“The store people tried and the cops tried but all to no avail,” she says. The police and store owner could never recall this happening.

ABOVE: Norma Lee McLeod

Bottom line is she was taken (in handcuffs) from place to place before someone grinded the bolts off and her camera person followed her all the way and it made for some good TV.  Jim Nunn who had spoken to Norma Lee at the beginning of the hour had her back on at the end, to explain her predicament and of course the viewers saw the pictures of the ordeal.

Speaking of the CBC Supper News hour, why do they have more problems than all the other shows (ATV-Global) combined in getting their supers on. A super (stands for super imposed) is when a person is talking on a news story, the name of that person shows up for a few seconds, letting the viewers know who the subject is.

At least three times last week and this seems to be a daily occurrence with CBC we are left to wonder who in the world the person is being talked to.  One of those was Rick Perkins on a NSLC story a few weeks ago.

I’m told that it’s a technical function that one person has to perform, like hit a button, but that person is doing a million things at a time.  Sorry, but that is not an excuse. If one person can’t do the myriad of functions then maybe the corp should hire an intern to help with one or two of the functions in that control room.

Speaking of CBC News glitches there was another dandy last week when Jim Nunn had Colleen Jones on for a Sportswrap.  Colleen did her thing and then turned it back to Jim.

But the camera stayed on Colleen.  1-2-3-4 seconds with nothing.  4 seconds is an eternity when nothing is happening. Then the camera panned back to Nunn who also seemed surprised.

This news show started last fall and a few glitches were expected (and they did happen) but not to have them solved by now is an embarrassment to Norma Lee McLeod who produced the program, to Nunn who host it and to the others who put in the time and effort to give us the “Suppertime news for Nova Scotia.”

I like the 50 years of CTV news that ATV did. I saw most of the segments as voiced over by Paul Hollingsworth who is developing into one of the most diversified TV talents in the business.  The man can report, anchors the weekend show very well, fills in for Live at 5 and does sports.

Paul took us back to yesteryear and it was a good trip. Noticed Laura Lee Langley from her ATV days before she went over to MITV.  There must have been 7-10 segments and I caught most of them.

There’s only one problem and that is CTV in NOT 50 years old.  CTV as a network signed on in 1961 so we are really in year 48, what gives?

ATV news anchor Steve Murphy tells me that I am right about the network launch date but points out that TV stations such as Sydney (CJCB TV), Moncton (CKCW-TV) and even Halifax (CJCH-TV) signed on much earlier than the CTV network so the 50 years date is sort of subjective.

It should also be pointed out that back then; all those TV stations carried CBC programming.

RADIO:

The radio ratings came out recently and depending what station you are listening your station could be #1.

C-100, Q-104, Country 101 and CBC each could claim first prize.  While the ratings called the BBM’s give us the general numbers from 12+ (12 years and older) the fact is those 12 to 17 year olds are discarded by the buyers.  Come on, just what buying power does a 12 year old have?  Some are still getting an allowance.

So the figures really start at 18+ and in many cases it’s the 25-34 year olds that are wanted (Sobey’s and Superstore want 25-34 year old females). In some cases buyers (expensive cars) want an older crowd (35+) and in that case there is no doubt that CBC radio and especially Info Morning fills that gap.  The trouble is Info Morning does not have commercials so many of the private stations discount their numbers, which doesn’t make sense as those numbers are still there.

Talk show battles:

ABOVE: Rick Howe, 920 CJCH   ABOVE: Andrew Krystal News 95.7

After 2 ½ years Andrew Krystal of News 95.7 has overtaken Rick Howe of CJCH in the morning talk show battle.  This one is a matter of perception if not perspective.  I’m not surprised that Krystal is now in the lead after all he has a big machine (ads, billboards, etc) behind him and they are an FM station.

Howe has maintained a very credible situation with an AM station. A station that puts absolutely nothing into promoting his show.  Heck, they don’t even do promos for it on their airwaves.

Both have their audience. I expect shortly to hear the announcement that Howe’s show, the Hotline, will be a thing of the past as when CJCH goes FM within a month or so, the Hotline will be dropped, which is a shame as it is by far the most listened to show on the station

Why not take the show from CJCH and put it on what will be the last remaining AM station in Metro…CFDR/KIXX?

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I’m listening to News 95.7 and it’s very close to 6pm and it’s what I didn’t hear that caught my attention.  At times the newsreader will go through the i.d. list which goes something like this:  “Our news editor is so and so, Mark Campbell is program director and Jim Hamm is the general manager of News 95.7”

However this time the news reader was Debbie (I’ve now been around this business for 20-years) Rent who told the listeners that Julie was the editor and Mark was the news boss but didn’t mention Jim (Green Eggs and) Hamm.  She always mentions his name.

That raised a flag and a phone call the next day gave me an answer which was the reason Jim’s name was not mentioned is because Jim Hamm no longer is with the company.  He had been with Rogers for a fair amount of time.  Umm, I wonder what happened?

Speaking of the team at News 95.7 they got to get their act straight on pronunciation.  There was a story in regards to an incident on Caldwell Road in Dartmouth and the news reader called it   Cadwell Road, and his reporter seconds later said it was Caldwell. Reporter wins, anchor doesn’t.  Got to get those names right guys.

They did have a good story on the Mother and son or daughter reunion on Friday morning. It was about a missing monkey in Saint John.  In fact ATV had a piece on this reunion on the ATV News.  I’m surprised that neither station used a sound clip from the song “Mother and child reunion” (Simon and Garf. #4 song in 1972).

Speaking of the TV boys… I think this ‘exclusive’ label is getting out of hand.  I caught an ATV exclusive with Steve Murphy and it was the lead story. Then I get some fifth or sixth story in the line-up (meaning it wasn’t that strong in the first place) on CBC and Jim Nunn tells me that I can only get it on CBC.

Err, Sir, if we see the exclusive sign, we know one cannot get it elsewhere. It was some deal about condos.

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Above: Wayne Harrett, Seaside FM

Seaside FM had a great fund raiser a month or so ago and should be congratulated for their efforts in getting around $60,000. They will need some of that money for a possible frequency change as a result of the pettiness of Maritime Broadcasting Limited who objected to the Seaside Power increase from 50 to 1400 hundred watts.

It seems the signals may meet in Upper Sackville. As if people in Upper Sack are going to tune in a station from the valley when they have so many so choose from in Metro.  Also I want to wish their GM Wayne Harrett good health. The man has health issues and they seem to multiply. Good luck Wayne in battling those.

Speaking of that community station, I like it a lot. In fact it’s the only one that plays easy listening music. Many are volunteer people and there is a mixture of professional talent.

But, some of that talent simply talks too much. Frank Cameron is Frank and maybe I expect that from him but there are those who do the Coffee Club who seemed to love the sound of their voices.

One keeps telling us what he is having for lunch and we don’t care, the other, with a fine voice and presentation simply goes on to long.  Being a radio personality has nothing to do with the amount of talk but the content.

Above: Seaside FM

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