rob-Braid-Butt-kissers at CJAD. I have rarely agreed with Jim Duff, but I have cherished his opinion, no matter how whacked, as it was at least his own. Aphrodite Sales was developing into a solid broadcaster. Joe Cannon & Denis Trudeau are iconic Montreal professionals, each of whom I will miss dearly, but hope to hear them on other airwaves soon. I also liked the fact that 940 (unlike CJAD) seemed to realize that they were broadcasting to Montreal and not just the west Island.

Rob

By: Jim

Jim — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 19:26:06 +0000

whats witht the format change?why would people listen to music on am when u can hear it on fm stereo ?

By: Tara

Tara — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 09:39:51 +0000

940 is doomed. Why? The same man involved in the demise of CKGM is running 940.

By: Ilana

Ilana — Sun, 08 Jun 2008 03:31:23 +0000

680 News is horrid.

By: Marc

Marc — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 14:10:39 +0000

940 tried to be a copycat of CFTR 680 News in Toronto (most listened to station in Canada) and failed miserably. Their “traffic on the 1’s” was never on the 1’s. Their format wasn’t very tight. They had syndicated news all overnights and weekends. When they shifted to news/talk, again lots of syndication. There’s no denying that CJAD has owned the English full-service news/talk format for over 45 years. That’s brand power. It seems evident that there isn’t enough room for two news/talk stations for a market of 750,000. And sadly, that market will only decrease in size what with radical extremist groups like the MMF doing whatever possible to acheive their goal. Anyways, I, for one, welcome the change. I’ll be tuning in and, if done properly, the 60s-80s format can be a big winner. What they must NOT do, is what Oldies 990 did during its final year - play the same 10 songs in the same order non-stop.

By: Atom Ant

Atom Ant — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 02:21:43 +0000

I stand corrected.
But go re-read The Gazette report. No word on the closing of the Sherbrooke bureau. No word on the complete shutdown of the Quebec City office.
No word on the cancellation of the morning show.
No word on 65-people being laid-off.
A quote from management saying everyone is hugging each other.
Why not a piece on how english-speaking Montrealers who want their news in english are getting shaffted!

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:27:15 +0000

The Gazette’s story about Global’s layoffs is here. It has many words.

The 940 News story will be on Page A2 tomorrow (Saturday), after some enthusiastic selling of its importance by yours truly. I’d hardly call that burying it.

By: Peter Farris

Peter Farris — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 01:22:53 +0000

940 News was more interesting as an all-news station than it was in its subsequent incarnation as a news/talk station. Talk radio tends to be more babble than anything else.

By: Atom Ant

Atom Ant — Sat, 07 Jun 2008 00:35:49 +0000

Funny! Global shuts down it’s bureaus in Sherbrooke and Quebec City, cancels its morning show, fires 65-people, hires interns as reporters, and runs feature stories from NBC and CNN at 6:15 pm during its LOCAL news show.
Not a word from The Gazette.
940 News changes format (AGAIN!!!!!) and The Gazette does 10-paragraphs with quotes.
Montrealers are being increasingly poorly served by all their media.