Bell shuts down TSN1040 (Vancouver), TSN1150 (Hamilton) | EDIT: also TSN 1290 (Winnipeg)

[Ernie]

Click to read more...

 

[Warden of the North]

Wow

They're gone already. Just playing music now. I cant believe it happened jsut like that

 

[Chairman Maouth]

Heard two knobs whose voices I'd never heard before on TSN 1040 this morning talking NFL. WTF?

Then, a brief blurb: TSN will make a major announcement at 9:30 this morning regarding future programming.

The announcement, in short, TSN 1040 has folded. CKST (the station's call letters) will reveal their new programming format on Friday.

Are there any winners here? Yes, one. TSN's rival station in Vancouver, SN 650.

 

[jetsv2]

TSN 1290 in winnipeg is gone too.

 

[Yukon Joe]

So that's Vancouver and Hamilton, respectively.

But no! Also includes TSN 1290 in Winnipeg. All 3 are done as sports stations.

TSN 1290 done as sports station

 

[jetsv2]

Bell look like real assholes here, they took TSN 1290 in Winnipeg off the air without telling any of the employees there about it. The station went off air before they bothered to tell any of these people that they no longer have jobs.

 

[Mightygoose]

And so sudden. Really sucks for those who worked there.

The Jets just moved their games to CJOB and Canucks with Sportsnet 650 so it doesn't impact the NHL.

TSN 1040 and 1150 carried the BC Lions and Ti-Cats respectively. 1040 also carried the Whitecaps

 

[Fenway]

TSN Winnipeg gone as well

We have some news to share today about changes to our programming. CFRW 1290 AM will no longer be a sports talk radio station.

It was a difficult decision, but the realities of the quickly evolving broadcast media landscape in Canada have made this change unavoidable.

We want to thank our on-air personalities, advertising partners and sponsors, and everyone who has contributed to this station. But especially we want to thank our listeners. Our work here at TSN 1290 was driven by our passion to bring you the very best sports, news and discussion. We sincerely appreciate the time you have spent with us.

You can continue to find TSN sports content on the iHeartRadio Canada platform and on TSN, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.

Thank you again for your loyalty over the years.

 

[jetsv2]

TSN Winnipeg gone as well

We have some news to share today about changes to our programming. CFRW 1290 AM will no longer be a sports talk radio station.

It was a difficult decision, but the realities of the quickly evolving broadcast media landscape in Canada have made this change unavoidable.

We want to thank our on-air personalities, advertising partners and sponsors, and everyone who has contributed to this station. But especially we want to thank our listeners. Our work here at TSN 1290 was driven by our passion to bring you the very best sports, news and discussion. We sincerely appreciate the time you have spent with us.

You can continue to find TSN sports content on the iHeartRadio Canada platform and on TSN, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.

Thank you again for your loyalty over the years.

It evolved so quickly they forgot to tell anybody at TSN 1290 about this before they posted this statement and took the station off air. What a complete joke. f*** Bell and their fake bullshit about mental health.

 

[Teemu]

#BellLetsTalk

 

[Yukon Joe]

What an unbelievably shitty way to do it. Do they think their on-air personalities have no class or professionalism? If the format shift happens on Friday why not let them finish up on-air until then with their heads held high. Let them say goodbye to their listeners, get final interviews with some of their favourite guests, play some of their favourite moments.

 

[StreetHawk]

Realities of a radio station I guess.

For people in 9-5, they would be called into a meeting in the office, or under current circumstances, into a Zoom meeting at say 10am to be given the news.

What can you do when the station is live between 6am to 6pm? Call a meeting for 6:15pm?
This unfortunately is the reality of layoffs. There is no goodbyes. Typically, you get called into a meeting and get told that you are being laid off then they usher you out quickly while they let your department and company know. All down between the start of the day to lunch time to get you out the door without people noticing before they let everyone know.

Did they line up all of the closures at the same time?

1040 in Van it was at 9:30am PST
Was the Hamilton station shut down at 12:30 and the Winnipeg station at 11:30am local times?

 

[StreetHawk]

What an unbelievably shitty way to do it. Do they think their on-air personalities have no class or professionalism? If the format shift happens on Friday why not let them finish up on-air until then with their heads held high. Let them say goodbye to their listeners, get final interviews with some of their favourite guests, play some of their favourite moments.

In today's world of instant messages and stuff, companies are not going to do that. Seen O'Toole post messages right after he was let go regarding Bell's Let's Talk campaign.

Companies won't take that risk with live radio.

 

[Chairman Maouth]

TSN Winnipeg gone as well

We have some news to share today about changes to our programming. CFRW 1290 AM will no longer be a sports talk radio station.

It was a difficult decision, but the realities of the quickly evolving broadcast media landscape in Canada have made this change unavoidable.

We want to thank our on-air personalities, advertising partners and sponsors, and everyone who has contributed to this station. But especially we want to thank our listeners. Our work here at TSN 1290 was driven by our passion to bring you the very best sports, news and discussion. We sincerely appreciate the time you have spent with us.

You can continue to find TSN sports content on the iHeartRadio Canada platform and on TSN, TSN.ca, and the TSN App.

Thank you again for your loyalty over the years.

Exact same message I heard from 1040 in Vancouver.

 

[DannyGallivan]

In today's world of instant messages and stuff, companies are not going to do that. Seen O'Toole post messages right after he was let go regarding Bell's Let's Talk campaign.

Companies won't take that risk with live radio.

From a P.R. standpoint, it's a doube-edged sword. Yes, there may be a risk of a loose cannon spewing his frustrations on live radio, but since these are professionals who likely want to continue in the industry, they'd more than likely take the high road.

Instead, Bell puts themselves firmly in the position of "villain", while those who lost their jobs clearly have the public's sympathy (for the most part).

...and in the background, Sportsnet is trying to suppress a grin.

 

[Yukon Joe]

In today's world of instant messages and stuff, companies are not going to do that. Seen O'Toole post messages right after he was let go regarding Bell's Let's Talk campaign.

Companies won't take that risk with live radio.

But would Dan O'Toole perhaps be less salty if he was given the week

 

[Yukon Joe]

...and in the background, Sportsnet is trying to suppress a grin.

Vancouver was the only market where TSN and Sportsnet were competing. In Winning and Hamilton TSN was the only all-sports station in the market.

 

[SeawaterOnIce]

The reality is that telecom companies in Canada are just gigantic monsters. They are free and able to do whatever they please, can layoff staff, can take federal funds or grants, can hike prices and there's not a damn thing we can do about it. What's even scarier is that these telecom giants have a monopoly of coverage on hockey and the individuals they hire will be even more pushed to limit criticism of the teams and paint a rosy picture even when it is a complete clusterf***.

Bell, Rogers, Shaw. All the same garbage. Leaning up and no longer perceived as job creators.

 

[Fenway]

TSN 690 Montreal (CKGM) is still alive but their latest ratings would indicate they are on life support

 

[DannyGallivan]

Vancouver was the only market where TSN and Sportsnet were competing. In Winning and Hamilton TSN was the only all-sports station in the market.

I mean overall, not just the radio. TSN is axing on-air personalities, lost the rights to the NHL a few years ago, and there isn't even a CFL season for people to watch on that station. I like having two national sports networks, so I hope this isn't a sign that more cuts are coming.

 

[cbcwpg]

From a P.R. standpoint, it's a doube-edged sword. Yes, there may be a risk of a loose cannon spewing his frustrations on live radio, but since these are professionals who likely want to continue in the industry, they'd more than likely take the high road.

Instead, Bell puts themselves firmly in the position of "villain", while those who lost their jobs clearly have the public's sympathy (for the most part).

...and in the background, Sportsnet is trying to suppress a grin.

It's the lawyers that tell companies to lay people off or close the business with no notice it's coming. In a lot of places people first find out they have been closed down when they go to work in the morning and the doors are locked.

 

[Warden of the North]

Can someone explain to me why radio has been effected by the pandemic? Is it advertisers dropping? I mean, I get that sports coverage was difficult at times, but two major sports are currently playing and a third is about to begin. The worst is behind us.

 

[Yukon Joe]

It's the lawyers that tell companies to lay people off or close the business with no notice it's coming. In a lot of places people first find out they have been closed down when they go to work in the morning and the doors are locked.

I'm a lawyer. I was fired once from a big national law firm. They gave me two weeks to clean up my files and desk and to conclude a trial I had coming up in the next coming days. I may not have wanted to help the law firm, but I still wanted to help the client.

But yes, at my current employer, when they've let lawyers go they've been notified at the start of the day and escorted off the premises.

 

[Yukon Joe]

Can someone explain to me why radio has been effected by the pandemic? Is it advertisers dropping? I mean, I get that sports coverage was difficult at times, but two major sports are currently playing and a third is about to begin. The worst is behind us.

Well sports radio was never exactly a ratings behemoth, but I think you've answered your question - with a lot of companies hurting or closed there's a lot less people paying for advertising.

 

[Fenway]

Can someone explain to me why radio has been effected by the pandemic? Is it advertisers dropping? I mean, I get that sports coverage was difficult at times, but two major sports are currently playing and a third is about to begin. The worst is behind us.

In the Boston market, radio listenership is down 40% from last March

People are working from home and not listening in their cars seems to be the main reason.