102.1 THE KING

[kf4rca]

It's not the automation system (which is a computer) that determines the timing on sequencing the next event... that is done manually by hand by someone when each song is dubbed or copied onto the automation system. So if there is silence after every song, either they want it that way (the way Shulke did in the 70's with Beautiful Music stations) or someone has not done their job.

Sounds to me like they're running a mix of wav's (CD format) and mp3's. Automation software (that I'm familiar) with will run both in the same playlist. IF you convert a wav (from a CD) to an mp3 you will end up with 2 seconds of silence at the end. I edit it out in the conversion process so its audio to audio.

You're right about running spots making no revenue. Might be trade-outs. There's a major talker running a variable frequency drive repair spot that I'm sure is a trade-out.

 

[davideduardo]

Sounds to me like they're running a mix of wav's (CD format) and mp3's. Automation software (that I'm familiar) with will run both in the same playlist. IF you convert a wav (from a CD) to an mp3 you will end up with 2 seconds of silence at the end. I edit it out in the conversion process so its audio to audio.

Most stations use libraries that are "airplay ready" that they purchase from a variety of suppliers where editing of "dead air" at the start and finish is already done. Larger companies have songs for every format on a central server and they draw on the ones they need for each format. The server-based "originals" are very carefully dubbed in the company's standard format and are already coded (some to the extent of "start of intro" and "start of vocal" and "start of fade" and "end of fade" so that a jock has warnings. One example would be a sequence of flashes jut prior to the start of the vocal.

Purchased radio-ready libraries will have all the timings on the cue sheet. Intro time, start of fade, etc. They also provide all the necessary data for music licensing issues.

Some even accelerate the fade on songs that end with one, knowing that a slow fade will fight with the AGC in audio processing to bring it up along with the residual noise. Sometimes a slow fade is made into a faster one with a clean cut, eliminating several seconds of the lowest levels.

 

[TheBigA]

Most stations use libraries that are "airplay ready" that they purchase from a variety of suppliers where editing of "dead air" at the start and finish is already done.

Also the ones I know of come from a download site, not a CD.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

This thread is reminding me of things I hadn't thought about for years. Some markets had very successful Beautiful Music stations going back to the 1960's, way before the Shulkes and Bonnevilles of the world. Some examples are WPAT/New York, KPOL/Los Angeles and KABL/San Francisco.

A station that I've been thinking about was WGAY-FM in Washington, DC. No, that's not a joke. WGAY and its sister AM WQMR were owned by Connie B. Gay, a former country and western impresario. WGAY was one of Washington's dominant stations throughout the 60's and 70's. It used its own playlist and not one from a syndicator.

In 1973, WRC-FM was going to purchase Shulke and go head-to-head with WGAY using the WKYS calls. WGAY prepared for the battle by buying a new antenna. WKYS was never able to make inroads against WGAY and eventually went to a Disco format.

WGAY had a distinctive musical sig sometimes played between selections that reinforced what station you were listening to. Also, some of the selections were played by "the WGAY strings."

The format lasted into the early '90's. The station is now iHeart CHR Hot 99.5.