Comments on: Bell to convert TSN Radio to French

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 16:13:46 +0000

c.r.t.c.=c.ommunist r.adio t.v c.ontrol

What makes you think it's communist? Considering the crazy profits of Canada's telecom companies, I might argue the opposite.

By: chuck

chuck — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:51:37 +0000

c.r.t.c.=c.ommunist r.adio t.v c.ontrol

By: Three pleas to save TSN Radio 690 – Fagstein

Three pleas to save TSN Radio 690 – Fagstein — Fri, 14 Sep 2012 04:40:21 +0000

[...] 774 interventions (comments in favour, opposed or neutral) were filed related to a proposed licence change replacing CKGM (TSN Radio 690) with a French station. Of those, only six were scheduled to appear at a CRTC hearing at the Palais des congrès this week [...]

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 04:06:16 +0000

Hi Steve, it says on your right column about updates. that there is an update for this posting or blog.

Most of the updates to this post and similar ones are to add new links to the list at the bottom. I believe my latest update to this post is to add a link to another piece from Mike Boone.

By: Michael D

Michael D — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 02:48:32 +0000

Hi Steve, it says on your right column about updates. that there is an update for this posting or blog.

I've seen clearly marked Updates in the past in other postings..and I have asked in the past what were certain updates.. like again in thie case...as often it really doesn't show as the update doesn't seem to standout or noticeable inany way..

Any way, you can make things clearer...thanks

By: Sheldon

Sheldon — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 13:09:26 +0000

I was at the (non) event. It struggled to reach the double-digit numbers in attendees. As indicated in other comments, there were no signs, no banners, no one greeting anyone at the door. They publicized that laptops were going to be set up for people to submit CRTC interventions. No computers in sight. As it turned out they never needed them anyway. One of the staffers got hold of one of the bar's employees who was involved in the event. He was quite concerned that there was hardly anyone there. I know that the whole Facebook thing is easily something to jump on board with, but actually going through and showing up is not something that people should really be counting on. Although out of 310 people who claimed they were going, you would think that at least 25 or 30 people would have shown up. Worst of all, and I have yet to read or hear any explanation for it, the organizer of the event didn't show up! Given the gut-wrench reaction that Bell's announcement had with the TSN 990 listeners, I was convinced that there would be a good turnout. Now we're hearing a number of excuses. It was too hot; it was downtown; it should have been held outside; it wasn't publicized enough; I was out of town; whatever... Thank goodness that the media didn't show to cover this event. A successful event probably wouldn't have changed much in the decision making process. That will come down to the CRTC hearing. This could, however, have been a rallying point; a show of support and solidarity. It would also put people together to talk, exchange information, express feelings, and hopefully stoke the fires of discontent again. For me, it ended up just leaving a bad taste in my mouth and a confirmation of my belief that people are developing shorter and shorter attention spans. This was a hot-button item minutes after the Bell announcement. People were angry and ready to do something about it. A month or so later, it seems to me that many people have unfortunately moved on.

By: Michael D

Michael D — Mon, 06 Aug 2012 03:09:05 +0000

This Neil, confirms what I've been saying for like 20 years now...West Islanders have become like moles out there..They're like in a ghetto...They have two big theatre complexes, all the fast food outlets are there and most well known restaurants are there like the Barn, Vieux Duluth,etc.. a few big malls, the big drugstore and hardware chains...etc.

but they will only come to town if they have to.. a hockey game, football game, Madonna on August 30th..or maybe major medical treatment or going to higher education at McGil or Concordia Imust throw in,,but outside of need, it's in the backyard of Roger Pilon or some other WI sidestreet.....

Come on West Islanders, see the world !!

By: Neil K.

Neil K. — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 04:35:34 +0000

If the rally did take place as planned but was poorly attended, maybe downtown wasn't the best choice to hold the event. In retrospect, the event should have taken place on the West island, like the formerly-known-as-Bourbon Street or the Bar-B-Barn. Somewhere the average 990 listener could drive to and park easily. The typical anglo suburbanite wouldn't drive downtown on a Saturday night in the summer unless his life depended on it. (That's based on most of the suburbanites I know. Most come downtown once or twice a year socially.)

By: Michael D

Michael D — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 04:27:21 +0000

Good point, I actually forgot about it myself..A hot summer evening on a Saturday night with the Olympics on, who does this planning anyways....The demo should have been the same week when the news broke..
This mirrors Steve's post up above.....But the interventions to the CRTC is what's gonna count, not some Saturday night drunk to fill up the cash register....Not effective..

By: Neil K.

Neil K. — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 04:10:37 +0000

I'm not sure if the event scheduled for Maclean's Pub Saturday night was cancelled or postponed, but I walked by the pub three times between 8:15 and 10:00 p.m. and there was no evidence of any "rally" going on. No media trucks, no protest signs, no TSN signage or personalities, and no Fagstein reporting! In fact the pub itself seemed unusally dead for a hot summer night. Does anyone know if the rally did indeed take place? Did I miss something? Or was this like the protest in support of The Mirror?

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 04:13:48 +0000

It will be very interesting to see whether or not CTV News Montreal covers the rally in support of 990. One would think a gathering of hundreds of people to save a radio station with decades of local history behind it would be the sort of thing that would definitely be classified as news.

I have no reason to believe Bell is or would prevent its news division from covering a story that goes against its financial self-interest. A gathering of hundreds of people for just about any reason would probably be newsworthy, but I'm skeptical that this rally will draw that many. Facebook tends to have a 10-to-1 ratio of those who say they'll go and those who actually show up to events like this, and that's particularly so for events organized weeks in advance. If CBC and Global cover this event and CTV doesn't, you might have a case. But on a Saturday night during an election campaign, it will need to be a pretty slow news day for them to show up.

By: Matt

Matt — Wed, 01 Aug 2012 02:03:30 +0000

It will be very interesting to see whether or not CTV News Montreal covers the rally in support of 990. One would think a gathering of hundreds of people to save a radio station with decades of local history behind it would be the sort of thing that would definitely be classified as news. I saw them once cover a retirement party for a crescent Street bar employee.

If Bell is so adamant about silencing the 990 announcers, it can be presumed that absence of news coverage also is a corporate directive, which lends plenty of valid argument as to why such a vile company should NOT be allowed to own so much of the country's broadcast channels. Let's hope the CRTC shuts down the whole purchase of Astral!

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 21:04:59 +0000

Added a link to the Globe and Mail story.

By: Michael D

Michael D — Mon, 30 Jul 2012 20:57:42 +0000

Steve, it says on the right hand column that there is an update to this post today...don't see anything new...???

By: How you can help save TSN Radio 990 | the Jimmyriggers

How you can help save TSN Radio 990 | the Jimmyriggers — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:01:18 +0000

[...] interested in knowing all the nuts and bolts and the nitty-gritty details, I recommend reading this blog written by the Montreal media guru himself, [...]

By: Campaign to save TSN 990 should focus on the CRTC – Fagstein

Campaign to save TSN 990 should focus on the CRTC – Fagstein — Tue, 17 Jul 2012 05:49:12 +0000

[...] the week since Bell's application to switch CKGM from TSN Radio to RDS Radio became public, the station's small group of loyal fans has mobilized. A Twitter account, a public [...]

By: Bell’s purchase of Astral: The issues in front of the CRTC – Fagstein

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 19:41:47 +0000

[...] everyone's attention here was naturally focused on what Bell's plans are for CKGM, the bigger issue up in front of the CRTC on Sept. 10 is the overall $3.38-billion purchase of [...]

By: What's In A Name?

What's In A Name? — Sun, 15 Jul 2012 04:39:59 +0000

Sportsnet might not have a radio station in the market but they are opening a TV station (CITY TV).

By: Alex H

Alex H — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 14:42:50 +0000

You cannot undo what has already been done - the choices made in the past are ones that you have to live with. However, I would say that if Cogeco came in looking to make changes to their portfolio, that I would be asking them to start diverifying rather than modifying, and let someone else take a shot at it.

I think that over time, the system would winnow it down until they were in compliance, and the airwaves would have more voices, more sources, and possibly more journalists as well.

By: Fagstein

Fagstein — Sat, 14 Jul 2012 05:49:27 +0000

No, the CRTC should just decline the transaction entirely, AND move to return the limits to 1 FM and 1 AM in a market going forward for any new transactions.

By "going forward", you mean Cogeco's market dominance in French would be grandfathered in? Would that be fair?