40 Years - Two Voices.

The mathematics are staggering for any organization.  40 years and just two "CEO's".

Fanshawe College Broadcast Journalism has seen a lot of changes.  The program has switched locations from 'D' block to 'M' building.  The Sony 110B tape recorder has been replaced by IPhones and Edirol digital recording devices.  Each year, new students weave a new - and slightly different - square on the quilt.

But through it all, it's been Warren and Bob.  Just two men have held the position of Program Coordinator at Fanshawe - in 40 years.  Warren Michaels and Bob Collins made sure the one constant has been a high standard and a real-world environment.

Warren Michaels (L) and Bob Collins at RTNDA 2011 in Halifax

"When I came in 1971 it was primarily a print program," said Michaels at the recent RTNDA convention in Halifax.  "I said at the time we were going to change to an all broadcast program and quite a few people didn't like it."

Since then, Fanshawe BRJR has gone beyond the original mandate of community colleges and become a nationally recognized source of talent.  Collins became program coordinator in 1980, after being hired in 1974

The steady hands of Michaels and Collins kept fundamentals locked into the curriculum.  Those fundamentals taught in the classroom are immediately put into practice on the College radio/TV/web  platforms - over and over again.  The repetition goes back to Michaels' early philosophy that total reliance on classroom teaching wasn't good enough to prepare a broadcast journalist. Students had to get out and do it.  Student reporters scour the city for news stories as part of their required learning.  By the time they graduate, each of them will have prepared about 200 newscasts and covered dozens of stories.  It's not the easy way, but it's always been Warren's and Bob's way.

Fanshawe students come radio-ready," says Bob Layton, award winning News Director of 630 CHED (Corus) in Edmonton.

Fanshawe graduates made up a good percentage of those in the audience at the RTNDA National Conference in Halifax.  Some attended the school together, others know each other from daily news competition.  All are connected through Warren and Bob.

Scott Metcalfe 680 News ND  (L) and RTDNA President Andy Leblanc both graduated from Fanshawe College

After a picture of Warren and Bob was tweeted, a graduate from 1978 reacted with a tweet of his own about fond memories.  Former students won many awards as professionals in Halifax and four current students won RTNDF scholarships. All are connected through just two men, Warren and Bob.

Western Fair Market

It's only an apple fritter, but to me it's a piece of art.  It's also an example of why I've given up chain stores for purchasing almost anything.  It's not a political statement, but a victory for passion over profit.  I love food.  Good food.  It's just so much more fun to buy things that are made by people right in front of you.  Food is important enough for us to care where it came from. Our favourite market is the Western Fair Market (each Saturday) in London.

THE APPLE FRITTER AS A METAPHOR

A chain store, which needs no publicity, claims to make an apple fritter.  They should not be allowed to use the same name as the little pieces of art sculpted by Jacques van Rijn of the Dutch Bakery (296 Wellington Street in St.Thomas).  van Rijn's constant smile and internationally renowned recipe for apple fritters are the first thing you smell as you approach the front door of the Western Fair market.

Jacques van Rijn has a passion for apple fritters 

There is a fresh slice of apple in each fritter surrounded by custard.  Usually, they are warm and you can buy 13 for $13.00.  What the chain store calls an apple fritter is .95 cents.  It's like comparing your mothers homemade soup to something from a red and white can.  The chain store fritter could be a widget.  It's simply part of the quarterly dividend formula.  In fact, that's a better name for them - apple widgets.

Jacques heart goes into his fritters and at each booth at the Western Fair market there is the same kind of story.  If it's fresh meat you are looking for, you can bet it has a different taste than chain store meat.  Cheese - same thing.  Coffee - ditto.  Fresh fruit and vegetables, fresh cut flowers - the same passionate approach.

You get stories, smiles and recipe suggestions.  Oh, did I mention better taste and better for you?

"If it has more than five ingredients, you should be questioning it," said one vendor.  "We need to change from eating to live, to living to eat."  If that is to be true, why not turn food purchasing, preparation and eating into a more enjoyable experience?

We still go to the chains for some things.  There was a great deal on toilet paper today.
 This is not to be overly critical of chain stores. I'm sure they are necessary and provide lots of jobs.

To be fair, many are trying to improve service, but let's just say the chains can learn a lot from the heart that Western Fair market vendors put into their work.  To these merchants fresh food isn't just a way to make a living, it's a way to make a living - while doing something you love.  The moment it becomes just a business and artistry is forgotten - your business structure is in peril.

A good life lesson.  Put your heart into your fritters.

Looking Forward - Looking Back

It's nice when the pleasant past shows up at the event for the future.  Commencement means beginning, not an end.  Our Fanshawe College graduates have so much to look forward to as the electronic journalism business takes a turn for the better.  They got their diplomas today (June 14th).

Fanshawe BRJR 2011

In the audience, welcoming the grads to the real world were many supportive parents and friends.  Among them was a great childhood friend - my cousin - Randy Debeck, who now lives in Dresden.  Randy's step-daughter, Amberli Sullivan, is a graduate of our Radio Broadcasting program.  I haven't seen Randy, except on Facebook, for about 30 years.  The same jokes started flying immediately.  We talked about the Miami Heat losing to Dallas, just like we would have in high school.  The moment I saw him, I instinctively blurted "Neely.."  That was Randy's nickname in high school - after the former Leaf defenseman that hardly anyone would or should  remember.

At a tender age, just after the separation of my parents, Randy became my rock. I never thanked him but I know he knows how it was.  Our similar interests included sports of all kinds - especially hockey,

Cousin Randy DeBeck (L) one of the greatest guys ever

baseball - and music. A lot of Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadians and ABBA, something I don't mind admitting 34 years later.

We won a bantam softball title together in Kent Bridge under coaches Lloyd Conliffe and John Cunningham.  Randy was the power hitting star and I was a pain in the butt to the coaches in the early going.  Living out some teen angst, I guess.  Randy's good nature and loyalty helped me through what I thought were difficult years. They weren't so tough looking back but you don't know it at the time.

It was great to share warm memories with an old friend and to see new friends begin their lives as professionals.  That one of those young professionals is the daughter of a childhood friend/relative only stings a bit.  A great day overall.

The platform party applauds  2011 Fanshawe graduates

Athletes and the Media

Some members of the Detroit sports media have been critical of Lions franchise DT Ndamukong Suh and his media relations.

Suh showed up Friday at the Lions player-organized training session.  It was the last day of the spring workouts and one Detroit News columnist thought it was more than coincidence that NFL network cameras were also in attendance.

How much do fans want to hear from athletes?

In the NBA finals, Lebron James has faced difficult questions about his play, which include just 11 points in the 4th quarter of the first 5 games.   These exchanges have been full of tension and an interesting subplot to the series. They do give fans insight into James personality and character.

Certain moments during interviews can have an effect on the series.  The mocking of Dirk Nowitzki's illness by Lebron James and Duane Wade should be motivation for the big German-born forward heading to Miami for game 6.

The NHL and MLB have given access to reporters during games.  Interviews done on the bench and in the dugout rarely offer dramatic insights.  But an interview with an emotional golfer just off the 18th hole can be very memorable and great television.

I would love to hear comments from sports fans about what they want to see/hear from athletes.  Should reporters focus on analysis and commentary and forget quotes?  Is the viewer/listener/reader better served if the reporters don't have to face the athletes?  Traditionally, that has been the role of the columnists who act more like a movie reviewer.

What is your preference?

London Markets

Londoners love fresh food markets.   To meet the need for locally produced food, even traditional retail outlets are freshening their approach.

Masonville Market, London 

Masonville Mall at the corner of Fanshawe Park Road and Richmond Street rents a corner of their parking lot to vendors each Friday morning.  The Masonville Market is a nice attempt, but lacks the atmosphere of the cities other popular markets.  The selection is also more limited.  However,  those who are selling fresh produce and crafts still bring their passion and product information that makes these experiences worthwhile.

"People really ask a lot of questions about where we grew this and what ingredients are in that," said one vendor.

On this Friday morning, the first fresh strawberries of the season are available.  The heavy rain early in the spring didn't hurt the crop too much.  The planting was done early enough and the recent warm temperatures made for berries with good size and flavour.  The early local crop seem a bit pricey at $5 per quart but the price will likely come down.

Masonville Market 

The Masonville Market serves those in North London who like a closer connection to what they eat.  Residents in South London will soon have a place to pick over the best fresh produce.  A fresh food market is planned for the corner of Adelaide and Southdale.

Even the Covent Garden Market in downtown London, supplying fresh food since the mid-1800's had to react to the demand.  They added an outdoor market to supplement their indoor service.  The atmosphere is outstanding with live music and free samples that give a warmer feel to the whole experience.  The downtown location also helps create energy.  Free parking on Saturday (2 hours) helps, as well.

20 month-old Emmett enjoying the sounds of the Covent outdoor market

The Covent Garden Market has certainly responded to all the competition.  The Grandfather of all markets has a bright future with the building of the two Renaissance apartments/condos bringing hundreds of customers just steps away.

NEXT BLOG:  The Western Fair Farmers Market.  Open each Saturday from 8:00 until 3:00pm.

Bright Future for News

You may have noticed several job ads posted by CTV for Western Canada.  Stations from Winnipeg to Vancouver are expanding their morning news programming by up to 3 hours per day.

Western Canadian viewers seem to think Canada AM is a Toronto morning show and the ratings aren't where CTV would like.  Morning news has become a real battle ground in Winnipeg, Saskatoon, Regina, Edmonton, Calgary and Vancouver and the network is revamping.   At the upcoming RTNDA convention in Halifax (June 23-26) one of the sessions will examine the growth in morning television news.

That means jobs.  Jobs like we haven't seen in many years.  18 hours of news programming will be added to the CTV western Canadian lineup with Canada AM moving over to CTV Newsnet in the fall (on Western stations).

It's great news for budding journalists as CTV is looking for chase producers, writers, reporters and anchors in all Western Canadian markets.  Many of these jobs are being filled by those in smaller markets and the trickle down effect is great for our students in Broadcast Journalism.

In addition, Rogers posted several job ads for their new all-news TV station in Toronto to compete with CP24.  Global has also committed to a new mornings news program philosophy.  CHCH-TV in Hamilton has just announced their morning news will begin at 4:00am.

It's probably not a coincidence these jobs are coming available the same week the CRTC releases a report that conventional television revenues are increasing.

Regardless of how it happens, we're happy at Fanshawe College that our students will have new opportunities.  Polish those resumes and demos and send them to:

Paul Rogers, Senior Vice President CTV News | t 416.384.7120 
paul.rogers@bellmedia.ca 
9 Channel Nine Court Scarborough, ON M1S 4B5

The Great Blue Heron of Promenade

We have a new 'tenant' in our neighbourhood.  It doesn't pay rent or condo fees.

A Great Blue Heron is entertaining to watch on a warm June Saturday afternoon. These amazing hunters love the ponds in our area for their plentiful small fish and frogs and there are plenty nearby.

I'm thinking this must have been a younger bird as it was quite uncomfortable with an audience.  My wife, Dani, and I saw this majestic bird, which had to have a six foot wing span, fly over our house.  

We grabbed the camera (Pentax X70) and headed for the water.  The first sighting was from a distance of about 100 feet but before we could get the camera ready, away it went.  After chasing the heron to three different ponds, the bird either got comfortable with us in the area or was just too hungry to fly away again. 

   What a fascinating bird to watch hunt.  Patience combines with powerful striking ability that rarely misses.  

The heron, it is said, hunts using keen eyesight.  The recent rains made the water slightly grey/green.  It seemed to favour the more shallow areas although did wade into water up to it's body.  

It is interesting to watch the distinct shape of the neck just before the strike.  When standing fully erect, the bird seems to be about four feet high. 

We could watch this bird feed all day.  The colour mixes in with the surrounding reeds and mud.  

Wikipedia tells me the bird has few natural predators because of it's size.  Occasionally eagles, hawks or horned owls will take down a heron, but it is rare.  

The slow movements disturb nothing and it's amazing that a bird this big can move so quickly.   

When it decided to leave each of the ponds you could hear the power of the wings.  

It was quite a show.