GEORGE’S BLOG

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George Johns and I grew up in Radio together.  But we were always apart.  He was at The Rock station…CKY in Winnipeg,  I was at The MOR station….. CJOB.  Competitors …..but not really.  George even invited me over once to taste his father’s Chili.

George played guitar in one of Winnipeg’s best Bands.  I played drums in a couple of Winnipeg’s worst Bands. But I won all the awards in Toronto for Commercial Production.

I was at CHUM when George launched CFTR which grew into CHUM’s toughest competitor.  Then he went to help create The Fairbanks Chain which became one of America’s great Radio Companies.   Yet….every time CHUM produced a Rock Documentary, George was just fine with us using one of his Jocks, Chuck Riley, for the narration.

A few years ago, George invited me to The CKY Reunion in The ‘Peg as an “honourary” Employee.

Today, mostly in retirement in Florida, George keeps us up-to-date on his life through a Blog featuring a series of “truisms” on life.  I thought of George the other day when I came across one that, for all I know, he may have composed. Journalism is printing what someone else does not want to be printed. Everything else is Public Relations.

Here’s to you George. Let’s not wait to get together until all we can do is have a wheelchair race at the next Reunion.

Warren Cosford.

 

 

Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf) (new geo Blog for the week of Feb 20/17)

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I just got through reading my friend Tim Moore’s Blog (pictured, damn I wish I could write like him) anyway Tim said that nobody is successful without the help of others. He went on to say that there was no time like the present to thank those that helped you along the way. So with that in mind here I go…

George Darenchuk the only teacher to ever give me an “A” as he tried to encourage me to stay in school.

Peter Proskurnik who talked me into going to my first dance which forever changed my life.

My parentsSandy and Betty Johns who put up with a lot of loud band practices in our rumpus room over the years and didn’t freak out when I turned down the GM job at a brand new bowling to become a part-time board op at CKY.

Shayne who when I was in the 9th grade invited me to become a member of the “Devines” which jump-started my musical career.

Rolly Blaquiere who helped me start all those bands which eventually led to us getting a recording contract.

Jim Quail and the rest of the Transcona Nationalsk who taught me how great it felt to be part of a good team.

Bill Burdeyny who wrote about us in the Transcona News and gave me my first taste of fame which made me want to be somebody.

Mark Parr who tormented management until they gave me a radio job as a part time board op at CKY in Winnipeg.

Jim Hilliard who spotted me early on and not only has guided me for most of my life but is also my best friend along with his beautiful wife Barbara.

Chuck Riley who taught me what great production is all about.

Daryl “B” who along with Chuck Riley produced my first record and also got me promoted to Music Director of CKY.

George Dawes who hooked me up with CKOM in Saskatoon where I became a Program Director for the very first time.

My dear friend Gary Russell (RIP) who helped me become a real PD.

J Robert Wood who got me my first major market programming job at CFRA in Ottawa.

Ted Rogers and Keith Dancy who let me put an experimental format on CFTR which just happened to be in Canada’s largest market.

Roger Klein, Keith Elshaw and Sharon Henwood who made CFTR sound so good that it got me a job in America as a National PD.

All the “Hall of Fame” talent and those that should be who were on the air and in production at Fairbanks Broadcasting whom without I would be nothing.

Ed and Tom Shadek who made it possible for me to start my own consulting company plus get to realize my dream of living in California.

Jack McCoy who not only inspired me but gave me first shot at all his world class promotions.

Reg Johns and Reid Reker whom without there couldn’t have been a “Class” format.

Jim West who took “Class” national.

Bill Yde who got me into radio station ownership.

Bob Christy who not only has been at my side through many projects as a co-worker but has also been one of my closest and dearest friends.

Betsy Cameron who not only has helped me with many projects including getting me into my beautiful condo but is also one of my best friends too along with her husband Barry Smith.

Gordon, Tom & Brent at KZST who have kept me in wine for over 30 years. Thank you, guys!

And lastly but definitely not least my beautiful daughtersCandis & Cami who have been the inspiration which has kept me at it as long as I have by keeping me younger than my years.

HOLD ON I’V GOT A FEW OTHER THINGS TO SAY ABOUT SOME OTHER THINGS
Every successful entity has a secret.
 
The secret at KVIL was the elimination of Sex, Drugs, and Rock&Roll which we replaced with the celebration of women.
 
Free money never solved poverty.
 
In Canada, there are over 750 charitable organizations so you can only imagine how many there are in America not to mention the government who are also helping the poor. What I can’t figure out is how can there still be poor people.
 
I wonder what Trump and his ilk think about funding NPR especially when most of their content is anti his kind.
 

The Patriots never led the Superbowl but somehow managed to win anyway.

I think the worst liner that I ever remember hearing on the radio was years ago when I heard, “truckin’ down the highway with a heavy load of hits” on CKLW. That lame line has been recently been eclipsed though on WIRK in West Palm Beach with a produced liner that says … WIRK is so big and powerful that trains stop for us at railway crossings.

The only reason to have the finer things in life is because you really want them. Any other reason is just wrong.

The only revenge we fans get is watching all the bad attitude guys in pro sports being held out of the “Hall.” How strong are you feeling today T O.

If you don’t play the game you can’t lose but you can’t win either.

It wasn’t the Democrats who lost the election it was Hillary so give Trump a rest and rag on her awhile.

Speaking of Hillary is anybody checking to see where all those millions from the Clinton foundation went?

How can anybody defend any politician when all of them are so duplicitous.

Much more @ GeorgeJohns.com and on Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Feel free to share.
 
 
 
 

White Guy With Privileges. (new Blog for Feb 13/17)

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Watching the commercials during Superbowl LI made me realize that the art of writing copy is waning which must of began when I moved to America. When I worked in Canada every radio station no matter the size of the market had a copy department. In Toronto at CFTR I remember hiring a guy by the name of Bill McDonald (pictured above on the left with his award winning partner Doug Thompson) whose job it was to come in at night and write nothing but “spec spots.” Bill wrote so well that occasionally when I would hit the station at night I’d be surprised to find a few of my jocks patiently sitting there waiting to record one of Bill’s spots so as to have it on their demo tape.

One of Bill’s commercials which he wrote for a local spa was so damn good that the client turned it down because he claimed that his place wasn’t as good as the one Bill wrote about.

OH YEAH, I ALMOST FORGOT THE FOLLOWING
I think I may have begun to lose my radio chops way back when I started consulting in ’81. Before then I was the National PD of Fairbanks Broadcasting where each and every one of my ideas quickly got on the air. Now I’m lucky if half of them do.
 
When was the last time your bank did anything good for you?
 
Most of what I know today I learned in a pool hall on my way home from school.
 
The law doesn’t change because you disagree with it.
 
Taking too long to figure out what you should do with your life results in your already having lived it.
 
Has any musician ever not been ripped off by Mr. Businessman? 
  
I’m for human rights, most of the rest is just noise.
 
I’m also for equal rights but am totally against anyone having one more right than me.
 
As I look back on my career I must have missed the part where I was a privileged white guy.
 
My folks who had a hell of a lot more to protest than we do were unable to do it because they were too busy working.
 
Why do both the Democrats and the Republicans suck up to the Saudi’s
 
Having the right to be wrong leads to wondrous accomplishments.
 
Have you ever noticed that people who suffer from depression seem to always have the best smiles and many are also the life of the party?
 
Even though I have no extra money in my jeans I keep hearing that the economy is getting better but I think it’s only better for the folks who hang out with Trump and Obama.
 
He who is afraid to ask must suffer the consequences of not receiving.
 
No matter what you imagine your image to be, the positions you’ve held, the places where you used to work, none of it will have anything to do with where you’re going. To be successful one must find something they like to do and simply become the best at doing it.
 
To be secure, unfortunately, you’re going to have to give up some freedom.
 
The secret to your success on the radio may be in using fewer but memorable words like Eastwood, Stallone and Arnold did in their hit movies. 
 
As important as this moment is sometimes it takes a whole hour to come together in order for you to have a decent show.
 
Trying to justify a mistake merely turns it into a lie.
 
Have you ever noticed how loud it sounds when the crickets stop chirping?

All women have much better naughty stories than men but unfortunately, they just don’t tell ’em.

Here’s the secret to all entertainment … Attention getting open, drama in the middle, killer close. Even Sir Paul doesn’t fade “Hey Jude” in concert.
 
If the above is too much for you, just go with the killer close.
 
It’s very difficult to cheat an honest man.
 
Did we see the biggest comeback or the biggest choke of all time during LI?

Seldom if ever do we remember the name of the team who lost the Superbowl but this year may be an exception.

Lest we forget, it was February 8/96 that Bill Clinton signed the telecommunications bill which created consolidation. Thanks, Bill, we all wish you had spent more time with Monica instead.

It all began with the election and continued with the Superbowl. What’s next?

Much more @ GeorgeJohns.com and on twitter @GeoOfTheRadio.