TSN Radio: 1290 am - Part VII

[Spock]

Westwood is a local talent. Best thing on Winnipeg Radio! Dude knows his stuff. I mean the guy is a an ex-pro.

Being a former CFL pro-kicker does not mean you can speak on NHL hockey, which takes up the majority of air time, with a very much experience.

 

[Huffer]

I start my drive on the way to work listening to 1290; usually when I am on Archibald approaching Marion I start getting interference from the power lines and I can't hear it very well and I tune into one of the FM stations. Then I realize I haven't missed anything at all.

I don't know about Radio technologies, but it's very annoying that 1290 is the only station for me that humms very badly all the way to work. I don't know if it's the power lines, or street lights, but I was at a traffic light one time when all the street lights went out and the hum went away.

Is it something to do with the specific frequency that 1290 broadcasts on? Can they do anything to fix it?

 

[PaulPooley]

Westwood working himself into a lather this week without Toth to distract him

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Being a former CFL pro-kicker does not mean you can speak on NHL hockey, which takes up the majority of air time, with a very much experience.

Back in my day we had professional sports writers. They were not usually retired pro athletes. In fact, maybe never. They were professional journalists and they educated themselves in the sports they covered. Of course, some were much better and some were much worse than others but there was no need to have played the game at a very high level. In fact, that would have been nearly impossible as most covered multiple sports, season to season.

I'm not saying that former players didn't bring an insider's perspective and an interesting slant but I think it would be better if we still had a mix of more professional journalists amid the jocks.

 

[Spock]

Back in my day we had professional sports writers. They were not usually retired pro athletes. In fact, maybe never. They were professional journalists and they educated themselves in the sports they covered. Of course, some were much better and some were much worse than others but there was no need to have played the game at a very high level. In fact, that would have been nearly impossible as most covered multiple sports, season to season.

I'm not saying that former players didn't bring an insider's perspective and an interesting slant but I think it would be better if we still had a mix of more professional journalists amid the jocks.

Or at least somebody who knows how to use "upcoming" in a sentence, especially if they're going to use it every segment.
ie
"Looking forward to the Jets game upcoming tonight."

 

[cbcwpg]

I don't know about Radio technologies, but it's very annoying that 1290 is the only station for me that humms very badly all the way to work. I don't know if it's the power lines, or street lights, but I was at a traffic light one time when all the street lights went out and the hum went away.

Is it something to do with the specific frequency that 1290 broadcasts on? Can they do anything to fix it?

Basically AM radio ( being cheaper than FM and able to transmit farther ) is susceptible to outside interference from sources like power lines and street lights, and just basic blockage from buildings as well. Not to get too technical, but frequency is inversely proportional to wavelength, so the higher frequency signals have a shorter wavelengths so their energy lost due to collisions between the particles in the medium in which it travels ( IE: the air ). is higher. So the result is the interference of said street lights has a bigger impact.

This is why CJOB (680) has less interference problems than TSN (1290) . The number just isn't a number, it's the frequency. This is why older AM radio stations tend to exist lower on the band than newer AM stations... they want less interference and they were there first, so they got the lower frequency.

The only fix is for TSN to fight to get a lower frequency or really up the power output ( which is more for distance than interference, but it can't hurt to try )



Of note to add. You can get the Jets' games on SXM. Same TSN feed, but way clearer sound and zero interference.

 

[Saintb]

Back in my day we had professional sports writers. They were not usually retired pro athletes. In fact, maybe never. They were professional journalists and they educated themselves in the sports they covered. Of course, some were much better and some were much worse than others but there was no need to have played the game at a very high level. In fact, that would have been nearly impossible as most covered multiple sports, season to season.

I'm not saying that former players didn't bring an insider's perspective and an interesting slant but I think it would be better if we still had a mix of more professional journalists amid the jocks.

Yup. I remember Jack Matheson lol

 

[Gm0ney]

Yup. I remember Jack Matheson lol

Cactus Jack was really out of his depth when last names became more adventurous than "Smith" and "McDonald".

 

[kanadalainen]

Westwood on the banjo?

Then get him to run a little Foggy Mountain Breakdown when things get bogged. You can't frown in the midst of a hard FMB launch.

 

[Ducky10]

Or at least somebody who knows how to use "upcoming" in a sentence, especially if they're going to use it every segment.
ie
"Looking forward to the Jets game upcoming tonight."

This, knowing how to form a coherent sentence should be a minimum broadcasting standard. one would think.

 

[kanadalainen]

Being a former CFL pro-kicker does not mean you can speak on NHL hockey, which takes up the majority of air time, with a very much experience.

Can you imagine leaving him alone with a tricorder?

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Cactus Jack was really out of his depth when last names became more adventurous than "Smith" and "McDonald".

But son John was good.

 

[Ducky10]

But son John was good.

When he was sober.

 

[Spock]

Can you imagine leaving him alone with a tricorder?

The odds of him knowing how to properly use one are not favourbable.

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

When he was sober.

Yeah, odd. Cactus Jack was better when he was drinking. Well maybe not better, but funnier.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Back in my day we had professional sports writers. They were not usually retired pro athletes. In fact, maybe never. They were professional journalists and they educated themselves in the sports they covered. Of course, some were much better and some were much worse than others but there was no need to have played the game at a very high level. In fact, that would have been nearly impossible as most covered multiple sports, season to season.

I'm not saying that former players didn't bring an insider's perspective and an interesting slant but I think it would be better if we still had a mix of more professional journalists amid the jocks.

Mortimer, I adore your love letter to professional journalism. My dad was and is a sportswriter (mostly retired now) and growing up I got to meet and know a bunch of his colleagues and friends from work. When he was working at the Sun (and he worked basically everywhere at one point or another) he even got me a non-sports job at the paper that got me into the newsroom from time to time. One of my proudest achievements is one year I got into the sports department hockey pool and I didn't finish last.

However, if you're lucky sportswriters went to some form of journalism school, where they are taught about writing. What they are never taught about are the sports themselves. Sure, most of them learn a thing or two by hanging out at the rink or ballfield every day, but never take a sports journalist as any kind of expert on the particular sport.

So what does that mean for Westwood? He's only able to give inside information when talking about the CFL, not hockey. But he isn't any less qualified to talk hockey than anyone else. But yes - generally I would prefer to hear from experienced broadcasters. They may not have anything more to say than anyone else, but at least they're easier to listen to.

 

[sipowicz]

When he was sober.

Which wasn't very often!

 

[Mortimer Snerd]

Mortimer, I adore your love letter to professional journalism. My dad was and is a sportswriter (mostly retired now) and growing up I got to meet and know a bunch of his colleagues and friends from work. When he was working at the Sun (and he worked basically everywhere at one point or another) he even got me a non-sports job at the paper that got me into the newsroom from time to time. One of my proudest achievements is one year I got into the sports department hockey pool and I didn't finish last.

However, if you're lucky sportswriters went to some form of journalism school, where they are taught about writing. What they are never taught about are the sports themselves. Sure, most of them learn a thing or two by hanging out at the rink or ballfield every day, but never take a sports journalist as any kind of expert on the particular sport.

So what does that mean for Westwood? He's only able to give inside information when talking about the CFL, not hockey. But he isn't any less qualified to talk hockey than anyone else. But yes - generally I would prefer to hear from experienced broadcasters. They may not have anything more to say than anyone else, but at least they're easier to listen to.

I have a bit of a similar history. I think you are both right and wrong about sports writers expertise. They might not know how to get around a Dman one on one or how to win a face-off but they did have a lot of expertise on the bigger picture and also a lot of colourful inside stuff about players, coaches and teams.

The best of them would dig into the stories, as true journalists. So, even though they lacked the hands on knowledge of the games' intricacies they could be very informative to the fans.

I think the media generally had a good balance when they began bringing in the jocks as colour men, alongside the professional sports broadcasters. Unfortunately, IMO they kept going in that direction, replacing most of the journalists with jocks. Not entirely, but too far.

To Westwood's credit, I think he at least tries to learn about sports other than football. I don't listen to him (or 1290) much but he seems to be trying to become a real sports broadcaster. Not just an ex-player colour guy.

Now to blow my whole theme out of the water we have Toth and Kevin O. Supposedly professional sports broadcasters. The problem is just that they aren't very good.

 

[Neuf]

Blogging killed journalism

 

[blues10]

Jack Matheson and cactus Jack Wells are not the same guy. John Wells is the son of cactus Jack Wells.

 

[sipowicz]

So on the drive in to work this morning I finally turned TSN 1290 back on after a six month absence, no Toth just crappy Westwood and his just inhaled helium voice and Rewucki, more of the same non-interesting dribble, luckily signal cut out close to Portage and Main and got back to more mindless banter on 94.3~

And The Pint closing in Feb., say what!?

 

[SensibleGuy]

jesus Ralph from St James...I know he's an old guy and all that but man, does he think he's clever!

 

[GaryPoppins]

I don't know about Radio technologies, but it's very annoying that 1290 is the only station for me that humms very badly all the way to work. I don't know if it's the power lines, or street lights, but I was at a traffic light one time when all the street lights went out and the hum went away.

Is it something to do with the specific frequency that 1290 broadcasts on? Can they do anything to fix it?

Powerlines.

 

[barrywpg]

jesus Ralph from St James...I know he's an old guy and all that but man, does he think he's clever!

Followed by Furby and then Gregory.
It was so bad i couldn't turn it off, even though my brain was hurting.

 

[SensibleGuy]

lol yeah it was a veritable Nit-wit Parade!