Hamilton Media

[SteelTown]

I can't stand Merulla's tactics. Why must he have to tip his glass of water to get attention? A simple raise your hands would do like every other councilor.

[ryan_mcgreal]

I noticed in today's Spectator that the news section and the entertainment section had the same number of pages.

[markbarbera]

Actually, it's the GO section that was the same size as the news section at 22 pages. Entertainment is one of several subsections in GO, and covered five pages. Style and Food are other subsections in the GO section. There was a page for the stock market closing summary and a page for the 'Local People' too.

Is it unusual for a Friday paper to have a larger than usual GO Section? The Food columns in the Friday GO are usually several pages long, as opposed to the usual half-page bit Monday to Thursday.

[SteelTown]

I think Dan used to have a radio show on CHML? Maybe he'll return to radio.

[SteelTown]

He kept it professional right to the very end.

[chris_erl]

What we as Hamiltonians need to do, is invest in our own radio stations, newspapers and television stations. Communities from across the city should look to starting volunteer-run newspapers for their neighbourhoods and community radio stations that would service larger communities.

Starting a radio station, for example, could be a project in community building. Multiple community associations could come together, raise money by holding fundraisers or asking for donations from local businesses. They could then go to our many local high schools, to Mohawk or to Mac and recruit budding on air and behind-the-scenes personalities to host shows, mix tracks and gather news stories for the station. These stations could highlight local talent by having local bands and artists showcase their stylings on air, which could help them land their first big break!

If we can't find any quality media in this city, then we should be creating it ourselves! And if not going so far as to start our own stations or papers, then supporting the Hamiltonians who have already taken the initiative like Ryan and RTH or Kevin McKay and the Mayday team.

Hope is not lost for media in Hamilton!

[SteelTown]

CH Morning Live is the most watched show on CH. I believe they actually beat Breakfast television ratings.

[LikeHamilton]

Last week as Morning Live was ending their show, they said that they would not be on the air until Monday January 5 for the back to school/work crowd. They where taking a Christmas holiday and “getting some sleep” (their quote).
I suspect that they maybe getting a new or updated set.

[SteelTown]

Probably change the background computer image of the Hamilton Harbour and the Skyway Bridge to something else non local that includes a CN Tower.

[FairHamilton]

OK, the news came on at 6:00am and it was a repeat of the 11pm news. It was probably the same yesterday, but I only had it on for about a minute and wasn't really paying attention.

My question is what does that do to meeting their 37 hours of local programming per week? Doesn't starting late (I guess they finish early as well), and showing a repeat lower their hours to below the requirement?

[markbarbera]

In today's Spec:

CHCH News programs on holiday break
December 30, 2008
The Hamilton Spectator

CHCH News has dropped three of its programs for the holidays, but the move does not herald the beginning of the end.

"It means nothing," says Nick Garbutt, president of Local 1100 of the Communications, Energy and Paperworkers, about the station's move to shelve the three programs.

"It was just a way to give everyone their holidays."

CHCH News put its Morning Live show, its noon news and its popular Live at 5:30 on hiatus for seven days during the holidays. It began Christmas Day and is to end Friday. Garbutt says the shows will return Jan. 5.

The station, owned by Winnipeg-based Canwest Global, has recently seen layoffs and program cuts as its parent company deals with a sagging bottom line.

The hiatus comes after comments by Canwest head Leonard Asper that the amount of local programming hours cannot be sustained in Hamilton. CHCH News produces 37 hours a week, 30 minutes more than its CRTC licence calls for. The licence is up for renewal in the spring.

CHCH News management did not return a call seeking comment.

In prior years, the morning show continued with substitute anchors. The 'hiatus' is more of a cost-cutting endeavor than 'a way to give everyone their holidays'.

As a side note, has anyone else noticed how often a topic of discussion one day here appears as a news article in the Spec the next day? Is the Spec's news staff trolling this SSP for news leads and ideas for content?

[FairHamilton]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

As a side note, has anyone else noticed how often a topic of discussion one day here appears as a news article in the Spec the next day? Is the Spec's news staff trolling this SSP for news leads and ideas for content?

Especially, when this started on Christmas day. It could have easily been in the Boxing Day, Saturday, or Monday paper.......

[omro]

Originally Posted by markbarbera

As a side note, has anyone else noticed how often a topic of discussion one day here appears as a news article in the Spec the next day? Is the Spec's news staff trolling this SSP for news leads and ideas for content?

Any examples?

[markbarbera]

Originally Posted by omro

Any examples?

Well, this item for example. It was discussed here, then appeared in the Spec the following day. On December 18 the Upper James cinema closing was discussed in the rumour mill thread, and there was a news article on it the following day in the Spec. A discussion about the Hamilton Grand started up here on the 10, and Andrew Dreshel writes about it in his Spec column shortly thereafter. Just a few recent examples that could be simple coincidence, but I get the feeling that visiting this SSP has become part of the Spec's daily newshounding techniques.

[SteelTown]

We do get a high level of guest viewing this section, I believe we have more guest viewing that actual members.

[SteelTown]

I would like to see Torstar own a channel. Wish they won in the past instead of Toronto One crap.

[FairHamilton]

Wow, CH has cut back. I'm watching the 11pm News and they even took Nick Dixon's chair away.........

[flar]

A new issue of the Bay Observer was at my door today.

[realcity]

The name "Bay Observer" to me means it will try to penetrate Burlington as much as Hamilton. Burlington loves calling it Burlington Bay and looks like an attempt to reach out across the Bay. I think this position is doomed, here's why.

This has been the problem with The Spec and CHCH, they try to be all things to everyone and end up being nothing to no one. Either choose to be a Hamilton news medium and nail it or don't do it. The wishy-washy geographic positioning of CHCH/The Spec with their token news real footage from "Downtown Oakville" or the The Spec's usually irrelevant column from Joan Little -- who's time has come and gone and lives in the glory days of suburban dreams -- doesn't serve to give any ownership from the readers/viewers. Neither Oakville or Burlington consider the token mentions enough to consider it a valid news source for them, and for Hamilton readers/viewers it becomes fluff to be glazed over as Hamiltonians become further estranged from what is supposed to be our 'local media'.

[highwater]

I totally agree with this. While there's alot to like about the BO, their forced marriage of Burlington and Hamilton has been awkward, and smacks of desperation.

The editor attempted a weak defense of this stance in one of the first issues. He admitted that he was a former Hamiltonian who had long ago decamped to the greener, more manicured pastures of Burlington, but had noticed Hamilton making a bit of a comeback. It makes the BO seem like a bit of a vanity project by a couple of old Burlington boys who want to get in on some of Hamilton's renewed mojo.

At least their office is downtown, but like David Estok over at the Spec, they're daytrippers. The BO needs to commit to one or the other to be taken seriously by this reader.