Bill Tieleman is gone from the Bill Good Show … the result of a pay dispute with Corus radio, just the latest cut in a bloodletting the massive media conglomerate has inflicted on CKNW in recent months.
A few months ago, Corus killed off the jobs of a number of behind-the-scenes staff at ‘NW, and they weren’t the first: the ‘NW newsroom is but a shadow of what it used to be; and there have been recent reports that they’re taking the knife to the air time of ever-popular home improvement maven Shel Busey.
It’s all part of what some call the “doing-more-with less” philosophy that Canadian mainstream media have promulgated for years now: dishing out a watered down product and reducing production quality … probably hoping no one will notice or care.
And in case you think they’re wrong: you’re wrong!
Despite all the criticism from media critics and pundits and vows from a perceptive minority to never listen or watch again, ratings are better than ever for those market “leaders” dishing out watered down products.
Despite all the cuts that took place there in recent months and years, CKNW just took back First place in ratings, after dropping to Number 2 behind CBC Radio in the last ratings book. ( At Canwest Global, the ratings are also higher than ever, despite all the downgrading and criticism of the declining quality of their news product over the years.)
The problem is … there is NO real competition: NW has Vancouver’s talk radio’s “groupies” all tied up …and there is no station threatening to loosen that grip. Talk 1410 tried for a while, but whether it was lack of promotion or program quality or just not enough time to gain audience and ratings, it was recently transformed into another one of those All Sports megabores. UGH!!!
CTV has tried time and time again to take on BCTV (now Global) to no avail: viewers are clearly comfortable with what/who they already know, even if what they are served up is a poorer product than before.
And CTV seems to me to have an extra challenge: decisions or directives that I suspect come from back East, forcing them from time to time to lead/stack their shows with channel-clicking fodder … like the Juno crud they ran so much of when the network was carrying the Juno Awards show, and now what I see as overkill on Olympic “colour” coverage, because CTV is the Official Host Broadcaster. Click!
CTV will have a terrific chance to move up in the ratings when the Olympic Games are on and they will have EXCLUSIVE rights to run same-day footage of all those Gold medals Canada will win … or lose. They could even win for themselves a whack of permanent new viewers if their news coverage is real … and not just puffery. But, based on what I saw before/during the Junos, I worry the execs back in Toronto will see to it that channel-clicking drivel is front and center here again each night. Yech!!
But back at Corus, the real shame is that the Bill Good Show has just downgraded what I felt was the best regular feature it offered … the Spector-Tieleman weekly discussions/debates. Monty Paulsen of The Tyee is bright and well-informed, but he is no Bill Tieleman.
And it amazes me how cheap Corus has become, apparently willing to sacrifice the quality of its leading show … despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars it generates in advertising revenues … to save what I’m sure is no more than a few hundred dollars a month! Incredible!!
Looks to me like they don’t really respect the show, Bill Good or their listeners.
Harv Oberfeld
24 responses so far ↓
1 Grant G // Nov 24, 2009 at 1:00 am
Great insight Harv…
I listened to the “new” nauseating monday morning quarterback show today and in my opinion,money was only part of the issue especially when Monte Paulson made statements ON AIR like this..
” After the BC provincial election a (anonymous) BC NDP MLA told me that phew,thank goodness we didn`t win the election,we were not ready to govern”
And statements from Monte Paulson like this one about federal politics and the HST…”The NDP never met a tax they didn`t like”
Really Monte,….and when was Jack layton or any NDP in charge of Ottawa and raised taxes, that comment from Monte came about over a discussion about Jack Layton running on a anti hst platform…All I can say is…so much for balanced radio….read more here..
http://powellriverpersuader.blogspot.com/2009/11/monte-paulsonturncoatsell-out-bill.html
2 John Oliver // Nov 24, 2009 at 2:58 am
Tieleman and Spector are great political analysts and will be missed from Bill Good’s show.
(Response: Spector is still there …only Tieleman has been replaced …so far .. and let’s hope the cufflinks will realize their terrible mistake and correct it. . h.o)
3 Patrick Bell (Not the MLA) // Nov 24, 2009 at 4:38 am
I like Tieleman!
I really enjoyed John Macomb in the mornings last week…I know it isn’t his regular spot, but wow was he good with his editorials. imo
4 A. G. Tsakumis // Nov 24, 2009 at 5:28 am
As I have written in recent weeks, CKNW are ripe for the picking. If someone came along and offered ANYTHING reasonable and a little challenging, Christy’s ratings would nose-dive and bill Good would be retired within a year or two.
I don’t agree with Tieleman on many issues, mostly for his blind repetition of NDP speaking notes, and his stubborn refusal to back-track when he is caught in the wrong. However, his work as a Monday Morning Quarterback was EXEMPLARY. I had replaced Norman a couple of times, and Bill was terrific, informed as well as informative.
But the story here isn’t Tieleman, as much as it is the stupidity rampant at the upper levels of CKNW.
What was Tieleman being paid? I know, but won’t tell you. So, for NW to not hire him when his demand was hardly budget breaking, tells you everything you need to know.
Two items: He has NEVER backed away from naming Christy Clark as someone of interest in political issues emanating from the Basi-Virk trial (which always rankles the dimbells at NW) and Bill has been APPROPRIATELY critical of the shameless Premier and his pathetic excuse for a govt.
End of story. Turn the page. It had nothing to do with money.
And now the best segment NW offered will never be the same. Monte is a friend, whom I respect deeply, as much for his great intelligence as his political acumen, but he will never have the chemistry that Norman and Bill had. Then again, this is what the kids running that program have come up with instead of being able to think that if the alchemy is off, it doesn’t matter if who they had come on.
Tieleman, will be impossible to replace in that slot and on that format.
Shame on NW. Another week, another watered down version of what Bill Hughes, George Garrett and Rafe Mair built…
Shame.
5 ED // Nov 24, 2009 at 6:08 am
god is it ever good to hear it like it really is,
thanks for your time and insight.
6 Crankypants // Nov 24, 2009 at 10:00 am
I couldn’t believe my ears this morning when I found out that Bill Tieleman was toast from the “Monday Morning Quarterbacks”. Whether I agreed with his views or not was irrelevant. He offered an alternative view on a number of issues and coerced debate because of this. Today’s version sounded like a debate where only one side was represented and as such was as boring as watching paint dry.
Since NW was sold by Artrhur Griffiths to Corus Entertainment, the quality of programming has headed south. In the old days it earned the title of the “top dog” by catering to a wide variety of the population. Some talk and music and the broadcasting of the BC Lions and Vancouver Canucks games.
The bean counters at Corus lost the sports broadcasts and basically replaced them with infomercials and some syndicated talk shows. They forced Rafe Mair out and moved Bill Good into that slot and basically marginalized Bill’s old slot to the flavour of the month.
AM radio in the lower mainland is slowly but surely fading into the sunset. The music ststions such as CFUN, CKLG, CJOR, CKWX etc have all given way to FM radio. As far as I know only CISL still has a musical format, and their broadcasting power is so weak that their signal leaves a lot to be desired. The others keep on rebranding themselves in order to remain bouyant, but are fighting a losing battle. If something doesn’t change soon, I suspect that AM radio will go the way of the dinosaur. They are surviving for now because the boomers are still tuning in, but we won’t live forever. Those that follow us probably don’t even know that there is an AM dial and I suspect that in the not too distant future AM radio will go the way of the Edsel.
Back to NW. It seems that the strategy being employed by Corus is to not necessarily be good, but just good enough to be the best of a bad lot. Remember, if you are in the forest with a friend and encounter a bear, survival is not dependent on whether you can outrun the bear but only if you can outrun your friend.
The times, they are a changin’, and not necessarily for the better.
(Response: As I mentioned, NW is back in the Number One spot in ratings, but you raise an interesting point … I’d love to know what their demographics are?? Judging by the callers …probably mostly middle age and up .. and I believe Corus is making it all the more difficult to attract new younger listeners. h.o)
7 SEG // Nov 24, 2009 at 2:06 pm
CKNW will be sorry. This is a foolish foolish move on their part and the Bill Good Show loses more of it’s lustre.
8 Gary E // Nov 24, 2009 at 2:31 pm
I am in agreement with Grant and Alex. This was a back door hatchet job. It has been apparent for sometime that the suits have been manipulating the balance of political comment on the airwaves. They are getting rid of the left and anyone who wants to criticize the way this premier is giving away the farm.
And the people of this province have turned into sheep. Where is the outcry? They just sit around and say ,”oh well”.
(Response: Well to be fair Monte Paulsen, in my view, is still from the left not the right, but a better writer than radio commentator and not up to Tieleman in parrying with Spector. h.o.)
9 DMJ // Nov 24, 2009 at 3:10 pm
Sad to say, the mighty ‘NW is no more and hasn’t been for some time. What used to be a strong local station, is now a whimpering US clone, where infomercials reign supreme.
I used to have my radio tunes to ‘NW all the time, now, I just read the menu for Bill’s show and if there is something of interest, I will turn it on, if not, I don’t.
In fact, NEWS 1130’s website is updated far more frequently than ‘N’s and more informative.
Talk radio is dead, except for the most die hard talk addict. And I think ‘NW is dying the death of a thousand cuts.
10 seth // Nov 24, 2009 at 6:50 pm
CFAX’s Joe Easingwood is much better than Bill Good but he’s only on for an hour. The other hosts don’t like callin it seems. Only the morning talk guy seems to update his website regularly. I’d recommend Friday morning 9 am capital gang over (edited.h.o.) Bill and his Canwest/Gordo cheering section on the Ledge.
The bias on Bill Good is incredible with 90% of guests espousing the neocon point of view. When a leftie is on it is usually a weak (edited.h.o) man like Paulson – somebody Bill can beat up on. Good also screens his calls like Russ Limbaugh. Disagree with Bill’s talking points and you are unlikely to get on line or cut off with a smart ass remark after a few seconds. He does tolerate leftie humorists more – like good old “Dave” here. Clark is usually more progressive in her views but is confined normally to PTA issues. I note Harvey is lot more deferential to the MSM view when on Bill Good than when he writes here.
I also check the website for topics but only listen live if I’m planning on kicking some ass. I notice Sean Leslie almost never updates his schedule.
I have never found anything on CBC’s website that that tells what topics their talk show covers is going to cover and since 99% of their programming is gardening and cooking what’s the point. They used to do politics pre Harpo.
(Response: You make it sound like I’m almost a regular on Bill Good; I’ve only been on twice ..once as a guest on blogging (when, by the way, I told him I saw NW talk show hosts as mostly right wing biased) and once as an ordinary caller re a Michael Campbell editorial criticising “whiners” …and I disagreed, saying whiners help make ours a better society. And if any does a search on my blog for “bill good” they’ll find your assertion that I’m easy on him/his show quite laughable. h.o.
11 Genuine // Nov 24, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Good one Harvey,just as laughable as Seths post,but everyone gets to post (most )of there comments here.(most?you know what I mean).
(Response: Thanks. I do try to let people voice their views here as best I can and we do get some great discussions going. But I also feel responsible NOT to post libellous accusations, inuendo, filthy language, personal derision and derogatory name-calling. Lord knows there’s enough legitimate criticism we can level at those we write/talk about!
h.o.
12 Willy P // Nov 24, 2009 at 9:02 pm
Has Good had his lips surgically removed from Campbell’s gluteus maximimus yet?
I can’t even be bothered to listen to him any more. His last interview with the Premier wasn’t even slow pitch- more like T-ball.
13 Kam Lee // Nov 24, 2009 at 11:41 pm
I am so sorry Bill T is gone form the not so good show. He balanced the rightist message from bill, and poked fun at the regime in power in Victoria. Thanks, but no thanks nw. I will blog, I will read, I will use other methods to get my news fix. The call-show biz is dead. Gordo must be pleased to have no critics left on the air.
14 A. G. Tsakumis // Nov 25, 2009 at 6:07 am
seth, pay attention:
To described Bill Good’s program as neo-con pulp is to misrepresent, indeed, misunderstand his program.
Bill’s program is the bastion of liberal elites. Navy Liberals, whose incompatible and incomprehensible personal philosophy includes such nuggets as environmentalism, whacked by support for IPPs (which actually destroy rivers and streams); resource protectionism, but support for a govt such as the Victoria Grits who sent off Pat Bell to find buyers for BC LUMBER MILLS (!!!!) so the Chinese can get our lumber cheaper… It’s crazy-making.
Good readily admits his bias like a badge of courage, when, in fact, an intelligent man would at least try to craft a reply that is wedded to some semblance of impartiality. For example, he might actually understand what global warming alarmism does is take money from the kitchen table of Tom the Toolbelt, Pete the Plumber and Wendy the Waitress. But Good doesn’t care because the calculus is too hard. It’s just easier being an alarmist, because David Suzuki, was on the cover of ‘Macleans’ that week.
You get it now?
It’s more subjectivity than productivity.
It’s lazy, not layered.
Frankly, it’s ridiculous.
But that’s what NW has become–in spades.
(Response: Of course, we all have biases, opinions, points of view: the challenge when reporting or hosting a radio talk show, I believe, is to fairly canvass issues on both sides of any issues, all issues … and I don’t believe NW does a very good job at that. And on a station that also features Michael Campbell, Charles Adler, Joe Green, Christy Clark … Good is clearly fairer than many. h.o.)
15 BM // Nov 25, 2009 at 8:25 am
After listening to CKNW for the past 6 years the radio station seems to be leaning too far to the right.
It seems Bill Good fails to ask tough questions when Liberal ministers visit.
Also tried of listening to Michael guest host for Christy Clark.
16 AJ // Nov 25, 2009 at 4:09 pm
I’m not sure what the issue is with the concept of “Doing more with less”. You have been totally OK with Federal Civil Servants having the opportunity of doing more with less over the decades. It appears that the reality of doing more with less may be hitting some parts of the media. Sorry about that but you don’t seem to care when it happens to the Feds but you do complain about what you get when “Less” shows up as possibly less than ideal service delivery. Sorry to hear about the demise of Bill T.
(Response: There’s a huge difference between staffing levels at private companies and the federal government. Over 38 years as a reporter I saw quite clearly there were TWO types of federal/provincial workers: those who really work hard, long hours, even on days off and try their best; and then there’s the rest … who work at staffing levels that are excessive and a pace that would get them reprimanded or fired at most private companies. More “breaks”; more just standing/sitting around and chatting; more paper shuffling; more touchy feely meetings/discussions;health benefits, vacations and pensions most of us can only dream of etc. …. I don’t begrudge them ..what a great gig … but don’t tell me they don’t have it much better than people working in similar jobs at private companies. I had a relative working in Ottawa who was actually told to SLOW DOWN ..he was working too fast and doing his assignments too quickly and sometime on here ..I’ll tell the story of two almost identical t.v. shows I participated in while working at The Vancouver Sun… one on BCTV and one at CBC … and YOU won’t like the comparison.
h.o
17 crh // Nov 25, 2009 at 4:55 pm
What we are seeing here is the effects of corporate culture. Pap from the top, mired in unreality. Big expensive suits, cars and lifestyles now in charge of everything. Telling us what to like and how to like it. Would you knowingly ask to be led by someone so removed from reality? Our reality? Now we have politicians so influenced by this monolith we call the Corporation, that we have lost all chance at democracy. Come and drink my cool-aid, and you won’t see the truth. Bill Good and Co, drink it all day. They want you to drink it to. It is soooo good. Take a sip and believe!
18 Genuine // Nov 25, 2009 at 5:34 pm
AG Tsakumis you make a lot of sense and always speak you’re mind ,as always I enjoy your posts on this site,its not ndp or liberal,just truth in reporting I’ll bet you know a lot more than you report on ,I mean backroom deals,intelligence?I can remember when backroom deals were illegal,since when has that changed and who allowed this obscene chain of events to happen?When we elect a leader we expect him to operate out in the open,as for berner’s monologues,he had a piece on the sponsorship scandals and I just pointed out that simply harper,mulroney,cretien,martin all worked for demarais,you know the king maker?,and he didn’t post it ?Funny how these guys operate wounder if he turned that over to somebody?I’ll never visit that site again ,I just thought it was common knowledge,guess not so I’ll recommend Paul Polango’s book its a good read, about how things work federally and more and more provincially,I know you already know this …,but for those who don’t its called and rightfully so,Dispersing the Fog,my fog lamps are on, I suggest everybody else turn them on .
19 Bill Tieleman // Nov 25, 2009 at 10:22 pm
Harvey – thanks to you and your readers for the kind words about my work at CKNW. I won’t get into the debate about the station but I do want to make clear no one there has ever suggested I take any particular perspective on political issues.
20 Norman Farrell // Nov 25, 2009 at 11:49 pm
B.T. (so does Bill Good) says, “. . . no one there has ever suggested I take any particular perspective on political issues.”
With respect Bill, instead they said goodbye.
Canwest probably never tells Fazil Mihlar what to write as Editorial Page Editor but they sure know in advance what they’re gonna get.
Most often, bias is controlled by choices in hiring and promotion, not by memos sent from the board room. At NW, Bill Good knows what keeps him safe and Rafe Mair knows what keeps him on the sidelines, despite being the most skilled talk show artist in the city.
(Response; A most interesting point! In fact, I blogged about how reporters etc are vetted BEFORE they are hired in August 2008, in a piece entitled “Media Conspiracy: Myth or Reality”. Here’s the url: http://harveyoberfeld.ca/blog/media-conspiracy-myth-or-reality/
… which still seems to apply. The only thing I would point out is that Bill’s current replacement, Monty Paulson, is in my view also “left” of center, although not as skilled to debate Spector as Tieleman … so that too could give the “right” an advantage in any discussion, which management might just prefer! h.o)
21 Genuine // Nov 26, 2009 at 12:05 am
No Bill they just kicked you out when it didn’t fit there agenda.
22 the Dude // Nov 26, 2009 at 4:22 am
GREAT BLOG ENTRY
but h.o when you say “… despite the hundreds of thousands of dollars it generates in advertising revenues … ” aren’t radio stations loosing big revenue like new paper? I remember reading a story about how radio audiences are drasticly declining to: mp3 players.. ipods… smart phones etc…
now when you take the skytrain people are not tuned top the radio with a little potable they are watching downloaded podcasts… listening to music on mp3 players.
now those same people spent their previous evening entertaining themselves playing playstation or watching batman 45…..
anyway: like very much Alex Tsukamis’s post… I am not a NW listener so cant really miss Bill there but I read the guy every week in that cheap free colouful paper (Free I like).
the best post was Norman Farrell’s truly geting to the bottom of things.
But as I repeat this is a great blog entry (the purpose, the aim, the root of this blog I think? MEDIA) h.o.’s specialty (amongst others) and at least on ein which he does not reveal any (quebequoi) National Secrets!!
(Response: If you’re still enjoyinmg reading Alex …you’re must be recycling old papers… he’s been gone from 24 hours for weeks. That’s almost as funny as the idea radio stations like NW are losing money! LOL!!! h.o.)
23 the Dude // Nov 26, 2009 at 4:39 am
Also everybody PLEASE just be camplacent since we do live in a world where we are being told not only what we sould not listen to nor watch, but also a world where we are told What we should be not only watching… but what we should be enjoying.
24 A. G. Tsakumis // Nov 28, 2009 at 7:35 am
They’d attract more readers if they did recycle my old stuff…certainly better than what they’re putting out in my spot now… But it was time to go. You can only carry the team for so long. I wish 24 Hours well. They’ve got lots of potential and great reporters.
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