A job posting has gone out for an evening host at CJFM 95.9. It’s to replace “Cousin Vinny” Barrucco, who’s moving from late nights to take over The Rush in the afternoon.
The position requires at least two years of on-air experience, the ability to prepare “relevant content for each on-air shift as scheduled and as per station target” and, you know, the ability to speak English.
What’s noteworthy about this post is that it lists the on-air shift as 7pm to midnight. This would entirely replace not only Barrucco’s old show but the syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest as well. Replacing syndicated content with a local DJ has at least one former Astral Media employee giving it a thumbs-up.
I wish I could get you more details about all of this (like whether this would also affect Seacrest’s weekend show), but Program Director Mark Bergman isn’t responding to my emails anymore (probably because I keep making fun of him).
Meanwhile, I just noticed that the station has picked up a (former) podcast to fill an hour on weekends. Man of the Hour features two Montrealers (including someone from Simple Plan), and is now airing Sundays from 9 to 10pm. Unfortunately, this means they’ve discontinued the actual podcast, so you can’t download it. You’d think they’d at least have the podcast on the Virgin Radio website so it can generate some buzz and better connect the station with an audience that doesn’t listen to radio any more.
They have local cuts-in even during the Seacrest show. So, it’s probably for the same stuff the guy before was doin’ i.e. weather and habs score.
Hello Mr. Fagstein,
In repsonse to this here is the Job overview schedule that they have indidcated if you read it carefully.
On-air shift
Mon to Thurs evenings 7p-12a,
Sunday Afternoons 12p-4p
One Saturday afternoon shift every 4 weeks (1p-4p)
Acoording to the schedule above. They may drop Seacrest from the weeknight schedule, but it doesn’t look like it would take a tole on the weekend schedule as AT40 runs from 9 am to 1 pm. Well I dunno, but I emailed Mark Bergman to what’s happening and will take from there. I will keep you up to date if I get response to see what he says.
Man of the Hour is a pretty good show, for CJFM. It makes me think of an actual Radio Program. You know, with the hosts actually selecting music they know something about, talking about the artists, producers, record company stuff. I never listened to the podcast, but the show is probably the only show on Virgin I’ll actually listen to when I’m NOT in the car.
Today is Mark Bergman’s final afternoon show, but he will remain behind the scenes at the station.
Starting Monday, Cousin Vinny (currently late evenings and Sunday afternoons) takes over in the afternoon drive home slot.
New announcer Tony Stark gets the full evening slot from 7 to midnight Monday through Thursday. On Air with Ryan Seacrest is bumped to overnights (3 to 5:30am) leading into The Breakfast Show at 5:30.
I would suppose that’s logical for the local talents to have the weekly evenings to themselves while Seacrest show moves to the overnight hours.