See Ya Later Krysta, Girl!

Just days after I posted my review of Out of The Fog's anniversary show and written I how feel that Krysta Rudofsky was indeed that star and soul of that program, word has come that Krysta is leaving Out of The Fog and moving to CBC. The show on CBC will be an afternoon lifestyles program with a local feel.

My one fear would be that many of Krysta's viewers were able to watch her because of her after supper time slot and may not be able to watch her in the afternoon. But I have a feeling it won't be long till she moves to a national program anyway.

Krysta, you will be missed by all the viewers of Out of The Fog and I am sure that many will try to find you on CBC. Good luck to you Krysta, Girl!

Media Stew

Out of The Fog - Can 150 minutes seem longer than 5 years?

Recently, Out of The Fog it's five year anniversary with a 90 minute special and a one hour look at the show entitled The Making of Fog. Here are some thoughts on the two shows .

• >As a 30 minute show Out of The Fog (OTF) is fantastic daily programming. At 90 minutes the tedium really takes over and I was barely hanging on. The 90 minute show was no different than any other nightly show except for the fact that Paddy & Krysta decided to Suit Up! A better idea would have been to combine the two shows or perhaps do a taped live show in front of an audience.
• >I'm still trying to decide if I am a Paddy Daly fan or not. He is better than prior host Dave Salter but I need to see more. He is smart enough though to know that it is Krysta's show and she is OTF.
• >I hope that no one tells Ron Hynes that he died five years ago (I've seen more lively looking zombies in a Romero movie) because he continues to make excellent music.
• >While I enjoyed Jenny Gear on Canadian Idol, I could not and would not be able to watch her over a full set. I just don't get her.
• >Most unusual pairing of the night; Harvey Hodder and Roger Sampson. Harvey with his usual grouch-like appearance and Roger with his Linda Evans hair (thankfully tied back for this show) and absolutely killing himself with his own jokes. I figure Harvey's restraining order against Roger must be good for 500 meters.
• >Ambrose Pierce...what can I say besides the fact that the man knew that dusty rose was in style back in 1995 and that the term Decorating Diva fits. On a side note, he was called Jackie "O" by the judges on a decorating reality show that he will be appearing on soon....personally I can't wait to see a Newfoundlander on National TV show who isn't funny, a singer or an angry individual really pissed off at a politician on the news.
• >While the Freixenet and the Parkdale pieces were nice did they really belong in the special.
• >OTF, the next time you are having a big blow-up special make sure you guys get Steve Winter of the NF Liquor Corporation...that dude is crazy. I believe he is already signed on for Jackass 3 after his appearance on OTF.
• >While I am a fan of OTF, I really didn't need 60 minutes of local celebrities and "man on the street" telling me over and over what a great show it is, as was the case with the Making of Fog (MoF) documentary.
• >Really every musical guest from the 90 minute special and others who spoke during MoF and basically said the same thing. Where was the insight?
• >Nice touch getting air time for some of the hard-working volunteers.
• >The one shining moment of MoF was when Krysta relayed the story about the dying man and his wife who watched her nightly forn the hospital and how they thought of her as their own. This is the beauty of OTF and MoF needed more moments like this.
• >Krysta Rudofsky is the real star of this program and that was evident in every aspect of the two specials. I would have liked to seen more about her in MoF but I suspect she was much to modest too allow this too happen. She has the talent to interview all levels of guests with the right level of decorum and she indeed makes her co-hosts look better. Even if Mrs. Media Stew thinks she wears too many low-cut tops!

In closing, Out of The Fog is great local television that never seemed local till they tried to outpace themselves with these two specials. The show is best when it is concise and features plenty of Krysta and local stories and celebrities. I personally hope that the show will be around for years to come.

Media Stew

NTV, Fred, and Ed Byrne

So I was eating the wonderful supper that Mrs. Media Stew prepared and I see that Ed Byrne, MHA has decided to break his silence concerning the Auditor General scandal and is doing the local news circuit.

First of all, let me give full credit to Fred Hutton for not pulling any punches and going straight at Ed (Who Me?) Bryne. Asking out right how could he have not done anything wrong with all of the misappropriated funds that went directly to him. Fred also stated that Ed was an intelligent man (to which Ed replied yes), so how could he have not known about the monies. Ed's response...I am confident that when everything comes out he will be vindicated and that he has not seen any of the information that the Auditor General released. As if he didn't go to that page on the net the day it was released like thousands of other people did...YEAH RIGHT!!!

So to me Ed's response means one of the following: 1) He's was being set-up by someone who only wanted to make him richer and didn't even realize he had all that money in the bank, 2) He was asleep at the wheel and was signing off on slips he shouldn't have been or 3) He's guilty and a Deadman Walking.

Any of those three are enough for dismissal from government.

Again let me give kudos to Fred Hutton and the NTV News Crew for not pulling any punches. Let's just hope that the investigation will do the same!!!

HITS FM 99.1

This is the first in a number of blogs dealing with the local St. John's Radio market. I will examine the morning show teams as well as the drive-time host while offering my opinions on what works and what doesn't. First up....

99.1 Hits FM, Newfoundland # 1 Hit Station

Hits FM is Newfoundland's home to Top 40 radio like Justin, The Pussycat Dolls, and the insufferable Black Eyed Peas (Don't get me started on the Peas). It's hip, it's happening, and it's down right boring!!!!!

Randy Snow and the Hits FM Morning Show (A+ for the original title there guys) are a very competent bunch. They all have excellent, clear radio voices, and can be professional when reading announcements and the news but they are also not very exciting. Hit music is suppose to be on the cutting tip with new fresh beats (don't tell me I'm not down with the kids) and a radio station that promotes itself as the home of such music should reflect this image as well.

Randy Snow has been in the radio game a long time but seems to have lost his fire and is going through the motions. If you check out his pics on the website you can feel his enthusiasm for the job. Oh and btw, Randy if you are reading this, just because it's warm and raining does not mean we will have a thunder storm as you like to predict everytime we have warm rainy weather.

Bill Gregory, the news reader and comedian of the bunch, has a voice tailor made for radio. His voice will never irritate your ears I just wish he would stop playing the randy school boy who can never get laid. After years of listening to him ramble about his lack of success with the female species, I feel like setting up a fund to buy him a bride.

Leanne Sharpe, the third member of the team is often regulated to laugh track or sitting in silence. When she is on the air alone, she is actually not bad. She gives opinions on songs and doesn't tend to ramble on. But on the morning show she seems overwhelmed by the two lads.

Their drive time guy is Brad Michaels...you know the guy who they proclaim is the oddball in the 5 o'clock countdown six-pack. This guy is about as wild as the rice on my supper plate. Again another great radio voice but very little charisma in his delivery. He kinda makes me sleepy, enough said.

Ingredients to add

• How about adding a little personality to your hosts. I can feel them lurking under the surface they just need to rise.
• More pop-culture...Hit's FM is all about today's Hit Music, well how about more relevant references to the events and people that are help shaping what is being considered popular music. Stuff like The Scandal of the Week or Breakout Artist .
• Gossip....come on we all want to know what K-Fed and Phillipe did to ruin such sweet romances!!!!
• A fire in Randy Snow's belly... this guy was great on the Dawn Patrol but has definitely lost a step and tends to ramble like an old man ordering sandwich in Tim Horton's. GET TO THE POINT!!!!!

Ingredients to remove

• Terry Hart's Good News Report. While I think it's a great idea, it is as misplaced as Ron Hynes opening for My Chemical Romance. The report should be shifted to another station in the fold.
• The same lame contests that have been running for years. Every now & then they use their brains and come up with some great promotions like the French Kiss Contest. The goal is to make your station water cooler talkable.
• Easy winners for every contest. Sure it's nice to make sure you have a winner but for god's sake make them work for it every now and then, besides having the quickest speed dial finger.

Ingredients that are just right

• The 99 second news breaks are the perfect length. Don't bore your audience with reality. That's what CNN is for.
• The music format is a good mix of current and mainstay songs that will please a wide range of Top 40 listeners.
• Randy Snow & The Hits Morning team. They do seem to go through the motions too often but they are a good mix and just need to freshen up the show.
• The music format is unique in the St. John's marketplace.

Morning Show Rating

6 bowls of Stew out of 10

Overall Rating

6 bowls of Stew out of 10

What is Newfoundland Media?

Okay, for years I've commented to friends, family, co-workers, or basically anyone who would listen to me jabber about our local entertainment types. Now, I don't mean those in the theater or those playing live music because basically I don't get out that much. I mean those who are on the airwaves.

This blog has been spurred on in particular by the sorry state of the St. John's radio market. At one time, we had so many "cool" DJ's (are they still called that anymore...) but they have either gotten old or moved on.

Over the next while I will examine each of the FM stations (I do not and will not listen to AM) and will also comment on local television newscasts and shows.

All opinions are my own, and if you do not agree feel free to leave your comments. My feelings won't be hurt and hopefully neither will yours.

BTW, Shakespeare I am not, so don't expect sweeping text and multi-syllabic words cause that ain't me!!