Audacy Traffic Eliminates Local Reporters

[RoddyFreeman]

Traffic reports on Audacy's Atlanta stations are no longer done by local reporters, most notably Will Gara, who had been in Atlanta radio for a long time.

The reporter I heard last week on Star 94 was not great. And I could tell he was not local when he mentioned "Chesh-eye-er Bridge Road."

This of course was not a surprising move for the obvious reasons. iHeart's Art Mehring does traffic reports for a lot of markets (and does a great job). But he's based in Atlanta, and his other markets are smaller than this one.

 

[jabba17]

Just wait until someone announces a traffic condition on or near Pon-say day lee-OWN Avenue in DeKaLLLb County. Or refers to GA 400 as US 19.

I still think of Roswell Road when people mention US 19.

 

[davideduardo]

I know that going back to the days of the original traffic report companies (Metro, Shadow, etc), each had a guide for new hires that showed the pronunciation of streets, landmarks and the like. I wonder if they still do that, or have they fired so many local people that they have nobody on staff who can help create such a guide.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Traffic reports on Audacy's Atlanta stations are no longer done by local reporters, most notably Will Gara, who had been in Atlanta radio for a long time.

The reporter I heard last week on Star 94 was not great. And I could tell he was not local when he mentioned "Chesh-eye-er Bridge Road."

This of course was not a surprising move for the obvious reasons. iHeart's Art Mehring does traffic reports for a lot of markets (and does a great job). But he's based in Atlanta, and his other markets are smaller than this one.

It takes learning, studying and listening to do out of market stuff and sound good. I'll toot my own horn and say, despite being an average jock at best most days, thats where I excel. I try to sound as local as i can.. local sayings, nicknames, abbreviations, etc

Example.. before I started working full time local for KLMI, I did the show from home and learned very quickly almost no one local referred to it as The University of Wyoming...... its You-Dub or You Double You.

When I was doing overnights for Local Radio Networks Classic Country format, I had one station that would let me toss out the localization they gave me if I came across something more important/noteworthy and a few times a did.

One night, I knew their local HS Ftball team was going to play in regionals, so i kept an eye things so i could announce stuff when my show hit the air. The Slaton Tigers would face off against the Refugio Bobcats. I *KNEW* that Refugio was not pronounced like it You'd think.. it was too late for me to call or text the local PD.

I went hunting youtube .. searching simply for "Refugio, TX" and looked for videos where the town name was spoke CLEARLY. Found one and listened to it 5 times

"Ruh-fear-ee-oh"

Edited to add: I also had a woman show up at the Rewind 92.7 Studios in Eufala Alabama when I did afternoons there because she said I did such a good job. The owner said I was working from home. (He didnt say home was in Wyoming!)

 

[CTListener]

One night, I knew their local HS Ftball team was going to play in regionals, so i kept an eye things so i could announce stuff when my show hit the air. The Slaton Tigers would face off against the Refugio Bobcats. I *KNEW* that Refugio was not pronounced like it You'd think.. it was too late for me to call or text the local PD.

I went hunting youtube .. searching simply for "Refugio, TX" and looked for videos where the town name was spoke CLEARLY. Found one and listened to it 5 times

"Ruh-fear-ee-oh"

Reminds me of a joke a work colleague from Texas once told me. Family from some other state was driving through Texas and stopped for hamburgers and such in Mexia. They'd been arguing in the car about how the town's name was pronounced, so when they came inside to place their order the dad asks the guy behind the counter "How do you pronounce the name of this place?" Counter guy says, slowly and clearly: "Daaaairrrryyyyy Queeeeeen."

Oh, and Mexia is "Muh-HAY-uh."

 

[secondchoice]

Just wait until someone announces a traffic condition on or near Pon-say day lee-OWN Avenue in DeKaLLLb County. Or refers to GA 400 as US 19.

I still think of Roswell Road when people mention US 19.

Just wait till they have to figure out which Peachtree has an accident. BTW there are two Roswell roads less than 4 air miles from each other.

BTW GA 400 sometimes comes up as US 19 on goggle maps. My son missed the exit at perimeter center coming home from a job interview. He called me and I said did you look at the signs. He said he did but the GPS lady kept saying US 19 and he didn't want to take the wrong road.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Oh, and Mexia is "Muh-HAY-uh."

I knew that too

 

[BoboKnight]

How much money does this save verses having one local reporter do reports on all 4 Atlanta stations?

 

[gr8oldies]

It takes learning, studying and listening to do out of market stuff and sound good. I'll toot my own horn and say, despite being an average jock at best most days, thats where I excel. I try to sound as local as i can.. local sayings, nicknames, abbreviations, etc

Example.. before I started working full time local for KLMI, I did the show from home and learned very quickly almost no one local referred to it as The University of Wyoming...... its You-Dub or You Double You.

When I was doing overnights for Local Radio Networks Classic Country format, I had one station that would let me toss out the localization they gave me if I came across something more important/noteworthy and a few times a did.

One night, I knew their local HS Ftball team was going to play in regionals, so i kept an eye things so i could announce stuff when my show hit the air. The Slaton Tigers would face off against the Refugio Bobcats. I *KNEW* that Refugio was not pronounced like it You'd think.. it was too late for me to call or text the local PD.

I went hunting youtube .. searching simply for "Refugio, TX" and looked for videos where the town name was spoke CLEARLY. Found one and listened to it 5 times

"Ruh-fear-ee-oh"

Edited to add: I also had a woman show up at the Rewind 92.7 Studios in Eufala Alabama when I did afternoons there because she said I did such a good job. The owner said I was working from home. (He didnt say home was in Wyoming!)

I was working at an AM that was running Westwood One Adult Standards in Ohio. Some older stopped in and wanted to leave something for one of the network hosts, Jeff Rollins. Of course I explained that as a smaller station, we use a service because we wouldn't be able to afford even one of these guys. But when a couple hundred stations like us pool our resources, we can bring you top talent while giving you news, sports, weather and farm.
I call that my "I ain't the Wolfman" moment

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I was working at an AM that was running Westwood One Adult Standards in Ohio. Some older stopped in and wanted to leave something for one of the network hosts, Jeff Rollins. Of course I explained that as a smaller station, we use a service because we wouldn't be able to afford even one of these guys. But when a couple hundred stations like us pool our resources, we can bring you top talent while giving you news, sports, weather and farm.
I call that my "I ain't the Wolfman" moment

We didnt hide the fact, but didnt freely admit to our syndicated hosts... but would if directly asked. Big D and Bubba were on our country station and people wondered how guys in nashville talked about local stuff. Our AC pure, later hot AC airstaff on the other FM were in Denver, among other places, and our standards staff were in Denver.. all of which wed tell people if directly asked.