The new guy is/was Bob Preston.
He is being replaced in the coming weeks by Garret McGowan who is currently doing CHED Chopper Traffic.
From what I hear Bob didn't fare so well in the plane.

Ashley went back to CHED.

Quoted from oldnewsguy

wow, it's like listening to a flashback of 1979....Do the call letters CKO ring a bell with anyone.

What? Do you mean Garfield Chesson is there?

Quoted from oldnewsguy

Kind of reminds me of the old CKO daze when the "traffic reporter" in Toronto was actually one of the newsroom staff who stood next to a torcan fan atop a filing cabinet in the studio (no air conditioning) and did her reports from the "torcan weather chopper"...what a hoot!

I forgot about the fan. When Paul Hughes was on the air, you could really hear it in the background.

-OR60-

Quoted from oldnewsguy

There are two traffic services in town, but only one chopper in the air. If you listen to the Newcap stations they subscribe to "air traffic" which is only a brand name. You won't find "air traffic" in the air anywhere. From what I've heard, all they really do is monitor websites and scalp info from other outlets, the old fashioned way. CBC radio has Rod Kurtz drive through traffic in their morning show, relying mainly on people calling in with cellphone tips.

It's funny that you mention "scalp info from other outlets", because Byron Christopher testified at the CRTC hearings this past week in Edmonton (supporting the Roger's bid for all news) that he had a friend at CHED/Corus who quit after a few days of working there because they were stealing traffic reports from their competitors.

Newcap's "air traffic" IS Air Traffic..... beating Corus since Sept 2007....and now they have CHED's best traffic reporter, Garrette McGowan.

Quoted from freqnut

It's funny that you mention "scalp info from other outlets", because Byron Christopher testified

Christopher did not say "he had a friend at CHED/Corus who quit after a few days of working there."

He referred to an unnamed (by Christopher) ex-CBC reporter looking for work at a station (not CHED/Corus) who was told they gleaned their traffic surveillance from other stations and (here's a hint) pipes their entire newscast to Calgary in advance for insertion into their Edmonton broadcast.

And if "beating Corus since Sept 2007" was to suggest Skywords was first, CHED/Corus launched their service in April, 2006.

Quoted from freqfreak2

And if "beating Corus since Sept 2007" was to suggest Skywords was first, CHED/Corus launched their service in April, 2006.

Also, hasn't Skywords only been here (in Edmonton ) since last summer sometime?

Quoted from freqfreak2

And if "beating Corus since Sept 2007" was to suggest Skywords was first, CHED/Corus launched their service in April, 2006.

I'm not sure how that suggests anything about who was first.... just who is better, in my opinion. Everyone is entitled to one...

PS. Who's that new traffic guy on iNews in the afternoon? he's good

Quoted from freqnut

Who's that new traffic guy on iNews in the afternoon?

Shane Blakely.

Question now is: is he related to Murray Blakely, who did traffic for CJCA from the "Flying Tiger."

Murray also returned from a stint in P-R in Fort McMoney to work at CHQT 880 before retiring later on   a couple of years after I had left the industry for awhile. He was doing traffic reports at that time;  -- even from the 22nd floor of the building where QT was located when the weather was lousy .. and he kept listeners informed of where they should go and what spots to avoid during the 80's; -- just to polite to tell them where to go, etc.
     Between he and Ed Mason, they also helped everyone know what was happening in different centres in terms of tourist attractions and events throughout the province from the long weekend in May through until the long weekend in September .    The industry itself was different back then .....

Shane even sounds and has the stylings of Murray.

Quoted from freqnut

It's funny that you mention "scalp info from other outlets", because Byron Christopher testified at the CRTC hearings this past week in Edmonton (supporting the Roger's bid for all news) that he had a friend at CHED/Corus who quit after a few days of working there because they were stealing traffic reports from their competitors.

Newcap's "air traffic" IS Air Traffic..... beating Corus since Sept 2007....and now they have CHED's best traffic reporter, Garrette McGowan.

Wow - I have listened to the traffic on CHED for quite a while - That Garrette was only on once in blue moon and more the past weeks but I would NEVER had said he was the best traffic reporter - being the best I wonder why he wasnt used often?  I enjoyed that Chris Hayden guy liked how he clearly said streets that could be understood. and Found that Garrette tended to stutter alot - though has a voice that could be trained to have more cofidience - hope he does well in his new job.  The new guy Shane sounds good and has a nice voice hard to hear at times but really like him.  Would also like to say that Daintre (spelling?) is/was much better than Garrette in the morning.  But still miss the Chris and Kris team on CHED

What happened to Chris Hayden?  T'was a nice touch that he was a former cop - gave it that "cop" reporting experience.  The guy was definitely NOT a broadcaster though, lol.

Daintre is very good - good at banter and has a nice delivery.

Did something happen to Kris Burkholder - isn't she still there?

Old Murray Blakely trick.  He used to put bogus locations of traffic accidents and tie-ups in residential areas then monitor to see which stations reported them - just to see who was scalping his reports.

Quoted from NBeaconIsBack

What happened to Chris Hayden?  T'was a nice touch that he was a former cop - gave it that "cop" reporting experience.  The guy was definitely NOT a broadcaster though, lol.

Daintre is very good - good at banter and has a nice delivery.

Did something happen to Kris Burkholder - isn't she still there?

Old Murray Blakely trick.  He used to put bogus locations of traffic accidents and tie-ups in residential areas then monitor to see which stations reported them - just to see who was scalping his reports.

I actually called to ask (yeap felt like a groupy but was curious)  They said with this new station times overlapped and with the Global they both reported on times could not work so they both still do CSIN and now 92.5 Joe FM.  I also enjoyed the "cop" reporting and he seemed to have fun with it.  I remember years ago when he was a cop he did the media thing for the cops - was fun also that he was one of the original Air 1 for EPS. I would agree he is not a broadcaster though - wonder if he ever has conflicts with Police thing and Media now .  So both of them are still there which was good news but will still miss them both

I agree Daintre seems like a natural and is fun to listen to - tends to make one laugh.  Hoping Shane gets that natural way also.  Now this new station has traffic more often it is the logical one when I am out on the road to listen too.  But hey he only has been on a couple days and seems the switch of Garrette leaving he was tossed in the chair.

Murray Blake - that is hilarious!

thanks for the update, boys. The Skywords reports sound like they're coming from a satellite studio somewhere, so they had me fooled. Usually, when somebody does air-borne traffic they sound a lot more immediate and on-the-scene than I've heard the Skywords stuff sounding. The reports I've heard sound like somebody is ripping off info from other media and is sitting in a corner of the newsroom. I've done my share of air-borne traffic reports and I usually tried to add some extra comments like "I'm looking down at the corner of x + y streets, and it looks like the tow trucks are just finishing the cleanup".  Maybe Skywords folks have a corporate format that ties them to doing the basics, without adding in the on-the-scene thouch that makes radio compelling to the listener.

What happened to Chris Hayden?  The guy was definitely NOT a broadcaster (quote from NBeacon).

Agreed.

After listening to iNews for the last couple of weeks, I have to say I like the all news format.  It COULD work.  But that's about all.

The experience level and sound of the on-air staff definitely brings the quality down to an amateur level.  There are a couple of good readers (Sheila Gardner and surprisingly Quinn Phillips) but the other ones need to get some valuable small market experience before they should be allowed to be on the air.  Nothing like reading cast after cast for at least a few months/years to improve your read.  Too much stumbling, bumbling and stammering - it's painful to listen to.  The lack of experience is obvious.

Also, the level of writing is very poor.  Have heard on numerous occasions words and phrases being used improperly.  It certainly detracts from your credibility (or rather says that you have no credibility) when you are claiming to be informative but can't communicate intelligently.  I question the job the news editors are doing when they let those poorly written stories on the air.  

And what's with the audio from National Bank financial, Josh Classen's weather and the chopper?  Every day it seems National Bank is trying out a new phone line or fish tank to sit in when filing their reports.  Are they going to get Josh a studio-quality program line (since telephone quality makes it sound like they don't want to spend the money)?  And how come the chopper reports sound so awful when Shane Blakely's doing them (sounds like a really choppy cell phone line)?

Finally, where's this wealth of "citizen reports" that was supposed to drive this whole concept?  Everytime I go onto their website I don't see a heckuvalot of "citizen" contributed stories or pieces.  Nor can I say that I've ever heard anyone call in and be put on air to describe a breaking news story.

Sorry.  iNews seems to be alot of hype.  Their "news" content really HAS become just the filler between high priced commercials.