Red Around Town: June 28

Congratulations to the Miracle Network Telethon on Global Television for raising the unheard of amount of over 15 million dollars on their recent marathon. This is a milestone, particularly when you think the province has a total population of only 4 million. That’s a lot of money and for a very worthwhile cause… I see that CTV has cancelled the locally-based western version of the popular Canada AM breakfast television show. The program lasted just 5 months but did not gain as many viewers as expected. The national show is back on the channel, but  former anchor Mi-Jung Lee and the rest of the staff from the show will continue to have jobs at the station… Not only was Tom Jones in town a few weeks back for two shows at the Centre in Vancouver for the Performing Arts, but he took time to appear at Jacqui Cohen‘s waterfront home for her annual Face The World gala. A record amount was raised at the event (over $1.2 million). My friend Jim Byrnes had the pleasure of introducing the Welsh singing icon… The B.C. Sports Hall of Fame had its annual gala recognizing outstanding athletes for their contributions to our sport history. The evening was hosted by Global’s Robin Stickley and Steve Darling. Former BCTV (now Global) sports director Bernie Pascall was honoured, as was the late Gordon Shrum, who received the W.A.C. Bennett Lifetime Achievement Award. There were many others who were honoured also…

The CRTC has approved 3 new FM radio stations in our town. All 3 will feature the Adult Album Alternative format. 600 AM will no longer exist, as a new station has been created for the Pattison-owned outlet and will be know as The Peak at 100.5FM. Another new license has been granted to music legend Sam Feldman, David Aisenstat and former CKLG deejay and program director Roy Hennessy. This new FM station will operate at 104.1… Former Z.95 music director Matthew McBride has been granted a new license for Port Moody, at 98.7 on your FM dial. McBride also operates radio stations in small B.C. communities such as Pemberton, Tofino and Ucluelet… West Coast talent is being recognized on Toronto’s Walk of Fame. Included in this year’s list of inductees is rocker Bryan Adams, actor Michael J. Fox and basketball superstar Steve Nash. The gala event will be televised on September 6 on CTV… Add this name to the concert highlights this fall. Sheryl Crow will appear in concert October 4th at GM Place… Sign offs: Mel Ferrer, star of such classic films as Lili and The Sun Also Rises, as well as producer and director of movies starring his then-wife Audrey Hepburn, has died at age 90… Also passing away is sportscaster Jim McKay at 86. McKay was host of ABC’s Wide World of Sports for decades, but will best be remembered as the voice of the Olympics, in particular the games at Munich when Israeli athletes were kidnapped and killed. He found himself in the role of a newscaster on this occasion. Farewell.