Medium Rare (radio show)

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Medium Rare was a Canadian radio program, which aired from 1987 to 1993. [1] Produced by CHEZ-FM in Ottawa, the program was syndicated to several radio stations across Canada. [2]

Hosted by CHEZ's news director, Ken Rockburn, the program was a two-hour news and public affairs magazine show which aired on Sunday evenings, including features and interviews on politics, arts, literature and culture, [3] although the show was ultimately most noted for Rockburn's interviews with writers. [4] The program made Rockburn the only host in Canadian commercial, rather than public, radio ever to win three Nellies from the ACTRA Awards. [5]

After an April 1993 change in CRTC regulations meant that music-based stations were no longer required to air a minimum quota of spoken word programming, the program was immediately dropped from the schedules of all its syndicated stations. [6] It continued on CHEZ for two more months, before airing its final episode in June. [6] During this time Rockburn was a contender for the job of hosting TVOntario's literature show Imprint following the departure of Daniel Richler, although he was not selected. [4]

Rockburn published a book of interviews from the show, Medium Rare: Jamming with Culture, in 1995. [7]

He subsequently moved to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, where he hosted the television interview show Rockburn and Company and CBO's afternoon program All in a Day . [8]

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References

  1. ↑ "Is TV ready for talk show host with a beard?; CHEZ news director at front of proposed Ottawa-based late-night program that would have more than idle chatter". Ottawa Citizen , October 17, 1990.
  2. ↑ "CRTC quota proposal may be last straw for Medium Rare syndicator". Ottawa Citizen , November 8, 1992.
  3. ↑ "Sunday evening radio offers plenty of interesting conversation". Ottawa Citizen , September 8, 1991.
  4. 1 2 "Rockburn right stuff for TVO job". Ottawa Citizen , March 9, 1993.
  5. ↑ "Award-winning broadcaster enjoys 'challenge of sound'". Ottawa Citizen , June 24, 1989.
  6. 1 2 "Empty hole left as Medium Rare bids a farewell". Ottawa Citizen , June 20, 1993.
  7. ↑ "MEDIUM RARE: Jamming with Culture; Half-baked interviews at the culture bar". The Globe and Mail , October 5, 1995.
  8. ↑ "Rockburn named All In a Day host". Ottawa Citizen , March 7, 1996.
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