New logo for CFQR "The Beat"
Commercial radio stations spend all sorts of money on focus groups, surveys, branding specialists, PR firms, promotions and consultants to find ways to connect with audiences, target demographics and maximize their ratings (and, hence, advertising revenue).
But as CFQR* general manager Mark Dickie tells it, The Beat owes much of its new brand's success to random thoughts from Program Director Leo Da Estrela.
Remember Dennis Trudeau? He used to be the anchor of CBC Newswatch (that was before CBC gutted local TV news -- a decision they've thankfully begun to reverse). Two years ago he decided to retire, though he left the door open to other projects, saying he had "lots of ideas" he wanted to work on:
"In this wired world of 500 television channels, opportunities are limitless. I might like to be a commentator. I might like to write. But I do want to try something different from the daily news grind."
Today comes the news that Trudeau will be joining 940 News as the new morning man, starting Sept. 3, along with Aphrodite Salas (who will move from her current late-morning show on the same station).
Trudeau is no stranger to radio. He's hosted Daybreak, As it Happens and Cross-Country checkup. I'm sure he'll do well in front of a microphone. But why oh why would someone who's tired of the daily news grind agree to host a weekday morning radio show from 5:30 to 10 a.m.?
As for Ken Connors, who currently hosts the show, he'll move to a "new" afternoon drive-time show on Q92.
UPDATE (Aug. 29): Two weeks later, Mike Boone adds his take with some words from Mr. Trudeau, who insists he's never retired. It also adds a clarification: that it was Ken Connors moving to Q92 that prompted the station to seek Trudeau, rather than the other way around.
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