The Wave in Los Angeles Has Only Three Weekday DJs?

[Gregg.]

The weekday schedule is:

Pat Prescott - 6am to Noon
Deborah Howell - Noon to 6pm
Frankie Ross - 6pm to Midnight

Weekends have Maggie McKay doing Sat. and Sun. afternoons, and Greg Mack doing Sat. mornings. The "On Air" drop down includes other names like LA veteran Mike Sakellarides, but he only does fill-ins. No regular shift. Long time midday personality Talaya Trigueros was released last year.

Also on weekends, Prescott, Howell and Ross do some voice-tracked shifts. I assume they may also be voice tracking some of their weekday work, since it is unusual for DJs to do a six hour shift these days.

The Wave's ratings are good! #4 now and always in the Top 5. Does the station really have to cut its full time air staff to only 3 people and regular weekend DJ line up to only 2? Can't the station at least voice track overnights and weekend nights? I can't get over a highly rated large market station that thinks having no DJ voice for hours at a time is fine.

 

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

Voice tracked? But then again these talent on the wave are also doing some VO work for the other Entercom O&O's in LA though.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I can't get over a highly rated large market station that thinks having no DJ voice for hours at a time is fine.

Why? Would you really prefer to have a voice tracked DJ from Entercom Kansas City on Sunday nights from 5 to 10?

 

[TheBigA]

I can't get over a highly rated large market station that thinks having no DJ voice for hours at a time is fine.

It depends on which hours you're talking about. Using the same logic where would we be today if banks didn't have ATMs? We'd be dependent on banks staffing tellers 24/7 in order to have the convenience we now enjoy. Think of all the times you've used an ATM in off-hours to get money. For me, it happens all the time.

Here's the truth: The functions of a radio station can be handled by computers. It's been that way for over 30 years. Computers schedule commercials, songs, imaging, and the personalities. If set up properly, the computers do a great job. They don't fall asleep, they don't cue up the wrong song, they don't spill coffee in the console, and they don't complain.

Having said all that, yes it's useful to have human voices on hand to add some personality and do the timely things in high usage hours. But if you're scheduling staff, if you're budgeting operations, you know the times when most people listen, and you know the times when your money is best spent. That's what running a business is all about. I'm talking about ANY business, whether its a bank, a grocery store, or a radio station. Last night I went to the store for groceries at 10PM. It was not fully staffed. There were 16 self-service kiosks to pay for my groceries, and one person overseeing the whole front of store. That was it. Recently I was on a toll road late at night, took my exit, and there were no cash lanes open to pay my toll. It was either exact change, or EZ Pass. This stuff happens all the time.

So yes, it would be nice if there was a live human being on the radio at 3AM. But it's not really necessary, and if your job is to decide where and how to spend money for staff, scheduling someone at 3AM is not a big priority. By the way, as someone who has both done the scheduling and worked the shift, it is very hard to get someone to work that shift live. Not everyone wants to give up their overnights or weekends for the glamour and glory of working at a radio station. So it's not just about saving money or allocating resources. It's also about finding and hiring qualified personnel.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

The weekday schedule is:

Pat Prescott - 6am to Noon
Deborah Howell - Noon to 6pm
Frankie Ross - 6pm to Midnight

Weekends have Maggie McKay doing Sat. and Sun. afternoons, and Greg Mack doing Sat. mornings. The "On Air" drop down includes other names like LA veteran Mike Sakellarides, but he only does fill-ins. No regular shift. Long time midday personality Talaya Trigueros was released last year.

Also on weekends, Prescott, Howell and Ross do some voice-tracked shifts. I assume they may also be voice tracking some of their weekday work, since it is unusual for DJs to do a six hour shift these days.

The Wave's ratings are good! #4 now and always in the Top 5. Does the station really have to cut its full time air staff to only 3 people and regular weekend DJ line up to only 2? Can't the station at least voice track overnights and weekend nights? I can't get over a highly rated large market station that thinks having no DJ voice for hours at a time is fine.

I can't get over why more stations DON'T do what they have done. Jack has been jockless for years to virtually no detriment. It is not 1965 anymore and DJs are the the most replaceable part of any music-intensive station - including being replaced by nobody.

There are a few exceptions - stations that play a lot of new music and/or play a large variety of songs use the DJ to help "curate" the playlist and bring information to the listener that they otherwise wouldn't have. But for the vast majority of stations that refuse to move beyond their 800 song playlist, there is no need. The music consumer already has access to any information the DJ brings, and nearly all millenials I talk to (so I assume they are representative) have virtually no use for them whatsoever and wonder what they are doing on their radio in the first place. Actual phrase I heard from one of them: "If they are not on Spotify, why should they be on the radio?".

 

[TheBigA]

Actual phrase I heard from one of them: "If they are not on Spotify, why should they be on the radio?".

It all depends on the format and time of day. The primary usage for live talent is local advertising and marketing. Spotify is a subscription service, so no need for that function. They're not reading liner notes off the back of album jackets any more. They're utilized by the stations as physical representations of the brand. The DJs don't have to give song titles because that information is given on RDS.

 

[davideduardo]

But for the vast majority of stations that refuse to move beyond their 800 song playlist, there is no need.

Few stations or formats have 800 song libraries.

The most popular formats have much less... CHR is in the 80 range (except for special shows like mixers, etc.)... AC can be in the 250 t0 350 range... country is vastly less than it was just a decade ago. Urban and CHUrban mimic CHR to some extent, and Urban AC is like general market AC. Hispanic stations range from around 100 for Latin CHR (Reggaetón) to 250 for regional Mexican.

For several decades... even before smartphones and wider availability of streaming sources... most stations have been in that range. Even classic hits and classic rock are at much lower levels, with stations like KRTH well under 400 songs.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

It all depends on the format and time of day. The primary usage for live talent is local advertising and marketing. Spotify is a subscription service, so no need for that function. They're not reading liner notes off the back of album jackets any more. They're utilized by the stations as physical representations of the brand. The DJs don't have to give song titles because that information is given on RDS.

That is all fine, but the future (and sometimes even the present) belongs to young people. The point was, young people consume music very differently than previous generations and they find DJs to be fifth wheels to their listening experience. If that is the way they see it, it is only reasonable that they would question why DJs even exist at all.

 

[TheBigA]

That is all fine, but the future (and sometimes even the present) belongs to young people. The point was, young people consume music very differently than previous generations

All that's fine. Radio stations are not in the music distribution business. Spotify is. It's their only business. You pay them for that service.

 

[CTListener]

That is all fine, but the future (and sometimes even the present) belongs to young people. The point was, young people consume music very differently than previous generations and they find DJs to be fifth wheels to their listening experience. If that is the way they see it, it is only reasonable that they would question why DJs even exist at all.

Purely anecdotal and small-sample, but on the SiriusXM fan site forum, the younger posters are generally the ones calling for the firing of the "disc jerkies" and whining "just play the music," while the older posters are usually the ones calling for more personality and live hosts. A few "old souls" among the millennials will occasionally put in a kind word for the air talent, but it's rare to find a boomer who wants a jukebox.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Few stations or formats have 800 song libraries.

The most popular formats have much less... CHR is in the 80 range (except for special shows like mixers, etc.)... AC can be in the 250 t0 350 range... country is vastly less than it was just a decade ago. Urban and CHUrban mimic CHR to some extent, and Urban AC is like general market AC. Hispanic stations range from around 100 for Latin CHR (Reggaetón) to 250 for regional Mexican.

For several decades... even before smartphones and wider availability of streaming sources... most stations have been in that range. Even classic hits and classic rock are at much lower levels, with stations like KRTH well under 400 songs.

Song counts are fine, but in 2020 what does the DJ add to the listening experience if he is not in the role of curator as I mentioned earlier? Name of Artist and Title of Song? Already on dashboard. Entertainment news? So many sites, blogs, push notices, etc. have already pushed that information to the listener, just as it did the DJ himself. Traffic? Everyone has a traffic app and knows how to use it. Being the funny guy between songs? How to put this gently..... the current crop of vanilla DJs that all sound the same couldn't carry Wolfman Jack's mic between gigs.

Time and technology have passed the DJ by. I am not trying to kick any hard-working radio personalities out of job (you all have my admiration and respect for the jobs you do) but I am not the one kicking you out the door, the listening audience who doesn't need the service anymore is. Radio is like any other business, they get rid of obsolete parts and processes, especially when it affects the bottom line.

 

[TheBigA]

Song counts are fine, but in 2020 what does the DJ add to the listening experience if he is not in the role of curator as I mentioned earlier?

But the DJ is NOT the curator. The company has a music expert, and it's not the DJ. In fact what we're seeing is a lot of cross-format movement among DJs. So they understand they're not always being hired for their music knowledge or their identity with a genre. They're being hired for their PERSONALITY.

So what does the DJ add to the experience? I say it's up to the DJ. Because if the answer is left to the company, they'll say what I said earlier, which is brand promotion and live reads of advertising. Those aren't very sexy or glamorous, but certainly necessary. If a DJ has some personality, and they can demonstrate that they can attract a fan base and bring an audience to the station, that will make them a very marketable commodity. I find that PERSONALITIES get paid more than DJs. IF they are real personalities. They also position themselves for endorsements and sponsorship opportunities beyond the traditional salary and benefits. They get a chance to work with celebrities and incorporate music in their presentation in ways they can't do in a podcast or other digital outlets. So as you can see, I'm describing a very exciting role for DJs in 2020, one that's different from what it may have been at one time. Will it appeal to millennials? Yes, because we're talking about something that doesn't interfere with the music.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

But the DJ is NOT the curator. The company has a music expert, and it's not the DJ. In fact what we're seeing is a lot of cross-format movement among DJs. So they understand they're not always being hired for their music knowledge or their identity with a genre. They're being hired for their PERSONALITY.

I may not have made myself clear in terms of the word "curator". I think someone like Nic Harcourt on KCSN fits that role - the station plays a lot of artists including new ones and he does a good job of introducing new artists. This helps the listener familiarize or put in context the new music they are listening to. He is not the station's music director who is the real curator, comparable to someone who picks the art at a museum, but he is the one curating the music as far as the listener knows. My larger point is the vast majority of DJs do not curate like he does, which makes their usefulness in this day and age quite questionable.

 

[davideduardo]

Time and technology have passed the DJ by. I am not trying to kick any hard-working radio personalities out of job (you all have my admiration and respect for the jobs you do) but I am not the one kicking you out the door, the listening audience who doesn't need the service anymore is. Radio is like any other business, they get rid of obsolete parts and processes, especially when it affects the bottom line.

The role of the DJ or personality has changed.

The DJ was a listener's friend "back in the day". There were no cheap phone services, no Internet, no texting, just the mail and the phone. One was slow, the other was expensive if calling even across town.

The DJ brought the outside world to you. They cracked jokes, told stories and gave information. Listeners under about 50 don't want that today. But they want to feel they have company... someone nice with them... a human presence. A DJ that is warm and nice sounding does that... one that seems part of your lifestyle.

But jabbering up to the post and talking faster than a 33 rpm record played at 45 is no longer funny; putting echo on the studio mike is not exciting; it is dumb.

On the other hand, if a show is entertainment and information by itself, such as Seacrest, the music is important but secondary in many aspects. But there are only a hand-full of Seacrests with fast access to the latest show biz gossip and news.

 

[TheBigA]

My larger point is the vast majority of DJs do not curate like he does, which makes their usefulness in this day and age quite questionable.

That's largely due to the kind of station it is, at least for now. That role may change once the station passes to new management.

I think I explained the role as it exists in the commercial world, which is very different from the non-commercial world. The stakes are also very different.

 

[Gregg.]

Wow. I can't get over that there were many posts saying DJs are not needed. We don't need a friendly voice as part of the listening experience. If we don't need chat, weather, the Dodgers' score, some cheering up, maybe we don't need local radio stations anymore, either.

Yes, Jack's charm is that there are no DJs, just a sarcastic, wise-cracking Howard Cogan giving prerecorded comments. But that's what makes Jack unique. You couldn't have an entire radio dial of Jack-FMs.

How much does it cost to have a DJ voicetrack a six hour overnight or a four hour Sunday evening. Maybe 90 minutes? That's too expensive?

Maybe millennials don't need or want DJs, apart from a morning host like Ryan Seacrest or Elvis Duran. But The Wave skews older, to an audience that likely wants a friendly voice.

 

[TheBigA]

How much does it cost to have a DJ voicetrack a six hour overnight or a four hour Sunday evening. Maybe 90 minutes? That's too expensive?

LA is a union town, so AFTRA minimum is $55,000 plus benefits.

The Wave has local DJs covering 18 hours a day, 7 days a week. I'd suggest that's just fine. Call your doctor at 3AM and tell me if he answers the phone. When I tried that, a recording directed me to 911.

 

[ChannelFlipper]

Wow. I can't get over that there were many posts saying DJs are not needed. We don't need a friendly voice as part of the listening experience. If we don't need chat, weather, the Dodgers' score, some cheering up, maybe we don't need local radio stations anymore, either.

Yes, Jack's charm is that there are no DJs, just a sarcastic, wise-cracking Howard Cogan giving prerecorded comments. But that's what makes Jack unique. You couldn't have an entire radio dial of Jack-FMs.

How much does it cost to have a DJ voicetrack a six hour overnight or a four hour Sunday evening. Maybe 90 minutes? That's too expensive?

Maybe millennials don't need or want DJs, apart from a morning host like Ryan Seacrest or Elvis Duran. But The Wave skews older, to an audience that likely wants a friendly voice.

On XMs 70s on 7, which does have several jocks, all of them very good (including Magic Matt who I believe was at KIIS for awhile in the 80s), they go out of their way to point out that the overnight shift is hosted by "Silent Mike". They even made TOH jingles for "Silent Mike", who of course doesn't say anything when it is his turn to speak on the jingle. It's clearly an "inside radio" joke, but you don't have to pay attention to hard even if you're not a radio insider to get it.

 

[CTListener]

On XMs 70s on 7, which does have several jocks, all of them very good (including Magic Matt who I believe was at KIIS for awhile in the 80s), they go out of their way to point out that the overnight shift is hosted by "Silent Mike". They even made TOH jingles for "Silent Mike", who of course doesn't say anything when it is his turn to speak on the jingle. It's clearly an "inside radio" joke, but you don't have to pay attention to hard even if you're not a radio insider to get it.

Of course, the target listener for the '70s channel is about 55 to 75 years old and heard energetic jocks playing those songs on the radio as currents.

 

[TheBigA]

Of course, the target listener for the '70s channel is about 55 to 75 years old and heard energetic jocks playing those songs on the radio as currents.

And those listeners are paying on average $10-15 a month for the privilege of enjoying those DJs and music commercial free. How much do you pay for The Wave?

I like that "Silent Mike" thing, though. I might steal that one.