About a year ago, Ingrid Schumacher visited my home and shared several great stories about her four decades on the air at 104.5 CHUM-FM. She was even on the air the night John Lennon was shot. I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation and urge you to listen to it here.
I'm sorry to report that Ingrid was fired from her 104.5 CHUM-FM gig on Thursday. Almost immediately, several things happened:
- Ingrid deleted her @ingridchumfm Twitter handle
- BellMedia removed her 9am show from the schedule at http://www.iheartradio.ca/chum-fm/shows
- BellMedia removed her from the @1045CHUMFM Twitter bio
I believe Ingrid is was the on-air personality who had spent the longest time on the same Toronto station and was still active. After 40 years at CHUM-FM, I'm sorry to see her dismissed in this fashion. I recently wrote about a recent trend where radio personalities were getting to say goodbye to their listeners on the air. Josie Dye got to say goodbye on 102.1 the Edge, Maureen Holloway got to say goodbye on Q107, Raina Douris got to say goodbye on indie88 and Darren B. Lamb got to say goodbye on CHUM-FM. In all three instances, however, the talent quit for a position on another station. When you're fired, radio doesn't extend the same courtesy.
Ingrid, if you're reading this, contact me as I'd love to have you back on Toronto Mike'd so you can say goodbye to an audience that has enjoyed your work for four decades. You're an institution in this market who deserved far better.
