'DBO News???

[DXDXDX]

Understand...I am the self appointed, world's most vociferous critic of what is called "radio" today. The owners and managers wanted total automation for years with zero public service and a staff of one or two who were paid minimum wage. "Radio" today is what they got and what they have is rapidly "circling the drain".

I had the opportunity to play "listener" the other day. While returning from seeing a client and driving along 192 in St. Cloud and then later the turnpike I saw 10 Osceola County Sheriff cruisers headed east, lights and sirens. On the turnpike I saw a FHP cruiser headed south toward the St. Cloud exit, again lights and siren. Next morning I decided to tune to the so-called news station, WDBO to find out what happened. Nothing said. I called the news department and the girl said "we have nothing" and ended the call. Never did find out what happened. Anybody know?

Back when radio was worth listening to, here's how we would have handled my call and the questions are real newsperson would have asked me:

1. What time did this happen and did you say both 192 and the pike?
2. Are you sure there were two police agencies involved?
3. Did it appear they were in pursuit?
4. Did you see any ambulance or fire trucks?
5. You are absolutely positive there were eleven cruisers with lights and sirens?
6. May I take your name and number so that I can call you personally to tell you what I have found out?

Then, I would have called both OCSD and FHP and asked specific questions regarding this information. 11 cruisers with lights and sirens were not simply testing out their equipment!

Simply put, I would have pursued this information in exactly the same enthusiasm as would a salesman with a sales lead. It would have just required me to make some phone calls!

But then again, why don't we look at the content of the so-called "morning news". How much of it is actual real time reporting rather than pre-recorded features and promos for the interview at 6:20, 7:10 etc? Of the "real news", how much of it is re-written rather than simply reading the same story the same way all morning long? Why waste time playing the recordings of the 9-1-1 call? Most of that isn't even intelligible to the listener! What the hell news value is it? Oh I see...it takes up time and gives the impression of "so much" news coverage!

Like I said, radio is circling the drain.

 

[smedge2006]

WDBO seems to have dropped its weekend news updates in favor of cut-ins from Channel 9.

 

[NewsStud]

I had the opportunity to play "listener" the other day. While returning from seeing a client and driving along 192 in St. Cloud and then later the turnpike I saw 10 Osceola County Sheriff cruisers headed east, lights and sirens. On the turnpike I saw a FHP cruiser headed south toward the St. Cloud exit, again lights and siren. Next morning I decided to tune to the so-called news station, WDBO to find out what happened. Nothing said. I called the news department and the girl said "we have nothing" and ended the call. Never did find out what happened. Anybody know?

If you worked at a job where some Cox only paid you about 22k a year and you needed to do the job of what should be three people... you'd probably handle the call the same way.

Regardless, I have to say I'm still impressed with lil ol' WDBO. In a world where most non-top 20 markets have no stations with news departments, they still got one.

 

[ShadowFan]

One would think such a phone call would have raised a newsperson's curiosity and asked some questions could have been a story.

 

[Kabrich]

Radio does not do automobile crash play by play any longer. Those days ended 30 years ago when obits were also read on the air. If you wanted the 80 year olds, its a sure draw, but in the immortal words of "Dragnet", its "just the facts,mam".

Fact is, early every morning a newsroom calls all the law enforcement agencies and finds out what they have been working in the last 12 hours. If they did not give them anything on this, you can bet it was a false alarm. I often see 6-10 police cruisers with lights blaring - and virtually every time find out there is a false alarm on something.

Bottom line, that has no place on the radio.

If you are really that concerned, get a police scanner.

 

[DXDXDX]

Newsstud...

It doesn't matter if somebody is paid 22k or 220k it doesn't take much of an effort for somebody to pursue this potential lead...pick up the telephone and make some calls! Being paid 22k isn't a reason to NOT do your job. Although I do know you are right regarding the p--- poor wages! I am sure there are a number of radio veterans (from before the circling the drain days) who are living here in retirement who would love a part-time job paying 22k or even half that amount to come in and do the job right.

 

[NewsStud]

It doesn't matter if somebody is paid 22k or 220k it doesn't take much of an effort for somebody to pursue this potential lead...

You're assuming the newsperson is only just a newsperson. That person is probably also the board-op... and is probably baby-sitting the other automated stations in the cluster. They seriously might just be too busy doing the job of the other three people that just got downsized.

You're right... it's not hard to pick up the phone and follow up a lead. But I think too many people don't realize that with all these cutbacks, those left behind have extra work to do now and it precludes them from doing those things. I even once worked somewhere in that situation and was told by management that newsgathering wasn't the priority anymore; He needed me to do a bunch of other non-news things because they downsized other staffers out but the work needed to be done... and I was originally hired as an anchor.

Give'm some slack, is all I say. They're probably being overworked to the point they physically can't do everything.

 

[NewsStud]

Oh, and this...

I am sure there are a number of radio veterans (from before the circling the drain days) who are living here in retirement who would love a part-time job paying 22k or even half that amount to come in and do the job right.

You're assuming it's a part-time job. Knowing how stuff is done at WDBO, it's a full-time job paying 22k with no OT available.

 

[DXDXDX]

No I'm not assuming its a part time job! But a pro part timer with real experience and talent who is now out of the business can do a much better job working PT! I'm sure there are those living around here who would love the chance to get out of the house and back into the business if only the "skilled consultants" in Atlanta would allow somebody who knows how to do the job actually do the job!

At 22k for a full timer, that's a joke. We agree on that! But as I aid earlier, this isexactly what owners and managers wanted all these years and the current "product" of radio is exactly what they have. Sometime today I suspect I wil see that "current product" when I get up from a white "chair" with a hole in it!

Be good!

 

[TrafficMan71]

For the record, WDBO received that report and they followed up on it promptly. The news story is on http://wdbo.com/localnews/2010/02/father-of-escaped-inmate-arres.html. If you're a news person, you should know that the facts have to be gathered before you can just hop on the radio and speak. Not only that, the last thing that the news department wants to do is upset officials while something's in progress. Considering how sensitive the story is, they have to think about how it'll impact the community if it's reported too.

It's truly from my perspective, but that's how it's handled. Personally, I think the news department did a fine job with what they had to work with. They DO have a passion for news, regardless of what they get paid. If you love radio, you learn to make the best with what you get paid.