paulcrosstoronto’s Podcast

"On World Radio Day - 2020". From February 13, 2020.  UNESCO -- the United Nations Educational Scientific Cultural Organization -- designates February 13th "World Radio Day" dating back to 2011.  It's more than a celebration of the ongoing vitality and lifeline nature of radio; it's also a time for critical thought about some aspect of radio.  This year's theme is "diversity" in radio, according t...

"On a Radio Moment during the State of the Union address". From February 7, 2020. The State of the Union address included a four-minute detour to recognize and honour a right-wing talk radio host who reaches millions of listeners each day, who are likely supporters of Donald Trump.  It's just the third time in history a radio broadcast performer has received the Medal of Freedom from a U-S Preside...

"On Ways of Listening: H-D Radio" from January 31, 2020.  HD -- High Definition Radio -- is one way AM radio in North American cities might reach listeners who cannot receive AM signals well depending on buildings and topography.  Not all broadcasters have added HD service to their FM carriers; and some who have...almost never tell listeners about it.  It's still virtually impossible to find a rad...

On Talk Radio - on the morning after the start of the impeachment trial.  From January 23, 2020.  On the morning after the impeachment trial begins in the U-S Senate, morning talk radio hosts are hard at work discrediting the process, dismissing the issues, and boosting Donald Trump.  The stations they're on will spend a lot more time on letting them talk...than on reporting the news.  A sample of...

On how we communicate in the 20s: 1920/2020.  From January 17, 2020.  In 1920 your radio and your telephone gave you access to the world; in 2020, one device that does everything gives you the world on demand, including radio.  Radio changed everything.  Makes fair dealing use of audio from Smithsonian TV (America in Color: The 1920s); the original Wheaties "jingle" 1927; 1929 news reel (ownership...

"On a Christmas Carol on the Radio". From December 13, 2019. Final episode of season three.  By the time the most enduring radio version of A Christmas Carol was on the air, the story was almost 100 years old.  It's a story that still gets new versions made in various media, every year.  One of the most enduring movie versions still played year after year dates back to 1951.  But before that versi...

"How Transistors made Radio truly portable - 65 years ago". From December 5, 2019.  The hot-ticket item for Christmas-time shopping in 1954 was a new style of Radio.  Portable, compact, even small enough to fit in the palm of your hand.  The transistor radio sparks another revolution in radio listening, and in radio programming for the teenagers who flock to buy the new devices.  Makes Fair Dealin...

"On the 100th Anniversary of Radio in Canada".  From November 28, 2019.  Licensed Radio broadcasting as we know it starts in Canada on December 1, 1919.  That's before radio was being heard in Britain or the United States.  There's little fanfare about it, but XWA Radio started in Montreal, Canada 100 years ago.  Exhibits commemorating it are being staged at the Emile Berliner Museum in Montreal....

On the Case of Don Cherry's Comments on Coach's Corner.  From November 21, 2019.  A hockey segment co-host has been fired because of his "you people" comments on air November 9th, which seemed to target immigrants.  There's been a great deal of news coverage, opinion, and talk on air and online since that event.  There has been less analysis from a broadcast perspective.  What are the broadcast im...

"How to Listen to Radio - part three: FM". From November 15, 2019.  There's nothing like the sound of FM stereo radio! In part one, I explore night-time tuning on AM radio; in part two, I cover streaming and apps.  Now, let's dive into the high-fidelity sound of FM radio. These episodes are designed for anyone who loves radio, and for students who are studying radio or mass communication in genera...

"How to Listen to Radio, Part two: Apps and Streaming". From November 8, 2019. A follow-up to Season 3, Episode 4 - which deals with listening to AM Radio over the air.  This time: searching and listening for radio using apps or online searches; how to find a broadcast radio station almost anywhere in the world.  Makes fair dealing use of audio bits from BBC London; LBC London; CJME Regina; RTHK H...

"On War of the Worlds - On World Audio Drama Day" From October 30, 2019.  World Audio Drama day is recognized on the anniversary of the October 30, 1938 live broadcast over CBS Radio Network affiliates of the Mercury Theatre adaptation of The War of the Worlds, written by H.G. Wells 40 years earlier.  Continuing my case from Season 1, Episodes 7 and 8 from October 2018, this episode maintains the...

"How to Listen to Radio" - Part One.  From October 18, 2019. The term "radio" gets applied to a variety of types of access to audio.  My focus here is on broadcast radio. Listening to radio gives me access to the world.  In this episode: using a radio receiver to explore and discover, to hear what you can tune in. Makes fair dealing use of bits of air check audio from WBBM Chicago; WABC New York;...

"On a Reporter's dilemma." From October 11, 2019.  When a wave of environmental protest spread through dozens of cities around the world in early October, listeners were well aware it was coming.  Radio reported extensively for days before it happened.  Reporters dutifully staked out bridges, waiting for the protest to start.  But what to report? In Toronto, protestors did not rush a major bridge...

On how "There are no breaks in Radio". A listener should never hear a host of a podcast or radio show talk about taking a "break" or doing something "after this break". If mid-rolls or stop sets "break" your program, that's a fault of the way they're written, structured or delivered. It's poor program execution.  Because they are, of course...part of the flow you want the listener to hear! Follows...

"On the difference between News and Talk". Listening to talk radio is not the same as listening to the news.  At a time when traditional mass media news is under attack, it may be even more important for broadcasters to help listeners and viewers be aware:  Is this news? Or it is talk? Makes Fair Dealing use of short bits of audio from Fox tv, CNN, BBC Scotland, Newstalk 1010 CFRB, AM640 Toronto,...

On the Future of Listening.  From May 17, 2019.  Listeners will continue to find things to...listen to.  Final episode of season two.  Season three is coming in September 2019.  Makes fair use of audio bits from Downton Abbey, Audible spot, Serial Box show intro.

On comedy and satire in political commentary.  From May 10, 2019. The further away news organizations get from real news analysis, and the deeper into acrimonious opinion panels...the more room they make for someone else to do the analysis.  Jon Stewart found a huge hole to fill with deep dives on issues of the day, peppered with biting commentary.  He called it "fake news" when he found some news...

On propaganda passed off as news:  From May 3, 2019.  When the premier of Ontario went to New York City to visit influential corporations and appear on a tv talk show, his office made sure it did not advise Toronto news organizations until the day before the event. Whether local media needed to go, should have gone, or would have found real news value can be discussed.  But in the absence of legit...

On High Definition Radio and Sports Play-byPlay.  From April 26, 2019.  High Definition Radio is just the latest attempt to enhance the sound of broadcast Radio.  But do listeners know about it?  Will broadcasters make it successful? Part one of at least two episodes related to HD Radio; this time, with a focus on the sound of sports play-by-play in HD Radio. Makes fair use of bits of actual play-...

On Radio as a Source of Comfort.  From April 12, 2019.  Radio is a source of comfort and companionship.  It gives a listener a sense that they are not alone, and life goes on.  It may be even more important in times of personal trouble, as well as during times of local crisis. This episode, on Radio and its ability to offer comfort, is dedicated to the memory of Simeon Weber, a first-year Radio br...

On False and Misleading News on the Air in Canada.  From April 5, 2019. Until a Supreme Court ruling in 1992, Canada had a Criminal Code law against spreading false or misleading news. Had that law not been found to be unconstitutional, would Canadians be facing criminal proceedings for some of the things they write or share on Twitter, Facebook, or other platforms? What about the false, staged st...

On April Fools and Fake News.  From March 29, 2019.  In which I maintain it's inappropriate for Radio news and public affairs program makers to make up fake stories to broadcast on April 1.  If your currency with your listener is trust, it seems to me it's just wrong to fabricate stories and present them as if they are real! Makes fair use of bits from CBC Radio 1.

On declining to say his name. From March 22, 2019.  The prime minister of New Zealand will not participate in giving a mass murder terrorist the publicity he sought.  She will not speak his name.  And Radio listeners do not need to hear his name in every story about the case.  It will become a required part of the story at times -- when the story is about the court developments -- but even then, t...

On the New Golden Age of Audio:  From March 15, 2019.  From the 1920s to the 1950s, Drama on the Radio was a popular listening pastime.  Radio drama still is popular in many parts of the world.  But there's a new Golden Age of Audio drama, too.  It's in podcasts! Fair usage of bits of The Shadow; Suspense; X Minus One; Dead Air; Limetown; Tanis and Mind's Eye.