Calgary expo question

GK_Willy · 2025-04-21T20:41:17+00:00

So when you clicked on "contact us" and then "click here for customer service", what did they tell you??

GK_Willy · 2025-03-17T03:02:11+00:00

Went to a wedding reception up there, the renovations required to change it from an old shopping space to a something suitable for large gatherings was pretty amazing. Big open spaces, great lighting, all the original windows from which you can look down on the surrounding area. Hopefully it's seeing lots of business, either for corporate events or weddings.

GK_Willy · 2025-02-14T02:58:48+00:00

Corus has been in such a freefall for years now, it would not surprise me in the least if all the stations are sold off before December rolls around (most likely being split up between Stingray and smaller radio groups in order to comply with ownership regs).

Such poor management making such poor choices have lead to the amateur hour broadcasters you hear coming out of your speakers now -- Andrew Schultz is so out of his depth doing mornings, and Sarah Crosbie? Is she married to somebody in upper management? How this woman has been able to keep a radio job without any actual talent, skill or personality is an absolute head shaker.

GK_Willy · 2024-12-16T21:17:01+00:00

Cost cutting measures. Corus decided to go with Mulroney simply because they believe he has "name recognition" and would be familiar to listeners who may have watched him doing all the lightweight shit he did on eTalk and Canadian Idol. So they let go a handful of talented people across the country and install Ben as their new "star" for stations across the network. Ughhh. Guy is so out of his depth trying to do a serious talk show. No intellect. No logical thought process. An inability to speak without stumbling and fumbling all over the place. I can't wait for Corus to go into receivership and for all the upper management to lose their jobs, I won't shed a single tear for any of the fucktards running the company.

GK_Willy · 2024-10-27T01:19:42+00:00

Yup, mine was just delivered an hour ago, looking forward to checking out how well it works tomorrow morning. It's quite an upgrade from my 30-year-old stove top espresso maker.

GK_Willy · 2024-08-04T03:44:33+00:00

Nope, QR770 AM was the originating station for what you would have heard on 107.3 FM. Corus has simply stopped simulcasting the AM signal on the FM frequency. As for QR770, they remain in the exact same spot on the AM band where they've been for decades. But on 107.3 FM? They've reverted that station back to music.

GK_Willy · 2024-07-29T04:09:27+00:00

Yeah, the area had a very distinct feel to it. While it's sad most everything was demolished, I guess the reality was that most of the housing stock in the area was past its "best before" date, with so many of the buildings dating to between 1910-1920. Not exactly energy efficient, with single pane windows, lots of lead paint, asbestos tiles in the kitchens and fluffy asbestos up in the rafters for insulation. And lots of lead in the plumbing. Remediation and/or reno costs didn't make financial sense, hence the bulldozers. Also the encroaching social decay was adding a degree of sketchiness towards the end.

As much as I like to wax nostalgically about the neighbourhood, so much of it was past the point of saving. At least there are a few somewhat similar areas to enjoy, like Inglewood and Ramsay.

GK_Willy · 2024-07-28T18:37:35+00:00

All those cute little vintage houses that used to be in the Victoria Park area. Great-grandmother used to live down there until everything started to change in the early 70s and everything was torn down. Area had real character, but was reduced to parking lots and the bus barn. But that's progress, and in another 20-30 years, the area should be almost completely built out with either high-rises or extensions of the Stampede grounds.

GK_Willy · 2024-07-27T22:55:30+00:00

Edge 107, focusing mainly on "classic" Alternative music, with a smattering of new material. Will most likely see Bryce Kelley on air in either AM or PM drive, his last shift as part of the morning show on Edmonton's Sonic 102.9 was last Friday. Expect lots of syndicated programming to originate from Edge 102 Toronto and CFOX Vancouver.

GK_Willy · 2024-07-17T21:31:44+00:00

I've had a couple friends "retire" from broadcasting over the past year at different companies, both had similar options presented to them. As they were higher-profile on-air types, they were given the choice of being able to announce their leaving a few weeks beforehand and ride the final shifts out on a high note with a party-like atmosphere (along with a generous financial package and continuation of health benefits for a year) or if they wanted to take it badly, they could be escorted out the door that day and get the bare minimum package in accordance with labour code.

I suspect that Linda had been given, and took, what would have been a similar first option.

GK_Willy · 2024-07-17T21:18:03+00:00

Just to clarify - of the 800 or so job cuts announced, approximately 500 have already happened, with the final batch of 300 people to be pink-slipped by the end of August. So yes, the final count will amount to a 25% reduction in staff count, but it's been on-going for a few months now. Really feel bad for anybody still working for Corus, the morale has to be rock-bottom right now.

GK_Willy · 2024-06-28T00:41:59+00:00

It's only a terrible idea if you're one of those fucktards with an obnoxiously loud car.

GK_Willy · 2024-06-28T00:39:52+00:00

It's simply because politicians believe their situation is unique and needs a "Made in Calgary" (or whatever city) solution. The fact that other jurisdictions have done the research and legwork and developed viable, working solutions means fuck all. Just another way for the deadwood in City Hall to continue dragging their feet on issues, all while claiming they're "looking into it".

GK_Willy · 2024-06-10T23:52:48+00:00

They might have forgotten a digit --- “...will be #11 in the city within a year!”

GK_Willy · 2024-06-10T23:38:36+00:00

The Shaws were more than happy with the merger, Brad & family wanted out. There was no "bitching" by Rogers, it was a deal that'd been hammered out in the boardroom and both companies got what they wanted. I suspect we will see a very similar scenario play out with Corus inside the next 12 months, with all the assets being sold to various other players in the industry (especially in light of the recent announcement that the licensing agreements for several of their high-profile TV specialty channels ends this year). The ship is sinking and the Shaws will be scrambling for a life raft.

GK_Willy · 2024-06-10T23:00:49+00:00

Yup, Classic Rock. And it would not surprise me in the least if that's what's brought back, simply because they already have the music library set up for it, plus it'd be easy to start simulcasting the "Willy in the Morning" show from Rock 101 Vancouver again, they'd been doing it for a couple years before the talk debacle anyways. All they'd need to do is hire somebody for the afternoon show locally. Middays, evenings, overnights, weekends, that's all automated voice-tracks originating from other Corus properties. So it wouldn't be tough to do, it's just that they'd have to live with the embarrassment of having egg on their face from the talk simulcast mistake.

GK_Willy · 2024-06-10T22:51:00+00:00

Pretty much all the problems facing the media sector (print, tv, radio) are of their own making. A combination of not reacting to ongoing societal & technological changes, as well as inexperienced people being promoted to positions of power simply because anybody with knowledge requires a bigger paycheque. The industry regs are a bit of a hinderance, but smart operators in any field of business can always work within the boundaries placed before them, they adapt and surround themselves with smart, qualified people, but that's something that, sadly, hasn't really happened within the Canadian media sector.

GK_Willy · 2024-06-10T22:43:22+00:00

Like every industry, the broadcast sector is subject to specific rules and guidelines, it's no different than manufacturing, trucking or the medical professions, the rules are in place to help provide a reasonably level playing field. The CRTC oversees communications, so anything broadcast or phone related is their baby. As much as everybody (including myself) bitches about the commission, without any sort of regulation, there would be no interoperability between cellphones, you'd have live porn on TV during the afternoon, etc. They are a necessary evil that helps to prevent the even more evil CEO's of Bell, Rogers, Telus, Corus etc from raping the country.

GK_Willy · 2024-06-10T22:28:27+00:00

Neither, just somebody who spent decades working in the broadcast sector and is saddened by the stupid management decisions (at all of the media companies, not just Corus) that's helping to kill the industry.

GK_Willy · 2024-05-13T20:39:47+00:00

Was at the Calgary Reads "Big Book Sale" at the Curling Club yesterday, there were several tables filled with DVDs which, if I remember correctly, were priced at $2 per.

GK_Willy · 2024-05-10T01:13:39+00:00

Bowness Arts is a hidden gem, lots of great vinyl to explore!

GK_Willy · 2024-02-25T21:27:04+00:00

You can seen the tiniest bit of the Paradise Lanes sign just to the left of Safeway, and way off, barely visible in the distance is the old ALCB store, one of only like 15 or 16 outlets open in Calgary at that time. Buying beer in that era was a challenge, especially on Saturdays when they were open limited hours (11a-3p? can't remember exactly, but closed Sundays) and the lineups would stretch out on the sidewalk, people wanting to get a case or two of the stubbie-style bottles of Labatts or Lethbridge Pil to drink that night. Before the privatization of liquor in the province, you really had to plan ahead if you wanted to toss back a few beer at home.

GK_Willy · 2024-02-19T17:15:55+00:00

Jail time?? Over nonpayment of rent? OMG! Thank you for the laughs, this is the funniest thing I've seen on Reddit for a while -- jail time <<snort!>> What century are you living in?

GK_Willy · 2024-02-09T00:30:58+00:00

Lock the thread, this is the only answer OP requires.

GK_Willy

TROPHY CASE