Questioning on WEJZ...

[ChocoMingo]

I was wondering, HOW COULD 96.1 WEJZ be #1 despite HAVING NO LIVE STREAM! I mean, #1 stations are supposed to have live streams, unless the market # is below #100 or #150 or something... Like, BIGGEST #1 STATION W/O A LIVE STREAM IN JAX! THAT'S WEJZ-FM 96.1, from Jacksonville.

 

[davideduardo]

I was wondering, HOW COULD 96.1 WEJZ be #1 despite HAVING NO LIVE STREAM! I mean, #1 stations are supposed to have live streams, unless the market # is below #100 or #150 or something... Like, BIGGEST #1 STATION W/O A LIVE STREAM IN JAX! THAT'S WEJZ-FM 96.1, from Jacksonville.

For years and years WBEB, the #1 station in Philly, had no stream.

Streams are reported in the ratings as separate stations unless there is a 100% simulcast (meaning no ad substitution, which is very rare) so the streams do not contribute to the OTA station ratings.

 

[tomservo]

For years and years WBEB, the #1 station in Philly, had no stream.

Streams are reported in the ratings as separate stations unless there is a 100% simulcast (meaning no ad substitution, which is very rare) so the streams do not contribute to the OTA station ratings.

What is the reason that stations have to substitute ads on streams, a union rule or something?

I also understand that streaming costs a lot of money, especially for really popular stations. Unlike broadcast over the air radio, the more people who listen, the more it costs the station/company due to bandwidth costs.

 

[ChocoMingo]

For years and years WBEB, the #1 station in Philly, had no stream.

Streams are reported in the ratings as separate stations unless there is a 100% simulcast (meaning no ad substitution, which is very rare) so the streams do not contribute to the OTA station ratings.

Today, that's wrong, as WBEB actually has 2 streams. 1 for it's Christmas Music (HD1) and 1 for it's normal music (HD2). It switches after the holidays.

 

[davideduardo]

Today, that's wrong, as WBEB actually has 2 streams. 1 for it's Christmas Music (HD1) and 1 for it's normal music (HD2). It switches after the holidays.

That's why I said "had no stream". They just began streaming again about a month ago.

It won't help the ratings.

 

[davideduardo]

What is the reason that stations have to substitute ads on streams, a union rule or something?

It's originally an AFTRA rule (with AFTRA now part of SAG). The rule required separate and additional compensation when an AFTRA talent's recording was used for streaming. Agencies don't want to pay additional for the small added audience and many have "no stream" dictates on their buys.

My feeling is that AFTRA bit the hand that fed them by making it harder for radio stations to transition to the Internet for distribution. The result has been that much Internet advertising is done in smaller cities where there is no AFTRA local and no AFTRA talent. So AFTRA loses as radio represents less and less union recording opportunities while the Internet does not generate replacement business.

In any case, most stations substitute non-union spots or PSAs for AFTRA covered spots.

 

[CTListener]

It's originally an AFTRA rule (with AFTRA now part of SAG). The rule required separate and additional compensation when an AFTRA talent's recording was used for streaming. Agencies don't want to pay additional for the small added audience and many have "no stream" dictates on their buys.

My feeling is that AFTRA bit the hand that fed them by making it harder for radio stations to transition to the Internet for distribution. The result has been that much Internet advertising is done in smaller cities where there is no AFTRA local and no AFTRA talent. So AFTRA loses as radio represents less and less union recording opportunities while the Internet does not generate replacement business.

In any case, most stations substitute non-union spots or PSAs for AFTRA covered spots.

PSAs are generally professionally voiced, sometimes even by recognizable movie/TV/music stars. Assuming that many, if not all, of these vocal talents are union members, shouldn't the union have its fingers in that pie as well and demand extra compensation for streaming of PSAs?

 

[davideduardo]

PSAs are generally professionally voiced, sometimes even by recognizable movie/TV/music stars. Assuming that many, if not all, of these vocal talents are union members, shouldn't the union have its fingers in that pie as well and demand extra compensation for streaming of PSAs?

PSAs are usually the equivalent of pro bono work, and even if they are paid at the lowest union rate, in every case I have seen there has been a release.