C-FAX Loses Pamela McCall in Bell Belt Tightening

What sucks is the CFAX website (i heart radio) removes all links to her ‘podcasts’ which harsh sucks.

Sorry she lost her job, but can`t say I’ll miss her, not objective enough in her interviews & dismissive if she didn’t agree with you. I will not be tuning in to Evan Solomon, hopefully she will be replaced with someone local.

Oh my gosh Pamela was on Monday and Tuesday this week – I wondered when I heard a different program on at 1:00 pm today – ..Evan Solomon instead who is usually on from 8:00 – 10:00 pm… the exact thought went through my mind and now confirmed – that is too bad – much like when Ian Jessop left… I would much rather see the Sunday morning Medicine Show leave the air or even late night radio Coast to Coast and play music on these spots instead…

She is a brilliant and talented broadcaster. Unfortunately the only woman on C-FAX in a male dominated news station. Shame on Bell and C-fax to let go of such a talented newscaster. I will not be a listener any more. I had hoped that a newer and more progressive approach had been taking place yet I was mistaken.

I worked with Pamela for a brief time at News 1130– Pam and I use to make Ozzy jokes. so my dear, time to bite the bat again … You’ll rebound.

Who else was laid off?

Perhaps not to much as belt tightening as profit taking by those not involved in this community.

This is another, but predictably sad day in Canadian media. I’ve had the pleasure of working with Pamela and have no doubt she will find a new media home, if not a refuge as a corporate communications professional. Companies should be fighting for her. Hang in there.

Joe Easingwood and Frank Stanford Retire, then Ian Jessop replaced by the awful Adam Stirling. then Steve Duffy is booted, and now Pamela Mccoll replaced by the not awful but boring Evan Soloman. Who’s next? Al Ferraby? Mark Brennae? If those two are next, CFAX has nothing worthwhile listening to for talk shows. News with James Gardner is all they’ll have left.

A real shame with a lot of lost talent over the last few years. Bell is running the station to the ground.

Oh didn’t see this, although I’d checked, when I wrote in another section. I can’t believe Bell keeps on cutting and cutting. I kind of feel sorry for Norma Reid on late night CTV Vancouver News. She’s all alone now at the end. No weather person/no sports person. She has no one to banter with and it looks so empty. Will really miss Pamela as she’s and Mark Brennae (and Joe Perkins for comic relief) are really the only two that I listen to often. I truly can’t believe they’d keep Adam Stirling over Pamela. But I won’t go into a rant here. Also very unhappy with all the growing amount of Toronto content on CFAX… especially on the weekends. Love NPR’s TED radio show and Viewpoints. Evan (Pam’s plugged in replacement) is pretty good, too. But Pamela… what a sad day. I will miss you! And miss our fairly regular emails back and forth! All the best to you — you’re a class act!!!

I will miss Pamela. In my opinion she did present different sides to stories impartially. She was congenial, but could and did ask the tough questions. I too am bothered how both she and Ian Jessop had any trace of their existence removed from the CFAX web site. Hopefully she’ll rise again. She provided a valuable service to our community.

I’m done with CFAX!!! Pamela was great addition to Victoria & will be missed by many
Time to get rid of the outspoken opinionated Adam Stirling

I am also now a former listener. CFAX used to have wonderful LOCAL talk shows. Sadly,they are slowly all being taken off air due to corporate creed and/or incompetent management. After 27 years as a loyal CFAX listener, I’m done with this station. Too bad.

Really enjoyed Pamela and her show. I have listened to C- FAX for years and I wish you would inform the listeners when someone moves on. I don’t mind Evan but not thrilled with the change. Thanks

Big box media company boss crushing our local talent, again.
I liked listening to BC issues Pamela tackled.
Maybe that was her downfall??
A true media loss.

I still have the bad taste in my mouth from the Barry Bowman, Terry Spence, Joe Easingwood days etc and this is the icing on the cake! Good bye CFAX. 🙁

I think there’s so much value in local media, regardless of its medium (broadcast, print, what-have-you) and that this unique value is degraded when cuts to local sources (reporters, journalists, etc) are made, so that even MORE cuts need to happen in order to maintain the industry. Seems like a race to the bottom . . .

It’s all basic economics. Fire local hosts in multiple markets and replace with one syndicated host. Save on health plans, sick days, vacations, pensions, producers and the list goes on. You don’t need local hosts in every day part simply regurgitating the same stories, most of which don’t have the legs to merit repeating. NW is the worst at this. Listeners, and dare I say it, shareholders would be better served with fewer hosts simply repeating tired ‘issues’.

lost count the number of times Pammy interrupted callers and guests. She never did improve. I understand she going South to work on the next Trump campaign. [not] Rarely female talk show hosts appeal to both sexes. Spoke with Pam a number of times, l know she will land on her claws. She is a cool, left-wing cat.

Pamela McCall certainly had strong opinions in certain areas which may have turned off listeners, and sometimes she went off half cocked (and materially incorrect) but she would listen (sometimes off air) to, and sometimes rectify errors or misunderstanding in later shows or add balance via other guests.

For me, her greatest “sin” was how she would cut off her guests when they tried to explain more nuanced issues she had asked about, in more than a few words, so she could squeeze in another caller. While I know talk radio is all about audience participation, I tuned her in more to hear the guest speak and educate me than the caller often talking around in circles before settling in on something (if they ever did so). Maybe that explains why my fast tuner is also programmed with CBC and NPR frequencies.

However, I will miss her sometimes good insights during the afternoon hours. While Evan Solomon is no doubt smart, and a pretty good interviewer, I find it irritating when he goes after his guests on trivial points that may only matter to him to try to get a sound bite which he will later quote to another guest for comment, when it was made in exasperation to his incessant pit bull attack. His radio show is somewhat less annoying than his TV show, perhaps because it is more general interest and has less politicians on it, but CFAX is supposed to be a local station, and they have been chiselling away to that for national (and beyond) syndicated programming. It hardly like Bell Media is in any financial trouble to justify such cost cutting measures.

What bothers me most is Bell’s “clear out your desk and go home, and don’t talk to anybody on your way out” ambush firing process, which doesn’t allow for the host to offer listeners any insight into what is going on… for a “news” station, that lack of transparency is telling.

Further to my comments yesterday, I find it interesting that the only woman on the show is terminated. That says a lot! Yes there is Astrid occasionally talking about the weather on air and a female news announcer after 4:00. I enjoy all the men but as a woman it was nice for 2 hours a day to have Pamelas’s point of view on issues that affect us all. Thanks very much.

1-3 I know where I won’t be tuning in. Not impressed with this change and wonder how the advertisers feel.

I can understand CFAX opting to broadcast Evan’s show live. In recent weeks, since picking up Solomon, the station has aired him delayed, during the evening. This is goofy as Victoria listeners cannot participate if there are phone-in segments. Even if Evan doesn’t open up the phones, island listeners are getting his views hours after news events may have changed.

Given that reality, did CFAX propose to Pamela that she switch to evenings? If not, then her dismissal really is all about saving money and depriving listeners of a valued local voice.

Still listen to Al in the morning then switch to 92.1. CFAX is going to be a thing of the past all prerecorded.
Too bad listened to the station every since I moved here 26 years ago

I am totally disappointed that CFAX has cut staff, and replaced content with Toronto BS in Pamela’s spot, unless they provide more local shows they will lose more listeners, and lose advertisers which pay for their content. I have listened to CFAX 1070 for over 30 years and the Station is going down hill, the veteran broadcasters that were let go should be brought back IMO.

I really liked Pamela McCall. She did not try to answer the questions on
behalf of the guest. If they didn’t know what they were talking about she
let them sink. She was probably too good for this market anyway. I’m starting to
lose interest in CFAX.

I have listened to CFAX since it’s beginnings but no longer. Pamela McCall’s departure is the end for me! Every programme recently that I enjoyed has been discontinued! Now all that is left is the opinionated Adam Stirling whose vocabulary consists of “I” “me” “my opinion is” “I think” and he never listens and interrupts his guest’s opinions. I don’t want to listen to someone chattering about Ottawa. I really miss Jeff’s garden programme, I liked Frank Stanford and Patti Mac, Terry Spence, Myra and the many others the station summarily has dismissed!

Local news and interviews and viewpoint with Pamela….I liked her show and AM NOT A FAN of the replacement,…Afternoons I’ll be listening to CBC or KNKX.

I was so shocked to hear of her dismissal!! If anyone knows where she is going please post it.
I cannot believe this network CFAX and Ian Jessop let go because he tackled controversial topics, site C and fish farming, clearcutting, pesticide use and Pamela McCall followed suit. Only a right wing nutcase would call her a left wing cat (Don). She was always respectful, had an amazing portfolio and I felt was objective in her interviewing. CFAX will lose many listeners when they fire all the progressive ones! Shame on the network no reason to listen now…Solomon…give me a break!

Very disappointed with the loss of Pamela McCall. A truly bad decision and and big loss for CFAX. She brought a level of professionalism to broadcasting that is rarely seen in a market this small. CFAX.was fortunate to have had her for so long. And, yes, it will affect my listening in this time slot.

No loss. She was entirely too involved with her own POV and not the callers. Also often had difficulty with English language usage, prono’s, context, wrong-words etc. James reads newscasts as though he was a random person plucked off the street and handed cold copy 5 seconds before the mic went live.

“Fax has not had any professional broadcasters on air for some time and none in the newsroom for decades.

I recall a few years ago there was a bank robbery two blocks from the station…they had to rely on listeners calling in info on it. Tsk,

I would encourage CFAX to hold a poll. “How many listeners tune out now that Pamela is gone?” No, I suppose they already know. When a station is no longer independent it matters not what the locals think. Just another dot on a corporate boardroom table.

David, if they had tuned out, how would they be aware of the poll? ‘FAX long ago abandoned any semblance of professional radio and relied entirely on community involvement. Long after their last real News person left, they were still claiming to be the “News Authority”. Strangely, once the TC stopped publishing on Mondays the “News Authority” was largely silent those days…except where they were repeating the same week-old yarns the TC was publishing.

CFAX Radio station needs to change its motto or mantra. No longer just a local radio station

I started listening to CFAX during the Blizzard of 96 when Greg Morin basically crawled through the snow and kept Greater Victoria up to date on the happenings of our snow entrenched city. I have been a loyal listener on a daily basis until now. CFAX always had great radio personalities and seems when Mel Cooper sold, things started to spiral. I always enjoyed so much local content and they kept slowly but surely getting rid of the people that made this station so popular. It now appears that much of the afternoon and evening content is just fed in from a computerized source. Sadly, I also am now a former listener. What a great opportunity now for a new station to become an up and comer!

Those days are gone David. I recall back in the 80’s a jock stayed in his burning station advising the listening public about what was going on until the fire crews hauled him forcibly out of the building. This was on Vancouver Island. Reporters used to go to various scenes and if they had the ability, report from there. Not so much today.

Finally learned what happened. I am a 24 year CFAX devotee, but turn it off from 1-3. Not interested in Toronto listeners opinions, or the slick infomercial style of the replacement show.

CFAX is all about local, and what we want.

Is anyone at Bell listening?

You laid off Pamela McCall and left the awful, news mangling, word destroying James Gardner.

Does he ever have a segment where he does not miss pronounce words and names.

Bring back McCall and lay off Gardner.

Shame on you.

She always interrupted people.

Just another example of how cheap the business is. You can do no better than Pamela McCall for a talk show host in a middle market like Victoria. It must have been her wage that was her undoing, not her content or job performance, or ratings. Maybe after hearing all the angry comments from former listeners, they might hire some REAL professionals? But no, they don’t care and neither do i ! LOL

Radio’s on a race to the bottom. Fire as many experienced, all-be-it higher priced talent, and replace with newbies who can’t read, write, or have the life experience to connect the dots on an issue. You’re left with disgruntled listeners, tired of the pablum, looking to alternate sources for news and info. Look at all privately owned talk stations in all markets, with the exception of the CBC, and the writing is on the wall. Example: while everyone gushed at the dog walker found alive, and thankfully she was, did ANY talk show host question how someone walking dogs in a major metropolitan area, with numerous dog parks, get lost in the backwoods. Why was it necessary for her to go off the beaten path, taxing the resources of emergency responders, not to mention two days in hospital. All for a simple dog walk— not too bright IMHO. C’mon hosts, quit gushing and grow a pair.

Thankfully they got rid of her. Her views and interviewd were a one way street that only went left. Not fair and balanced at all but that is the way CFAX has gone anyway.

I enjoyed listening to Pamela. CFAX has gone down hill over the last number of years. I remember the days of Terry Spence, Joe Easingwood, Blane Coulcher, Alan Perry and Steve Ivings. The station lost its personality.

Thank god she’s gone, know it all, rude, ignorant, cow, who didn’t listen & cut every caller off.
Bring back Ian Jessop i say.

Evan is about as vanilla as one can be for a conservative. His show is slanted to the right and I really don’t like that at all. Why can’t we just have a music and movie show replace Pamela’s slot because this national guy is balls out boring.

I enjoyed her show. Replacement Solomon has an irritating voice and has a very boring show out of TO. I do like Adam Stirling, but that’s about it. As a 20 yr. listener CFAX has steadily gone downhill in my opinion.

C- Fax is heading to its grave… won’t be listening anymore… sad for Victorian’s

I’m missing Pamela McCall. Evan Solomon is OK, but hope he’s not permanent. I know! Bring back, Ian Jessop! Fat chance. Local radio should stay local so folks can call in. Merry Christmas CFAX hosts, and to all the departed staff. xo

Bye bye, CFAX…
You might want to “listen” to reasons why I am tuning out:
The “Ian” show (aka USA infomercial) is annoyingly grating on my ears.
Gender imbalance: Friday “free for the boys” – – cute but boring, boring, boring
Tech Talk: Alan Perry is a great host, but I’m not interested in tuning in again (!) on Sundays, when the the show already has a Saturday podcast.
Guess I’ll tune in to CBC, for interesting, intellectual, local coverage about news and goings on in beautiful British Columbia.

Further to my post above…
In error I wrote “Ian” – – I meant to say “Evan Solomon.”
B.C. Listeners want to hear relevant news about B.C.!
On Feb. 14th I listened to your noon hour show talk dribble about Valentines Day, blah blah blah. Then, at 1pm Evan Solomon did the exact same show! Disappointing…

Victoria, B.C. is home to techies and gardeners alike (the same folk probably listen to Tech Talk). So why not host a year-round segment on gardening?

She is an idiot , not a true journalist . Ian Jessop IS a true journalist .
WAKE UP . LOOK UP ( https://www.geoengineeringwatch.org/ )

We are so sick of Adam Stirling and his right wing rants! He’s so full of himself it’s revolting! We have no need to listen to Evan Solomon, we can’t even participate! We’re now happily enjoying CBC!!!

I liked the CFAX with Barry Bowman, Terry Spence, Joe Eastwood and Frank Stanford. It went downhill after Bell Media bought it. Now, it is CFAX in name only. I quit listening to it.