Ed Schultz slams Clear Channel Cincinnati

[microbob]

The automation problem was also on 1530 this morning between 6 and 7 am was dead air. CC Cincinnati is being sloppy on FSR since the frequency change.

 

[OKCRadioGuy]

First, the REAL problem here is CHEAPNESS. If CC would have some poor slob listen to that CRAP America program and run the board for 7 bucks an hour during daylight hours, we wouldn't be having this discussion. Instead, the robot programs a 50k blowtorch with whatever comes out. I bet the engineering guys have wayyyyy more important stuff to do that fine-tune and monitor Air Amerika. Where the fork is the P.D. of this excuse for a station? He should be monitoring and making sure things run right or ask engineering to fix it. NO AUTOMATION is EVER perfect, however it can be improved to be useful in most cases. Here's something else to consider about automation though. You go to all the trouble to get something to run right, with changes that occur from time to time screwing the pooch until the new problem is cured, then all be damn if the format changes. All the work goes right down the pooper. So, you've just wasted untold hours of a guy or several guys in engineering making in exess of 20 bucks an hour to come close to fixing a problem that could be cured with cheaper humans. Wouldn't it make more sense to hire a 7 dollar an hour guy to just watch the damn board? Instead, it takes a talent coming unglued on the air before attention is given to a situation. You know what's funny? I bet the STILL won't have anyone running the station, just the screw-up computer automation even the brightest can't keep running 100 percent correctly. Unlike music, there are soooooo many elements in talk formats that have to be executed at precise times to make it sound right it's a wonder it could EVER work under the 'bot. People will be yelled-at for the mess, but it'll be more of the same corporate radio crap. The guys at the top get more bonuses and the product just gets more pathetic. The reason terrestrial radio WILL effectively fail is because of this kind of appatethic, dismal, NO-ONE-HOME approach to radio. It SUCKS. You make your own crap-filled bed CC. Now you want more in each market to automate into nothingness? Fork you, CC and all the other clones creating drone stations nationwide. You take 50k stations and make crap of them, and now you want more?!

 

[TheGrudge]

I heard from someone very close to the situation that it might not be all CC's fault. Supposedly, Ed's side has sent double audio downt the line more than a few times. No one was really sure if it was all from Ed's side or if there was some sort of screw up at Premiere. Let's all calm down a little bit, stop telling people to "fork off" and realize that everyone in this situation screwed up a little bit, attributing to the overall forkedness of the program.

 

[Varulven]

Here in Boston Ed Schultz is on the very hard to get signal WXKS AM 1430
http://www.bostonsprogressivetalk.com

Ed will be in Boston on the 21st or 23rd of August, check the website. Wonder what his staff will think when they hear how bad the reception is on THIS Clear Channel station?

Clear Channel doesn't want Air America and the Jones Radio Network information getting ANY kind of signal in a blue state like Massachusetts. Makes no sense.

 

[brian65]

In listening (in Cincinnati) this morning, it seems like there is a new batch of Ed doing his own promos, and they are getting played quite a bit.

Interesting.

 

[FightingIrish]

Here in Boston Ed Schultz is on the very hard to get signal WXKS AM 1430
http://www.bostonsprogressivetalk.com

Ed will be in Boston on the 21st or 23rd of August, check the website. Wonder what his staff will think when they hear how bad the reception is on THIS Clear Channel station?

Clear Channel doesn't want Air America and the Jones Radio Network information getting ANY kind of signal in a blue state like Massachusetts. Makes no sense.

They're working on it. WKOX has a CP to increase the power, and from what I hear, finally have the go-ahead from the city of Newton to build a tower there (Newton resisted for a long time, hence the signal limitations). The anticipated signal should be very strong.

It's not all their fault.

And I'm sure AAR and Jones are well aware of the signal issues. Hopefully they will be resolved soon.

 

[johnnyrichards]

First, the REAL problem here is CHEAPNESS. If CC would have some poor slob listen ... and run the board for 7 bucks an hour during daylight hours, we wouldn't be having this discussion.

I agree with the sentiment.

There was a day when being hired as a board-op was a way to get into the biz and eventually work one's way up the ladder. Do robots get promotions?

I wonder, does anyone know how Mr. Parks broke in?

On another topic - is CC liable for make-goods on all the screwed up commercials?

 

[gr8oldies]

Technically, yes, if the advertiser or syndicator can prove it.

Believe it or not, this is not just a liberal talk or even CC Cincy problem; other stations and groups have the same issues. It is one of the downsides of the post '96 world..things that would have gotten someone fired from Sidney 20 years ago are pretty commonplace now. Would live board ops help? Maybe, but there's nothing more boring than board opping, and keeping people for more than five minutes would be a challenge.

 

[Toddy-0]

Maybe it's time to revisit the ownership limits again.

Can you say that the community is being served by no or limited local programming?

Look at 1985 and today.

1985 3 competitive radio news departments
2006 1 semi-working news (more rip-n-read and liner announcers)

1985 Head to head competitions (KRC vs WLW vs CKY, B105 vs 96, EBN vs Q102, WINK vs WARM/WLQA vs Lite95, WWEZ vs WLYK(?) )
2006 Clear Channel, Culumus

1985 Numerous disc jockeys, variety
2006 ??????? and ClearChannel VT

It's time to crank up the marketplace (ain't that the real excuse?) and time to kick start the competition (and dumpster dives). It's time to make the grand lady sing again.

 

[gr8oldies]

Try as one might, these particular scrambled eggs cannot be unscrambled, and even if the gov. could snap its fingers and pre-1996 limits be imposed (in reality, there would be decades of court challenges), its doubtful that the old system could be rebuilt. Then there's the whole idea of what constitutes "local programming"..if the "public" is just as happy with syndicated shos, why attempt to shove "localism" they may not want down their throats?

 

[punchbuggy]

"if the "public" is just as happy with syndicated shos, why attempt to shove "localism" they may not want down their throats?"

I just read an article in Time about the idea of Cuba after Castro. They used an example of a guy who works as a park groundskeeper. His home is the tool shed in the park, but he gets full health coverage for treatment of some expensive chronic disease, so he's happy. The point of the article was that many Cubans faced with the notion of life after Castro are nervous. After all, they have become comfortable with the lives they have made within the confines of communist restrictions; why change?

Just because the public seems happy enough with an inferior product they have become used to doesn't mean they don't deserve or wouldn't ultimately appreciate something more. If the products CC (and certainly other corporate radio companies) creates are high-quality, surely they can withstand a little healthy competition.

With apologies to Joey Ramone, "we need change and we need it fast before radio's a part of the past, cuz baby it all sounds the same to me..."

 

[gr8oldies]

Even if these stations could be pried loose from CC (doubtful), someone would have to have deep, deep pockets and go through a lot of trial and error to come up with local hosts who even have a chance of beating the established nationals. The present day WLW didn't get built in a day. Maybe if randy Michaels really does get the Infinity stations one will be talk..but he's gonna have to be in it for the long haul.