I'm toying with the idea of adding Texas State Network (TSN) news to KDOK. There would also be three sports reports per day. The news would be hourly during the day, most likely on the half hour. Naturally there are pros and cons about doing this. I'd be interested in knowing what the pundits think.
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Maybe news on KDOK?
- Thread starter Chuck
- Start date
Wow, what a tough decision. In some respects news is a negative on a music station but a welcome addition to some. It has been years since I was at a TSN affiliate so I do not know what has changed in their offerings. Years ago, it was a 5 minute at :55, sports at 7:05 and 5:15 and the option 15 minute 7:30 and Noon casts. We could opt for the AG programs too. There were some casts with no spots that a station did not have to carry. I'm guessing they might have a less than 5 minute version, especially in non-drive time hours.
In the past they were flexible enough to allow stations to opt out on all required newscasts and sportscasts by playing the 60 seconds of spots within the hour. It is sure nice to have a network if there is a huge news event. So, I'm thinking if they might be flexible and you feel it would be a welcome competitive advantage in the market, go for it. If it doesn't work as planned, you could cut back to strategic hours and clear the spots.
In the past they were flexible enough to allow stations to opt out on all required newscasts and sportscasts by playing the 60 seconds of spots within the hour. It is sure nice to have a network if there is a huge news event. So, I'm thinking if they might be flexible and you feel it would be a welcome competitive advantage in the market, go for it. If it doesn't work as planned, you could cut back to strategic hours and clear the spots.
TSN will let me clear the spots and not run the newscasts, but that sounds like it could be a lot of work keeping up with them. TSN has added what they cal the "Content Downloader" so you don't have to run the newscasts according to their live broadcast schedule. Unfortunately, it downloads after the actual live version at 0:55. This means it isn't ready to broadcast until the top of the hour. If you need to run it a few seconds early (because the song ran out), it may not have finished downloading. I've tried this in rehearsal mode and it usually crashes the downloader. Apparently it cant record and playback simultaneously. I'm told by TSN that most stations just delay the broadcast up to an hour to fix this. That's why I'm thinking of the bottom of the hour.
TSN seems very easy to get along with. Their newscasts are good quality and interesting. They are 5 minutes though. I'm not sure what listeners will think. I imagine some would like it, while others would not. Since KOOI flipped from their version of Classic Hits to AC or Top 40 (it is kind of nebulous to me) it leaves KDOK as the only Classic Hits Station in the area. KKTX is Classic Rock, which admittedly has a lot of overlap, but isn't the same thing. This recent development seems to further complicate the issue.
TSN seems very easy to get along with. Their newscasts are good quality and interesting. They are 5 minutes though. I'm not sure what listeners will think. I imagine some would like it, while others would not. Since KOOI flipped from their version of Classic Hits to AC or Top 40 (it is kind of nebulous to me) it leaves KDOK as the only Classic Hits Station in the area. KKTX is Classic Rock, which admittedly has a lot of overlap, but isn't the same thing. This recent development seems to further complicate the issue.
For a state network, I have always felt TSN had a great product. I like that they make it possible to only use them by airing both state news along with national and international.
As I recall, they ran a weekly feed we could record and dub to cart (to give you an idea of how long ago that was). We just added them to the log. Then again, there are only a few spots each week that repeat several times. Filing the affidavits and dubbing takes some time. It can be a hassle. I hated having to remember to record the ABC spots at, I think, :48 to play in the :50 stop set. We were a live music intensive top 40 that did ABC's 1 minute cast 35 times a week with a minute of local in AM drive.
My thinking might be running TSN in morning and afternoon drive and maybe the noon hour, perhaps clearing their sports.
If Texas oriented news seems to be missing from local radio, TSN might be a good deal.
As I recall, they ran a weekly feed we could record and dub to cart (to give you an idea of how long ago that was). We just added them to the log. Then again, there are only a few spots each week that repeat several times. Filing the affidavits and dubbing takes some time. It can be a hassle. I hated having to remember to record the ABC spots at, I think, :48 to play in the :50 stop set. We were a live music intensive top 40 that did ABC's 1 minute cast 35 times a week with a minute of local in AM drive.
My thinking might be running TSN in morning and afternoon drive and maybe the noon hour, perhaps clearing their sports.
If Texas oriented news seems to be missing from local radio, TSN might be a good deal.
IIRC, the 5-minute newscast at :55 is: intro, Texas news (2:00), :60 spots, :60 national news, :60 spots and outro. What if you aired just the 2:00 Texas news, cleared the spots and got back to the hits? I believe I've heard other affiliates do this. Might be something worth checking into if you're wanting to air some Texas news but not lose listeners.
I'll agree with b-turner here....TSN has a great product. I always enjoyed running them when I was at KCUL-AM/FM in Marshall twenty years ago.
I'll agree with b-turner here....TSN has a great product. I always enjoyed running them when I was at KCUL-AM/FM in Marshall twenty years ago.
I'd do just that if they were consistent on the timing of the three segments. Unfortunately, it is "more or less" 2:00 minutes of news, followed by 60 seconds of spots. That makes integrating it into automation a bit of a problem. There are no cue tones on the "Content Downloader." You'd have to rely on hard timing, which would probably be a train wreck. Then there is the issue of clearing the last spot break, which would take very frequent human intervention. I'm trying to keep things simple. Of course the simple thing is "no news," but I'm not sure that is the right answer.
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Anonymouse
Guest
Well no news is good news!!!
In all seriousness however, some people might like the news. I say take a survey of the listeners and see what they say?
Make a Google Voice number with a voicemail box, or an email address to get feedback or something.
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One of my complaints is that they are on a bastard satellite. They require their own dish which definitely sux. We run 5 different networks and ALL on on the same bird, but TSN. Of course Astros and Texans are a TSN product, but still they ought to move to the real world of AMC-8. Heck even the rockets are on AMC-8
They are moving to IP based distribution. It is easier to deal with in many situations, assuming your Internet is up and working. It depends where you are, but that can be a "sometimes thing." But I agree if they would go on AMC-8 it would make life a bit simpler.
Well, it's been over a month now. What was the verdict, Chuck?
There isn't one. Maybe after the first of the year. Right now with increased Christmas traffic, I don't know where we would put it.
We carry TSN at my station. Great bunch of folks. We are a music station with a fairly heavy news presence. However, I can't honestly say whether the TSN reports would be missed or not by the listeners. No one complained when we dropped ABC.
The IP based distribution is news to me, as far as I know their ancient ICP recievers lack that capability. (And that ICP is the ONLY receiver they have that gets UT Sports as well as the cowboys)
News feeds at :55 ends at 59:50 and restarts at :00. Bear in mind they pretty much run the same exact news every hour. Unfortunately they don't really do breaking news, at least not continuous coverage.
If I was you I'd just run the news every other hour, or maybe just at 7, 12, and 5 in addition to your local news (if you do that).
We only run the news between 5am and 6pm. TSN hasn't had a problem with that.
Raul is a great guy to get along with, extremely helpful too!
The IP based distribution is news to me, as far as I know their ancient ICP recievers lack that capability. (And that ICP is the ONLY receiver they have that gets UT Sports as well as the cowboys)
News feeds at :55 ends at 59:50 and restarts at :00. Bear in mind they pretty much run the same exact news every hour. Unfortunately they don't really do breaking news, at least not continuous coverage.
If I was you I'd just run the news every other hour, or maybe just at 7, 12, and 5 in addition to your local news (if you do that).
We only run the news between 5am and 6pm. TSN hasn't had a problem with that.
Raul is a great guy to get along with, extremely helpful too!
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If I recall, TSN has 'required casts' but will allow the commercial(s) to air within the hour. It may have changed now, but not long ago TSN had a few casts that were Texas news which others were world, national and state. The only casts we had to clear after 5 pm were the 6:55 and 8:55 editions (or play spots).
They probably do. The station has been a TSN affiliate for longer than the current owner has even been alive, so chances are there's probably an unspoken gentleman's agreement in effect. (I want to say the affiliation may go back as far as the late 40s when the station signed on).
I DO highly suggest picking up Neil Sperry's Plant Talk Texas if its available to you, that show has been a huge hit ever since we picked it up.
I DO highly suggest picking up Neil Sperry's Plant Talk Texas if its available to you, that show has been a huge hit ever since we picked it up.
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It turned out to be a VERY interesting weekend. The weather went nuts. The good news is we were relatively unaffected, unlike many of my friends in the DFW area. I have a friend who lives in Rowlett, where the damage was severe. His house was saved, but just a block or so away, there is nothing left. Sometimes, you just get lucky.
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purpledevil
Guest
Grrrr! It's KEBE's studio, too! Poor lil' 1400, lol. I swear, none of you all respect that beautiful lil' graveyarder from Jacksonville. Viva La Corral!
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purpledevil
Guest
Glad you and your family came out unscathed, Chuck. Lot of devastation up there east of Dallas, and I hope your friends get on the road to recovery quickly. Really goes to show you, it doesn't matter what time of year it is down here, tornado season never stops. Luck, sure. Grace of God that only 11 lives were lost in an F-4, you betcha.
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I maintain a studio in Jacksonville for KEBE too. It is actually pretty nice and reasonably well equipped. It is true it does simulcast QX-FM though. At least a handful of people In in its City of License like it that way. The real problem is the interest level in Jacksonville for an AM station is nearly nil. Trying to sell it there has been an exercise in futility, at least so far. You can't even get them to send PSA's that are Jacksonville-centric. I'm hoping to get a FM translator for it when the FCC has its AM Translator filing window. Perhaps that and a format flip will make it useful again.
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