TSN 690 and Other Montreal Based Media (Part 10)

[JJ68]

I'd you taught his English was laughable, imagine listening to Tony speaking French for 3 hours.

is this even english?

 

[Belial]

So Tony resigned so he can focus on the podcast. He said that they're 4th among sports podcasts in Canada. And he also said that the podcast has reach 9-million homes. So he wants to focus all his time on it to take it even higher.

He should relax a bit on all the advertising if he really wants to get somewhere with that Podcast.

Pretty sure he would get more views/listeners.

 

[rik schau]

A fair amount of changes the last little while,well at least can still get breaking news and what ever may be going on. Perhaps it might get a bit more entertaining with new blood.

 

[Belial]

A fair amount of changes the last little while,well at least can still get breaking news and what ever may be going on. Perhaps it might get a bit more entertaining with new blood.

Yeah right... Marinaro was THE entertainer on that station.

It'll get blander if anything...

 

[rik schau]

Yeah right... Marinaro was THE entertainer on that station.

It'll get blander if anything...

That may very well be but as long as it's still informative at least.

 

[Belial]

That may very well be but as long as it's still informative at least.

I can come here for pure information.

 

[Inkling]

The whole thing is very odd and doesn't add up if there isn't a 91.9 gig involved that he's just not able to talk about yet. People start podcasts to get attention and get mainstream media jobs, not the reverse. The very top podcasts I'm sure do very well, but this is not even 32 Thoughts let alone Joe Rogan. Thinking it can become one of those if you just quit your day job is very risky to say the least.

The other thing that's odd is the amount of Tony coverage they had on the station and that Mitch was heavily pushing listeners towards Tony's 7:30 live podcast that was like a big infomercial for his podcast (thus in competition with Bell Media). From what I remember, when Elliot Price or Rick Moffat left the station there were kind words said but once they were gone, they were gone. No one was pushing listeners towards their post 690 gigs.

Makes me wonder if this wasn't an engineered departure related to more Bell Media cuts that permitted Tony to leave on his own terms? Maybe verging on conspiracy theory but the whole thing is weird. We'll see what happens to the 91.9 rumours that weren't even mentioned on 690 or the podcast.

 

[jackeymoon]

The whole thing is very odd and doesn't add up if there isn't a 91.9 gig involved that he's just not able to talk about yet. People start podcasts to get attention and get mainstream media jobs, not the reverse. The very top podcasts I'm sure do very well, but this is not even 32 Thoughts let alone Joe Rogan. Thinking it can become one of those if you just quit your day job is very risky to say the least.

The other thing that's odd is the amount of Tony coverage they had on the station and that Mitch was heavily pushing listeners towards Tony's 7:30 live podcast that was like a big infomercial for his podcast (thus in competition with Bell Media). From what I remember, when Elliot Price or Rick Moffat left the station there were kind words said but once they were gone, they were gone. No one was pushing listeners towards their post 690 gigs.

Makes me wonder if this wasn't an engineered departure related to more Bell Media cuts that permitted Tony to leave on his own terms? Maybe verging on conspiracy theory but the whole thing is weird. We'll see what happens to the 91.9 rumours that weren't even mentioned on 690 or the podcast.

I think 690 has a few really rotten apples starting with their station manager. If he really was that irate about Tony doing a podcast with a kid he's been helping shows a complete lack of empathy or character and let's be honest, given how they treated Nilan, Price and a few others are we surprised?

Nilan's departure really bothered me personally since I know one of the guys who stabbed him in the back literally could've been fired if Chris hadn't vouched for him. I hope Montreal gets a sportsnet billingual radio station run by someone with an eye for talent and a human amount of empathy rather than a penny pincher

 

[Adam Michaels]

The whole thing is very odd and doesn't add up if there isn't a 91.9 gig involved that he's just not able to talk about yet. People start podcasts to get attention and get mainstream media jobs, not the reverse. The very top podcasts I'm sure do very well, but this is not even 32 Thoughts let alone Joe Rogan. Thinking it can become one of those if you just quit your day job is very risky to say the least.

The other thing that's odd is the amount of Tony coverage they had on the station and that Mitch was heavily pushing listeners towards Tony's 7:30 live podcast that was like a big infomercial for his podcast (thus in competition with Bell Media). From what I remember, when Elliot Price or Rick Moffat left the station there were kind words said but once they were gone, they were gone. No one was pushing listeners towards their post 690 gigs.

Makes me wonder if this wasn't an engineered departure related to more Bell Media cuts that permitted Tony to leave on his own terms? Maybe verging on conspiracy theory but the whole thing is weird. We'll see what happens to the 91.9 rumours that weren't even mentioned on 690 or the podcast.

I don't think they will announce the 91.9 Sports gig just yet. It was just recently announced that JiC will take over the morning show there in the coming months. I don't think they're at the part where they can start announcing contributors yet.

As for why he left TSN690? It's possible there's a deeper reason than just wanting to focus on the podcast more. To be fair, it could just been that. But Nilan made a little video where he says he's proud of Tony for sticking to his guns. So it may have been possible that the station asked him not to do the podcast or something to that effect and Tony didn't want to do that.

Regarding Melnick promoting Tony's podcast for last night, remember Tony's been there for 20 years. It's not just someone that started 5 years ago.

Melnick also said that Tony is doing what every radio host wants (work less or rather an easier schedule and make more money). So we can make fun of Tony and his podcast all we want. The podcast has been growing and is clearly having success.

I think 690 has a few really rotten apples starting with their station manager. If he really was that irate about Tony doing a podcast with a kid he's been helping shows a complete lack of empathy or character and let's be honest, given how they treated Nilan, Price and a few others are we surprised?

Nilan's departure really bothered me personally since I know one of the guys who stabbed him in the back literally could've been fired if Chris hadn't vouched for him. I hope Montreal gets a sportsnet billingual radio station run by someone with an eye for talent and a human amount of empathy rather than a penny pincher

Sportsnet needs to get something going here so they can force TSN690 to up their game.

 

[jaffy27]

Will be nothing other than Tony crying and pausing to try and catch his thoughts

Great, I’ll make sure to listen in

 

[PuckNorris]

TSN didn't like that Tony had a podcast. They felt he was taking listeners from the station. He was repeating a lot of the things he said on the radio on his podcast, so they felt threatened. 91.9 will allow him to continue his English podcast because it doesn't steal their listeners.

Jean Charles and Tony is actually a perfect combo. They're the same personality but contrasting view points. They had some epic battles on 110% back in the day.

I'm surprised 690 just cut Tony from the station without giving a proper goodbye. That's not only disrespectful to him but his listeners. Even if he left on bad terms with the higher ups, they should respect their listeners.

 

[YukonCornelius 5thOA]

I think 690 has a few really rotten apples starting with their station manager. If he really was that irate about Tony doing a podcast with a kid he's been helping shows a complete lack of empathy or character and let's be honest, given how they treated Nilan, Price and a few others are we surprised?

Nilan's departure really bothered me personally since I know one of the guys who stabbed him in the back literally could've been fired if Chris hadn't vouched for him. I hope Montreal gets a sportsnet billingual radio station run by someone with an eye for talent and a human amount of empathy rather than a penny pincher

Is said stabber on the air? And if so, what time slot?

 

[salbutera]

I don't think they will announce the 91.9 Sports gig just yet. It was just recently announced that JiC will take over the morning show there in the coming months. I don't think they're at the part where they can start announcing contributors yet.

As for why he left TSN690? It's possible there's a deeper reason than just wanting to focus on the podcast more. To be fair, it could just been that. But Nilan made a little video where he says he's proud of Tony for sticking to his guns. So it may have been possible that the station asked him not to do the podcast or something to that effect and Tony didn't want to do that.

Regarding Melnick promoting Tony's podcast for last night, remember Tony's been there for 20 years. It's not just someone that started 5 years ago.

Melnick also said that Tony is doing what every radio host wants (work less or rather an easier schedule and make more money). So we can make fun of Tony and his podcast all we want. The podcast has been growing and is clearly having success.



Sportsnet needs to get something going here so they can force TSN690 to up their game.

There isn’t a market for all sports English radio in Mtl anymore - very unfortunate but that demographic is long gone…

 

[Schooner Guy]

Nilan's departure really bothered me personally since I know one of the guys who stabbed him in the back literally could've been fired if Chris hadn't vouched for him. I hope Montreal gets a sportsnet billingual radio station run by someone with an eye for talent and a human amount of empathy rather than a penny pincher

I'm a Nilan fan. I love how he played. He fought everyone, turned himself into a decent player, and stuck up for his teammates as well as anyone I've ever seen. Having said that, if only there was a way he could have kept his radio job.

You sound like you have some good insight on what's going on inside that station. Until I hear differently, I'm going to assume Connor McKenna is the backstabber.

 

[salbutera]

I think 690 has a few really rotten apples starting with their station manager. If he really was that irate about Tony doing a podcast with a kid he's been helping shows a complete lack of empathy or character and let's be honest, given how they treated Nilan, Price and a few others are we surprised?

Nilan's departure really bothered me personally since I know one of the guys who stabbed him in the back literally could've been fired if Chris hadn't vouched for him. I hope Montreal gets a sportsnet billingual radio station run by someone with an eye for talent and a human amount of empathy rather than a penny pincher

Loved Nilan the Habs hockey player but he sucked big time on radio. Barely literate let alone garbled on air communication skills

There was a time Mtl would pay top $ and attract top end radio talent from all over US & Canada (Ralph Lockwood, Ted Tevan etc.) - those days are long gone, hence the CEGEP level radio talent on the air @ TSN690.

Melnick is the last of the pros left.

 

[sampollock]

no underwear commericals today, nice change

 

[FlatIron]

Yeah right... Marinaro was THE entertainer on that station.

It'll get blander if anything...

Agreed, I never got all the hate for Tony in here over the years. Tevan was his biggest influence, when you think of Tevan he didn't get too deep in terms of breaking down a game, we listened for the entertainment value. Tony did a decent job, his passion was genuine. I watched him in person once when he was at Auto Prix, right before the pandemic when the Habs were losing 8 games in a row. I believe it was November 2019 or early 2020. He was genuinely pissed off, there were no cameras on site and besides me there there was some Auto Prix staff, he was steaming when he went to commercial. The station has no one but Melnyck left. Sad

Loved Nilan the Habs hockey player but he sucked big time on radio. Barely literate let alone garbled on air communication skills

There was a time Mtl would pay top $ and attract top end radio talent from all over US & Canada (Ralph Lockwood, Ted Tevan etc.) - those days are long gone, hence the CEGEP level radio talent on the air @ TSN690.

Melnick is the last of the pros left.

Started going downhill when they let Casavant and Price go.

 

[Adam Michaels]

I'd you taught his English was laughable, imagine listening to Tony speaking French for 3 hours.

He's not going to a French radio station to host or co-host a show. He'd be a contributor, a guest that will be on either daily, a few times a week or once a week for a few minutes.

 

[Adriatic]

Loved Nilan the Habs hockey player but he sucked big time on radio. Barely literate let alone garbled on air communication skills

Thank god he's not on the radio anymore. He was an awful radio personality. Truly one of the worst in the history of Montreal radio.

 

[Adriatic]

He's not going to a French radio station to host or co-host a show. He'd be a contributor, a guest that will be on either daily, a few times a week or once a week for a few minutes.

That makes more sense.

 

[sampollock]

Funny how Tony's leaving came out of nowhere

 

[salbutera]

Agreed, I never got all the hate for Tony in here over the years. Tevan was his biggest influence, when you think of Tevan he didn't get too deep in terms of breaking down a game, we listened for the entertainment value. Tony did a decent job, his passion was genuine. I watched him in person once when he was at Auto Prix, right before the pandemic when the Habs were losing 8 games in a row. I believe it was November 2019 or early 2020. He was genuinely pissed off, there were no cameras on site and besides me there there was some Auto Prix staff, he was steaming when he went to commercial. The station has no one but Melnyck left. Sad


Started going downhill when they let Casavant and Price go.

Pls don’t ever compare Tevan to Tony - Ted Tevan’s detailed historical knowledge of baseball, hockey, horse racing and boxing was second to none.

Re: Casavant & Price
There’s a method to the madness, there’s no market for English all sports radio in Mtl, and Bell recognizes this - unless the salaries / expenditures are kept very low, meaning only minimum wage earners with one Yoda type to lean on (Melnick).

 

[Habnot]

Seriously, people have no clue how little radio guys earn. Podcasts are way more lucrative and you own your own brand and product. Clearly an economic decision.

If I have a choice, even in the car, to listen to radio or podcasts - I always choose podcasts. I get to listen to the content I want, by the people I like, on the subjects that interest me. Give me The Ahletic Support, The Bill Simmons BS podcast, 32 thoughts etc...

 

[jackeymoon]

I'm a Nilan fan. I love how he played. He fought everyone, turned himself into a decent player, and stuck up for his teammates as well as anyone I've ever seen. Having said that, if only there was a way he could have kept his radio job.

You sound like you have some good insight on what's going on inside that station. Until I hear differently, I'm going to assume Connor McKenna is the backstabber.

Won't say who it is or if they even still work there

 

[McGees]

His podcast averages under 7k views per episode (and half of them are probably from his own beer and underwear sponsors) - There is no way you can claim '9 million viewers'

Anyways good luck to him and ya 690 is in desperate need of talent.
Too many mediocre guys there right now that I'm not sure why they even decided to go into radio as they don't have the voice, the energy, the conversational skills or even interesting takes.