Restore Blue Jays Radio

E-mail recently sent to Sportsnet, media conglomerate responsible for broadcasting all things Blue Jays:

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

I'm writing to express my outrage at Sportsnet's decision to axe the Blue Jays radio broadcasts. I've been a Jays fan since 1977, and my primary means of processing information is auditory. As such, I don't even own a TV. I fell in love with the game on the radio—first with Tom Cheek and Early Wynn, then the legendary tandem of Tom and Jerry. Both are sorely missed, but in recent years I've quite enjoyed the quality work of Ben Wagner and Mike Wilner.

For those of us who aren't visual or are visually impaired, radio isn't a frill or an add-on. We need a dedicated radio broadcast in order to follow the game. Your stated reason for ditching the radio broadcasts (COVID-related travel concerns) simply doesn't pass muster. Ben and Mike did a phenomenal job in 2020 broadcasting off monitors from a Toronto studio. Don't kid yourselves. We, the fans, see this decision for what it is: a short-sighted cost-cutting measure.

Though you may not know or believe it, baseball is made for radio. The slower pace of the sport allows the broadcaster to weave into their commentary stories, stats, and baseball history. A great radio voice paints a picture for the listener, enabling us to effectively "be" at the ballpark through the magic of sound and experience the timeless feel of this grand old game.

Alas, as the 2021 spring slate begins, I have no way of following my team. The radio booth lies empty for the first time since 1976. Many Jays games have no radio coverage at all, and those that do feature the opposing team's broadcast. Obviously, their focus is not on the Blue Jays, who are just "the other team" on the field. Lest you think this won't affect my fandom, know that I'm seriously considering switching allegiances to one of the other 29 teams. Unlike you, they recognize the value for money that radio provides.

You also need to understand that I'm not a lone voice. I draw your attention to this petition, which has been signed by over 2,100 irate Blue Jay fans: https://www.change.org/su/p/rogers-media-keep-toronto-blue-jays-radio-broadcasts-alive/f

I urge you to end this travesty and restore to the airwaves a dedicated Blue Jays radio broadcast. Canada's only major-league team deserves better than bush-league media coverage.

Thinking in Anything but Pictures

I'm paraphrasing Temple Grandin and turning on its ear the notion that all persons on the autism spectrum are predominantly or exclusively visual thinkers. (In fairness, Grandin has since come to agree; see the "Develop Talents in Specialized Brains" section in the updated synopsis of her landmark book.)

Many a time I have needed to use the facilities in a public place and, when confronted with only symbolic or pictorial gender depictions, ended up walking into the women's washroom. I've also put together IKEA furniture backwards (or not at all) because the ostensibly clear, step-by-step sequence of pictures, arrows and what-have-you registers naught in my brain.

Visual thinkers are the majority, and as such their world view is the most prevalent. This usually amounts to little more than a minor inconvenience for people like me and is perhaps the source of an amusing anecdote or ten. There are, however, instances in which visual-thinker domination left unchecked might lead to quite serious issues of public safety. Along those lines, here's an e-mail I just sent to Ontario's Minister of Transportation:

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

I recently read that the Ministry aims to phase out all text on its road signs and replace it with visual symbols.

You might want to rethink this. Although many people take in symbolic or pictorial information best, not all of us do. Example: my stove uses pictures to delineate the different burners, and after turning on the wrong burner one too many times I had to create my own, text-based signs: "left front," "right rear," etc.

I'm not a driver myself, but I have had the experience of being on a bus, seeing a pictorial sign out the window and having no idea what it meant. Fortunately, I was just a passenger.

In the interest of road safety, I'm sure the MTO wishes to provide drivers with clear, concise, easy-to-digest information, particularly when they're travelling at high speeds on expressways. Converting to a picture-only format may indeed simplify matters for some drivers, but for those of us whose primary means of processing information isn't symbolic it would at best increase processing time and at worst create utter confusion.

I don't drive, but I'll bet there are people like me who do. I wouldn't want to be the guy speeding down the 401 on a snowy January night who doesn't understand or misinterprets a picture that's meant to convey something like, "Snowplows and salt trucks ahead. Slow down."