The decline of Vancouver sports media & its effect on Lions

The Place for BC Lion Discussion. A forum for Lions fans to talk and chat about our team.
Discussion, News, Information and Speculation regarding the BC Lions and the CFL.
Prowl, Growl and Roar!

Moderator: Team Captains

Post Reply
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12581
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Hambone wrote:I don't know if I'm much worried about that. Again it's all part of the changes to all media platforms being driven by ever evolving technology. Centuries ago news was delivered by the town crier or word of mouth. Then came the newspaper followed by radio and television. Every step of the way purveyors of older technology had to adapt and adjust for the way new technology impacted them. Internet and digital will force television to adapt just as it has print and radio. The challenge for the ESPNs and TSNs of the world is how to take the problem that is declining subscribers through cord cutting and turn it into opportunity through streaming and digital. How do they convert what will be lost television revenues into digital and streaming revenues? Sportsnet saw this coming which is a big reason why their blockbuster deal with the NHL isn't strictly for Canada's national television rights to NHL games but also Canada's national digital rights.
True. People still want to consume news and live sports. They just don't want to pay for it, at least not through traditional distribution channels. Specialty cable television providers have relied on subscription fees more than advertising revenues, which is why TSN and ESPN don't want people to stream their content unless they are subscribed to a traditional cable or satellite provider. They need to find new ways of streaming that content and monetizing it. In the interim, media companies must adapt to declining revenues. Their first response is usually to cut costs. Their second and third response is usually the same. They don't have a lot of time to figure it out.
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8175
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

Sir Purrcival wrote:And yet when you wanted watch the CFL online live, you couldn't unless you either had a Rogers Cable account or Cogeco. Neither of which we had in the West. I don't know if that is still the case but since I gave up cable TV few years back, there was no way to stream at the time. Trying to tie alternative media to conventional media is a sure fire way to piss off those who are willing and able to consume content via different means but are stymied by such nonsense as that.

In 2015 you could do it through TSN Go if you had a Shaw account. I showed my sidekick Doug how that worked so he could watch Lions games when he was at his cabin on Little Shuswap. They had internet there but no cable and he had Shaw at home. Can now do similar through Shaw Free Range. But yes I believe you had to be subscribed to the cable provider first.

I suppose where I can relate I used to be a regular subscriber to The Province back when home delivery was an option outside of the lower mainland. Then I'd pick it up a store where it was available paying "outside the lower mainland" newsstand prices. About the time the combination of cost and inconvenience made me rethink that along came the content being available on their website. It was free for the taking. Of course that didn't last long until you were good for about 10 articles before getting kicked out unless you accessed it from a different IP address. I resisted paying for it for several months on principle but eventually subscribed for the online version and have done so for a couple years now. It still only costs what is the equivalent of about 1 week's worth of buying print copies.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12581
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Speaking of Shaw and media cuts, this also came out today:

Shaw TV stations to close in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton as funds diverted to Global

The comments after the article are interesting. This one is probably close to the truth:
Mike Davis
It's like napster. Adapt or die. The future is commercial free on demand streaming. Adapt or someone will take your place.
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8175
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

B.C.FAN wrote:Speaking of Shaw and media cuts, this also came out today:

Shaw TV stations to close in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton as funds diverted to Global

The comments after the article are interesting. This one is probably close to the truth:
Mike Davis
It's like napster. Adapt or die. The future is commercial free on demand streaming. Adapt or someone will take your place.
As Dylan sang "Times they are a-changing"
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
Rocko604
Rookie
Posts: 53
Joined: Thu Aug 06, 2015 11:15 pm

B.C.FAN wrote:Speaking of Shaw and media cuts, this also came out today:

Shaw TV stations to close in Vancouver, Calgary and Edmonton as funds diverted to Global

The comments after the article are interesting. This one is probably close to the truth:
Mike Davis
It's like napster. Adapt or die. The future is commercial free on demand streaming. Adapt or someone will take your place.
So does this mean no more WHL Hockey and USport (CIS) Football for the Lower Mainland?
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12581
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

Rocko604 wrote:So does this mean no more WHL Hockey and USport (CIS) Football for the Lower Mainland?
Jim Mullin can answer that, but it appears those sports have lost a major outlet.
User avatar
BC 1988
Legend
Posts: 1357
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:58 pm
Location: BC (since 1988)

WestCoastJoe wrote:Gheez. Gonna miss Mike Beamish. A great guy. Love his columns, that have much more than the scores. Lots of human intetest stories and insight. Had many, many fun chats with Mike at practice over the years. :thup:

sixbeamers :thup:

All the best, Mike. Hopefully you do not retire the pen. Hopefully you find an outlet for your commentary. -- WCJ
Excellent interview on 1040 right now with MB. If they don't put an individual link for the segment, it starts about 15 minutes into hour 4 of the Midday show
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040- ... ce-1.83469
User avatar
BC 1988
Legend
Posts: 1357
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:58 pm
Location: BC (since 1988)

David wrote:
SammyGreene wrote:Rogers have announced today they have purchased CISL 650 and turning it into an all-sports station. So that's where the Canucks have landed and Bell's competition has arrived. What happens to the Lions broadcasts rights now? What on air personalities jump over to 650?
Interesting times. Being a Rogers owned station, I don't expect the Leos/CFL to get a lot of love over there. Mind you, I don't think they get the attention they deserve on TSN and they own the rights!! As for personalities, I would not be surprised to see Rick Dhaliwal jump over from News1130 (at least he's proven himself to be firmly in the Lions' corner through the years) and it will be interesting to see where Scott Rintoul ends up. He's the Lions play-by-play announcer of course, but he was let go by TSN1040. A capable host.

In other news, I heard that Barry MacDonald has taken a buy-out at TSN1040 which is why we haven't heard him in the afternoon drive time slot for the past couple of months. I figured he was on depression leave again (I like MacDonald very much - he's a skilled interviewer). Never could figure out though why they needed 3 guys in that slot (Donny and Moj....plus you throw in the kid who gets a lot of air time, and it's a crowded booth!).


No word on Bro Jake in the mornings who hasn't been heard from in a couple of months either, but I smell a rat there. I've noted many more lively, heated debates now with Sat Shah and other guest hosts. Jake simply doesn't know enough about sports to take a firm stand against Pratt. He may be a sponsor's best friend, but he certainly doesn't do much for all-sports radio.


DH :cool:
I'm not surprised that CISL's old format will be gone. Honestly. apart from ethnic programming, are there any music stations left on AM (and who would choose to listen to music on AM?)

I'm sad to hear Bmac is gone, but glad that it wasn't a recurrence of the depression issues he suffered from. What a charade the way his exit was handled--for a couple of months he was "on holiday" then they didn't even bother saying anything.

Did anyone on the Bro Jake show say anything about why he was gone before he returned yesterday (with the medical emergency explanation)? Looking online, there were other listeners who were puzzled (and mostly happy) with his absence. Of course, I only catch the last hour of it most days, maybe they did give updates on air at 6am.
User avatar
B.C.FAN
Team Captain
Posts: 12581
Joined: Mon Nov 15, 2004 10:28 pm

BC 1988 wrote:I'm sad to hear Bmac is gone, but glad that it wasn't a recurrence of the depression issues he suffered from. What a charade the way his exit was handled--for a couple of months he was "on holiday" then they didn't even bother saying anything.
Is Bmac gone? TSN 1040 is still heavily promoting "Bmac, Donny and the Moj" as its afternoon drive team. I don't listen to that time slot but I hear the on-air promos several times a day.
User avatar
BC 1988
Legend
Posts: 1357
Joined: Sat Oct 26, 2013 1:58 pm
Location: BC (since 1988)

B.C.FAN wrote:
BC 1988 wrote:I'm sad to hear Bmac is gone, but glad that it wasn't a recurrence of the depression issues he suffered from. What a charade the way his exit was handled--for a couple of months he was "on holiday" then they didn't even bother saying anything.
Is Bmac gone? TSN 1040 is still heavily promoting "Bmac, Donny and the Moj" as its afternoon drive team. I don't listen to that time slot but I hear the on-air promos several times a day.
Other than David's post, I haven't had the "buy-out" confirmed anywhere else. (1040 isn't in the habit of being overly forthcoming with updates).
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8175
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

BC 1988 wrote:[I'm not surprised that CISL's old format will be gone. Honestly. apart from ethnic programming, are there any music stations left on AM (and who would choose to listen to music on AM?)

I'm sad to hear Bmac is gone, but glad that it wasn't a recurrence of the depression issues he suffered from. What a charade the way his exit was handled--for a couple of months he was "on holiday" then they didn't even bother saying anything.

Did anyone on the Bro Jake show say anything about why he was gone before he returned yesterday (with the medical emergency explanation)? Looking online, there were other listeners who were puzzled (and mostly happy) with his absence. Of course, I only catch the last hour of it most days, maybe they did give updates on air at 6am.
I happened to pick up part of Moj and Taylor last night. Apparently the Bro was back yesterday morning? Somebody called in to give props to Bro for being on the air in the morning. They did discuss that he suddenly took ill and had been hospitalized in Surrey for something like 3 weeks. BMac of course has dealt with depression in recent years.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
User avatar
Hambone
Hall of Famer
Posts: 8175
Joined: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:25 pm
Location: Living in PG when not at BC Place, Grey Cup or Mazatlan.

B.C.FAN wrote:
BC 1988 wrote:I'm sad to hear Bmac is gone, but glad that it wasn't a recurrence of the depression issues he suffered from. What a charade the way his exit was handled--for a couple of months he was "on holiday" then they didn't even bother saying anything.
Is Bmac gone? TSN 1040 is still heavily promoting "Bmac, Donny and the Moj" as its afternoon drive team. I don't listen to that time slot but I hear the on-air promos several times a day.
Everywhere you look in TSN1040's website it's still referred to as "Bmac, Donny and the Moj" including the lists of yesterday's podcasts.
You're as old as you've ever been and as young as you're ever going to be.
User avatar
David
Team Captain
Posts: 9364
Joined: Thu Oct 03, 2002 10:23 am
Location: Vancouver (Kitsilano)

Sorry guys, I can't recall where I heard or read that BMac was leaving TSN1040 in a buy-out. It may have been a Puget Sound Radio blog but I don't see anything. Doubtful that we'll see any programming shake-ups until after the Stanley Cup Playoffs (although a lot of changes tend to happen in the first week of September after the summer break).

Was completely wrong about Bro Jake. Glad to hear that he's out of danger and able to work, but he's still annoying to listen to. I know he must be happy and grateful to be alive but man, he was trumpeting his return in the 3rd person the other day like some prized UFC contender.


DH :cool:
Roar, You Lions, Roar
User avatar
mountaincat
Rookie
Posts: 55
Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2016 4:53 am

BC 1988 wrote:
WestCoastJoe wrote:Gheez. Gonna miss Mike Beamish. A great guy. Love his columns, that have much more than the scores. Lots of human intetest stories and insight. Had many, many fun chats with Mike at practice over the years. :thup:

sixbeamers :thup:

All the best, Mike. Hopefully you do not retire the pen. Hopefully you find an outlet for your commentary. -- WCJ
Excellent interview on 1040 right now with MB. If they don't put an individual link for the segment, it starts about 15 minutes into hour 4 of the Midday show
http://www.tsn.ca/radio/vancouver-1040- ... ce-1.83469
the audio at that link isn't what it says it is. golf interview instead. the beamish interview is here. http://feeds.soundcloud.com/stream/3205 ... hour-8.mp3
User avatar
SammyGreene
Team Captain
Posts: 8079
Joined: Sun Oct 06, 2002 11:52 am

Interesting to see a Canadian Press story on the Lions moving Stephen Clarke to safety was the back page feature story in the Province yesterday. The rumours coming from Post Media is there will no longer be regular beat writers assigned to the Lions or Whitecaps. Instead they will rely on CP stories and occassional columns. Remarkable given during the Lions surgence about 10 years ago and the Province in much better shape, LU and Gord McIntyre were regularly pumping out stories. Remember those pre-game Blitz sections? :sigh:
Post Reply