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Bell Media tosses on-air talent onto the street

 


The good folks at Bell Media have done this community another solid this week by firing a gaggle of very popular on-air personalities.
You might have heard of them: Sandy Sharkey, Steve Gregory (Bob-FM), Red Allen (Majic 100), Eric Longley (weatherguy, CTV Ottawa), Corey Ginther (sportsguy, CTV Ottawa). In the television game, essentially, they've gutted the Saturday news team, with only Kimothy Walker left to carry the can.
It's not about "economics" says Bell Media apologist Richard Green. They simply want to go another way. In the case of CTV Ottawa, another way is to downgrade the two on-air positions to part-time.
In the other cases, well, I guess Bell is thinking of changing the formats of the radio stations once again.
Guess the suits have nothing better to do.
The fact is that each of these individuals has long tenure and higher salaries than Bell Media wants to pay. By packaging them, they can hire young folks without families and mortgages, kids out of school who will work for little pay or no benefits. Or stay-at-homers with little kids.
Unfortunately for us, it means having to watch and listen to amateur hour.
Have you seen the fill-in hosts that they bring in to do the weather?
Popsies with big hair, tight dresses and push-up bras.
And sports? I have two words.
Carolyn Waldo.
Our on-air personalities are like family. They come into our homes and cars and make friends with us. They work long hours, overnights and split shifts just to get a shot at the show. When they get there, they do good work in the community.
They matter to us.
So Godspeed one and all.
Good luck finding another good media job since all the media is owned by two companies in town.
Thanks CRTC for letting Bell and Rogers rule the airwaves.
I'm so proud to be a Canadian.
 

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