Altoona remotes

[stevewillett]

It was suggested to start a category on remotes. Do they still attract the listeners? Does the public still like to meet the DJ? About 10-15 years ago, I remember remotes being treated as an event. Mix 103 in Binghamton, NY really built up their "Giant Boombox" remotes. They showed up with free popcorn, Mix balloons for the kids. Sometimes they brought the Mix ice cream truck and passed out free Perry's ice cream cups. They also gave out free video rentals from the boombox sponsor "Video King". In Binghamton when I first went to WAAL (The Whale), they used to show up to remotes with free Snapple cold drinks, prizes, occasionally a prize wheel and made it a big event. When we retired the old Great White Whale Van, we did a 50 town tour (50 remote appearances) and had people write stuff on the van at each location before it was finally retired. It looked like a graffitti project gone wrong but it was a lot of fun. I found with corporate radio, many of these remotes turned into just plain appearances. I would show up to a remote with a competitor and they had to voicetrack the remote while they stood there for 3 hours. What are the remotes like in Altoona?

 

[whome?]

Crappy

 

[TarlekInSales]

It was suggested to start a category on remotes. Do they still attract the listeners? Does the public still like to meet the DJ? About 10-15 years ago, I remember remotes being treated as an event.

Remotes used to be something special for both clients and listeners because they were not overused. It was a rare occasion when a station broadcast originated at the business. With the increase in number of stations, more stations did them, more often, and they were taken for granted. You could go shopping on a Saturday and see every station in town if you drove around long enough.

They were thrown in as added value in exchange for a talent fee, and radio allowed sponsors to have a remote without a good reason. With the internet and new forms of communications, I believe remotes are as valuable as a cassette deck.

 

[stevewillett]

That's true, but if remotes went back to being events they could work. You can't have fun at DelGrosso Park over the internet. Give someone a reason to come to the remote and perhaps they will come.

 

[Kelly Watts]

Seeing this reminded me of the MANY remotes I did in Williamsport when I worked for WMPT, some were good and some were bad. A couple of the good ones that stand out I did a gas station opening for a new Sunoco at 6th & High In Williamsport. They had a live band and Go Go Girls. We had traffic backed up for a couple of miles in every direction and the station ran out of gas!

Another time we did Stanta's arrival at Loyal Plaza. We had two Marti frequencies so I had my team at the Plaza building excitement and I met Santa at the airport and flew with him in a helicopter to the helicopter using one of our mobile Marti's. I never saw so many people in my life.

By the same token I was supposed to do a live on air record hop on a Saturday afternoon in July. No one showed, it was just too hot. I actually had a couple of records warp on the turntable as I was playing them. Thankfully a thundersorm came along and the power went out! End of remote!

 

[AvgListener]

Remotes in altoona are pathetic a card table with a boom box a dirty ripped station banner and lame mascot. The only person that looks like their having fun is the sales rep who walking around an empty store because no one show'd up. Every time I see a remote I just laugh and think I'm glad I don't ha e to hear it since I have XM radio

 

[mstiltz]

Remotes in altoona are pathetic a card table with a boom box a dirty ripped station banner and lame mascot. The only person that looks like their having fun is the sales rep who walking around an empty store because no one show'd up. Every time I see a remote I just laugh and think I'm glad I don't ha e to hear it since I have XM radio

Last week on my way home I stopped at Exxon in Tipton, and Froggy was doing a broadcast, not much going on, just the station banner on a convenience store table, free snacks, a typical mascot out along the road, and the Frogman sitting at a table in the corner bored out of his mind. thinking if someone would just come in and do oh I don't know, a monkey impression or something waiting for someone to come in and spin the wheel. but i showed my support and talked to him, very nice guy. live action broadcasts aren't very lively. their really are not much to talk about. they hype it up but nothings really going on just like you said, Johnstown's broadcasts are even worse, but thats for the Pittsburgh board, but yeah, I agree.

 

[TarlekInSales]

I never understood why radio stations would use pictures in their media kits from remotes that showed the station card table, remote gear and the DJ, but absolutely nobody around. That pretty much says it all about remotes.

Remotes in altoona are pathetic a card table with a boom box a dirty ripped station banner and lame mascot. The only person that looks like their having fun is the sales rep who walking around an empty store because no one show'd up. Every time I see a remote I just laugh and think I'm glad I don't ha e to hear it since I have XM radio

Last week on my way home I stopped at Exxon in Tipton, and Froggy was doing a broadcast, not much going on, just the station banner on a convenience store table, free snacks, a typical mascot out along the road, and the Frogman sitting at a table in the corner bored out of his mind. thinking if someone would just come in and do oh I don't know, a monkey impression or something waiting for someone to come in and spin the wheel. but i showed my support and talked to him, very nice guy. live action broadcasts aren't very lively. their really are not much to talk about. they hype it up but nothings really going on just like you said, Johnstown's broadcasts are even worse, but thats for the Pittsburgh board, but yeah, I agree.

 

[stevewillett]

When I was in Binghamton, I can remember the glory days of the remotes. Mix 103 had their giant boombox and every remote was an event. Free popcorn, radio station logo'd balloons, free giveaways including free video rentals for everybody from the boombox sponsor, Video King. When I went to the Whale it was the Great White Whale Van and they were making remotes an event too. When the station decided to finally get a new van we had a send off for the old one. It was a one month promotion with 50 remote stops in just about every small town surrounding Binghamton where people were encouraged to show up and sign the van. It was amazing how many people showed up just to write something on this 15 year old van. By the end of the promotion the van looked like it had been attacked by graffiti taggers and a listener ended up buying the van. All it takes is a little creativity and excitement and remotes can get people to show up.

 

[stevewillett]

I forgot to mention that Mix103 had also bought an ice cream truck and would show up with free Perry's ice cream cups. Cost of the promotion? Used ice cream truck, paint job (or logo wrap) and free ice cream from truck sponsor.

 

[fryman]

You've got me thinking about possibilities for my fry wagon as it slowly winds it way down. It's been a good run but too many miles, too many repairs, state inspection problems. It's all beginning to add up to it's soon to be demise.

 

[AvgListener]

Wow went to panera bread this morning an hott 100 was doing a live action broadcast an no one is really at panera. I think it's keeping people away no one is talking to the jock Wow this is a hott mess