Southwestern Ontario Radio/TV/Broadcast Media Forum (The Big Blue Board) » C2C

Mike · May 21, 2015 5:51 PM

I do not cast aspersions on what people listen to. More and more lately I don't get it, but meh, different strokes... Having said that, I often wonder if people actually listen to Coast to Coast. It appears to be the default overnight show for many respectable news/talk stations. Again, no aspersions, but it seems to me another kind of network talk show might draw more of an audience. 100 years ago CKO tried it without success, but that was CKO and it was 100 years ago.

If I managed a news/talk station of note I know a substantive overnight show option would appeal to me. Hells bells! Even a local one! lol

Jody Thornton · May 21, 2015 6:28 PM

Mike wrote:
If I managed a news/talk station of note I know a substantive overnight show option would appeal to me. Hells bells! Even a local one! lol

Which would be ... ?

Mike · May 22, 2015 9:08 AM

Hi Jody,

I don't have a particular station in mind, but let's say a few Canadian NT stations got together and hired someone to host a regional/national talk show. It seems to me it would be of more interest than some wack-job in New Mexico claiming there are statues of Mickey Mouse on Mars.(there was actually a show something like that once!).

I know, I know, I know. C2C is easy. There`s no maintainance and it probably costs next to nothing. Interesting though --- no station that I've heard ever promotes it. Do I sense embarassment?

And yes, they could sell it.

Hathaway · May 22, 2015 10:11 AM

In my life I've seen one guy listening to it. It was in Calgary in the lobby of an RBC where the bank machines were. The guy sat there to keep the homeless out. He was retired and had to pass away the 8 hour overnight shift.

Otherwise, this type of programming is dead in the radio water. It's something more suited to TV especially Netflix.

Jody Thornton · May 22, 2015 1:24 PM

He he! Mark did you just have a dislexic moment or did you mean to type the second to last sentence you posted as it appears? Have a good one!

Mike · May 22, 2015 7:08 PM

@Irvine --

That's the point -- very few people listen to the thing. Even if the topics weren't a poor man's Twilight Zone, there's the format: a long newcast at the top and bottom (or a approx 10 minutes of spots at the bottom if there's no local news); a far too long music intro; a brief tee up by Noury or whoever, then back to spots. Yikes! That's asking a lot from a listener before you even get to the content.

g121 · May 22, 2015 10:55 PM

i'd very much enjoy a real late night talk show; doesn't matter if it's national or regional or local.

i can't fathom how folks could listen to C2C on a regular basis .. frankly, it insults ones intelligence more often than not. i could understand a bit better if C2C was say a weekly show but nightly .. yikes. about the only time i'll flick over to C2C for a short while is when Humble Howard gets just too moronic with his sex\fart "humour" .. eileen is actually the funniest one on the Humble&Fred show.

even as a kid, i liked to listen to Larry Glick on Boston's WBZ .. so i've always had a penchant for talk radio.

cheers from Toronto ..

Mike · May 23, 2015 4:50 PM

Ah, the great Larry Glick. RIP I also liked Bob Raleigh who followed him when he retired. I haven't listened to WBZ in some time. I'm seldom listening to radio when the skip is good.

C.D.P. · May 24, 2015 3:02 PM

thousands of overnite workers in the Golden Triangle or Quad Cities or whatever it's called these days . . . cab drivers, supermarket shelf stockers, long distance truckers, tow truck drivers, security guards and bakers, to mention just a few that come to mind. They listen to radio for companionship & to pass the time. Has no one asked them what they'd like to hear?

C.D.P. · May 24, 2015 3:03 PM

why not?

Mike · May 24, 2015 4:41 PM

It would seem that there are 2 factors at play: it's cheap and they (the PD's) are lazy . In the much maligned era when a lot of us cut our teeth, and as I've mentioned here before, we were constantly.badgered about "tune outs". One of the big concerns was that if they tuned you out at night, they wouldn't be there for you in the morning.

Of course the most important question is: can you sell it? My answr is, try it and see. If it doesn't work, cancel it. People are used to format flips, fired announce and cancelled shows they tell us, so there won';t be a hue and cry. .

C.D.P. · May 25, 2015 6:57 AM

ex-CBC broadcast personalities who accepted early-retirement packages are ready, willing + able to get back into the game with modest (if any) compensation. Would union(s) allow it to happen?

Hathaway · May 25, 2015 9:44 AM

C.D.P. wrote:
thousands of overnite workers in the Golden Triangle or Quad Cities or whatever it's called these days . . . cab drivers, supermarket shelf stockers, long distance truckers, tow truck drivers, security guards and bakers, to mention just a few that come to mind. They listen to radio for companionship & to pass the time. Has no one asked them what they'd like to hear?

In case you forgot to change your calender, it's 2015, not 1974. They still play ABBA on the radio but today's late night worker has far more choices than they've ever had to pass the time.

@Jody. No, it was intentional ;-)

Mike · May 25, 2015 10:07 AM

@ Irvine

Yes they have choice. They can chose from all kinds of music stations. But when it comes to talk, they can listen to re-runs or C2C. (I think that's the choice is most markets, if that. Usually it's just C2C.) I'm just wondering if there were a live, more mainstream talk show if it would be a hit.

Kilgore · May 25, 2015 11:00 AM

Mike wrote:
very few people listen to the thing

Is it possible that some who for whatever reason listen to overnite radio (insomnia or occupational reasons), enjoy the program? When the alternative is wall-to-wall Celine Dionne & the Belmonts, I'll take George Noory

Kilgore · May 25, 2015 11:23 AM

Irvine wrote:
today's late night worker has far more choices than they've ever had

Not we who get a kick out of interactive news/talk/bullshyt radio. Where is H. D. Wilson these days?

Eldon · May 25, 2015 11:38 AM

How about MIKE BULLARD?

Hathaway · May 25, 2015 12:35 PM

Mike wrote:
@ Irvine

Yes they have choice. They can chose from all kinds of music stations. But when it comes to talk, they can listen to re-runs or C2C. (I think that's the choice is most markets, if that. Usually it's just C2C.) I'm just wondering if there were a live, more mainstream talk show if it would be a hit.

The answer is probably "yes" there is a small market. Problem is it's a small market & the associated costs are high.

Mike · May 25, 2015 4:36 PM

Speaking of costs, I heard Shad count off the number of people "who helped put the show together this week" (I was waiting for the Noon news. ) I lost count at 18!!!!!! I figure the kind of show I envision would take 2, plus the host and board operator.

Eldon · May 25, 2015 7:40 PM

Mike wrote:
the kind of show I envision would take 2, plus the host and board operator

mysterious crop circles between Hawkesville & Wallenstein have been covered up by authorities far too long

Hathaway · May 26, 2015 7:45 AM

Mike wrote:
Speaking of costs, I heard Shad count off the number of people "who helped put the show together this week" (I was waiting for the Noon news. ) I lost count at 18!!!!!! I figure the kind of show I envision would take 2, plus the host and board operator.

This is more likely a case of "important personitis". Even those who played the most insignificant part in the show (answered the phone and patched through a call) are mentioned. It's kind of like in modern pop music where a song has 8 writers or features 3 rappers. It's all about putting their name out (and getting their hand on some royalties).

Mike · May 26, 2015 7:56 PM

@ Irvine
P'raps, to quote from a James Herriot story, but there sure were a lot of people who had "producer" before their names.

Anyway, I think we're all agreed it should happen but won't, but I am grateful for the feedback.

Thanks.

Nice thread.

grilled.cheese · May 27, 2015 3:57 PM

I listen to Coast to Coast. It's entertaining and fun to listen to.

Hathaway · May 27, 2015 7:14 PM

@Mike

I'm a fan of CBC Radio & the cost of the network doesn't bother me in the least. Of late I been back in the car more travelling and it's a good companion. I don't get to hear Q with Shad much, but I think I like him more than Ghomeshi.

Coast to Coast starts too late for me ;-). I get up at 5 AM weekdays so I'm in bed at 9ish PM. Weekends aren't much different.

mic'em · May 28, 2015 8:59 AM

I worked as a long distance trucker thruout the 80's and 90's and C2C kept me company and awake many overnights. I did prefer Art Bell to George Noory but it is what it is and life went on. MM

Hathaway · May 28, 2015 9:18 PM

@Mic'em

In this day and age, most truckers seem to use satellite radio. I don't blame them. As a guy who once drove a truck I couldn't fathom driving day and night in the USA listening to corporate radio. It's akin to eating at truck stops which grows old really fast.

mic'em · May 29, 2015 8:38 AM

You are correct, I listen to XM in my new truck , mostly Opie Radio . I still find music becomes boring after awhile and talk radio keeps the juices flowing and helps me stay alert.

FM DXer · May 29, 2015 10:17 PM

g121 wrote:
even as a kid, i liked to listen to Larry Glick on Boston's WBZ .. so i've always had a penchant for talk radio.

Hey, I used to listen to Larry Glick "The Commander" on WBZ as well on a big old Grundig Tube radio with a control on the front which would allow for rotating the ferrite bar antenna to get the green tuning eye tube gap to be as narrow as possible. Also remember Bill Ellisburger (sp?) on WCKY would host a show where callers could describe problems with their cars, and Bill actually had technical expertise and knew what he was talking about, unlike the car clowns on one of the Toronto stations today which only want to push a membership for their car purchase club.

Hathaway · May 29, 2015 10:42 PM

mic'em wrote:
You are correct, I listen to XM in my new truck , mostly Opie Radio . I still find music becomes boring after awhile and talk radio keeps the juices flowing and helps me stay alert.

Yeah, even with Sat radio it's not hard to get tired of the rotation of music. It's the primary reason I never renewed my Sirius package years ago.