(Peter Walsh/Telegraph-Journal) Tom Young, former Talk of the Town host and now host of a talk show on News 88.9, says CFBC has 'thrown in the towel.'
SAINT JOHN - As the legacy of a Saint John radio show comes to an end, one man thinks it's a shame, while another says it's just fine.
Talk of the Town, a show aired on CFBC for the last 40 years, will not return this fall.
"I'm deeply disappointed," said Bob Lockhart, founder and former host of the radio show. "We had such a good time you almost felt bad about taking money for it."
Lockhart created the talk radio show in 1963. He said the program took an aggressive stance on news - something he said the city was lacking during the time.
"We found social issues in the community," he said. "If somebody's pension cheque was stolen, if someone who couldn't find somewhere to live, that sort of thing."
Lockhart said he had no problem giving out city councillors' home telephone numbers on air if it meant getting an important job done.
"It provided a champion for people with legit problems."
He spoke about the radio station with nostalgia, noting the owners have changed over the years, bringing a different dynamic to the talk show.
"Our news totally dominated the market, and with that behind us, we took on every cause as best we could," he said. "You just had to listen."
Lockhart described CFBC's beginning as "the little station that could." It took on hard issues, he said, and exposed major stories.
"We were an active social organization as part of the community," he said. "Anything that harmed it, we would just rail against people."
Lockhart hosted Talk of the Town until about 1969, when he decided to dabble in politics. He later became mayor of Saint John.
Not long after Lockhart, Tom Young took over the mic at the station, and went on to host the show on CFBC for about 20 years.
"If it's still on the air, that's fine, but if it's gone, that's fine," said Young, adding change is a part of life.
Young said the community-minded program that always tackled tough issues.
"I had a blast doing it. Everybody listened to the radio at that time," he said, referring to the 1970s, '80s and '90s.
Talk of the Town was the king of local radio at the time, both men said. The show concentrated on political and community issues, and tended to focus on city council and the Irving family as starting points for heated discussions.
"It had its finger on the pulse of what was going on in Saint John," Young said.
When asked why Talk of the Town was ending, Rob Alexander, operations manager at CFBC, said "we feel that our niche is really playing oldies music, and that's what we'd like to focus on."
He said the show would usually return from a summer hiatus on the last Monday of August, but will not do so this year.
"We feel we're facing a new competitive environment with the advent of satellite radio, where there's literally hundreds of channels to choose from," he said.
Lockhart said the radio business is booming, and satellite radio options should be no reason to put an end to the show.
"You can have all kinds of music (on satellite radio)," he said. "You can't get the school cancellations, you can't get the blocked streets, you can't get the disaster in one part of the city, so I think it's a wonderful time for the station."
Young, who hosts an afternoon news show on News 88.9, said the cancellation is no surprise.
"They have just given it up, they've thrown in the towel," he said. "Doing music is cheaper."
Young left Talk of the Town in 1992 and returned for a short stint in 1996.
"I gave it my best shot," he said, adding he eventually left the show because of financial issues. "I did the best job that I could possibly do."
The former hosts said there is no equivalent to Talk of the Town in Saint John's media today.
"Talk of the Town, for a number of years, impacted the life of virtually every family in the city," Young said. "Either Mom listened to it or Dad listened to it, or Grandma or Grandpa listened to it. It really was the talk of the town."
Young is right. I suspect that's part of the reason we're seeing such an interest in blogging. Here at least you can get local opinions and even sometimes news and opinion. You can even offer yours. Radio is a shadow of what it once was.
Very true. Radio is one person monopoly and the advertising is an insult to a baboon.So I quit radio TV and newspapers 2 years ago,finally peace and quite and internet.It is GREAT to read the comments of your fellow countryman and do one's own disecting.Where else would you get the opinions of lesser educated or lesser read people and realize what a GREAT insite they can give you.I have always maintained,street people,can teach us a lot,besides maybe someday we will need them to help us survive.
6 comments:
Do not give up. Open another flikr acount. Computer WCIE may be able to help you.
In other news, after literally thousands of posts, you actually learned how to spell blogging.
Maybe there is hope you'll get yourself a clue someday.
By Candice Mac Lean
Telegraph-Journal
(Peter Walsh/Telegraph-Journal)
Tom Young, former Talk of the Town host and now host of a talk show on News 88.9, says CFBC has 'thrown in the towel.'
SAINT JOHN - As the legacy of a Saint John radio show comes to an end, one man thinks it's a shame, while another says it's just fine.
Talk of the Town, a show aired on CFBC for the last 40 years, will not return this fall.
"I'm deeply disappointed," said Bob Lockhart, founder and former host of the radio show. "We had such a good time you almost felt bad about taking money for it."
Lockhart created the talk radio show in 1963. He said the program took an aggressive stance on news - something he said the city was lacking during the time.
"We found social issues in the community," he said. "If somebody's pension cheque was stolen, if someone who couldn't find somewhere to live, that sort of thing."
Lockhart said he had no problem giving out city councillors' home telephone numbers on air if it meant getting an important job done.
"It provided a champion for people with legit problems."
He spoke about the radio station with nostalgia, noting the owners have changed over the years, bringing a different dynamic to the talk show.
"Our news totally dominated the market, and with that behind us, we took on every cause as best we could," he said. "You just had to listen."
Lockhart described CFBC's beginning as "the little station that could." It took on hard issues, he said, and exposed major stories.
"We were an active social organization as part of the community," he said. "Anything that harmed it, we would just rail against people."
Lockhart hosted Talk of the Town until about 1969, when he decided to dabble in politics. He later became mayor of Saint John.
Not long after Lockhart, Tom Young took over the mic at the station, and went on to host the show on CFBC for about 20 years.
"If it's still on the air, that's fine, but if it's gone, that's fine," said Young, adding change is a part of life.
Young said the community-minded program that always tackled tough issues.
"I had a blast doing it. Everybody listened to the radio at that time," he said, referring to the 1970s, '80s and '90s.
Talk of the Town was the king of local radio at the time, both men said. The show concentrated on political and community issues, and tended to focus on city council and the Irving family as starting points for heated discussions.
"It had its finger on the pulse of what was going on in Saint John," Young said.
When asked why Talk of the Town was ending, Rob Alexander, operations manager at CFBC, said "we feel that our niche is really playing oldies music, and that's what we'd like to focus on."
He said the show would usually return from a summer hiatus on the last Monday of August, but will not do so this year.
"We feel we're facing a new competitive environment with the advent of satellite radio, where there's literally hundreds of channels to choose from," he said.
Lockhart said the radio business is booming, and satellite radio options should be no reason to put an end to the show.
"You can have all kinds of music (on satellite radio)," he said. "You can't get the school cancellations, you can't get the blocked streets, you can't get the disaster in one part of the city, so I think it's a wonderful time for the station."
Young, who hosts an afternoon news show on News 88.9, said the cancellation is no surprise.
"They have just given it up, they've thrown in the towel," he said. "Doing music is cheaper."
Young left Talk of the Town in 1992 and returned for a short stint in 1996.
"I gave it my best shot," he said, adding he eventually left the show because of financial issues. "I did the best job that I could possibly do."
The former hosts said there is no equivalent to Talk of the Town in Saint John's media today.
"Talk of the Town, for a number of years, impacted the life of virtually every family in the city," Young said. "Either Mom listened to it or Dad listened to it, or Grandma or Grandpa listened to it. It really was the talk of the town."
Young is right. I suspect that's part of the reason we're seeing such an interest in blogging. Here at least you can get local opinions and even sometimes news and opinion. You can even offer yours. Radio is a shadow of what it once was.
Very true. Radio is one person monopoly and the advertising is an insult to a baboon.So I quit radio TV and newspapers 2 years ago,finally peace and quite and internet.It is GREAT to read the comments of your fellow countryman and do one's own disecting.Where else would you get the opinions of lesser educated or lesser read people and realize what a GREAT insite they can give you.I have always maintained,street people,can teach us a lot,besides maybe someday we will need them to help us survive.
You can always try ImageShack
You can post an unlimited number of pictures and it's all free!!!
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