less local

[Unregistered]

seems to me radio willl be less live & local in the future--- with more syndication, voicetracking, automation.
the cheap plan of clear channel, cumulus & other companies.
regressing to the days of network radio.
will live, local morning shows & local news even survive ?

 

[Stevens]

....regressing to the days of network radio.

The days commonly referred to as "the Golden Age of Radio."

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

seems to me radio willl be less live & local in the future--- with more syndication, voicetracking, automation.
the cheap plan of clear channel, cumulus & other companies.
regressing to the days of network radio.
will live, local morning shows & local news even survive ?

I understand your frustration. But the "good guys" can use voicetracking and automation, also.... and it can make radio amazingly local. (Or in the ears of some listeners.... disgustingly local.

There are people who own smaller operations, mom-and-pop style radio (can be in the big city as well as rural America) and before heading out for a day of sales, can sit down in the studio and cut 6, 8 or 10 of the most timely and local little commentaries you could ever ask for, throw them into the hopper of the automation, and be on their way to do a day of sales and inter-mingling with the people of the community.

Got a glib high school coach, county agent, lawyer or salesman or two in your community? Outfit them with a very modest recording device and they can sit at their breakfast table, at their desk, or in their car between sales calls, record halfl-a-dozen of what we used to call 'actualities' back in the days of live and local, and they can transfer them into the automation machine via their smart phone.

Folks: we talking the old "Is the glass half full, or is the glass half empty" argument. The same automation machine that one station uses to turn their programming into bland tapioca pudding is used by a neighboring station to create radio that is LIVELY and LOCAL like nothing we were ever able to do 'back in the day'.

You just got to look into the proper end of the telescope.... for the desired results.

 

[TheBigA]

I saw an interesting PBS documentary a few years ago on the introduction of the automobile. The focus was the transitional period as horses were being replaced by gas-driven vehicles. It was interesting to see how many people were very attached to their horses, and didn't want to give them up. The advantages were limitless. Easy to maintain, easy to operate, fuel was plentiful, lots of blacksmith shops. Meanwhile, gas stations were far apart, roads were terrible, cars broke down, and plus the ride wasn't comfortable. Change is hard to deal with, especially when you've lived your entire life one way. We all have current examples of dealing with change. Radio is one of them.

 

[radiophiler]

GRC makes a good point. There is a difference between local voice tracking and having someone pipe it in from another market.

Even in the days when the FCC only allowed an owner to have one AM and one FM in a market, local automation was used. In my hometown, DJs from the AM station had the ability to throw a switch, record a break on a cart, and insert that into the automation for the FM.

And there are some worthy, true national shows that don't pretend to be a local show. Someone is the next Howard Stern? More power to them.

Why does CC feel the need to hide the fact that many of its DJs in markets of all sizes aren't actually located in that market? Why not create a national classic rock midday show "live from (New York, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Los Angeles)" etc.? The answer: They know listeners want live and local, that's why they pretend to do it. If national DJs were really what people wanted, they wouldn't hesitate to promote the fact that the DJ you hear on your local station isn't in fact local.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

It was interesting to see how many people were very attached to their horses, and didn't want to give them up. The advantages were limitless. Easy to maintain, easy to operate, fuel was plentiful, lots of blacksmith shops. Meanwhile, gas stations were far apart, roads were terrible, cars broke down, and plus the ride wasn't comfortable.

I see that drama played out every time I walk into my garage in search of a tool, gadget, widget, or a fastener.

My father "came of age" during "The Great Depression" and he was attracted to equipment and knew how to make these new fangled "tractors" work. He was able to save up enough to get his own equipment and his own farm by carrying around this little black tool box full of Craftsman sockets and wrenches. While working as a hired hand, he was "Johnny on The Spot" for all the older Dutch and German farmers in the community who had finally bought a tractor, but didn't know how to keep it running. They were not comfortable without their horses and mules.

When he died a few years ago, and we the children gathered to split up and auction off his life-time collection of "stuff", we first asked: is there anything here anyone wants before we clean and organize everything for the estate auction. I went for the little black tool-box with a vengeance. I am the oldest child, and I can't remember a day when that box did not exist, and did not play an important role in every day life. Today that box sits in MY garage!

So, does this anecdote have anything to do with RADIO? Yup. I pursued my radio years much the way my father went after farming. He learned all the old, true and tried techniques of the crowd that knew only horses, and used them daily. But he also was addicted to reading the latest farm magazines and always showing up at the dealership for the annual showing of new tractor models. And I remember if we were going into town and we saw something being used in a farmer's field we hadn't seen before, we pulled off the road, greeted the farmer when he came to our end of the row, asked him what it was, where he got it, how much did he pay, and would he do it again.

We had a constant flow of people brought to our farm by the County Agent, or sent there by someone. They wanted to see these new techniques and gadgets that no one else in 60 miles in any direction was using.

Radio is a little like that. Some tried and true things should NEVER be abandoned.... and if you aren't doing something that would cause other broadcasters to come and ask: "How do you do that?" you're not keeping up!

Now. I've got a mic bracket I need to move here in my voice-over studio. Excuse me while I run out to the garage and get a 3/8 inch box end Craftsman wrench that is older than I am so I can move the bracket. I looked at a new wrench the other day at the hardware store. It works just like the old one. So I'll keep what I've got.

 

[Small Market Guy]

I saw an interesting PBS documentary a few years ago on the introduction of the automobile. The focus was the transitional period as horses were being replaced by gas-driven vehicles. It was interesting to see how many people were very attached to their horses, and didn't want to give them up. The advantages were limitless. Easy to maintain, easy to operate, fuel was plentiful, lots of blacksmith shops. Meanwhile, gas stations were far apart, roads were terrible, cars broke down, and plus the ride wasn't comfortable. Change is hard to deal with, especially when you've lived your entire life one way. We all have current examples of dealing with change. Radio is one of them.

This is a good comparison.

Of course this forum would be the equivalent of the blacksmiths getting together to complain about cars. No one cares about voice tracking except the people put out of work by it.

 

[Unregistered]

People being put out of work is the key point. Its the clear channel plan &
cumulus, cbs & others will follow.

 

[Small Market Guy]

People being put out of work is the key point. Its the clear channel plan &
cumulus, cbs & others will follow.

Are you saying that they're in business JUST to fire people? Seriously?

I'll say it one more time. Radio isn't a jobs program for out of work jocks. If you want to work in radio, ADAPT and stop bitching about the state of the business. It isn't going to change. Ever. So get over it.