Mediacheck

Rafe Mair Back on Air

New live Internet radio show launches tomorrow.

By David Beers, 3 Sep 2007, TheTyee.ca

Rafe Mair

Mair: New 'experiment.' Photo C. Grabowski.

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Rafe Mair is going back on the air. And this time, he's his own boss, with no advertisers or corporate handlers hovering in the wings worrying about what he might say next.

"We will be continually hammering issues," vows the veteran broadcaster, who will continue to write his Monday column for The Tyee.

Rafe Live launches tomorrow, Tuesday, Sept. 4. Mair's first guests: Mayor Lois Jackson of Delta on the threat she perceives from the massive Gateway road project slated for her town. The second half of the show will feature Conservative MP John Cummins on B.C.'s embattled fisheries.

How to Hear Rafe's New Show

Starting Sept. 4, plug in by going to www.rafelive.com.

Hear Rafe talk about the show here.

The one-hour netcast, which will be streamed over the Internet in real time on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 10 a.m., is an "experiment" backed by a handful of business people, Mair says. Every show includes the patented Mair editorial. During the live broadcast, listeners are invited to interact with Mair and his guest by e-mailing comments and questions, which Mair will read on the air and comment upon.

Every show also will be archived for downloading at the listener's convenience.

Back in business

At first, people will be able to tune in for free. Once the audience takes off, Mair says, the plan is to charge five dollars a month to get Rafe Live.

Mair laughs when he reveals the intro tune will be Gene Autry singing "I'm Back in the Saddle Again." Mair says he doesn't care if that leaves him open to people saying later, "And then he fell flat on his ass again."

"I have to be optimistic and assume it will be a success. We will need several thousand regular listeners to make it one," he estimates. "If even a quarter of the people who have written me and urged me to do this tune in, we should do well."

Producing the show will be Wendy Conway-Mair. Handling the technical details is Chris Bouris, an expert in community-oriented web-based media.

The experiment is worth running, Mair says, because the offerings of today's advertising-dependent corporate media are so tepid. "Looking for an opinion has become like finding a needle in a haystack," he says. "We'll be all about holding government's feet to the fire."

Rafe Mair, after being on holiday, resumes his regular Tyee column next Monday.

Related Tyee stories:

[Tyee]

David Beers is founding editor of The Tyee.

26 Comments:

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  • darcy.mcgee

    4 years ago

    Five Bucks, huh?

    Five bucks...lemme think about this for a minute.

    I pay about CDN$35 for basic cable which gives me access to what 28 channels of news and entertainment.

    Of course, most of it is crappy news and entertainment but with 28 channels there's some choice.

    I can subscribe to XM Radio (sattelite) for about $12.91 a month and gain access to a wide variety of stations and channels with no commercials.

    Or, I can string an antenna up and grab the radio waves flinging around my house for free and listen to Radio Moscow at AM690 or any number of other news and information stations at no cost to myself.

    Yet another option is to open my copy of iTunes and tune into NPR and BBC World News (or any number of other public radio stations) for free. Again, a huge selection of opinion to choose from.

    Five bucks for the incoherent ramblings of a former SoCred MLA doesn't seem like great value for the dollar, does it?

  • SharingIsGood

    4 years ago

    I'm in.

    I'll pay five bucks a month, though I'm hoping that Rafe will prove popular enough that the price can come down - especially for a year's subscription.

    BTW, I visited your site, RAFE, and I must say that the bulk of your "careers" were one of 4 - politicking, lawyering, writing, radio hosting/commentating. I think you stretch it a bit much when you claim 16.

    Remember, sharing is good.

  • Jonagold

    4 years ago

    Don't pay ... I'll give it away for free

    Full text of Rafe's first "editorial."

    Grump grump grump.

  • switek

    4 years ago

    Yawn

    There was a time that this announcement would have excited me as I used to enjoy Rafe greatly. Unfortunately since he has aged; his quest for telling both sides of the story has instead degenerated into one sided I am correct and the world is wrong rants. Besides; one can only listen to the anti-fish farm rants so many times.

  • alive

    4 years ago

    getting old

    If nobody wish to sponsor Rafe, maybe it is because they realize he is over the hill?
    He has deterioted into a rabble-rouser who regularily repeats his favorite pet peeves.
    Rafe you do not need this extra income, why not retire or at least save your efforts to NEW subjects?

  • skeptikool

    4 years ago

    Have crossed swords frequently with Rafe

    I welcome his return. Though I've been red-baited and otherwise insulted by him in several of the numerous calls to his radio talk shows, I've always appreciated the sharp, legal mind and his style.

    Even with his interminable campaigns against questionable fish-farming methods, and the "proposed" Site C dam, he was never dull.

    What a great pity that recently-departed, distinctively-voiced Alet, aka Hanoi Hanna, will not be around to take him to task as, I'm sure, he will frequently need to be.

    Good luck, Rafe.

  • Moat

    4 years ago

    An Experiment

    I suppose it is just an experiment, but I find it hard to listen to internet radio. Paying $5.... well, I don't think he will have to worry about that.

    It is too bad. Talk radio is getting tough to listen to in Vancouver. Michael Smyth, Charles Adler, and now Christie Clark on CKNW?! Ugh. The "Top Dog" is just a dog. If only I could turn to the CBC without falling asleep.

    Best of luck Rafe. The experiment is worth running.

  • BC Dude

    4 years ago

    I love and welcome any news

    I love and welcome any news free from corporate, Govment, dictator influenced non-news like CanWest globull who have a strangle hold on 96% of our BC media.
    http://www.straight.com/article/raids-prompt-revelations-of-martin-campbell-connections?# Why has CanWest not been reporting this huge betrayal of the citizens of BC and all Canadians?
    http://bctrialofbasi-virk.blogspot.com/
    Not a word from CanWest about Royal Dutch Shell http://www.dogwoodinitiative.org/bulletins/shellstandoff
    Like Gordo privatizing 500 of our rivers to private companies, Our Universal Health Care http://www.nupge.ca/news_2002/news_my02/n06my02a.htm http://thetyee.ca/News/2004/12/03/BCContractorMaximus/, Our Water, Our ALR, BC Hydro, the 2010 WO huge secrecy on over cost, Our BC Rail scandal 3.5 years and still nothing,
    $800,000,000. over budget for the Convention center,
    the give away of our North Shore Wharves to Kinder Morgan, the real agenda behind the Gateway highway = NAU, NWO, SPP Super highway linking BC to the USa and Mexico.
    So many dirty scandals, when will somebody with some nads bring all this dirt to the surface?
    Welcome back Rafe!
    To the tune of "Welcome Back Kotter"

  • Grumpy

    4 years ago

    Good luck

    As a guest on Rafe's former shows many times, I look forward to tomorrow's show. After listening to NW's inept and self serving transit discussion today, Rafe is needed and needed badly.

    Fish farms? - Rafe was right on the button and the destruction of West Coast Salmon is a black eye for the Campbell government.

    $5 a month, that about the cost of a pint at your local.

    Cry Rafe.......and let slip the dog of war!

  • Right to Bear

    4 years ago

    Hey Rafe...Bear

    Hey Rafe,

    Your back on air just as it should be. And as for those trying to "control" you, just tell 'em tooo damn bad if the Truth gets in the way of their good story... :-D

    Good new on some of the fish farms pulling out here in B.C. Sad it took sooo long, but glad they are doing it now. People's Voice...man, it goes a long way. Thanks for encouraging our voice and for your efforts to shut down this ecologically devastating industry Rafe. From what I understand, it is not over yet, but we've got a few of 'em running...

    Peace,

    Bear

  • Capitalism

    4 years ago

    I Wonder

    ......how long it will take before the internet kicks him off the air. Surely, the bandwitdh can be used to promote someone who can attract better ratings!?!?

  • murdock

    4 years ago

    Webcasting...there are no ratings!

    The idea of webcasting works for anyone and everyone whom wishes to be heard.

    The Wayne's World basement teens can broadcast about their favorite sandwiches on YouTube, why not Rafe actually giving an opinion (and not a sideways he-said, she-said infomercial)?

    The only way to be 'off' is to decide to no longer make new webcasts.

    There are no censors, there are no advertisers (unless you want them), there are no editorial boards that will 'pull your plug'. There are still some legal considerations, none any worse than faced by regular broadcasters.

    So too bad Capitalism, no one will have the power to 'kick' him off the air...so long as Rafe has the $$$ and time to make the recordings, they will continue. The choice is yours to listen or not.

  • TICKEDMEOFF

    4 years ago

    Rafe and his Rats on Line

    After reading the crap posted on your web site, there can be nothing worth listening too from you and your fellow loons. Who are you going to tell to F off this time. Time for you to take your antique BS and retire like the old horse you are!

  • Capitalism

    4 years ago

    murdock

    I understand what webcasting is.....

    It was an attempt at sarcasm. I won't be listening, though I hope it works. I presume he won't make much money - though I doubt that is his point.

    No such thing as public broadcasting anymore - hopefully it can re-gain its home on the web.

  • skeptikool

    4 years ago

    He can dish it out. He can take it.

    This medium certainly lends itself to it - the smear, that is. It will no doubt intensify. That is not to say that negative, or critical opinion, should be excluded.

    After having read the "chosen" and total comments, perhaps even Rafe would agree, that the latter is more fun.

    Let's not further thin the gruel.

    I tried to get the first airing but was unable to. I don't know whether my laptop Mac OS X system is inadequate. I therefore. eagerly await assessment of anyone who was able to connect.

  • GJW

    4 years ago

    Windbag blocker

    iptables -A INPUT -s 66.113.136.225 -j DROP

    The Internet just got a whole lot less grouchier.

  • murdock

    4 years ago

    Chatty

    skeptikool, I listened to the first webcast. The musical intro was catchy, along with the use of the same music while the staff was fishing for the guest on the phone.

    It all came off well for the intro and the editorial, Rafe is a bit rusty (or is that rustic?) and seemed ready to go to commercial (or weather or traffic etc) as he had to in the past, and it allowed for the tech glitch of no guest on the phone to be handled quietly. Rafe did some winging reading emails (including answering the comments posted here!) then got the second guest in (live in-person) and went with him early before finally getting the mayor of Delta on, sadly she was rather soft-spoken on a crummy telephone connection and even with my sound maxed out I was only hearing her 1/2 the time.

    Overall I'd call it like a college amateur radio show, with a good host having to 'fish around' a few times.

    You should be able to hear it in the archives section, but other than as a first for Rafe, I'd not worry about having missed it.

  • Stump

    4 years ago

    Oh no you don't

    Quote:
    ......how long it will take before the internet kicks him off the air. Surely, the bandwitdh can be used to promote someone who can attract better ratings!?!?

    Quote:
    I understand what webcasting is.....

    It was an attempt at sarcasm.

    You don't know Jack about the web if you're using the term bandwidth.

    Fail.

  • darcy.mcgee

    4 years ago

    Cry Rafe

    Quote:
    Cry Rafe

    Nice reference. Not that many people remember the days when Rafe used to actually physically weep in Cabinet. Depressing days those. (Although there's a fine line between depression and humour, I suppose.)

  • skeptikool

    4 years ago

    Will try again

    Thanks for that report, Murdock.

    Like with maiden voyages and flights, there will be bugs that have to be removed.

  • davidex

    4 years ago

    Radio show??

    I tried to listen this morning and couldn't connect via Windows Media Player (no surprise there!) but got a connection via Real Player. The quality was ghastly (gurgling/scratchy.. ick) but also, the acoustic quality is unacceptable - it sounds like it's being streamed from a bathroom. Throw a few duvets on the walls to stop the room echo, please! (Sheesh... podcasting 101!) Clearly, all of the problems are caused by dealing with a Toronto company and its crummy user interface... :)

    I wish Rafe all the best in this new format. There's no reason why this new "pulpit" cannot prosper and make money for all involved and it's great to hear his voice back again. With Skype and other messenger programs, there should be a way to do bi-directional online, complete with a panic button and then we'll have the old buzz back again (hopefully without the awful distorted quality of today's show broadcast). There's every opportunity to sell ads, methinx and think about podcasting the shows. If they're only one-way, allow people to download them and listen on their iPods.

    Best of luck
    David

  • dr evil

    4 years ago

    Rafe why not co-op?

    Rafe
    ever considered a show on Vancouver co-op radio?

    102.7 FM

  • RossK

    4 years ago

    Archives

    Way late to an almost dead thread, but they are starting to archive the shows.

    Just listened to #2 and the discussion between Mr. Beers and Mr. Mair on media concentration was most interesting.

    I also enjoyed the long form of the discussion.

    .

  • steveleenow

    4 years ago

    great to hear Rafe back on the air...

    I'll gladly pay $5 a month to hear him back on the air.

    I keep forgetting which mornings he is on the air, so I have not yet heard him live, but I'm glad they have the archives. The quality of the archives appears to be good – some of the problems people sited above with the live show seem to be absent in the archives. The only issue I have with the archives right now is the absence of the first show which I really want to hear.

    I agree with other commenters that their could be an opportunity for some advertising - and with online content, I think there are opportunities to re-write how advertising in the media works so that it does not interfere with the editorial commentary of the hosts and guests.

    It would be nice if the show's site was more integrated into rafeonline.com. When you visit that site, it seems to take you to “thetalkshop.ca”. Also, “rafelive.com” simply redirects to “rafeonline.com”. Choose one site name and stick with it. I think it has the opportunity to confuse people who are trying to find the site.

  • davidex

    4 years ago

    Rafe on Co-Op

    Dr. Evil doesn't get it. Terrestrial radio is deddd!
    I've got Sirius satellite radio in my car and a device called a Squeezebox by my bed (no it's not a special fun device, honest) that allows me to tune in virtually any web-based broadcast including Live365 or Shoutcast channels. (CBC has wised up and also broadcasts via this medium). The action there is fast and furious and current.
    Whenever I briefly turn on an AM or FM radio it sounds like a creaking old buggy passing by eg: CKNW with it's never-ending huckster car ads, self-serving promos surrounding a pompous Bill Good or equivalent Lord Vader of the Kill Button. Music stations are worse and everywhere, the so-called news breaks are watered down so that the 5-W's are now non-existent.
    Co-Op Radio, while cute, is like the little-red-wagon of local radio. In content and technical level it is irrelevant and has always been since the '70's - even more so given the web alternatives... and that's a sad thing to say.
    I've loved terrestrial radio for its ability to serve the local community, but it's currently less functional than our roadways and destined for complete death when WiFi permeates the city and we all have WiFi radios in our homes, hands and cars.
    I applaud Rafe for finally going online. It's frustrating that the first shows were done with technical incompetence, but I'm sure that will be fixed eventually and that the important thing - Rafe's voice and ideas will be back once again in a proper public forum that has potential to grow for a worldwide audience.

    David

  • dr evil

    4 years ago

    beam me up

    thanks for bringing dr evil up to speed on the radio scene davidx..now hurry up and take over the world or something.

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