Jennifer Thomson, Others ‘Restructured’ Out at Corus Vancouver

I’ve always found the Shaw/Corus deal, and the events that prefaced it, and followed it, very interesting. When Doug Murphy took over as CEO in early 2014, I believe shares were trading somewhere between $22-$25 a piece. By early 2016 I believe shares were trading at under $9 a pop, pretty much the lowest they’d been in over ten years. It’s around this time that the Shaw/Corus deal went through and several GMs who helped tank the stations were laid-off.

For the shares to tank so far and so fast after Doug Murphy came in? It’s almost as though it was deliberate! Then, the very GMs who helped toe-the-line are laid-off immediately after the deal goes through? Sure, layoffs happen after a merger and I’d hate to sound like a conspiracy theorist but I’m starting to wonder if those “laid-off” GMs didn’t know what was coming and their reward (and retirement package) was in the form of stock. How many of them are looking for work and how many of them have announced their retirement? It would be interesting to see the names of the people who were scooping up Corus shares at rock-bottom prices.

I could be wrong but if I’m not, that’s gotta be some form of insider trading, no?

Heather Ray is listed on the boom website but on the on-air schedule she is nowhere to be seen. I have been investigating and it also looks like Winnipeg was hit with cuts. Either today or recently but both Fresh and Big FM have almost no on air talent listed. Still trying to confirm some other cuts also

You have to be careful with the on-air schedules with Corus stations….they are updated weekly to include holidays, etc.

Four people laid off in Winnipeg. CJOB Brand Director Scott Pettigrew, Jay Richardson who was assistant Brand Director at BIG, an engineer and a sales guy. No real changes in talent at BIG or Fresh…that’s just how few people they have left….. and it reflects in their ratings……

Poor Jen. In a city with more talk outlets she probably wouldn’t have had to return to NW traffic in the first place. Her co-hosting gig at CFUN proved, to my ears, that she had way more to offer listeners than lane flows, bridge congestion and accident sites.

Still remember her glory days, bantering with Frosty and the gang back when NW actually mattered.

Land on your feet, girl.

JT is a terrific traffic reporter, with a pedigree going back to the time of Frosty Forst. She’s had to face a great deal of adversity, including near loss of her voice. All through the rough patches she has maintained an on-air personality that is as chipper and upbeat as you can get. It’s a nasty business is public media.

I am wondering if there are going to be more talent cuts and shows being filled from other cities. Right now there are 3 on-air talents shared between jump radio Ottawa and fresh radio Cornwall. And speaking of fresh radio the one in Hamilton and London share 2 on air staff. Could there be a lot more of this?

I often wonder why the on air people aren’t protected by a union agreement. Don’t get me wrong , unions these days are not worth a pinch of —– but at the very least they should be able to keep people from being terminated without cause. Jen Thomson was one of the few remaining talent worth hearing at NW. I also wonder how her coworkers feel? How do you go into work knowing how poorly treated your co workers were.? How do you not want to quit or strike to support them. Bell, Mark, the entire sport dept. Thomson and dozens more. What are we left with Dickers and other no names

I first listened to Jenn and Joe on C-Fun back in the day and they always made my day. Then went to CKNW when C-Fun collapsed and have been a faithful listener but it has become so repetitive and I am finding myself changing the dial. I like the hosts but it has become lazy and replaying each others’ interviews over and over. Then Sat and Sun they replay the shows with Tim Dickers over again. Give Tim his own show with new format and something new. Jenn was the best traffic reporter and now she has gone and I wish her the best and hope to hear her again soon.

Poor Jennifer Thomson. A woman with so much talent deserves so much more than layoff after layoff.

lay offs in radio?? oh my you don’t say!
Seriously.. why is any of this a surprise? Most of the good one’s were laid off, or left on thier own accord a long time ago.. this is not new – same old same old in radio land.

Speaking of which.. did anyone hear Shane Foxman filling in for Drex last night? How painful was that!!!

Heather Ray is still at boom just on the morning show with Dylan black for now

Really feel for Jennifer. Many of us know exactly how it feels to be told “we are going in a different direction” or whatever bs line they come up with. Time to move on from the business and find something a bit more secure with an organization that will value your work and abilities. I know it’s not easy but it can be done. All the best Jennifer.

By the way, I really enjoy listening to Shane. When I know he is on I actually tune in to CKNW. IMO they need to find him a permanent spot.

Have always loved Jen. Her voice has Ade many a morning for me over the years. She was great with Frosty and also on CFUN, though it was difficult for me to tune away from CKNW at the time.

Just last week, I thought how much more interesting John’s morning show would be with her as a full on co-host, versus what we have today which is a bunch of guys – too many in my opinion – talking about stuff. And it does not come across as genuine to me.

Anyway, as others have mentioned, I hope Jen lands on her feet somewhere, she has a lot of talent to offer and I hate that this has happened to her again.

Wish her all the best.

Jen, I won’t give too much away by saying how long I have listened to you at various stations. I’ll just say that Frosty and others knew a good thing when they heard it! I’m sorry to hear about the axe falling in your direction. I do however know that you’ll come back swinging in the not too distant future. Be well, girl!

Shane Foxman Is hard I mean very hard to listen to

@13

Then don’t. Problem solved.

It seems they’ve let Sandy Sharkey go, as well as Gonzo Mark, the “news guy”, and Marier. On the station’s 5th anniversary in Ottawa. They suck. Now have to find another station again!

Thanks for the advice BLT.
Sadly if enough people take your advice it doesnt bode well for his employer.

It’s time for someone to “restructure” the management of what has become a very poor excuse for a radio station and get some people in there that actually care what listeners want. Frankly I so rarely turn them on anymore but when I do, I don’t stay tuned in very long. Some brainiac in management apparently missed the class where they taught that if you have a quality product, you will get more listeners which means higher ratings which means more advertisers and higher advertising rates. Seems pretty simple really. Someone with some money and the will to do it could make a pretty good station out of the people the suits at Corus have dumped. Instead for those who still turn on ‘NW, they get a pathetic bunch of so called hosts and if that isn’t insulting enough, they have to replay the crap over and over again. Jen might end up being thankful she got out of the nuthouse.

My source told me another name gone from cfox/cfmi was weekend host and fill in Ryan Carroll. He was with Corus for about a year and had come from Lethbridge and the JPBG

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for all of the supportive messages and comments I’ve read and received. Those who took the time to call, text, message me on Twitter, Facebook etc. They really mean a lot and it’s nice that people reach out, whether you’re a friend, a colleague, a listener or even a stranger. I appreciate it very much. I really do.
It’s just part of the business, right? You can’t take it personally, but it still sucks big time, and in some cases, doesn’t make sense but that seems to be the way this crazy radio business we love/hate goes.

I’ll be fine. I’m going to enjoy the sleep in. Spend time with my son who just graduated, my awesome husband and it’s summer, not a bad time to be out of work. And hey, at least this time, I didn’t buy a house, lose my job and GET CANCER all in the same week!

For those who want to keep in touch, my email is

je*************@te***.net












xoxo
Jennifer

BOOM Ottawa layoffs Gonzo, Sandy Sharkey, Red Allen, Pete Marier and newscaster Murray Sherrifs all removed from their website and schedule.

Dylan Black, Dave Nelson, Heather Ray and Wendy Daniels remain.

To JT. Thanks for taking time to respond. The days of your banter with Frosty are some of the best radio memories anyone could ask for. You were always a part of the Top Dog. When you showed up for the second go around you made a sad radio station a little bit better.
Someone up the page said that the people that Corus has cast off could come together and create a very good radio station and you would be a great part of it.

Turns out Gonzo is back in Ottawa, but Sandy and the others are gone. At least she has become a successful nature photographer, so she doesn’t need the bastards anyway. Boom is going to lose listeners thru this boneheaded move. This is the fifth change in the Boom morning show in about three years.

As so many others have stated it is sad to see the once proud top dog C.K.N.W. reduced to a sad bum of the month club station with such weak talent performing. The bean counters of Corus have just let the station run into the ground. Most are clueless on international affairs, Canadian news , sports etc. Gone are the days of the Bannerman’s Mair’s Websters even Till, Big Al, McRea , Garrett etc/ etc/ Yep at one time this station had a 18 share of the listening audience and is usually now at around half that total.

As others have pointed out segment after segment is repeated during the day and then again on the weekend. I recall a couple of years ago when they repeated a valentines story 4 times in one week and twice it was after valentines. Bruce Allen and his one minute is about all that is relevant with the station these days.

I talked to one news guy who told me how bad it was working with the station these days. It is a shame as anyone who has read Chuck Davis book on the top dog’s first 50 years will attest to.

So sorry to hear that cknw once again has dismissed their top traffic reporter. I’ve listened to Jennifer for so long, Now cknw traffic reports suck. They don’t give enough details and it’s just another traffic report. Miss your input,and your always upbeat personality. You’re what made a traffic jam seem bearable. Good luck….hope to hear you again on the radio.

thx Jennifer..we miss your cheery voice on ‘nw…I only catch Bruce Allen now, and am shocked another cheery ‘nw/730 traffic person (Neil) was just let go.
Wake up Virus!