Episodes
Friday Oct 30, 2020
Cross Talk: Season Five, Episode 1
Friday Oct 30, 2020
Friday Oct 30, 2020
Just in time for #WorldAudioDramaDay 2020: I'm starting Season Five! My newest examination of what happened...and what did not happen...when War of the Worlds was performed live on radio on October 30, 1938. As I have argued in Season 1, Episodes 7 and 8 and Season 3, Episode 9...the broadcast did not cause "mass panic". But it served the interests of the newspaper industry of the day to manufacture a crisis of confidence against radio. This time, more on the historic treatment of the broadcast, including a look at how some podcasts are covering War of the Worlds. I'm starting to hear other researchers pointing out: there was not a mass panic. For educational purposes. Makes fair dealing use of snippets from the CBC Gem trailer for War of the Worlds (2020 tv series); The Uncoverup Conspiracy Cast podcast (July 31, 2020); Radio Lab (October 2018); Everything War of the Worlds (October 2020).
I highly recommend a listen to the Radio Lab episode; and to the Uncoverup series.
There are still so many more layers to the story of War of the Worlds.
Saturday Oct 10, 2020
You Won't Hear This on the News - Episode 4
Saturday Oct 10, 2020
Saturday Oct 10, 2020
Donald Trump has been given hours of free airtime. Unchallenged, unquestioned, un-fact-checked...on right wing talk radio. On hundreds of radio stations, with a reach way into the millions. But print, online, tv and other audio media were waiting to see what would happen on a one network "tv" show for his first "on camera" interview since returning from the hospital. What happens earlier in the day on radio is really significant. But you won't hear this on the news.
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
You Won't Hear This on the News - Episode 3
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
Sunday Aug 30, 2020
NBA players, coaches and team owners are leading where elected officials and other influential citizens are failing. It's time for more people to speak up and to take action. What kinds of action might be productive toward creating change? Actions that have impact on the finances and operations of people and organizations that are so far failing to end systemic racism within their spheres. Some suggestions here. From August 30, 2020. Unscripted.
Tuesday Aug 18, 2020
You Won't Hear this on the News - Episode Two
Tuesday Aug 18, 2020
Tuesday Aug 18, 2020
My unscripted thoughts on finding the story about Michelle Obama's remarkable speech to the Democratic National Convention missing from the news on the radio on the very station that carried the speech, and on the radio in Toronto the next morning. It's the most significant story of the day, in my opinion.
Friday Jul 10, 2020
Friday Jul 10, 2020
Unscripted, live-to-tape commentary moments after the conclusion of a news conference carried live on Newsradio 930 WBEN in Buffalo New York, received over the air in Toronto. The statue of Columbus in Buffalo is being taken down and moved; not in any attempt at dialogue for the times in which we live, but in order to preserve it and replace it with something else celebrating one community in that city. I wonder how the mayor really feels about it, and about his role in the situation.
Friday May 15, 2020
Cross Talk: Season Four, Episode 17
Friday May 15, 2020
Friday May 15, 2020
"Thank you, Radio." From May 15, 2020. Radio stations around the world have been providing more than the latest news during the Covid-19 pandemic. Many are performing at their peak, under difficult circumstances, in trying times. Several recent episodes have highlighted and examined various aspects of local radio's response to the crisis -- notably, episodes 14, 13, 11 and 10. Today...to end this season...I'm saying "Thank you, Radio."
For educational purposes. Makes fair use of bits of audio from Newstalk 1010 Toronto, a spot produced for Sleep Country Canada, and audio provided by CJRT JazzFM Toronto.
Final episode of Season Four; there are now 60 episodes in total.
Friday May 08, 2020
Cross Talk: Season Four, Episode 16
Friday May 08, 2020
Friday May 08, 2020
"On toxic talk radio." From May 7, 2020. In Season 4, Episode Two I raise the concept of "toxic" talk radio; radio that is extreme in its philosophy and hostile toward people with differing approaches and opinions. The talk radio we have in Canada is mild by comparison; even the politically right-wing talk shows here pale by comparison to the extremism typical in the examples given in this episode. Some radio and communications students have heard of some of the hosts sampled here; many have heard, or heard of, none. Everyone in radio and mass communication should have some awareness. These hosts are powerful; they influence opinion and actions. Makes fair use of samples from the Mark Levin show, Savage Nation with Michael Savage, and the Rush Limbaugh show. For educational purposes.
Thursday Apr 30, 2020
Cross Talk: Season Four, Episode 15
Thursday Apr 30, 2020
Thursday Apr 30, 2020
"On the failure to warn the public" From April 30, 2020. The RCMP in Nova Scotia chose to use Twitter to warn residents in an isolated rural area to stay inside and lock their doors when they were called to the scene of murders and arson on a Saturday night in April. It was another eight hours or so before they felt a second tweet was warranted; after a witness came forward and told them the man they were looking for was dressed as a cop, and driving a replica cruiser. What unfolded overnight and through Sunday morning became the worst mass murder in Canadian history. It didn't take long for radio and tv stations to wonder why the RCMP had not issued an "emergency alert" to warn the public. But someone should also be asking...how did radio and tv miss the story for so many hours? They could have had the story on the air late Saturday night. But they missed it.
Thursday Apr 23, 2020
Cross Talk: Season Four, Episode 14
Thursday Apr 23, 2020
Thursday Apr 23, 2020
"How Radio adapts in the Time of the Pandemic" - from April 17, 2020. Continuing my examination of radio's response to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. Previous episodes include reference to special programming, and to radio hosts performing from home. In this episode, a former talk show host -- the current mayor of Toronto -- returns to the air to host a one-time call-in show; and two morning co-hosts share their story of adjusting to broadcasting from their basements at home. Makes fair use of audio from Newstalk 1010 Toronto. Thank you to Samantha Houston and Neil Hedley of AM740 CFMZ Zoomer Radio in Toronto for responding to my request for their participation by recording together and sharing their stories.
Thursday Apr 09, 2020
Cross Talk: Season Four, Episode 13
Thursday Apr 09, 2020
Thursday Apr 09, 2020
What if Radio was not there? From April 8, 2020. What if you turned on the radio and there was...nothing there? Unthinkable. In the time of the covid-19 pandemic, local radio is doing more and more to keep listeners informed, entertained and comforted. No other form of media is going to talk about radio the way radio is talking about them. But it's been that way for a long time. Me? I love to talk about Radio. Here we go.
No use of audio this time. Because what if...there was nothing there?