Anniversary of sorts

[johnsykes]

I am "celebrating"my 39th anniversary of arriving in Vancouver to work at CKVN-1410.

Thinking back, there are a heck of a lot of news types who went by the wayside some 16-months later when the Bruce Hood-led newsroom was decimated on Black Friday in Ron Carabine's office.

A cold beer at the next bash to the soul who can come up with the most names of those who got canned and those who remained.

I'll send Top Dog the cash for the beer.....as I'm not wanted at said bash.

Email me direct if you wish. jsykes@shaw.ca

Thanks.

[jon]

Anyone have a date for "Black Friday"?

I'm also interested in knowing if George Sillery and Barry Bell were two of the casualties that day.

Taking it a step further, do you have any idea when George and Barry were hired by CKVN? And whether they both came from CKNW?

I really enjoyed working with both at CHQM (1971-72). I got along great with all the News folks there, but George and Barry were my closest friends among them. I'm really glad I got a chance to see George do a live Candlelight and Wine each evening for 4-6 weeks on CHQM-AM beginning around Labour Day 1971.

[johnsykes]

George and Barry were not at CKVN at that time, nor were they there for the previous 16-months, i.e. from August 15/69 to 1971. I'm trying to find the date....I think it was around March/71.

I did work with George later.....Top Dog, was that at CJOR?? Methinks it was the Sillery/Bud Bolton fun time....I do stand corrected though.

[radiofan]

Lets see here .. CKVN went back to Top 40 in late March of 1970, so the All News format was blown up at that time ... pretty sad that an all news operation couldn't make it even though there was a newspaper strike on.

A few of the survivors would have included John Sykes, Bob Ireland and Del Archer.

By March of 1971, Mulligan was out as PD and Sykes was in.

[johnsykes]

Ireland didn't survive, which in itself was good for him....he went on to much greater achievements....like ABC News in London...or was it NBC...but one of them.

[radiofan]

He was there for awhile after the format change ..

Wasn't Jon McComb one of the victims?

[cart_machine]

He was there for awhile after the format change ..

Wasn't Jon McComb one of the victims?

Don Ramsden was there, too, if I recall, before he went to CJOR.

cArtie.

[jon]

I did work with George later.....Top Dog, was that at CJOR??

George was News Director at CJOR in late June 1972 when I visited him there.

[radiofan]

Don Ramsden was there, too, if I recall, before he went to CJOR.

cArtie.

Ramsden was at CKVN during 1971, prior to that, hed had been at Victoria's CJVI.

[johnsykes]

Only four survived the newsroom purge.....Del Archer, Jim Yaunt, Arnie Epp and myself. Ramsden came along shortly after the firings

[Russ_Byth]

I am "celebrating"my 39th anniversary of arriving in Vancouver to work at CKVN-1410.

Congrats John. I wish I could remember dates like that. All I can do is more or less remember what years I worked where. And that was only in one province!

[johnsykes]

Russ, thank you. I have been posting a lot of shi* lately, and I woulod like, again, to apologize to one and all. I try to accept everyone for what they are normally, and once, failed to do that. Sorry all. You'll see a different Sykes from hereonin. From time to time, I have waffled on whether it was a good or bad move, coming to Vancouver. All I can say today is, had I said no...my two daughters wouldn't have met their eventual husbands they love.....I wouldn't have gone through a couple of "situations"where I questioned my own love. But I think that is life in itself. I'm no judge of character, even my own at times.

Radio was my life, and frankly, I blew it. Soccer got in the way. Otherwise I believe, I may still have had enough today, to be entertaining. Who knows?

CKVN was an experience.....I'd have never met Bill "Hunky Bill"Konyk if I'd never come out west. Bill was a class individual....I'll never forget he and his wonderful wife Kay. Actually, I guess GM Ron Carabine was on my side.....having seen me move to Vancouver and seven months later host a going-away party for 26 employees, and I was retained. There were some great broadcasters let go that could have been kept....I've never forgotten that. It was Messrs Carabine and Konyk who gave me the chance to be PD until CHUM sent out Robert Wood. I was a sportscaster, not a program director, even I knew that. So few knew the guys I tried to hire for CKVN/CFUN......the Mojo Man from North Carolina....that would have been a hoot if he's come. Then there was Mike McCoy....he lasted half an hour...I had to replace him, by me, he was that bad on air. You're getting a preview of my book, IF someone wants to print it. Who cares! I'm having fun with this.

As I keep saying, radio is no longer. The signs have been out for a long time. Now, with A & B Sound on the way out, even music sales will be next. Downloads are taking over. Radio sports is giving way, or has been for some time, to cable sports....satellite sports, you name it.
Cheers all,

John S.

[johnsykes]

My old bud Jon......he joined us after the purge.....and he's still going strong. Being an oldie, I wish I could retire to his old stomping grounds of Arizona, especially in the winter.

[Glen Livingstone]

As I keep saying, radio is no longer. The signs have been out for a long time. Now, with A & B Sound on the way out, even music sales will be next. Downloads are taking over. Radio sports is giving way, or has been for some time, to cable sports....satellite sports, you name it.

Radio Nowhere

Lyrics by Bruce Springsteen, from the lp "Magic," 2007.

I was trying to find my way home,
But all I heard was a drone.
Bouncin' off a satellite
Crushing the last long American night.

This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?
This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?

I was sitting around a dirt dial
Just another lost number in a file.
Been in some kinda dark cove
Just searching for a world with some soul.

This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?
This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?
Is there anybody alive out there?

I just want to hear some rhythm.
I just want to hear some rhythm
I just want to hear some rhythm.
I just want to hear some rhythm.

I want a thousand guitars.
I want pounding drums.
I want a million different voices speaking in tongues.

This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?
This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?
Is there anybody alive out there?

I was driving thru the misty rain
Yeah, searching for a mystery train.
Bopping thru the wild blue
Trying to make a connection with you.

This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?
This is radio nowhere.
Is there anybody alive out there?
Is there anybody alive out there?

I just want to hear some rhythm (you swoon.)
I just want to hear some rhythm (you swoon.)
I just want to hear you swoon.
I just want to hear you swoon.
I just want to hear you swoon.
I just want to hear you swoon.
I just want to hear you swoon.
I just want to hear you swoon.

[skyvalleyradio]

congrats John! I must say I truly enjoyed CKVN after its flip from news back to a top 40/album rock hybrid and for a bit I actually figured CKVN would give LG-FM a run for its money. When I left Vancouver in '72 to start my first on air job at CJDC, my sister was good enough to pick up every week's CKVN chart from Kelly's and mail it up to me so I wouldn't lose touch with new rock! Phil Toombes and at least 2 other CKVN jocks (can't remember who) were kind enough to mentor and critique the assignments of young wannabe's at Columbia Sc. of Broadcasting. You can be proud of your accomplishments at CKVN - you've provided some fond memories of a cool rock station