News on demand - to a point!
When I’m out and about, just living my life, it’s very gratifying to talk to 680News listeners and find out why you listen to us and what you’d like more of, less of and none of. Responses and reactions vary widely.
Early this morning as I waited for my team coffee order at a Tim Hortons drive-through, the server at the window suddenly became chatty. She wanted to know why I was coming through every morning at such a ridiculous hour. I told her where I worked and her eyes lit up.
“Oh, I love Celine Dion, can you please play any one of her songs for me?”
“Sorry,” I replied. “We don’t play music. But our sister station CHFI does. I could mention it to them!”
“No,” she said, explaining that she listens to another music station.
“I can’t help then, sorry,” I said.
“You read the news?,” the coffee maven asked.
“Yes, that’s what I do,” I said, kind of hoping she’d hand me my coffee tray and change soon.
“OK, next week, I’ll give you a news story and you’ll read it, okay?”
I was stunned and amused! I’ve never had anyone try to get me to “play” their news story before. She had the tray of coffees in her hands, outstretched toward me and I knew it was the moment of truth - or untruth.
“OKAY!” I replied, with absolutely no intention of reading anything this very nice woman writes for me. I just hope this means I don’t have to look for another 24-hour drive through!
September 7th, 2007 at 6:52 am
I am wondering why Paul and the “guys” always get to read the news (traffic etc.) at a comfortable, listening pace while, sometimes, you and the women have to read at breakneck speed. You are very good at it, and do not stumble and maintain your intonation but the pace change is annoying and starts to sound like blah-blah-blah sometimes. One of your former co-workers, not mentioning any names, was not very good at it and I actually stopped listening to 680News until I heard she had left and you had come on board.
I assume the fast pace is because there’s lots of news to squeeze in, but why burden the women with the task? (I would recommend editing instead of getting Paul to speed up too!)
September 7th, 2007 at 9:26 am
Hi Lorie, your perception of different approaches by male and female anchors is simply not accurate. The women are not encouraged to speed up. This isn’t mandated! I appreciate that you feel you are hearing this but it’s not part of our programming, our approach or our intention. Perhaps some of us are doing it unconciously and in that case, I appreciate you pointing it out so we can become aware of it.
Cheers,
Lisa
September 14th, 2007 at 8:03 am
Thanks for your reply Lisa. I just assumed it was mandated because it seemed, to me, that recently you changed your pace. As I said, you are good at the quick cadence, it’s just the difference now between you and Paul, Mike Eppel, and the traffic personalities that I find slightly off putting at an early hour. I guess I’m used to sports announcers going at breakneck speed.
Anyway, you and Paul cannot be topped in the long run. Onward and upward.
Lorie
September 18th, 2007 at 9:54 am
Hmmmmm. Well, you’ve given me food for thought. As someone wise once said, ‘The last one to notice the water is the fish!”
Thanks for speaking your piece.
I’ll keep a closer eye on my pace! (Or is that a closer “ear”?)
Cheers,
Lisa