11Alive Morning Show Shakeups

[Mr11WXIA]

Jill Becker announced as they were closing their morning show that 4 morning news crew members were leaving as of today. Their audio guy, two MC operators (not too surprising since MC can be done by other ways), and their editor was retiring. Sounds like a cutback to me.

 

[notalkallstatic]

two MC operators (not too surprising since MC can be done by other ways),

I thought WXIA's Master Control was done somewhere else (HUB?) Or is it, that they are getting rid of their Master Control and going to a HUB, I can't remember.

Remember: Master Control and the Master Control Operators are the most important people in a television station. Sure, you can have the best servers and automation in the world, but someone has to be there for when they crash or stop working. If it wasn't for MC or MCOs all you would see is BLACK

 

[jal41]

I thought WXIA's Master Control was done somewhere else (HUB?) Or is it, that they are getting rid of their Master Control and going to a HUB, I can't remember.

The WXIA/WATL MC is at the new One Monroe Drive studios last I heard. There were rumors WXIA/WATL would host MC's (a hub) for some sister stations from the One Monroe Drive studios, but nothing confirmed.

Even if it is just WXIA/WXIA-DT2/WATL, automation probably eliminates the need for 24/7 constant MC monitoring. Troubleshooting can be done from out of state via VPN and Remote Desktop (even if the local station has the MC), and the newsroom is still staffed 24/7. If there is a problem:
- A viewer calls the newsroom to complain
- The Assistant ND calls the on-call technician (possibly out of state)
- The technician can VPN/Remote Desktop into the MC system and resolve minor issues. The engineer can be called for major ones.

Computer technology has come to the point where it seems pointless for stations with news operations to hub. Stations without news operations might have a problem (like WUPA, hubbed out of WGNT/Norfolk), because the phones are not answered after hours.

 

[FloydB]

Keep in mind the FCC still requires 24hr transmitter controls at all times. Even when the local MC at WUPA shuts down and gives control to Norfolk, Norfolk also has to have transmitter controls just in case the transmitter starts broadcasting out of spec. This, above anything else, is an MCO's primary responsibility: To ensure FCC transmittal compliance. However, this is saying that the connections at the hub is reading properly.