When it comes to creating a fictional talk radio host in this town, the ideal character is the type that wouldn’t stand much of a chance being popular on the airwaves here, and not just because they would be too unstable to hold down such a job. Such a character was featured this week on cop show Flashpoint, where Michael Riley — moonlighting from his role as “Dr. Tom” on Being Erica — played an aging shock jock type who takes his politician guest hostage. Conveniently, it was during his final broadcast, due to his frequency’s sale to “Core Channel” flipping the format to adult contemporary. And, for the episode, Flashpoint network CTV used the storied sign-draped CHUM building they bought two years ago, then vacated over the summer: 1331 Yonge Street, a site sold for eventual condo development, was given this final prime-time cameo as the implausibly-identified “CPRD FM 98.4,” a dial position as unlikely on this continent as a cellphone number beginning with “911.” Established at the outset is how the affable cops on the show can’t stand listening to Riley’s character in their gym; if only radio loudmouths could still gain such public ubiquity, since Toronto prefers these personalities to be friendlier. All the better to make up stories where they exist: Old City Hall, the mystery novel by Robert Rotenberg published earlier this year, is about a national talk radio host who admits to killing his wife. And the horror flick Pontypool, directed by Bruce McDonald, starred Stephen McHattie as a grizzled DJ whose lack of tact banished him to small-town Ontario — a character inspired by Don Imus. On the other hand, CTV’s real-life version of Toronto talk radio is simulcasting the audio feed from CP24.

“Coming To You Live” [Flashpoint episode on CTV.ca]