A PIECE OF HAMILTON HISTORY

For my Blog Assignment in the Creative Content Class, I decided to stroll down to the Tim Hortons located at 65 Ottawa Street North. What's interesting about this Tim Hortons restaurant is that it's dedicated to the very first Tim Hortons location that opened in 1964 on Ottawa Street.

The restaurant has a museum section outlining the history of the franchise and how it has changed over the 59-year history that the franchise has been around. Tim Hortons was founded by former 24-year NHL veteran Tim Horton. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, and the New York Rangers.

I chose this location for this project because I have fond memories of going to Tim Hortons locations across Canada. I grew up going to Tim Hortons for a break during long trips with my family. Going to Tim Hortons was a major part of my childhood, and I continue to enjoy Tim Hortons coffee to this day.

I am a big Maple Leafs fan, and I find it so interesting that such a major coffee chain began just a short drive from where I live. The Tim Hortons at 65 Ottawa Street is one of the historical landmarks and the pride of Hamilton.

The photo I chose is of a coffee cup with the old logo. It follows the rule of filling the frame—the main part of the cup in the photo completely fills the frame of the picture.

CHATTING WITH A MENTOR

 had the amazing opportunity to chat with my favourite radio personality.

It was an honour to chat with News Anchor Matt LeBlanc. Matt works for 98.9 myFM and Oldies 99.7, based in Simcoe, Ontario, as part of the My Broadcasting Corporation. Those radio stations specifically focus on serving the local community in Norfolk County.

When asked about what Matt likes the most about working in radio, he mentioned the opportunity to know things that are happening within the local community. Matt also touched on how he enjoys doing news on the radio because he likes to “tell a story a listener can absorb… and get something out of it, in under two minutes.”

A challenge that Matt mentioned he’s faced while working in radio is that people don’t sound “like themselves” when they are on the air. He specified that when people get in front of a microphone, he tells them ahead of time that he is going to use exactly what they say on air. People are more concerned about how they sound instead of sounding like themselves. Sounding like myself is something that I am also trying to do while I speak on the radio. I personally believe that having the confidence to sound like you are having a conversation on the air takes practice and time to improve.

When asked whom Matt looks up to in the radio business, he touched upon not having anyone he admires in the radio business. However, Matt did mention that he enjoys listening to the likes of Tom Howell on CBC Radio. Matt likes how he has “raw emotional conversations" with his guests. Matt pointed out that he uses some of the interview techniques he has learned from Tom Howell in his news reporting.

To stand out on the radio, Matt emphasized being yourself on the air. He said, “I think that being authentic to yourself and not putting on a face or a voice is the best thing you can do.” Matt talking about “being yourself” while on the radio really resonated with me. This is because I’m someone who is new to radio and is working on sounding like I am having a natural conversation while speaking on the air.

When asked what advice Matt has for someone starting out in the radio industry, he said, “In news specifically, make sure that you double-check everything before you get it out there.” I found his answer relatable to what I am pursuing because I strive to make sure I have the best material possible when publishing something I have produced for the public to see as well.

I also strive to produce accurate material on the radio and in blogs because that is what the public deserves, in my opinion.

Matt told me that he thinks what has changed the most from when he started going to college for radio to now is the fact that a lot of jobs that were specialized when he was in college are now connected, so there are fewer people taking on more positions in the radio business.

It was such an honor to have the opportunity to talk to someone I look up to in the radio business. I really enjoyed getting his take on the amazing world of radio.

FIRST EXPERIENCE ON IGNITE RADIO

My first time on Ignite Radio was interesting, to say the least.

I am a student in the Broadcasting - Radio & Creative Content Program. One of the classes I take is called Live On-Air 1. In this class, I get the opportunity to go on Ignite Radio and learn what it is like to go on air.

The first time I was on Ignite Radio was on September 14 of this year.

My job was to tell the listeners the song that was coming up next, along with a little bit of information that listeners might find interesting about the artist I was featuring.

The artist I talked about was Sam Smith, singing "Love Me More."

I vividly remember walking into the studio, being very nervous but also very excited about my first time going on air. I grew up listening to my favorite radio hosts, hoping that one day I would get the opportunity to do what they do.

When I first got in the studio, my professor told me that she would introduce me, and I would talk about the next song that was coming up, which was chosen ahead of time. As I sat at the microphone, ready to go live, I felt a rush of adrenaline go through my whole body. Then my teacher said, "We are going live in three... two... one." As the microphones went on and my teacher queued me to talk, I was beaming from ear to ear as I told the listeners about Sam Smith's newly released hit. When I was finished, I felt a sense of relief that I had just accomplished speaking on air for the first time. My teacher said I did well and gave me a couple of tips on how I can improve for next time.

It was great to have a positive first experience on Ignite Radio.