The Vancouver Scrum

Former Social Credit cabinet minister Rafe Mair is returning to Vancouver radio. Mair, dumped by broadcasting institution CKNW after some sort of tiff with his female producer, will debut his new show on CKBD AM 600 on September 2nd. Mair’s show on CKNW was consistently the most listened to radio program in the province, averaging around 75,000 listeners at any one time, and around 100,000 listeners tuning in for some portion of the show.

When informed about Mair’s return, BC Premier Gordon Campbell promptly advised his physician that he’d have to go back on anti-ulcer drugs sometime in August.
(Disclaimer: I have no clue whether or not that last item is true. I know that if I were in the Preem’s position, I surely as hell would.)

Whaddaya know—it seems that the CKNW news web site, normally one of the more comprehensive sources of local news in Vancouver (one would hope, given the size of their news-gathering operation), has failed to mention that Mair’s found a new home on the dial. If they’re trying to feign ignorance, they’re not doing a terribly good job of it.

FURTHER MUTTERING: ’NW GM Lou Del Gobbo and PD Tom Plasteras have an interesting dilemma with what to do with the 8:30 AM-11:00 AM timeslot. It’s not unreasonable to assume that Mair will drag a good portion of his audience with him over to AM 600. Do they want to keep those listenrs who were there fore the debate, plus CKNW's news coverage or take an entirely different tack?

There was talk that CKNW wanted to pursue a different demographic (read: one whose median age is under 55) than Mair's. Chasing a differnt demo is a good idea in theory—but can you get a big slice of the 25-49 set (aside from political junkies) to listen to talk radio? Maybe—if you can get a host that'll speak to them. Luckily for the Top Dog, there's one unemployed radio guy with some recent talk experience with a little bit of a local profile: former Newsworld talk show host Steve Burgess. Seriously. The guy is a radio announcer by trade, and can engagingly prattle on about everything from hard news, to politics, to popular culture, to the most recent Michael Moriarty sightings-come-court appearances. He's of a differnt eneration than Mair, so he should (in theory) be a better fit with those younger-but-not-too-young listeners that the advertisers (and ’NW) want.

Besides, Burgess would work relatively cheap. So, to Messrs. Del Gobbo and Plasteras, there’s your solution to what to do with the morning timeslot. Inexpert advice from a guy who hasn’t been on any sort of air except as a guest since 1995 or so, absolutely gratis.

UPDATE: ’NW has gone with current 11:00-2:00 host and BC CTV News anchorman Bill Good as the replacement. Softball Bill against Rafe in a ratings war? My money's on Rafe. Perhaps ’NW management can continue their quest for blandness inbroadcasting by getting onetime Global anchor Jennifer Mather (now known best as wife of Vancouver Canucks GM Brian Burke) to take over the midday slot to give listeners hours and hours of ever so trite banter of the fiscally conservative/socially liberal-but-not-too-liberal variety—talk radio’s answer to Pablum, but with less nutritional value.