Frank Magazine Issue 600.pdf - Besthostingplanever.com

THE GANG
SAYS SO LONG
TO PETER M.
BY ANDREW DOUGLAS
ON THURSDAY NIGHT, NOVEMBER 25, THE
CTV ATLANTIC CREW BADE FAREWELL TO PE-
TER MALLETTE AT THE LION’S HEAD TAVERN
— STUDIO L IN CTV INSIDER PARLANCE —
JUST A FEW DOORS DOWN FROM THE ROBIE
STREET STATION. MOST OF THE CREW, ANY-
WAY.
In case you haven’t heard, Peter, who began
at the station with a part-time reporting gig in
1996, is going to work for Big Cancer. Prostate
Cancer Canada, to be exact, the organization
behind the visual terrorism known as
Movember, an excuse for guys all across the
country to wear douchey moustaches for a
month. Formerly the poor cousin of cancers,
the campaign has raised prostate cancer to the
level of middle power. Still not the dominating
superpower that breast cancer is, but it’s a start.
Peter will be heading up the non-profit’s Atlantic
division in the newly created role of executive
director.
The Northern Ontario native, who you’ll remember
played a central role in the Stephane
Dion interview re-start debacle back in 2008,
has experience with prostate cancer, having
successfully conquered the disease five years
ago. To some who remember Barbara Frum’s
quiet and dignified battle with leukemia, Peter’s
October 23, 2005 announcement of his diagnosis
to CTV Weekend News viewers
crossed that line where personality overtakes
news reporting. But then again, it might be un-
10 ATLANTIC CANADA FRANK DECEMBER 21, 2010
fair to compare Mallette with Barbara Frum, who
remains the consummate professional among
us media hacks.
Now where was I.... oh yes, the party.
By 6:45, the gathering was in full swing, with
Starr Dobson, Todd Battis, Mike Elgie, Jay
Witherbee, Rick Grant, Maria Panopalis and
Cyril Lunney among the few dozen gathered
at tables in the main room of the English pub.
At 7:04, fresh from his 6 p.m. newscast, Steve
Murphy sauntered in, followed closely by
Joanne Clancy, Jacqueline Foster and Kayla
Hounsell. Among the notable absences were
Liz Rigney, Bruce Frisko, Cindy Day, Jayson
Baxter, Heidi Petracek and Paul Hollings-
YEAH, WHAT IT SAYS IN
THE AD, MINUS JESSICA
BY ANDREW DOUGLAS
ANYONE FIND IT FUNNY THAT THE NEW Q104
MORNING SHOW TELEVISION SPOT STARTED RUN-
NING THE FIRST BUSINESS DAY FOLLOWING CO-
HOST JESSICA RANKIN’S DEPARTURE?
A source at the station tells me that the spot,
focused on the Q Morning Crew’s weekly
chats with Rachel Dodds of Sexy Girl, was
originally intended to run on a certain tier of
Eastlink cable — Spike, CNN and A&E and
the like — during the fall ratings season.
Because of technical difficulties on Eastlink’s
end, the company wasn’t able to accommodate
them until now. Fortunately, I’m advised Eastlink
assured management at the NewCap-owned
rock station that it wouldn’t be charged for the
weeks the commercial didn’t run. Big of them,
I’d say.
When at the 11th hour they realized Jessica
was leaving — she fled for an off-air radio gig
on the West Coast last month — they decided
to say screw it and run the damn thing anyway.
� Speaking of the fall BBM ratings, they’re
not as bad as they could have been for the
Mighty Q. Still pretty bad, though.
Due almost entirely to the entrance of Evanov’s
worth. I also didn’t spot Peter’s longtime partner
Stephen Lukas, with whom he shares a
$295,000-assessed Ramar Drive, Hammonds
Plains abode. It was a work thing, I
guess, not many spouses, although I believe
prodigal son Todd’s better half Katherine was
in attendance.
There was white cake with white frosting.
And speeches.
Station manager Elgie presented Peter with a
travel voucher, possibly from CAA. The
Murphster said a few words, and then it was
Peter’s turn to bid his farewell, with a crackling
voice and possibly a tear or two. Goodbye’s
the saddest word, y’know.
RADIO
DAZE
Live 101.5 alternative rock station into the Halifax
market, Q dropped from first place and a
14.6 per cent market share down to third, with
10.3 per cent. The question is whether or not
the tumble will continue. We’ll find out in the
spring. In the meantime, C100 is back in the
number one spot, capturing 12.4 per cent of
total listeners.
� In Mother Corp news, I see where former
Franklander and Daily News grunt Brendan
Elliott is back in Halifax, albeit not permanently.
The CBC Radio thingy is here on loan from the
Ceeb in P.E.I., filing stories for both radio and
TV.