The new CBC Radio 2 evening schedule: What do you think?
So, CBC Radio 2 (no longer “CBC Radio Two”) has aired its first shows.
Did you listen?
What do you think of the shows?
Do you miss the newscasts?
Tell us what you think!
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i liked tonic and canada live [ a lot]
missed the world this hour [news]
love the streams and on demand
I’m normally a Radio 1 listener, but listen to Radio 2 sometimes. I liked the line up last night. It was nice to have on in the background (that’s usually what I use Radio 2 for). I sort of miss the classical, but I was fairly pleased. I especially liked Canada Live. I thought Laurie Brown’s introductions felt a little too forced. Every hour i kept being surprised that there was no news! But I also thought that the lack of news made the music flow more nicely. It can be jarring to cut away. All in all, I was pleased, and I will listen to Radio 2 more often in the evenings.
I am giving the new evening programming the benefit of the doubt, as I haven’t heard enough to really have an opinion.
But I miss the news content. Though this wasn’t much, it was just enough to keep Radio 2 listeners informed. The loss of the morning news broadcasts and the World at 6, and yes, even the weather and sports reports, robs Radio 2 of the appeal it had for me when I stopped listening to Radio 1 a decade ago. Where to now?
I hope the news broadcasts are restored. Then I might hang around long enough to appreciate the other programming changes.
First, I did listen to The Signal last night and overall I really enjoyed the show. Laurie Brown’s hosting style is unique and not what I was expecting or what I am use to. But that’s fine, I think older generation will relate very well to her (that’s my guess anyhow…and is not to say that younger generations wont). I really liked what she played. The biggest thing is that I think I’ll be able to share Laurie’s show with other’s I know who would not have listened to a show like BNW or R3 but I know would really enjoy a lot of the quality non-mainstream contemporary music that is out there.
Secondly, I enjoy not having the news casts and further appreciate that I need only tune to R1 to get the news if I want it. Having the news casts on only one channel really makes sense to me.
well that’s a huge change. I’d like to reserve judgement but I hope we will hear less of the pop oriented content and a little more avant garde.
I hope to hear more indie and techno and less mainstream jazz. Signal offers the best hope but I don’t know if I can handle Laurie Brown’s hosting style. I’m not sure what effect she is striving for but she sounded half asleep and meandered on too long between songs. Not cool and hip, if that is her intention.
Don’t miss the news we get plenty of that on Radio 1 and the Net.
I miss the newscasts. The Signal = excellent. Nightstream = middle of the road. If the goal of the show is to lull the listener to sleep, I’d say it’s a success.
I listened (for a short time)to the first of your new 8.00 PM broadcasts. It began with a gratuitous isult to long time CBC classical listeners like myself- something to the affect that what we were about to hear would not be as boring as the usual fare from the Nova Scotia Symphony. There followed a series of existential musings from a witless lout who sounded like a pale knockoff of Bob Dylan. If one adds to this your consigning of the wonderful show of Danielle Charbaneau to the middle of the night,. the message to your loyal classical music audience seems pretty clear. “Get lost!” I will!
There, I have had my little rant, but I hope that you understand that there is passion behind it (as well as intemperance). I do question the wisdom of your programmers. I find it very unlikely that there are many people who appreciate both the kind of mediocre “pop” you had last night and the classical music you claim you will still sometimes schedule in that time slot. If this is so. very few people will tune into this programme every night on the off chance they will find something they will like. I know I won’t.
As a news junkie, I miss the morning news and World at Six. Our AM reception is poor, so I will begin relying more heavily on other news sources outside Canada. This is unfortunate as I appreciate CBC’s quality broadcast news and its Canadian perspective and believe that Canada would benefit from more CBC news rather than less.
While The Signal features, as Laurie Brown put it, “music for staying up late,” I miss After Hours as jazz is my preferred “staying up late” type of music. The Tonic between 6-8pm is too early for jazz.
I was not taken with Canada Live, but will give it a chance over the next few weeks.
Miss the news breaks, but then every two hours is enough.
Don’t want Jazz in the early evening, and would switch Mlle Charbonneau’s program with the Malloch salad of light jazz any time.
Jazz is for midnight.
The first Canada Live means that it will go lower and lower and become a terrible recent-concert-we-count-as-canadian-even-if-not-great-talent black hole.
RadioTooToo is Also-ran
I didn’t mind the Signal… there was some okay programming, although it really jumps all over the place, where the BNW had a coherent musical arc to it.
Also, Laurie Brown’s announcing style is INCREDIBLY affected. Someone please tell her she’s not on TV and she can ditch the acting.
At 8:10 pm I’m listening to what sounds like Gamelan Band Amateur Hour. Fifteen minutes ago it sounded like bad adult contemporary.
Granted, I’ve been listening to CBC FM since the summer of ’67, so my demographic is pathetically irrelevant today. Like most longtime CBC junkies, I dislike program changes (where is Bob Kerr when you need him?). Maybe I’ll get used to this crap, but if not, I’ll just have to play my old Mose Allison and MJQ records via iTunes.
I think the Laurie Brown segment is a total disaster.
A great two hours of music selected to be eclectic and
late night listening is replaced (on the first two nights) by incredibly bad music and equally stupid dialogue,
Laurie Brown’s voice is a broadcast voice? Maybe for TV because she’s pretty.
I’m old ..but I doubt the music she selects, with help I’m sure, will attract
young listeners….who seem, to me, to enjoy more steamy rhythm with vocals
that have their own particular language -call it “noise”
All the corp had to do was extend After Hours with Andy Shepherd by one hour.
He and that fellow Posen produced a much much better effort.
I can live with the other changes….because generally I think Radio 2 is a magnificent alternative to commercial radio.
Sorry to rant. Laurie has ruined my late evenings. You must have some inferior pot in the upper chambers. =
So far so good, save the lose of Brave New Waves. I still think that’s a huge mistake.
The loss of hourly news isn’t a huge deal to me. It’s only a click away on Radio One and they’ve kept the news during “drive times” anyway. Perhaps, a reminder on Radio 2, to switch to Radio One for news would be in order.
I am giving the overall evening schedule a grade of D+.
Tonic: needs a lot more Gin in it to keep me coming back to listen. Music style is too pop-ish: safe and middle of the road. I guess that the CBC thinks that this is what their audience wants to hear in the early evening. Better alternative: http://www.radio-canada.ca/radio2/ Jazz from 5:30 to 8:00PM If you are not regionally challenged you can find it on the radio.
Ms. Charbonneau’s show in this time slot will be missed.
Canada Live: good idea and potential, but programming may be unpredictable. Daytime marketing of that night’s show will need to be effective to draw in listeners.
Signal: great expectations, great disappointment! Less Laurie, better flow in the music programming. Be challenging and adventurous! Be our guide to the music, no more.
You didn’t know I was out there.
I’ve sent cards, letters and emails since the 60′s. I told you often the things I liked, the things you produced with excellence and on occasion shows that missed your generally high standards.
But you didn’t know I was out there.
Now you’ve taken the Public money, and with your best navel gazing, have decided that I need a tonic, a remedy, to drug me into a world class media mediocracy.
I am leaving.
I will write my cards, letters and emails to my elected representatives. They know I am here.
At first you won’t miss me…you didn’t even know I was out there.
Dear Laurie Brown, and CBC Powers That Be,
Please allow a younger (well, 33 year old) listener a perspective that
is perhaps iconoclastic to some of the above rants…Laurie
Brown’s “The Signal” is wonderful! Dreamy and delicious. Though
classical and jazz do provide perfect soundtracks for late-evening
readers and night owls like myself, “The Signal” also offers a musical
potpourri of a different kind. Naturally, like stepping into a hot bath,
any new style and format require some acclimatization. An above
critc attacked Laurie’s “affected” delivery, ignoring her obvious
passion for the music she shares. She does indeed feel like a late-
night friend, guide, even a medium; her seemingly ‘all over the map’
selections serve in reality as a strength. Laurie offers simple and
evocative narration as we wander together through a marvelous
soundscape. Two days in, and this listener is hooked. Thank you,
Laurie, and the CBC! -David Johnston http://www.misterj.ca
CBC Radio 2 should be moved to the internet only, ala CBC3, and the money should be poured into radio one to make it better.
Yes, I have been listening – but more often than not I cannot keep the new programming on throughout the entire show. Jazz at 6 is too early. What ever happened to relaxing after a long day? Ms. Charbonneau’s show is deeply missed.
I would prefer if those who think they know what I listen to would actually ask me, and then make changes for the better, not make changes for change sake.
I am being lost as a radio two client – there are a lot of choices out there on the Internet these days and I am turning away from CBC Two. My loss and your loss.
Laurie Brown sounds like a teenage girl reading her blog out loud. After Hours at its pretentious worst was never this bad.
Danielle Charboneau sounds like a robot overpronouncing every word in French-accented English. Brave New Waves at its noisiest was never this bad. I also find it curious that someone who’s old enough to be a grandmother (born in 1953 per her bio in the Personalities section of cbc.ca) has been chosen to host a program of contemporary music.
CBC – Radio One and Radio 2 – has grown afraid of classical music. No classical music between segments on Radio Uno – just crap rap or noisy pop (at 6am?). And to de-classify Radio Due… Reminds me of the greedy dog with the bone. When crossing a bridge, he looked over the side into the stream and saw – a dog with a bone! He wanted that one too, so he lunged for it – losing his own bone and the “bone” that was actually a reflection. So CBC may lose not only its longstanding audience but also the audience it hopes to get. Reminds me of those old Carlsberg commercials – “Welcome to your Carlsberg years”? I figure people either grow up with CBC Radio (One or the Other) or they come to it later.
“Colonic” is more appropriate for the new CBC-lite.
Given what CBC had announced as the motivation for Radio 2′s programming changes, the new evening schedule is absolutely hysterical. Not only will it not attract the fickle younger audience, it will not even keep the more reliable former audience, regardless of whether it was old or young or somewhere in between. It’s a classic bureaucratic cockup; no doubt a few MBAs had a hand in it.
CBC started out with a major misconception: that it could, or even should compete with commercial radio for mainstream listeners. These listeners, CBC execs, are a LUCRATIVE MARKET. They are CATERED TO RELIGIOUSLY by very talented programmers who have prospered because of their ability to gauge the constant swings in pop tastes. You cannot hope to succeed, nor should you even try.
It is the duty of publicly funded radio to provide musical experiences and points of view that are not readily available elsewhere, such as the classical, jazz, new wave, and indie genres. When that SUBSET of the “younger audience” starts looking for something more nutritious, CBC needs to be there for them with thoughtful, quality programming. They will stay with you for a long time.
And as far as shopping locally goes, that’s all well and good as long as you have a quality product. If it’s mediocre, which it has been so far, who cares where it comes from?
By losing its way and trying to be all things to all people, CBC Radio 2 has become nothing.
The glory days of Radio Two are long past. Yes, where is Bob Kerr when you need him? Rolling in his grave, that’s where. Why the jazz at dinner time when the wonderfully intelligent,elegant and verbally succinct Danielle Charbonneau was a much better “tonic” for that time of the day? What you have now consigned her to on the dreadful Nightstream seems cruel and unusual punishment. I tried to give it a listen last night thinking you would at least give a sop to your classical music listeners but no such luck. It sounded more like a late night show out of some Las Vegas of the mind for people on drugs. I miss Andy Sheppard’s great jazz in the hours that jazz makes the most sense–the late evening. I miss the six o’clock news and get lousy Radio One reception so goodbye to solid reporting for a news junkie like me. In Performance–gone even though it suffered from the sometimes inane commentary of Andrew Craig at least you could count on some good music making of the serious variety (a criminal offence in the new Radio Two world, I’m thinking). And where is Eric Friesen when you need him–dumbed down in the afternoon at Studio Sparks (Gee Eric, the brass are going to let you play a whole movement from some concerto or symphony!), must be a lucky day for us plebs out in radioland. What a hopeless mess of pottage you have created. What was once a great radio service has been destroyed by a bunch of bureaucrats relying on “focus groups” and “stakeholders’ whoever they were. The new format truly stinks.
Thank the gods, whatever kind they may be, for the accessability of intelligent radio programming like the BBC, National Public Radio, and a variety of other options through the Internet.
I abandoned Radio One over a year ago, when the dumbing down of the station became too much to bear. Radio 2 was adequate for listening to during much of the day, and probably still is…but I can’t abide the smugness of the Corp overall. I too am abandoning what appears to be a rapidly sinking ship, after having been a pretty loyal listener since I was 18.
frankly, I’ve reached the point where I’d like to see the CBC axed completely; especially that waste of airspace that is CBC Television, with its hordes of self-congratulatory ads every five minutes of actual programming. Other than 22 Minutes, Rick Mercer, and Air Farce, there is nothing worth watching on the network, especially that self-satisfied, vainglorious Peter Mansbridge. Stop wasting my tax dollars on the likes of him and put it towards something worthwhile.
Sic transit gloria CBC.
On this Day 3 of the new CBC Radio 2 schedule I’m in withdrawal with the demise of classical and art music in the evenings (Ms Charbonneau et al).
In fairness, on Monday March 19th I turned on the radio to catch abit of Ms Malloch’s program and could have sworn I was listening to 91.1 JAZZ-FM (in Toronto).
If the idea is to trick the listener into thinking they’re not listening to CBC Radio, well it worked.
CBC Radio 2 – I think you’ve lost your identity.
I’m going to give the new schedule a week before I make up my mind. But… so far, so bad; weak programming, weaker presenters. I already miss the passion of Andrea Ratouski and Larry Lake. They were music people, not converted journalists. And poor Danielle Charbonneau; is this a plot to get her off the air?
The Signal sucks big time. Laurie’s comments are almost as bad as “Freestyle”. Below are some of things she’s said on Mon, March 19th:
(1) “I love a piece that makes your heartrate speed up and slow down and my breathing patterns sped up and slowed down”;
(2) “Isn’t it odd that when you’re spoken to like that…how a different side of your brain kicks in than you usually use when you’re listening to music”; and
(3) “You’re staying up late listening to music. How many times do you think you’ve done that in your life? I’ve never regretted staying up late listening to music…it’s a pretty magical time of night.”
So insightful, Laurie!
The music is just as bad, too. Laurie’s music selection is not edgy at all. Thankfully, L’espace Music has a few good shows that compare in quality to BNW. I really want to give “The Signal” a chance, but so far it’s left me a bit disappointed (mild understatement).
I haven’t had enough time to listen to the programs but what’s with tacking the names of the hosts onto the ends and then giving each of them their own web page?
Canada Live – With Matt Galloway
Canada Live – With Patti Schmidt
The Signal – With Laurie Brown
The Signal – With Pat Carrabré
Tonic – With Katie Malloch
Tonic – With Tim Tamashiro
These should be just Canada Live, The Signal, and Tonic.
To make matters worse they made such a big deal of this and then I’m sure when I was listening last night (Tuesday) to Canada Live with Matt Galloway it was actually Patti Schmidt’s voice I was hearing.
To top it all off I can’t get the Concerts on Demand to play on my Mac. I really want to hear the Joel Plaskett with Symphony Nova Scotia. Why wouldn’t Radio 2 use the same technology as Radio 3 for web streaming when it seems to work so well on Radio 3? Oh just read Jowi’s blog and it looks like they are working on it. I will reserve my comment on the Jowi blog being a robot until further evidence.
I’ve also been a steady CBC listener since moving to Seven Islands after graduating in Expo67 year.
Bob Kerr, Barbara Frum and all the others have been good friends.
Disc Drive too.
And now it’s down to this, amazing! But that seems to be the current governments agenda.
Kill the CBC
We can still find our preferred music in other places. Here in Montreal we are fortunate to have VPR and CJPX which is what I’m listening to right now.
Bye, I’ll just come back for Jurgen every so often.
Is the steam powered show on Saturday mornings still alive?
I want to give the new schedule a chance-it’s only fair to the new “boys” on the block.
I very much MISS, as others who have replied, the former hours of Mlle. Charbonneau’s Music for a While.
There must be some way to “accomodate” her replacement and Mlle. Charbonneau.
If you are really interested in your listener’s feedback I suggest you give this serious thought; otherwise I will probably switch to another source of evening for my classical music needs.
Thanks for giving me the opportunity to voice my sentiments.
Speaking of evenings…. Where is Northern Lights?
I’ve had trouble sleeping this week, and last night I figured it out…
There are no calm sounds and talk to coast me off to dreamland, as per the ritual of the last 12 years.
This Radio 1/2 revamp sucks!!
And you’re losing me listening both at night and in the mornings when I wake up to the local morning show.
The worst part is that Calgary doesn’t have any real classical stations to switch to…
Come on CBC, help me get some sleep again!!
I’d like to say that I will very much miss the shows Northern Lights and Two New Hours. Their sudden disappearance is very upsetting. If possible, please convey to Andrea Ritewski what a comfort her programme was to those whose daily voyage home led them through wee hours. The music played on Northern Lights outshone all of the daytime music programming on Radio Two, and her personal warmth, charm and sincerity are qualities quite alarmingly absent from most of CBC radio’s current personalities.
Two New Hours was a part of Canadian history. Its passing is like the death of a very old and trusted friend. Though we may have been a minority of sorts, there were many of us who believed in, and were excited by, new Canadian compositions.
It is very difficult for those who follow public broadcasting not to feel sickened when they see a public institution being run as a business. Yes, the CBC does need to connect with the society it represents, but our dilemma in Canada is – now more than ever – how to oppose the massive cultural decline, brought on by mass media globalization in general, and by our proximity to the United States in particular.
I was born in 1982 and did not know much of the Trudeau years, but out of that cultural nexus my national consciousness evolved. My conclusion is that what distinguishes Canadian culture from American – besides its desperateness outside of the capitols – is the way it remains immune to the dumbing-down of free-market thinking. It is a public institution’s responsibility to resist the survival fiscally fittest in favour of diffusing programmes of depth and quality – two concepts which will never be “fashionable” precisely because they are not ephemeral.
Of course this is a struggle, but any Canadian who has been outside of our continent realizes that Canada’s culture has the potential remain on the same level of depth as that of every country apart from the United States – only if our public institutions take their responsibilities to better our society seriously.
Decision-makers of the CBC: yours is an awesome responsibility. Those citizens who believe in a Canadian culture implore you to keep your awareness of this responsibility absolutely apparent in your actions.
Yours sincerely,
A Citizen
As a classical music fan, I just relied on Radio Two to be there when I needed it. Weekend evenings were write-offs, of course. Jurgen Goth and Eric Friesen are pretty thin stuff, but I guess that the Mother Corp has to appeal to the lowest common denominator. I’ll continue to enjoy Tom Allen, Howard Dyck and Rick Phillips, but I’m afraid that the evenings are now a dead loss. Oh well, there’s always my CD collection.
I know it’s early after Day #3 but just a note to the Tonic crew:
When I come home I really need some relaxing down-time music. That’s why I loved Music For A While – Danielle never competed with dinner-time conversation or my desire to relax.
Tonic has it’s good spots (2nd hour last night was very nice). But too often it is cranked it up with big trumpets, up-tempo songs, heavy orchestra stuff and the like. I can handle a bit of that but my partner finds it especially grating and just clicks you off – like that. After a day at work, neither of us are long on patience with music that grates.
Your play list should be more consistently laid-back jazz – sweet, easy stuff. Keep the loud, show-off songs off the program and you should be able to build an audience. Think of yourselves as doing massage across the radio, ok?
And I’m truly embarrassed for Danielle Charbonneau doing Nightstream. She is capable of handling far better programming than that.
But I’m giving it all time….
We Radio Two listeners need the news in the morning and at 6:00pm. 4 or 5 little clips is unacceptable. Poor Tom Allen does a full intro after we’ve been away for less time than it takes to spin a pop single. We also need the local weather to return in the morning. The idea of switching back and forth with Radio One to catch news and weather is absurd. We can also do without the self-promoting Radio Two ads, which are an embarassment. About the jazz: 6:00pm is too early for wall-to-wall jazz. The performances on the jazz playlist have been largely mediocre and too often amateurish.
Where are the edges? Radio Two used to push the fringes, with Two New Hours, Radio 3, Brave New Waves, and the long-departed Nightlines. What I’ve heard so far just doesn’t grab me; it feels too middle-of-the-road, too politically correct, to be exciting. Should Radio 2 be programmed like commercial stations, but without commercials? Surely CBC should be doing what for-profit stations cannot do?
That being said, I found Tonic quite pleasant, and Canada Live. I time-shift The Signal and think it has potential. Not so Nightstream; too bland for me, so it’s gone from the recording schedule. I don’t miss the news breaks at all.
I’ll check back from time to time to see how the programs evolve.
As a daily listener to Radio Two now striving to be the hip new 2, I’m already sick of the overly enthusiastic plugs for the new line-up and it’s only day four (or should I say 4?). If the new offerings are so great, why do I need to be brainwashed into believing it? Quit the self-promotion and bring back the Arts Report and the weather.
Perhaps the CBC programming execs should re-read “The Emperor’s New Clothes” and realize that though they force their spokesmen to praise the fabulous new garb the CBC has donned for it’s evening line-up, the station stands foolishly naked in the street.
As to the new shows, Jazz belongs to the shadowy and atmospheric time of night, not the daylight of dinner time. Furthermore, tonight I thought I was listening to musaac — a different type of “tonic” altogether. I miss Danielle Charbonneau’s charm and class. At 8:00, “Canada Live” is a sorry replacement for “In Performance” and music whose soul managed to shine, even despite the at times irritating chit-chat of Andrew Craig. Finally, “The Signal” is an embarrassment and is, to the incomparable and never disappointing “After Hours”, what Splenda is to honey. How immesurably sad that this is what the CBC has grown down into.
CBC Radio 2 has now been written off from this
household in the evenings. I guess CFMX will gain a
sudden rise in its number of listeners. Please don’t
monkey with Music and Company in the morning!
Remember CJRT-FM? It started as a classical music
station, with some educational programs. Then they
introduced some jazz. Then more jazz. Then they went
all jazz. Now they are gone.
Alan Craig, Brampton
re Danielle Charbonneau and Music for Awhile
I regret not having downloaded any of Ms Charbonneau’s programs months ago when I learned that it was the end of Music for Awhile.
A proposal to CBC execs:
Please establish an ‘archival music service’ to make available Ms Charbonneau’s many years of Music for Awhile programs (access via internet at no charge to we, the taxpayers).
In the meantime I will be writing to Ms Oda and the CRTC to ask why my tax money was wasted on and by the CBC on new radio programming when our country has significantly more important issues at which to direct taxpayer money.
[...] Filed under: Uncategorized — planetcs @ 11:13 The CBC Radio Two broadcast change has made me think of an interesting point: From a cultural perspective, English-speaking Canada is [...]
I simply want to echo the comments of other listeners who are sorely missing Danielle Charbonneau and “Music for A While.” This program, and Ms. Charbonneau’s quiet, elegant and knowledgeable commentary, have long been a source of delight in my life. “Music for A While” brought me serenity at the close of the working day and music that was revivifying and a source of inspiration for the evening hours.
I urge CBC programmers to return Ms. Charbonneau’s program to its former time when her many admirers can once again enjoy her unassuming erudition and her superb selection of classical and Early Music.
The MBA’s at CBC must be very encouraged with the feedback provided here by the fans of the now defunct programmes.
I’m sure they are saying “See, they don’t even care about classical music…all they focus on is the silly personalities…so lets gets some new ones that can bring a larger audience”
As a fan of classical music and having many hours of listening to various CBC programmes under my belt, I naturally was disappointed to see the new direction. Now, however, I don’t think it really matters. Mid-sized orchestra’s surely can’t have any relevancy for aspiring composers, and the promotion of ‘canadian’ anything is just silly when you look at the large world-class orchestras “internationalizing” so they remain on top in the new world of DVD’s, cable TV, etc.
But all this blathering over Danielle Charbonneau? If thats all the sorry state of classical music has going, then be gone with it as far as a national broadcaster is concerned.
Well, with week 1 of the new Radio Two (or 2, like it matters, it’s still the same thing verbally) under the belt, I have this to say. I had a feeling that when this change came about, the musical boundaries would be narrower. Glad to see I’m proven right. I’ve read all the other comments on this post, and a general point is made that I think is truly lost on the CBC programming execs. What made Radio Two (I’m not old, just old SCHOOL) special for me and a lot of people here is that we could always count on Radio Two to provide the right music for the right time of day.
You wake up to classical music, you wind down with jazz/world music, and if you work the night shift and need something to keep your mind sharpened, well, that’s when Brave New Waves comes in. And of course the weekend has its own unique and eclectic flavors. Something for everybody when they needed it the most – the OLD Radio Two. Today’s version of Radio Two isn’t quite as accomodating. Not as many voices, and not as many outlets. The idea of diversifying the music on the network seems sound, but if you look at the big picture, that’s exactly what they’ve been doing until last week.
With that said, I wonder what will happen to the archives of the defunct shows, like Two New Hours, or Brave New Waves, or Music For A While? Toby hit the nail on the head, an archive service for these shows would be a great idea. And knowing the legal mumbo jumbo, we wouldn’t mind paying for it, as long as they survive online..
I just hope the CBC will review its recent programming changes. The idea of making Radio 2 a music station is great but it is difficult to see how that vision fits with:
- removing some of the best as presented by D. Charbonneau;
- playing jazz at dinner time; and
- continuing with Stuart Maclean’s verbals on Radio 2 (and 1).
A little refinement would be welcome.
Just noticed they haven’t updated to the new logo on the program guide webpage.
http://www.cbc.ca/programguide/radio/
I’m with Tod this page needs a redesign especially to include a better highlight on Radio3 the best thing going for cbc besides the news.
I listen to Radio 2 exclusively at home, with the exception of my favorite radio show, Writers and Co. which, thank god, is still on the air.
1. I do miss world report
2. I REALLY miss Northern Lights, early in the morning when I was getting up.
3. I HATE the music coming out of my radio in the early morning now (before 6), in fact, I am going to try to find another radio station to wake me up. I want Andrea back and I want Peter T. back earlier in the morning.
4. The Radio 2 streams are great. Thank you CBC. How do I get my computer to receive them steadily? It’s a his and miss affair.
Ruth
so, about the overnight programming: between 1am and 6am is pretty empty time as far as the number of people listening. And I really think that putting way-out, sonically adventurous programming there (like you used to) is a hell of a lot better use of that time than what you’re currently doing: playing filler music, much of which is already available on commercial stations.
Frankly playing a test tone or shutting off the transmitter overnight would be a better use of resources than what you’re currently doing. Sorry.
My parents brought us to Canada from the UK in the early Trudeau-era 70′s – for me nothing is as close to my heart as CBC 2. My Father once declared that if it wasn’t for CBC FM he would sell his tuner – what alternatives are there for classical lovers in this country? And so, over the years a slow decline in quality classical programming until we reach this – the newly revamped CBC radio 2…the thin edge of the wedge if you ask me. I love jazz, classical, rock, electronic , blues, industrial – I love a huge array of music, but what I don’t love is this vapid appeal to a younger generation that don’t care. In the end you have made CBC just plain bland and you have lost the greatest oportunity to introduce a new generation to the rich world of classical music – just like I was in happier sunnier days. I miss Bob kerr too!! And the 6 o’clock news!!Now my Dad and I will both be selling our radios…boo hoo.
I would like to see the news, the arts report, and weather reinstated on CBC Radio Two. There used to be a local radio newscast at 10 a.m., noon, and also “The World at Six.” The announcer at six now says “Radio One has the news.” What, we are supposed to switch her off? Ridiculous! Thousands of listeners are supposed to walk over to their radios, push the button and turn the dial all the way down to Radio One. Has the CBC gone over budget on its patch cables?
To quote the CBC’s own Corporate Plan:
“As Canada’s national public broadcaster, the CBC/Radio-Canada exists to help Canadians understand and appreciate themselves within both the Canadian and world contexts. In essence, Canadians turn to their national public broadcaster to help them connect to the Canadian experience.
This mandate presents considerable challenges. Increased competition for viewers and listeners and the economics of Canadian programming is putting intense pressure on broadcasters’ business models. Concerns about media concentration and the need to enhance diversity of editorial content are becoming increasingly important. In this context, the Corporation’s role in offering Canadians a wide range of voices and perspectives is critical.”
CBC Radio Two should not be a galaxie channel. Our public broadcaster tax dollars need to be spent informing us, not merely entertaining us.
I echo others on the 1am and beyond music offerings on Radio 2. What were they thinking? If commercial stations already have that sort music on offer, why would a public broadcaster give time to it? Please return to something more interesting that we can’t hear elsewhere.
And, for the 10-1am slot — why, oh why, do you break it up with those awful promotional interruptions? I haven’t figured out what the formula is for when the promo voice appears, nor do I really understand why it exists. If deemed necessary by the marketing experts, couldn’t the promo’s be limited to 5 seconds at the beginning/end of a show? I don’t get the point of breaking up a show with the chatter. I actually find the ‘clever’ little promos to be quite tedious and silly. Just most clutter on the airways. If you must tell us about other programs, why couldn’t it just be straightforward and succinct.
In general I think the changes have been for the better, but my listening is limited to breakfast, supper, and the 12-minute drive to and from work. I haven’t listened to any of the evening programming — before or after the changes.
The shorter news is good, although it sounds a bit rough and needs a bit of work. Tonic makes nice dinner music. The promos are irritating, especially given that they interrupt the programme at unexected times.
The general feeling I get is that Radio 2 is trying to be “cooler”. Radio One has nearly destoyed itself doing this, so Radio 2 is cautioned not to try so hard.
If CBC management wanted to move CBC R 2 over to youth programming, it should have just thrown the switch to R 3 immediately and been done with it; cold turkey is better than death by a thousand pin pricks.
BNW was a treasure, and so were many of the pre March 20 programs on R 2, day and night.
Now, we have endless self-promotion liners (..where the music takes you), and an overnight program that is no better than voice-tracked automated store casting music at your local pharmacy chain.
The Signal seems impressive to me, but is this live announcing or voice tracked automation? I like The Signal because it hints at BNW, and should be on overnight actually.
For those who complain about the loss of quality classical music, this is a trend sorry to say. Classical stations are dropping like flies. Jazz stations are not making money either. I’ve been involved with both formats for years. Yes, the listeners complain when the music goes off-air, but they don’t actually support it in large numbers.
What we have here is CBC’s realization that legacy listeners will complain, but after a while, they will go away, and the new audience will come along, etc etc..
The choices we hear on R 2 now reflect CBC’s decision to abandon its legacy audience for the new. Will it work? Based on what I’m hearing, I’m doubtful, save for DiscDrive’s easy access to a light unabashed mix, Studio Sparks, and The Signal.
Want to hear truly disconnected music flow? Try Radio France’s “The FIP” channel on the net. For a youth oriented station that makes money and carries NPR, try KCRW.com in Los Angeles. This station does very well, and if CBC wants R 2 to draw the youth demographic, they can listen to KCRW to see how its done. For classical, try BBC Radio 3 or WCPE on the net. For Jazz, there is WGBO in New York City. For spoken word, try BBC Radio 3 on the net.
I’m as sorry that CBC R 2 has gone over the horizon as I would be if BBC World Service became a rock station, but here we are. CBC Radio was a very unique service, and seems to be determined to go out of business now. What a true shame for Canada and those of us world wide.
It will be interesting to see what the audience numbers look like for the new Radio 2 format – and if they will be shared with us. This is a big gamble for Radio 2 and there is considerable risk. Radio 2 stands to bleed off the legacy listeners – and I don’t think they can bring much of a new demographic. We will see.
Tonic is doing fine I think – a bit uneven but it’s coming. I do like the idea of featuring Canadian groups I haven’t heard before.
The Signal is my question-mark….good potential as a program but Laurie has a remarkably flat voice for CBC. She sounds quite nonplussed by the whole show. Odd.
Love the time-shift streaming. But the whole channel holds less interest for me now.
I’m glad this site exists – I was wondering how people felt generally.
Well, it’s a good thing we still have the daytime programs. No news, no weather, and lots of annoying ads for, Radio 2! Wherever the music takes you ! Basically it sucks. Maybe when (if) Andrew Craig comes back in September I’ll be able to listen again in the evening. Until then forget about it.
tonight i listened to m. rostropovich & the boston sympathy (ozawa) playing songs by britten, prokofiev, and bach. just the kind of thing we useta hear on in performance before the Great Dumbing Down. ps: there weren’t any clever/cutesy plugs for other shows as far as i could tell but my oral comprehension of french is not so fluent. (signed) a “legacy” listener
I too am very sad at the changes made to Radio 2, especially the sudden lack of news, weather and arts report. Switching to another station is unreasonable and impractical. Of course we don’t need that info every hour–but twice a day would do-able, and take less time than all those annoying self-promotions. “Music for a while” was perfect for its time slot; please bring it back! I love “Studio Sparks” and “Disc Drive” is ok too. (I personally find the morning program too “cute” but it could be worse.) No problem about the later evening changes since I rarely listen for long after the dinner hour. But given the present non-news lineup I feel lost. Where to go? CBC, you’ve let me and many others down!!!
Apparently, the way the CBC did their so-called research that resulted in this unfortunate “new programming” is as follows – quote from Jennifer McGuire: “We actually went into people’s homes and asked them about what they listen to and how they listen, and then looked at the music collections that they have. I think that how people listen in their homes is much more diverse, and how people listen with their iPods is more diverse.”
It’s like (with apologies to McLuhan) driving into the future with eyes fixed firmly on the rear view mirror. This is a very telling example of lack of leadership and lack of vision at the CBC.
If anyone wishes to assist me in launching a formal citizen’s protest that will undo the damage, please email me at margaretlogan@rogers.com
I have read nearly all the foregoing letters and find that no one has ticked onto the fact that there is a hidden agenda here.
Mr. R., his 2 female leftenents and those producers they could coerce over to their thinking ( read:- come along–or–goodby). , said they went to the public and asked for their opinion. What opinion, I was snever asked nor were many of my friends.
The Signal:- I dont know where they got that announcer as she sounds half asleep and her inane chatter is best served on Radio 3 ;;New music. hah. It is said that the cream rises to the top, so I wonder why they have to go to the bottom of the barel for the dregs and dross. There are two great snobs in this world, Wine and Music. Wine snobs dot know the difference between a good wine and 75 cent plonk. The music snob slept through music appreciation in grade school and skipped classes of music 101.
Again as all snobs do, they stand around and discuss things and try to ake you beleive they really know what they are talking about. send this to the dungeon.
So far, thats it, but if you care to complainfurther get hold of Bev Oda the minister for heritage for the government. She was a broadcaster once herself so I thiink we can rest assured she will listen to us which is a far cry form Mr. and his trusty cohorts.
Pat Lowe Calgary Ab
A few points:
Switching the tuner is just one button on a digital tuner. Perhaps that is something that the new programmers considered when making the new format all-music.
I miss Bob Kerr’s “Off The Record” too. Where did Organ Thursdays go? I also miss Alan McPhee’s musings and twitchings on Eclectic Circus on Saturday mornings and The Max Ferguson Show on Sundays. Alas, there are no archived programs off these fine shows so I don’t think there will be any of the current ones either.
I find it odd that the only show that withstood the great bulldozer was DiscDrive on weekdays. Jurgen Goethe rules the waves. I guess the programmers feared a revolt if they tampered with his interesting show. I still can’t believe that the show has not changed since I used to listen to it while at work in 1983. Whenever I listen to it I enjoy the thought that some good things do last and that some things are for the better.
I will miss David Wisdom’s show on Sunday nights.
The only constant is change. Darn it all, EH!
BTW, I am submitting this on 30/03/075:07 AM EST
I got Sirius satellite radio instead of XM partly because it carried CBC. I haven’t intentionally listened to the CBC since. Satellite radio is the way to go.
I don’t need the CBC to define my Canadian-ness with my own wasted tax dollars.
Oh great – so now it’s past midnight and CBC’s new evening lineup is…. mediocre jazz in the early evening and string quartets in the late evening with a bit of hip hop thrown in that’s grandmother friendly so they can call the show “innovative”…. five years ago we had the best of the indie bands across Canada, off the cuff cuss words and bizarre profiles of local music scenes from Surrey to Medicine Hat to Inuvik, now we’ve got rap music for tupperware parties. “Ooh, my grandson is into this rapping and rolling music, maybe I’ll buy this new artist for him. And what’s great is there are none of those bad words in the songs like “shucks” or “darn!” He’ll love it.”
And the DJ is some pun-challenged dork with a Toronto “vote liberal or die trying” accent who thinks Moxy Fruvous and the Barenaked ladies are “cutting edge” avant garde underground.
Excuse me while I vomit. CBC has officially abandoned those in their audience who are not post-menopausal. I want my ten cents a day back.
Whoever the hell these executives are pandering to, it’s not me, it’s not the youth, it’s not the older audience who appreciated real classical music. Hey CBC bean counters – how did you think a strapping young lad like myself learned to appreciate classical music? By wasting my tax dollars playing Alanis Morrisette and the absolute worst pieces of dreck that Brave New Waves and Off the Record would refuse to play? You’re pandering to the wrong demographic. The radio station is obviously run by a bunch of women in their mid-fifties who know nothing about what their grandkids listen to but think they do, go buy them some crappy clothes at The Bay that they’ll never wear for their birthdays and buy all the “right” CDs from HMV because they think that’s the “right” stuff for kiddies to listen to. We’ll never hear Patti Schmidt engage in another hour long discussion with Diamanda Galas regarding what it really means to watch her friends die of aids while the conversation is peppered with numerous expletives and obscure musical references. I’ll never know about avant-rap groups from Moncton, or anywhere else for that matter, because I don’t have time to scrounge the net for the newest tracks. You’ll never know about the indie bands in my corner of Canada doing something interesting and I’ll never know about your local bands – unless you count a few Blue Rodeo ripoffs and Barenaked Ladies tribute bands that pass the CanCon test by the menopausal mommies wasting space in the executive suite. The old CBC had some amazing experts who were passionate about their fields of music – Larry Lake, Ross Porter, David Wisdom, Patti Schmidt. All of that amazing music, gone. All of the serious classical music where young people figured out why a symphony can be an amazing thing to hear in its entirety… gone.
The CBC has evaporated into a pool of useless crap. There is nothing useful or interesting about this station anymore. The entire organization should be shut down for retuning, and we can all pocket another ten cents a day. It’s not about your profits, or your listener base, it was always about maintaining a cultural identity of Canada. And a bunch of old women from Toronto wrecked that for all Canadians. I need to go and throw my tuner off the balcony.
I have been an avid listener of CBC for forty years. I set my clock to radio 2 in the morning and press the sleep button to it every night. I listen to CBC Radio 2 exclusively because good music is essential to me.
I am so disappointed in the change in programming. For the first time I find your music to be not worth listening to at best, and irritating at worst. Northern Lights and After Hours and everything in between were perfect for their time of day and mood. The energy now is all wrong.
The Signal has few redeeming tunes and overall is unpleasant to listen to. I’m sorry to say this radio personality leaves me cold. Perhaps she should stick to producing. (Maybe not!) Tonic is not truly a jazz program and is on at the only time of day I cannot listen. I love Danielle Charboneau, but what’s with the mix of contemporary and classical in the morning. I can’t follow the theme. My husband and I loved After Hours. And what happened to Sunday night jazz which was superb. Even the independent label Saturday night program was fun to listen to and the tunes were enjoyable. I wonder how much these radio hosts have had to concede to comply with these changes.
I cannot imagine what audience you are trying to attract. Some of what you are playing is simply not good music. You could have expected me to listen for many years to come. I am considering sattelite. Perhaps the share of my taxes which goes to the CBC could be refunded to me to offset this cost.
I like the programming, but I miss the news.
Speaking as a youth of 17, the old lineup was much better. On the subject of ill change, what morning program preceded the introduction of Tom Allen’s Music and Company?
I miss Music for A While: I miss the selection and I miss her beautiful chocolate truffle voice.
I am very disappointed in the changes. It all sounds watered down, and I miss the news. Most of the jazz right now, at 7pm, is soporific. Please, please, please, bring back Danielle Charbonneau, Jowi Taylor, and Grant Lawrence. For years, as a Canadian in the US, I have relied on CBC Radio Two to bring me good music, interesting people, and essential news, and I’m very sad to find that so many of my favourite shows have been cut. Please, CBC, listen to what your listeners are saying, before you lose them entirely. Bring back the news and more classical music.
P.S. I’m under 35.
I am disappointed by the changes to Radio Two. Why did you get rid of the news portion? Do you expect listeners to switch to Radio One on the hour, or at least at six pm? CBC has one of the best news services out there, so why limit it to listeners of Radio One?
What audience are you trying to attract? Elevator riders?
Please bring back the Arts Report with Joe Cummings, too. And Global Village. And
Danielle Charbonneau. And Radio 3 on Saturday evening with Grant Lawrence.
Please don’t turn the CBC into a packaged music service. I can get that from a commercial station.
The CBC has always been, to me, the best Canada has to offer. Please don’t cut and slash it into something like NPR.
My favourite show on Radio Two was After Hours and I will miss it greatly. I had just purchased a new radio in February for the sole purpose of enjoying Andy Sheppard’s with nicer sound than my clock radio.
Since the changes in Radio 2 were put in place, I have only heard Tonic twice and only for a small portions of the program. Tonic is a somewhat satisfactory jazz replacement but it airs much too early. My 6-8pm life consists of dinner and news. I would prefer Tonic to move to the 8-10 block (or dare I say, the 10-midnight block). I have started listening to other stations in the evening.
About me: 28 years old, male. CBC Radio One listener at various times throughout the day, Radio Two listener in the evenings. I refuse to buy in to Sirius because I am a strong supporter of broadcast radio. Also, I don’t care for Radio 3′s programming.
Listening to radio two with no news, weather, sports, or arts information makes me feel lonely. I like the thought of longer music hours, especially in the morning when world report and everything else just took too long. But to reduce the national newscast to three minutes, (actually two minutes and fourty-five seconds if you want to be technical) is pretty much like cancelling it completely. And because I can’t hear a different voice for the national news, a different one for local headlines, a different one for sports, a different voice for weather, a different one for arts information, and another one for the actual arts report, in addition to the actual dj’s voice, it makes for a pretty lonely bland morning, even though it is the same classical music between 6 and 9 am. I don’t know what it is, but I need to hear all those people and information I used to have.
I concur with much already posted about this ill-advised change in programming. I simply CAN NOT believe that you ditched “Northern Lights”! Andrea put together some of the best selected, best presented musical radio programming available in North America… and on a shoestring, no less..
What on earth were you thinking?
The evening programing is terrible. Someone should lose their job over this.
Change is always difficult. One gets into a routine, comfortable but one must be careful that it is not a rut. While I did enjoy Miss Charbonneau, I always regretted that Miss Malloch was not on at a more convenient hour. Now she is and I am thrilled. Dexter Gordon, soppy ballads, torch songs – I have my daily tonic. CBC and Miss Malloch, I thank you.
I think it’s terrible that Two New Hours was cancelled. It was my Mom’s favourite program and I liked it too. I heard some of the coolest music on it. And I loved the opening theme song — it was so funky, and futuristic. I can’t believe the music they’re playing during the dinner hour now. It sounds like the music you’d hear in a cheesy, sleazy bar full of gigolos.
I’m really trying to give Laurie Brown a chance here but her, umm…unconventional style is so unnatural it’s disturbing. Is she “playing” Laurie Brown? Does she remove her sense of humour before recording the show? Plus the music is kind of safe and somtimes a little dated for a show that features “cutting edge sounds”. I feel like I’ve been moved to the slow class because I flunked Patti’s exam.
The loss of Northern Lights is hugely disappointing, and I don’t see the point of having the best radio news in North America if you’re not using every opportunity to broadcast it. Worst of all is the cancellation of the few minutes each morning when Joe Cummings and Tom Allen combined arts news and entertainment into one concise, off-the-wall, hilarious package. And of all the things to leave unchanged, why would you pick Shelley Solmes’s irritating, prepackaged good cheer?
When I complained via email, I was told by Jamie Richards (Communications Officer, CBC Audience Relations) that these changes were “informed by significant research.” Frankly I think the ‘research’ consisted of a bunch of suits around a conference table throwing statistics at each other. The only research you need is to listen to your listeners. Is that so difficult?
What I mention is just the tip of the iceberg. I concur with alomost everything else in this blog and for the first time in twenty years I’m looking for alternatives. Once I’ve switched to satellite, be assured I’m gone for good.
Someone (or two or three) should be canned for these mindless changes. And, oh yes, can the Radio 2 adverts while you’re at it. So annoying!