Tuesday 7 June 2011

Where will Aaron Rand land? Here are some possibilities

Now that he has officially ended his extraordinary 26 year run with The Q 92.5 FM, Aaron Rand is recharging his batteries and reportedly contemplating his next move. Over the years, Rand has dabbled operated his own advertising agency and he is currently a partner with his close friend Lloyd Brown in the Dic Ann’s Restaurant on St. Jacques Street in NDG and the gourmet pie Bonatarte shop next door. Not yet 60 and very young at heart, there is a job out for him in the business somewhere.

Freeway Frank, the still rather new co-host of the Virgin Radio morning show, confessed on his blog last week what a fan he has always been of Rand. “For the record, I know he'll be back!,” Freeway wrote. “No way was that his last show. I wanted to write this note because I am proud to credit Aaron as one of my mentors as a kid growing up. No, I didn`t know him but it feels like I did because I listened to his radio show religiously and pretended to be him and Tasso as I re-enacted their banter every day after school, taping their shows on my old eight track-Ghetto Blaster. One day, I finally called the radio station and happened to get on air as Suzanne Desautels had made her debut on late pulse the night before. I praised Suzanne for her appearance on CFCF. I had a major crush on her.”

So what are Aaron’s options?



-Mike FM 105.1 would really put itself on the map by grabbing Rand. The station currently has weekday morning and drive home shows. Former CJAD sportscaster Dino Sisto is the wakeup guy. He could team up nicely with Rand and Tasso, especially considering that Greek programming actually dominates this station’s lineup. Tasso, of course, is a stage name for the man of many voices Paul Zakaib.
-Metro 14 is the newest TV station in town, taking over the spot formerly occupied by CJNT. The latter was owned by CanWest Global, which of course is no more. The fact that former Q general manager Brian Kenemy has been hired in sales for Metro 14 could lead to a Rand connection. Many years ago Rand and Tasso did a demo late night talk show before a live studio audience for the old CFCF TV. It was meant to be a possible Montreal rendition of then Johnny Carson and David Letterman. Perhaps now is the time for such a format to be revived.
-Global TV will launch a new morning show in 2012. What better branding could they get than a host like Aaron Rand?
-CTV Montreal was quick to pounce on Ted Bird when he left CHOM FM to do his Bird Droppings segment on the sportscast once a week. I would not be surprised to see news director Jed Kahane find a role for Rand.
-CHOM FM would be a natural fit for Rand. If he does want to work full-time, perhaps a weekend gig on Virgin Radio.
-THE TEAM 990, which this summer will likely be rebranded TSN Radio and become the new broadcaster of the Montreal Canadiens, could give Rand a return to his first love of sports radio.


What are your thoughts? Please share them with me?

5 comments:

  1. my vote would be for the morning show at CHOM but the MIKE FM gig would be interesting too.

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  2. Michael DJune 10, 2011

    The "Q' let him go because he's past his prime.Period.Cat Spencer will revive Q's morning show and reunite with the Sheriff......
    Jed Kahane is smarter than that at CTV..
    Global TV will want something new and fresh...
    The Team 990 and or TSN Radio will want high-powered sports guys,they might go after Brian Wilde or Andre Corbeil possibly go after Paul Graife please bring back Ron Francis..I don't see CJAD letting go of hockey that easily, there will be a battle for this one..
    but all this brings up two questions...Why do local media outlets keep recycling the same names around..so kudos to Virgin Radio for going after someone sort of new in freeway...

    With Terry DiMonte's contract expiring next November, would love to see him back at 'AD,,,Andrew Carter must go,,as George Balcan hasn't been replaced, as of yet...and while I'm on the " AD kick,,time to jettison Tom Schnurmacher, as he's always cutting off people whohave interetsting things to say.

    The other question is: Are you the President of the Aaron Rand fan club or something..?

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  3. no CHOM don't do the mistake, leave Pete there..there's a reason why Q92 let Aaron Rand go..

    but do bring back Terry D to replace Andrew Carter, which must go...and while doing that, replace Schnurmacher with Jim Mennie...now we're talking..

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  4. Now we know Terry Di Monte is coming back to CHOM so that's out.
    I sure miss Aaron Rand.
    Mike, any chance TEAM 990 would pick up the Als for next season?

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  5. AnonymousMay 16, 2012

    Arron and Tasso made radio fun in the morning, and not like the other shows now that all copy each others humor and are just plain boring. Never knock old school its what keeps us going sometimes and can make it just what we need.

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