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How are radio stations handling the coronavirus crisis?

S

ssetta

I saw the thread about college radio stations going jockless due to the coronavirus, but how are other stations handling it? I am currently listening to Easy 99.1 and Scott Reiniche is actually DJ'ing out of his home. This is something I've never heard of before, except for Delilah. Do you know what other stations are doing?
 
On our LPFM in Concord, NH.......one of the major talk shows will (starting tomorrow, 3/18) be done remotely from the host's home via Zoom........
Guests are lined up in advance (already done for the next 2 weeks!!) and notified by email; log-on instructions are sent to each guest.
Control of the automation (Station Playlist) is done via VPN from the producer's house.......
Right now, we're facing a double-edged sword ---- COVID-19 is messing us up having guests at the studio.......and our chief engineer is undergoing surgery on Wednesday (3/18) and will be
out of commission for at least 2 weeks.......(I'm the station backup in cast of tech troubles.....!!).
We're doing a "dry-run" of the Zoom setup today (3/17) at 10:00 AM EDT....hopefully it goes well!!
 
ssetta said:
I saw the thread about college radio stations going jockless due to the coronavirus, but how are other stations handling it? I am currently listening to Easy 99.1 and Scott Reiniche is actually DJ'ing out of his home. This is something I've never heard of before, except for Delilah. Do you know what other stations are doing?
Click to expand...

I know many talents who do shows from remote locations, including home studios. Even Ryan Seacrest visits the LA studio perhaps once or twice a week for a short period. While I don't know an exact number on this, the important point is that it could be expanded rapidly using "semi-pro" gear from most town's pro audio and musician retailer. A huge number of web streams and podcasts are done this very way, and the gear available today is very acceptable and marvelously inexpensive.

Here is an article that was just put on the Radio World site and I think it is fully accessible. It details the elements of having staff members do their shows from home if they are not already able to.

https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and...u5UcHXJVPQH51oWqQcve3NCFdtt+&M_BT=15920327841

It would be interesting to have other readers post shows that they know are done from home as well.

Rush Limbaugh, while not broadcasting from home, has a private studio just a mile away with secure, limited access.
 
Speaking of doing shows from home, Joe McMillan of WBMS and soon WMEX as well does his shows from his home in Maine I believe and they plan to have Larry Justice on WMEX (to debut 3-23) from his home in Florida.
 
raccoonradio said:
Speaking of doing shows from home, Joe McMillan of WBMS and soon WMEX as well does his shows from his home in Maine I believe and they plan to have Larry Justice on WMEX (to debut 3-23) from his home in Florida.
Click to expand...

Why do I have the strong feeling that, somehow, COVID-19 will mean yet another delay in the launch of WMEX?
 
Listening to 104.1 this morning and I heard Karson state that he and his team were all in separate rooms doing the show, so that is good.


I am wondering when ad sales or lack thereof will start to hurt radio ?


Anyone know where Matty is ?
Probably wiser to stay in his Florida remote if he is still down there.
 
New said:
Sponsorships being cancelled. This will hurt radio badly.
Click to expand...

Most of the companies have created task forces chasing down new business. There are two big thermometer companies that are major radio advertisers. Drug companies, insurance companies, and financial service companies. Certainly the food delivery services want to promote their services. People forced to work at home are thinking about home improvement. Retail had been a declining area for a while anyway. The focus now is on a service economy.
 
TheBigA said:
Most of the companies have created task forces chasing down new business. .. Retail had been a declining area for a while anyway. The focus now is on a service economy.
Click to expand...

This crisis will accelerate advertising trends I guess, but for the short term future I'm hearing of a lot advertisers cancelling flights. I really hope radio stations are able to weather this. Carolyn Morrell was let go after nine years doing middays at WXRV under the excuse of a sudden drop in revenue. iHeart laid off 10% of its workforce in January prior to this crisis - remaining staffers now shouldering extra work for no additional compensation - if revenue unexpectedly now drops even further.. maybe Bob Pittman will start entering traffic logs himself !
 
freqlost said:
Big O just said all 3 of them are at different location to do the OMF show.
Click to expand...

At Iheart, I believe Kevin Karlson from WZLX is working from home.

Matt Siegel is in Florida(Ft Lauderdale) from where broadcasts every winter. Typically he works at a studio but I'm guessing he's broadcasting from his winter home there.
 
I heard Karson & Kennedy will be live at 10AM today on 104.1 today.

Don't know if this is due to Corona or something else.
 
freqlost said:
I heard Karson & Kennedy will be live at 10AM today on 104.1 today.

Don't know if this is due to Corona or something else.
Click to expand...

It was, due to those concerns. Bosses thought it best to limit the number of people in and out of our building. FT'ers will be handling the weekend shifts until life gets back to "normal." So grateful for the PT staff at Mix and will be glad to have them back, as soon as possible.
 
Lite 105 Prov. has gone to a Christmas Weekend..
 
Was listening to KISS 108 after 10AM today and heard they were airing a WBZ AM 60 second news report.
Don't know how often they are airing them.
 
Talk 1200 still manages to play two things at the same time in the top of the hour breaks and then going long and rejoining their syndicated shows in mid-sentence, so they seem largely unaffected.
 
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