According to Gord Lansdell at the Northwest Broadcasters website, the rumours have proven to be true. He’s been told on good authority that the CKNW news department will be moving in to the Global BC Burnaby studios in the next few months. The exact date has yet to be confirmed.
Note to those left behind after the move.
CKNW News Talk Sports
CKNW News Talk
CKNW News Buzz line
CKNW Buzz Line
CKNW ???????????
It will be up to the CKNW talk show hosts to provide a different perspective on Global’s news bias. The hosts should also bring the listener other news stories that are no longer covered in NW’s shorter newscasts.
As Tiger Williams used to say…”NW is done like dinner…”
Sad day indeed. Let’s get some perspective from ‘NW great George Garrett. And if the news team, such as it is, is moving to Lake City, why not move the whole operation?
BTW, did anyone catch the name of the Drex co-host last evening? He was announced as someone who’d be filling in when Drex was away.
NW seems like a tired network filled with low part time employees. I am not criticizing who are still working there. They are doing the best with the tools provided. The morning show is the most tired and not the most desired.
Seems that former Global employee Steve Darling is out at 650 Sportsnet. Says he will resurface in April.
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Do not forget the Loss of both the Canucks and Lions.
It seems to be a very slippery slope.
Who will be left to “Turn Out the Lights”?
How can anyone “Spin” this as a positive? – Pfffft !!
Lt’s hope that someone at WX or another Station with Financial stability sees the “Circling of the drain” of NW and takes advantage of it to re-introduce a new type of “Top Dog” Radio somehow.
No I am not a Radio Guy but it seems to me all WX would need to do is put World International, National, and Local News on from 5 AM until 8 AM, then Talk on until Noon, then a one hour News Package until 1 PM then Talk until 5 PM then Drive time World, National, Local News Programming until 7 PM.
I would be quite sure Michael Smyth and Jill Bennett would be interested in the two Talk Jobs.
The routine in our home for 40 plus years was to listen to ‘NWs 8 am and Noon news in order to keep up on what is happening in the world and at home.
Almost four years ago we moved away from Vancouver to “small town Fraser Valley” where the clearest way to hear Vancouver radio is on the telus box.
We have found that we don’t need ‘NW or for that mater any of the city’s radio stations. What is being reported is mostly irrelevant to this area. … other then traffic reports for the freeway.
We will watch the evening new just to stay somewhat current….What that does is make us more thankful that we are here, away from hustle and drama and stressers of the big city.
The days of George Garrett and top news stories that kept you on NW have gone.
The best NW can do now is go Black.
Would be interesting to hear what George has to say.
NW is a shadow of itself, the on-air “personalities” are difficult to listen to these days.
It’s painful listening to Tim Dickert stuttering his way through whatever segment he’s doing and Gord MacDonald screeching his opinion and trying to sound clever!!
Give Mike Smyth a permanent gig on the station.
I foresee many pink slips accompanying this move. Time to update those resumes and maybe consider a change of careers.
Many industry professionals have changed careers in the past few. Many into real estate. Mike Smyth, I’m told, Isn’t interested in a full-time gig at 980. Has his hands full with newspaper and family. I’m surprised at how many doomsayers are on this topic and on this site in general. Easy to criticize from outside the fence.
I too am outside now but believe the reason for the move (literally) is to vacate one of the two floors CORUS occupies in the Black Tower. The News Room is on the upper floor with 4 control rooms (one for each station) and a Production wing. The lower floor is filled with management, sales and creative. Oh, and the Lunch Room!
I wouldn’t be looking for CKWX to fill the gap anytime soon. One look at the ratings over the past few years would show them much lower than ‘NW.
George Garrett, while missed on and off the air, can’t offer an informed opinion because times have changed drastically since his retirement. Trust me George, you’re better off.
Mr Bell, if I may. Im not sure why your surprised that “people outside the fence” are critical of this industry. Of course people in the business know some of the more intricate details and this allows them a different perspective.
Those of us “outside the fence” are what are commonly known as consumers of the product. As we are the ones that pay the freight(so to speak) we are valid critics and should be listened to.
I agree with most of what was said here – radio of the old days is gone. You have to remember that pay for broadcast people is VERY poor, under federal law – not even minimum wages standards and it’s hard for good people to live. Stations are squeezing every ounce out of their people and who needs that.
My bet is that S. Darling is back at Global as part of CKNW….
Big deal.
The CKNW “News Department” is 5 people.
… 3 of whom don’t know how to speak on the radio.
That won’t take up a lot desk space out in Burnaby.
Global (like ever other broadcast outlet) have been “making a lot of desks available”… over the past few years.
I simply used WX as an example because they appear to have sound financial backing.
As to WX being lower ranked than NW?
Well in my world that would be why WX should at least talk to and consider bringing in two talented Fair and Balanced people like Smyth and Bennett who IMHO offer more than what CKNDP now has in their two morning slots.
If Smyth does not want it so be it, continue the search.
As I stated I am not a Radio TV Guy but I believe there is an opportunity there for WX or any other Corp that sees the real opportunity.
I have been a Shareholder in a handful of Media Corps over the years.
In My World that is How a Company can Grow and Thrive.
It has worked for me and I am in several different Business’s.
Most Corps regardless of size Hire, make changes or in some cases Fire or Lay Off to improve their Product which in theory should eventually improve the bottom line.
Iit appears that Broadcasting does Firings and Lay Offs for the short term bottom line.
I am happy to see Larry has picked up on the problem with many at NW requiring a Translator.
What the Hell is wrong with Station Management?
We all need to learn but Saskatoon should not be a challenge. Of course there are more but………
@Larry Jordan, Im still chuckling over your comment. Yesterday I heard one of the news readers struggling with tuberculosis. She broke it into two words and screwed them both up
Re: News1130 / CKWX and it’s lower ratings than CKNW… News1130 is very influential in the business community, especially in technology. The business reports are widely followed. Business at 26 and 56 past the hour has a broad following.
Yes News Watcher…
The high tech community gathers around their radios (waiting a bit for the tubes to heat up)
to get their financial data from News 1130,
which they then plug into their slide rules.
I think Larry is out of touch. I work with some tech startups. I agree that it is surprising.
All that’s wrong at NW
-Their afternoon news guy can not finish a newscast without tripping over his lips
-Almost every new news and traffic person throws away the call letters as they rush through them
-Mumbling though news casts and traffic
-Mispronunciation of local names, landmarks and musicians in stories
Layoffs in the News department at ‘NW.