The death of Brave New Waves

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I can't believe no-one has picked up this story here. The best of CBC's contemporary and underground / out of sight music programs is set to be cancelled March 19.

CBC changes format of Radio Two

ANDREA BAILLIE

Canadian Press

TORONTO — CBC's classical music station, Radio Two, is revamping its evening and late-night programming in a bid to attract younger listeners, the public broadcaster announced Wednesday.

“Half of our audience on Radio Two now is over 65 . . . and we're not attracting new listeners into the service,†said Jane Chalmers, vice-president of CBC Radio.

“We want to bring in the 40-plus kind of group. In some ways, it's our listeners' kids that we want.â€

The changes, set to take place March 19, will also affect programming on Radio One, including the cancellation of the afternoon pop-culture chat show “Freestyle.â€

Other CBC shows to be scrapped because of the revamp include “Global Village†and “Brave New Waves.â€

Under the new format, Radio Two will feature a daily jazz program from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. to be hosted in Montreal on weekdays by Katie Malloch. It will air from Calgary on weekends.

It will be followed from 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. by a show focusing on live music performed by acts across the country. The weekday host for that show will be Toronto broadcaster Matt Galloway, who will also continue his duties as a drive-time host on Radio One.

Former “New Music†host Laurie Brown, meanwhile, will host a nightly contemporary music show from 10 p.m. to 1 a.m. on Radio Two.

The changes also mean that Radio One listeners can expect to hear more talk and drama and less music.

“Dispatches,†hosted by Rick MacInnes-Rae, will be expanded to include elements of the world music show “Global Village.â€

Ms. Chalmers said the changes are designed, in part, to better reflect the makeup of the country.

“The growth in Canada now is happening through immigration. We're seeing people move to different parts of the country, they want to hear more music coming from the communities that they live in,†she said, referring to the new program of live concerts across Canada.

“We have to constantly look at how we are serving Canadians from the perspective of where they are and the perspective of their interests.â€

Ms. Chalmers said the changes mean that 63 employees at CBC will be reassigned, possibly resulting in one or two layoffs.

They're not attracting new listeners, so instead of repositioning the program, they cancel it? I dunno. Perhaps I'm missing something, and of course I don't understand the business of radio. But it's such a gooood program....... Best of its kind.

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[meggo]

i remember backbacon introducing me to brave new waves when i was in the 10th grade... i don't think i have listened to it since, though.

guess i shoulda.

[Marf]

Brave New Waves turned me on to so many new bands that I would probably never have heard of otherwise. We always listened to it driving home from shows back in the mid/late nineties.

This is really a shame.

[scottieking]

While I mourn the death of Brave New Waves, I gotta say, the old guy almost never got a chance to listen to it anymore.

That being said, it was always my late night companion on some late nights on the road and she'll be missed. This may indeed be a statement on the state of where its audience went. The CBC Radio 3 podcast listeners went from 1 million last year at this time to 4 million just recently. Not the same, but it gets good stuff in my ears.

[phishtaper]

Brave New Waves turned me on to so many new bands that I would probably never have heard of otherwise.

so true. some of those sarah mclaughlin and rheostatics interviews/live performances with brent bambry were great. late-80s, early 90s. for sure, BNW was music university for a lot of us. who would have thot music and hockey could be soul siblings?

i havent listened for years. sad day.

[timouse]

While I mourn the death of Brave New Waves, I gotta say, the old guy almost never got a chance to listen to it anymore.

That being said, it was always my late night companion on some late nights on the road and she'll be missed.

indeed.

for a long stretch in the 80's and 90's i worked afternoons, and brent bambury through the week, david wisdom on the weekends were a large part of the soundtrack on my life.

bnw will be missed.

[backbacon]

Scottie said: While I mourn the death of Brave New Waves, I gotta say, the old guy almost never got a chance to listen to it anymore.

Same here. I was half asleep through high school from trying to stay up super late to listen to the blippy bloop last hour of the show.

I have 40+ cassette tapes full of the show... made up of about 75% Brent and 25% Patti hosting. It was an adjustment when Patti took over.

I've lost the notebook I had which had the details of each tape... band/ artist, song, album, label, year. It will be nice to revisit those tapes some year.

[AWeeJig]

What a great radio show it was. I spent many late nights listening too.

[paisley]

the epic informative and far reaching radio series, great excuse to be proud of being canadian.. broadened my music sphere greatly... was a sanity life raft when living in inhospitable top 40 radio regions (up north, out west)

too bad for the youngers, perhaps now finding their own brave waves online... have to admit it has rarely been on my stereo unless I've been travelling late at night (still always ended up enthralled, entertained and knowier)

hopefully they'll make some of the classic episodes from over the years available somehow

[SaggyBalls]

I find it interesting that the CBC are narrowing their sphere again.

How many great shows have they cancelled already?

BNW played so much music that even camplus radio shies away from. Patti Schmidt (sp?) is the best voice in Canadian radio and makes each night on the radio interesting and informative.

So no more late night jazz followed by super late night art?

Are we going to get a fantastic contemporary underground show to replace it that's more 'hip'?

Why would CBC not have a poll to ask their listeners?

I have a feeling their new shows will flop perfectly.

I know I'd have given MY feedback and I'm sure a lot of YOU would have as well, to let them know what the CBC demographic wants.

REPRESENTATIVE OF CANADIANS???

I have met A LOT of Canadians with really poor taste.

We're goping to get programming that is more chart-driven.

I hope they at least look at the CMJ charts and Earshot charts to get a feel of what Canadians want.

I know that I often say things in bad taste, but I at least know that I often come online and see articles and internet posts about bands I'd already forgotten about and entertainment news that isn't really cutting edge and I've unplugged from a lot of media.

I know that I found out quite a bit from BNW and After Hours.

How do we save this change from happening?

make some noise about it??

Anyone have some ideas??

[paisley]

I find it interesting that the CBC are narrowing their sphere again.

How many great shows have they cancelled already?

money to save the suddenly important environment has to come from somewhere (certainly not from Alberta)... usually one of the first public services federal Conservatives like to go after...

cuts to the CBC were predicted last year

"Saying that this Conservative government has a cool relationship with the national network would be putting it lightly. The Reform/Canadian Alliance contingent of the party has been outright hostile to the CBC; former Reform party leader Preston Manning advocated selling pieces of it off. The belief that the CBC is actively biased against the Conservative party has only been affirmed by the press gallery's war with Prime Minister Stephen Harper--a battle led by the CBC's delegation on the Hill--and bloggers have recently caught CBC manipulating news footage to portray Harper in a negative light."

that said, I flat out don't know if young people are still staying up late to "ride the waves" or if they'd rather "surf the web", and therefore if it really is as culturally damaging as it would have been 20 years ago (or if maybe only being on air after midnight finally took its toll, some people have work or school in the morning)

BNW played so much music that even camplus radio shies away from.

and amazingly presented it interestingly and intelligently manner, regardless of how out there... pretty amazing... someone should really do a documentary exploring the factors that made Brave New Waves so unique

How do we save this change from happening?

make some noise about it??

Anyone have some ideas??

Ralph Nader or Chomsky for PM

[zero]

Still trying to p[rocess this.

[Velvet]

I'm really gonna miss After Hours jazz from 10-midnite.

[Kanada Kev]

http://archives.cbc.ca/IDC-1-116-1346-8155/1980s/1984-12-12/clip3

You can contact the show at:

514.597.6347 or email us at: bnw@cbc.ca

If you want to leave a message for Patti, her number is (514) 597-4490