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1070--Is Anyone Minding the Store??

Yep. You are right. No one was minding the store. The board-op failed to show up, and now he is the former board-op. The technical issues have been hammered out, and we feel pretty good about how we will sound moving forward. There are currently only two or three reasons left for sounding like crap. All are controllable other than the ESPN board-ops hitting extra relays or failing to hit a relay. Should that happen, we installed hourly GTL commands that will sync our AV clocks with the current time. That will correct any automation weirdness in under an hour. The GTL commands cannot run during spotsets, and the only portion of the hour where we are 100% certain ESPN will not be in a spotset is at the top of the hour.

The control is in managing the people. Training is ongoing, and the staff as it currently stands is excellent. Firing people is never pleasant, but we don't tolerate that kind of behavior.

We take pride in the sound of The Fan, and correct or eliminate problems. Hopefully, this thread never needs to see another reply.
 
Sandy the Clown said:
Firing people is never pleasant, but we don't tolerate that kind of behavior.

We take pride in the sound of The Fan, and correct or eliminate problems. Hopefully, this thread never needs to see another reply.
Click to expand...
I thought you got downsized in the last couple of weeks ???
 
Sandy-- appreciate the "buck stops here attitude", but haven't we heard this before?? Actions speak louder than words-- so get to work, boy!
 
Thought I might be more proactive this time in explaining issues, including one this morning. Over the last two weeks, the following three problems have caused us to sound like crap.

Faulty network audio card. No one is sure why this failed, but it did and was replaced.

Buttons for pot one and two on the board sticking in the off position. Audio scheduled to play in those pots aired as silent because of these sticking buttons. The modules have been cleaned thoroughly.

The Audio Vault computer failed this morning, and will be replaced this afternoon.

Two weeks ago tomorrow, a former board-op slept through his shift which caused all kinds of problems.

The causes of the problems are varied, and hopefully corrected. Nothing is more embassassing than this kind of nonsense. Our engineering staff is being very active in preventing these problems before they occur, and we should be entering a phase where we sound like professionals every minute of everyday.
 
Sandy the Clown said:
of nonsense. Our engineering staff is being very active in preventing these problems before they occur, and we should be entering a phase where we sound like professionals every minute of everyday.
Click to expand...

Yeah, tell Dinsmore to get with it, LOL!
 
And if you just get a real voice guy for your station, you will sound even better. Sorry, but who have now just doesn't cut it.
 
RDO said:
And if you just get a real voice guy for your station, you will sound even better. Sorry, but who have now just doesn't cut it.
Click to expand...
The great sounding voice that intro'd Garrison disappeared recently....the replacement is "ok", but the other one was perfect for the gig.
 
there was an ad that ran all last week touting the Mutual Fund Program at "7am Sunday Morning."
Only problem is--it's on at 8.
 
This morning at 5AM, WIBC 93.1 ran a forecast that obviously had been recorded a couple or three days ago. I'm used to this at automated, unattended stations, but at 93.1 WIBC? Everybody's entitled to a mistake, but I sure hope this was in isolated occurrence.
 
Most of those pre-recorded weather things are worthless. Unless it's from a very highly credible weather person, why do it?
 
Wow, reading through this entire thread is somewhat entertaining. I sure love the various excuses they have come up with concerning all of the problems. I'm in Northern Indiana and the small ESPN station in Warsaw hasn't had any of the problems this station has had, and they have 2 people that take care of that entire station-even with the clock changes from ESPN-no problems.... Interesting ;D
 
kwlz993 said:
Wow, reading through this entire thread is somewhat entertaining. I sure love the various excuses they have come up with concerning all of the problems. I'm in Northern Indiana and the small ESPN station in Warsaw hasn't had any of the problems this station has had, and they have 2 people that take care of that entire station-even with the clock changes from ESPN-no problems.... Interesting ;D
Click to expand...
You'd have to see this place...it's a mansion with dozens of racks of equipment on several floors...the potential for breakdowns & errors of omission are many. Like many places, they're cutting staff & relying a little too heavily on technology to get 'em through. Room for improvement? You bet. But it's not exactly comparing apples to apples when you look at a small station with a minimal automation system running smoothly vs this behemoth. I was there when it was built & I often stood in amazement that it was as reliable as it was, given the sheer complexity of it.
 
kwlz993 said:
[size=10pt]Wow, reading through this entire thread is somewhat entertaining. I sure love the various excuses they have come up with concerning all of the problems. I'm in Northern Indiana and the small ESPN station in Warsaw hasn't had any of the problems this station has had...
Click to expand...

Well, my stations did, kwlz993... WAY-BACK... in 1992—when digital live-assist/auto-pilot “technology” was just sliding out of the birth canal. By 1994, most of our on-air embarrassment could be attributed to simple and non-job-threatening human error/inattention. Yes, we lost two computer hard drives, which were manually backed up and quickly-replaced with a “dupe” that was shelved in our whopping 12x8ft “engineering office”, and could be reinstated within a half-hour while the live DJs played CDs and/or the sat was assisted. A lighting-induced power surge claimed ONE of our audio cards in TEN YEARS across three stations and four studios, while a spare patiently-waited on a shelf in the back room for near-instant insertion into on-air duty... Those are the only visits to the “Emergency Room” that I can remember. In every case, we had it covered – attended/unattended—courtesy of our Burke ARC-16 that even “phoned home” and demanded attention—at 3AM. :mad:

What I never encountered, though, was an op that considered his/her shift to be an opportunity to catch-up on sleep – nor did "channel one and two" on my $162 Broadcast Tools audio switcher ever "get stuck in the off position" and embarrass my stations for weeks-on-end :D ...What year are we talking about here folks? 2008/2009... Right? It appears that Monument Circle should be deservingly-flush :-[ The “problems” at our stations were resolved and didn’t linger and acutely-embarrass us in a way such as the 1070/93.1 operation that has racked-up 95 replies and nearly 4100 views here ::) Like you, kwlz993, I find this to be amusing yet very sad – but also edifying.

Understand, that there is an implied thriftiness in owner-operated smaller-market radio that “big corporate radio” sometimes chuckles about—until they find their own stock trading for 37-cents/share – and their lenders calling-in debt. Bob [who I have a copious respect for across nearly THIRTY YEARS], makes the point that 1070/93.1 may be the “victim” of “dozens of complicated racks of equipment on several floors” in a “mansion” in the broadcast biz. [Bob... Let’s do lunch some day my old friend, but you darn-well know the “itch ‘n stitch” that drives this thread”]. In fact [considering the aural services of Emmis’ Indiana Broadcast Network and a few ancillary ones I might not be acquainted with], Jeff’s “Monument Circle Mansion” basically houses ONE-less radio station than I have described and dependably-transmitted from ONE FLOOR and about 2800 square-feet [exemplary WLKI—Angola does the same with a few more square feet, bty]. We only had THREE RACKS at the “tail-end” [Mosely STLs and my perverted processing requirements included] housed in an auxiliary control room – again, on a mere ONE FLOOR!

‘Sounds like Monument Circle resembles the U.S. Army spending a kilobuck for a toilet seat at the fort – ordering twice what the grunts could ever poo-through – then become dismayed after the technicians needed to replace them have been laid-off due to budget cuts. Fact is, the soldiers [and listeners] CAN'T wait much longer while those who overspent on those seats try to figure it out.

BTW Bob, I’m in C’ville tonight on family business. Over the the last five hours that I have been making dinner, reading here, and composing this post; I have been enjoying one of your radio stations [1580 WIFE] on my Meduci 10kHz AM tuner... MUCH better audio than the HD-castrated 1070 WIBC – and NO technical gaffs of the nature we have been discussing throughout this thread... Gotta hit “post” now and fully-enjoy "Sweet Soul Music"/Arthur Conley... GAWD, I love well-transmitted AM radio ;D
 
BobOnTheJob said:
kwlz993 said:
Wow, reading through this entire thread is somewhat entertaining. I sure love the various excuses they have come up with concerning all of the problems. I'm in Northern Indiana and the small ESPN station in Warsaw hasn't had any of the problems this station has had, and they have 2 people that take care of that entire station-even with the clock changes from ESPN-no problems.... Interesting ;D
Click to expand...
You'd have to see this place...it's a mansion with dozens of racks of equipment on several floors...the potential for breakdowns & errors of omission are many. Like many places, they're cutting staff & relying a little too heavily on technology to get 'em through. Room for improvement? You bet. But it's not exactly comparing apples to apples when you look at a small station with a minimal automation system running smoothly vs this behemoth. I was there when it was built & I often stood in amazement that it was as reliable as it was, given the sheer complexity of it.
Click to expand...
So, Bob, are you saying that 1070 is "too big to fail"??? ;D

Following up on Kwlz993's post, I wouldn't mind an "eyeball QSO" with you after all these years...you can buy me lunch anywhere on Hwy. 31 between Franklin and Columbus. HINT: I have Never been to Arthur's Roto-Grill.
Jim N9EJR
 
Bob *off topic* [sorry]... I’ve been listening ALL NIGHT LONG to 1580 WIFE—Connersville while I have been working computer-side at my parents house. I plugged a Meduci 2000 wideband tuner feeding into bad-butt Altec-Lansing computer system with a sub... I’m jamming to AM radio, Bob... YEAH BABY ;D

This is BETTER than "FM quality" [NO high freq roll-o]... OMG - IT'S AWESOME Bob—reminds me of 'Super ‘CFL" with better base.... “Super Agent Man” is playing right now—AWESOME. Before a kick-bu** presentation of G Lewis and "Over 'n Over"... Then the cool ID at 2AM... Then "Take me in Your Arms ‘n Rock Me" [Doobie Bros]... "Over and Over and Over" - Gary Lewis, then... "I Just Want To Celebrate" [Rare Earth]...’Reminds me of Bubby Baron on 1360 WSAI – Cincy :)

The “Long and Winding Road” is playing now at 2:26 AM... AWESSOME audio AM quality! As I post, the BEST radio presentation of "Bend Me Shake Me" [American Breed] and "Superstar" [Temptations] ARE ON 1580 WIFE :) This is a gret station!

'Well-beyond Jim Lupus “Super ‘CFL” AM audio quality!

THANKS, Bob on the job... AM ALIVE!

GREAT JOB, Bob On The Job
 
Thanks for the kind accolades Hippo...but you failed to point out that your overnight listening episode was conducted during WIFE's 4.6 watt night power operation. The WIFE automation that never burps is a $400 package by www.stationplaylist.com that generates the music & airs it and does some remarkable voice tracking...everything from 5AM-7PM is voice tracked and frequently hits the post. It can give the time & temp as well, but they haven't utilized those features. It also auto-crossfades...no manual per-song set up required. I had the luxury of setting the automation computer & audio processor on my workbench at home for 2-3 weeks & tweaking everything to perfection after many days of listening. And unlike the Emmis Taj Mahal, I stood in front of this pile of electronic goodies, not in amazement that it works because it was so complex, but because it sounded so good & consisted of nothing more than a Dell Dimension computer with a good Sound Blaster sound card feeding a great audio processor. And somehow, at least to me, that feeling was more satisfying than seeing the Emmis machine churn out umpteen different feeds at once. Emmis may have many times more listeners than WIFE does, but none of those listeners have the passion for the product that you have for WIFE. And frankly, once Emmis moved to Monument Circle, I never had the passion for them that I have for WIFE. It's sad to say, but Emmis stopped being a fun place to work the day they signed the papers to occupy their current facility.
 
Another Indy station has had far worse problems. 1430 WXNT has run newscasts that are days old and weathercasts that are months old. They've run network newsclip audio feeds with countdowns and all. They've run double audio for long periods of time and no audio for long periods of time. They ran the same segment of a dated syndicated show in the same hour every weekend for months. Local topical Abdul commentaries have run way past their expiration date.

They have solved most of their problems now, but it took them about 5 years to do it. Not sure if they have a giant palace of a facility.
 
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