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Indiana's worst for...

R

Rocknroll

Guest
So which station is the worst in Indiana for bad automation or bad voice tracking or just plain bad satellite automation in general? The floor is yours, let the voting begin!
 
Technically there's nothing wrong but from a programming standpoint, Indy's Jack is boring. No personality. No local involvement.

> So which station is the worst in Indiana for bad automation
> or bad voice tracking or just plain bad satellite automation
> in general? The floor is yours, let the voting begin!
>
 
You know,

I have to agree with Steppinwolf....The Indy Jack! The format is a great idea, but nothing local, no talent, equals bad radio and its just "rude". "We play what we want". Theres this station back in my hometown of Chicago, and their slogan is "While Others play what they want, we play what YOU want".
 
> Technically there's nothing wrong but from a programming
> standpoint, Indy's Jack is boring. No personality. No
> local involvement.

Well I knew when i read the first post in this thread and what it was about and then saw that you responded to it i knew you would say Indy Jack. Why not include Evansville's Jack as boring, No personality and no local involvement

What is your problem with Jack type stations did you work for Gold before they canned the Oldies format for Jack so you just have a personal Vendetta against Jack.
 
> You know,
>
> I have to agree with Steppinwolf....The Indy Jack! The
> format is a great idea, but nothing local, no talent, equals
> bad radio and its just "rude". "We play what we want".
> Theres this station back in my hometown of Chicago, and
> their slogan is "While Others play what they want, we play
> what YOU want".
>
Chicago has a Jack. I Listend to it and it sounded just like Indy Jack. All Jack's are the same Except in Canada where they have Local Talent. Even the ABC Radio version of Jack has no personalites.
 
While I'd love to make a blanket statement and say the technical operations of certain owners are bad, that's not always the truth. In my areas, I nominate Wild 96.3 for frequent patches of dead air. The last time I saw their operation, it was all early Windows automation. I'm not sure that survived Y2K, as I haven't been around Lower Huntington Road since the very late 1990's.

As for the divergent JACK topic, remember that we radio professionals love to hear DJ's, as they're personable, interactive, and one of us. Not all listeners with Arbitron diaries or who spend money based on hearing radio advertisements actually appreciate the DJ. That's why JACK or any other format that's devoid of human interaction (i.e. automated locally programmed music formats with only liners and ID's between songs).

AS
 
> While I'd love to make a blanket statement and say the
> technical operations of certain owners are bad, that's not
> always the truth. In my areas, I nominate Wild 96.3 for
> frequent patches of dead air. The last time I saw their
> operation, it was all early Windows automation. I'm not
> sure that survived Y2K, as I haven't been around Lower
> Huntington Road since the very late 1990's.
>
> As for the divergent JACK topic, remember that we radio
> professionals love to hear DJ's, as they're personable,
> interactive, and one of us. Not all listeners with Arbitron
> diaries or who spend money based on hearing radio
> advertisements actually appreciate the DJ. That's why JACK
> or any other format that's devoid of human interaction (i.e.
> automated locally programmed music formats with only liners
> and ID's between songs).
>
> AS
>
I love to hear DJ's but I also love Jack. I don't mind that there is no DJ's on Jack. I don't even mind the stations that VT out of market jocks. VT out of market jocks is almost the same as using Satellite formats
 
>Yep....It's just a niche of I-POD/I-Tunes for middle aged pop/rockers who got tired of Classic AOR's limitations and added rock songs that charted with some edgier alt, r&b hits....The soundtrack of my age group's life (male and female's that grew up on the last great Hit/CHR/Top-40 era influence in the eighties)... All that's lacking is 'currents' and you'd have CHR with no jocks.....Hey? Wasn't that Drake-Chanault and other automated formatics of FM/CHR's in the 70's and early 80's??? WFBQ was like that in Indy, as well as WQHI (now WQMF) out of Jeffersonville/Louisville and WKDQ in Henderson/Evansville was that prior to live CHR and then Country.....
 
> While I'd love to make a blanket statement and say the
> technical operations of certain owners are bad, that's not
> always the truth. In my areas, I nominate Wild 96.3 for
> frequent patches of dead air. The last time I saw their
> operation, it was all early Windows automation. I'm not
> sure that survived Y2K, as I haven't been around Lower
> Huntington Road since the very late 1990's.
>
> GREAT POINT above... But, on another angle, I volunteer to program, engineer and run a New Rock/Alternative LPFM in the Evansville area that "ON PURPOSE" sets the elements to be played with all the music ending, and some short gaps between the liner, song and underwriting/non-profit ads...We found our 15-29 group listening like the "Anti-Radio-Radio" approach to this programming... Whatever the 'norm' is, you will have a small radical demo or psychographic group that wants the complete opposite, thinking it's cool.....In the ears of the beholder....>
 
"So which station is the worst in Indiana for bad automation or bad voice tracking or just plain bad satellite automation in general? The floor is yours, let the voting begin!"


My vote is for the Evansville's IDOT station, "The Mighty 530". I'm all for an informative traffic report, but please shut up and play some music!<P ID="signature">______________
The radio business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.</P>
 
In my local area, I say the worst are 3 stations that are run by Radio One Communications in Valparaiso: WXRD (103.9) Crown Point, WZVN (107.1) Lowell, & WAKE (AM1500) Valparaiso. All 3 stations run satellite programming much of the day. WZVN has a local show on from 5-9am, then it's WW1 the rest of the day, with news briefs at the top of the hour from 10am - 6pm. WAKE is 100% satellite as it runs the ABC Standards format (or do they call it Nostalgia?). It's also a daytimer, so at night, the station is only heard in Valparaiso and a few neighboring communities on 25 watts, to protect KSTP St. Paul, MN. And WXRD is also all satellite. I don't know which service they use, but their morning show is syndicated Bob & Tom from Indianapolis. Only WLJE has local staff for all dayparts except for the 7pm - 12am slot, which is syndicated Lia. The company does get involved with the NW Indiana area, but the staff is spread out for each station's involvement in the community, if they do a remote. Occasionally Jeff Sanders from Z107's Morning Mix will do a remote for WXRD, and Laura Waluszko from Indiana 105 (WLJE) will also do remotes for WZVN. It's nice they have some involvement in the communities, but it would be nice if they would have more local airstaff on their stations.
 
> So which station is the worst in Indiana for bad automation
> or bad voice tracking or just plain bad satellite automation
> in general? The floor is yours, let the voting begin!
>


WCLS 97.7 Spencer, it doesn't get any more boring and canned then this.
 
> So which station is the worst in Indiana for bad automation
> or bad voice tracking or just plain bad satellite automation
> in general? The floor is yours, let the voting begin!
>


Wow, yet another negative radio thread. For all the bitching that gets done on this little message board you think you could at least re-word it into something helpful like "Which station could use help in tightening up their automation?" instead of opening the floor for people to complain about radio and put in their "brilliant" programming skills.
 
> "As for the divergent JACK topic, remember that we radio
> professionals love to hear DJ's, as they're personable,
> interactive, and one of us. Not all listeners with Arbitron
> diaries or who spend money based on hearing radio
> advertisements actually appreciate the DJ."

Hmmm...on the other hand, the highest rated morning shows in Indianapolis in EVERY demo - and in every other other city in America - have recognizable personalities delivering entertainment.
 
Actually, I think Radio One Communications does a pretty good job with their automation at least on their FMs. I haven't listened to WAKE enough to come to any reasonable conclusion with them. Z107 and The X are pretty tight with their liners, magic calls, promos, etc. The music doesn't overpower the localized drops and the news and traffic updates, which are a necessity in that area during drive times also sound pretty decent. Granted, I live in the Lafayette area and don't listen to these stations on a regular basis, but I have heard them in many dayparts during the week and weekends and never heard any problems.

Believe me, there are plenty of stations out there that sound much worse when it comes to automation. My vote for the area goes to WMRS, "Sunny 107-7" in Monticello. The station's magic calls are done by the morning guy 24/7 and they always overlap with the satellite jock. For example, one that plays all the time is "The CD is ready...WMRS" Before the calls are even muttered, the satellite jock is already talking. That overlap really dismisses even an inkling of an imagination from the listener that the jock is really in-studio. I have to give WMRS some props, though. They are very community-oriented and have fun on the radio, which are two things you very seldom hear anymore. WMRS uses the AC format from Jones Radio Networks. Given their on-air presentation and music selection during live times, I'm really surprised they haven't moved to the Jones Hot AC format since it's now available in the area.

By the way to answer your automation question about WXRD, they use Jones Radio Network's Classic Rock format for all dayparts except Bob & Tom. Also unless things changed fairly recently, WAKE utilizes Jones Radio Network's Music of Your Life format. Of course as you mentioned, WZVN is on Westwood One's Bright AC format. I should note that out of all the Bright AC affiliates that I've heard within the past year, Z 107 is probably the best sounding station that uses the format out of every station. The only other station that captured the format's essence was WAZY in Lafayette when it used Bright AC from 1997-2000.
 
so what?

This may come as a shock to you, but radio people aren't the final answer to what listeners should like or want- LISTENERS ARE.

So what if radio people think JACK is boring? According to the most recent audience ratings, JACK is among the top tier of stations in Indianapolis.
Perhaps the great people if Indy LIKE a station that isn't all cluttered with typical DJ talk, dopey contests and token PSAs.

Not to mention, they are billing fabulously since they flipped to JACK (which was a major motivator to drop Oldies- to actually be like most other businesses and do everything you can to make a product people love and be profitable while doing so).

> Technically there's nothing wrong but from a programming
> standpoint, Indy's Jack is boring. No personality. No
> local involvement.
>
> > So which station is the worst in Indiana for bad
> automation or bad voice tracking or just plain bad satellite
> automation in general? The floor is yours, let the voting begin!
> >
>
 
consider the source

He's obviously a frustrated radio wannabe, Mike. Never really made it in our business, so naturally when a hot new format comes on WITHOUT JOCKS, guys/girls like him get really nervous, figuring here's another nail in my coffin as a jock.


> Well I knew when i read the first post in this thread and
> what it was about and then saw that you responded to it i
> knew you would say Indy Jack. Why not include Evansville's
> Jack as boring, No personality and no local involvement
>
> What is your problem with Jack type stations did you work
> for Gold before they canned the Oldies format for Jack so
> you just have a personal Vendetta against Jack.
>
 
> Actually, I think Radio One Communications does a pretty
> good job with their automation at least on their FMs. I
> haven't listened to WAKE enough to come to any reasonable
> conclusion with them. Z107 and The X are pretty tight with
> their liners, magic calls, promos, etc. The music doesn't
> overpower the localized drops and the news and traffic
> updates, which are a necessity in that area during drive
> times also sound pretty decent. Granted, I live in the
> Lafayette area and don't listen to these stations on a
> regular basis, but I have heard them in many dayparts during
> the week and weekends and never heard any problems.
>
> Believe me, there are plenty of stations out there that
> sound much worse when it comes to automation. My vote for
> the area goes to WMRS, "Sunny 107-7" in Monticello. The
> station's magic calls are done by the morning guy 24/7 and
> they always overlap with the satellite jock. For example,
> one that plays all the time is "The CD is ready...WMRS"
> Before the calls are even muttered, the satellite jock is
> already talking. That overlap really dismisses even an
> inkling of an imagination from the listener that the jock is
> really in-studio. I have to give WMRS some props, though.
> They are very community-oriented and have fun on the radio,
> which are two things you very seldom hear anymore. WMRS
> uses the AC format from Jones Radio Networks. Given their
> on-air presentation and music selection during live times,
> I'm really surprised they haven't moved to the Jones Hot AC
> format since it's now available in the area.
>
> By the way to answer your automation question about WXRD,
> they use Jones Radio Network's Classic Rock format for all
> dayparts except Bob & Tom. Also unless things changed fairly
> recently, WAKE utilizes Jones Radio Network's Music of Your
> Life format. Of course as you mentioned, WZVN is on
> Westwood One's Bright AC format. I should note that out of
> all the Bright AC affiliates that I've heard within the past
> year, Z 107 is probably the best sounding station that uses
> the format out of every station. The only other station
> that captured the format's essence was WAZY in Lafayette
> when it used Bright AC from 1997-2000.
>
I live in Z107's listening area, and I can tell you that one thing that is done poorly with the WW1 feed is, that at the top of the hour, if a song is still playing, the ID pops up right in the middle of the song, and then if it doesn't go local after the ID, then it plays a new song. When the station runs totally local, the top of the hour ID is run after a song has completed. It runs more smoothly when run locally than when run on the bird. I still wish that WZVN would run more local dayparts. Overnights could be automated locally, and for evenings, they could run a syndicated show like sister station WLJE does. The dayparts are off by an hour or 2 due to being run from California. Mike Tanner comes on at 9am, Gary Thompson at 2pm (might be typical of some stations), then Laurie Allen at 8pm instead of 6 or 7pm, normally when the evening daypart starts. For overnights, I forgot who at WW1 runs overnights, but the overnight daypart starts at 2am, and 11pm-12am is normally the time that overnights starts. I know some of what I mention is petty, but I don't like how the station is run, and don't listen to it.
 
> > Actually, I think Radio One Communications does a pretty
> > good job with their automation at least on their FMs. I
> > haven't listened to WAKE enough to come to any reasonable
> > conclusion with them. Z107 and The X are pretty tight
> with
> > their liners, magic calls, promos, etc. The music doesn't
>
> > overpower the localized drops and the news and traffic
> > updates, which are a necessity in that area during drive
> > times also sound pretty decent. Granted, I live in the
> > Lafayette area and don't listen to these stations on a
> > regular basis, but I have heard them in many dayparts
> during
> > the week and weekends and never heard any problems.
> >
> > Believe me, there are plenty of stations out there that
> > sound much worse when it comes to automation. My vote for
>
> > the area goes to WMRS, "Sunny 107-7" in Monticello. The
> > station's magic calls are done by the morning guy 24/7 and
>
> > they always overlap with the satellite jock. For example,
>
> > one that plays all the time is "The CD is ready...WMRS"
> > Before the calls are even muttered, the satellite jock is
> > already talking. That overlap really dismisses even an
> > inkling of an imagination from the listener that the jock
> is
> > really in-studio. I have to give WMRS some props, though.
>
> > They are very community-oriented and have fun on the
> radio,
> > which are two things you very seldom hear anymore. WMRS
> > uses the AC format from Jones Radio Networks. Given their
>
> > on-air presentation and music selection during live times,
>
> > I'm really surprised they haven't moved to the Jones Hot
> AC
> > format since it's now available in the area.
> >
> > By the way to answer your automation question about WXRD,
> > they use Jones Radio Network's Classic Rock format for all
>
> > dayparts except Bob & Tom. Also unless things changed
> fairly
> > recently, WAKE utilizes Jones Radio Network's Music of
> Your
> > Life format. Of course as you mentioned, WZVN is on
> > Westwood One's Bright AC format. I should note that out
> of
> > all the Bright AC affiliates that I've heard within the
> past
> > year, Z 107 is probably the best sounding station that
> uses
> > the format out of every station. The only other station
> > that captured the format's essence was WAZY in Lafayette
> > when it used Bright AC from 1997-2000.
> >
> I live in Z107's listening area, and I can tell you that one
> thing that is done poorly with the WW1 feed is, that at the
> top of the hour, if a song is still playing, the ID pops up
> right in the middle of the song, and then if it doesn't go
> local after the ID, then it plays a new song. When the
> station runs totally local, the top of the hour ID is run
> after a song has completed. It runs more smoothly when run
> locally than when run on the bird. I still wish that WZVN
> would run more local dayparts. Overnights could be
> automated locally, and for evenings, they could run a
> syndicated show like sister station WLJE does. The dayparts
> are off by an hour or 2 due to being run from California.
> Mike Tanner comes on at 9am, Gary Thompson at 2pm (might be
> typical of some stations), then Laurie Allen at 8pm instead
> of 6 or 7pm, normally when the evening daypart starts. For
> overnights, I forgot who at WW1 runs overnights, but the
> overnight daypart starts at 2am, and 11pm-12am is normally
> the time that overnights starts. I know some of what I
> mention is petty, but I don't like how the station is run,
> and don't listen to it.
>

Not petty at all, Dave, and I have to tell you, I definitely have to agree with you on how Westwood One runs Bright AC. The network has certainly gone downhill over the last several years. There's a Bright AC affiliate here in Lafayette, WGLM, and I have also noticed that the network messes up on backtiming songs and has to cut the last song of the hour cold with about a minute to go in the song in order to sync back up to the top of the hour. I can understand if it happens every once in awhile, but it seems to be happening more and more often. My biggest gripe about the format is the how they schedule the music. It seems like the network runs one...maybe two music scheduling clocks during the week. The whole variety factor gets blown out of the window when you're always hearing a new current coming out of the top-of-the-hour news option and that very same song plays at the very same time a couple hours later. I like the weekend programming, though. :)
 
> > > Actually, I think Radio One Communications does a pretty
>
> > > good job with their automation at least on their FMs. I
>
> > > haven't listened to WAKE enough to come to any
> reasonable
> > > conclusion with them. Z107 and The X are pretty tight
> > with
> > > their liners, magic calls, promos, etc. The music
> doesn't
> >
> > > overpower the localized drops and the news and traffic
> > > updates, which are a necessity in that area during drive
>
> > > times also sound pretty decent. Granted, I live in the
> > > Lafayette area and don't listen to these stations on a
> > > regular basis, but I have heard them in many dayparts
> > during
> > > the week and weekends and never heard any problems.
> > >
> > > Believe me, there are plenty of stations out there that
> > > sound much worse when it comes to automation. My vote
> for
> >
> > > the area goes to WMRS, "Sunny 107-7" in Monticello. The
>
> > > station's magic calls are done by the morning guy 24/7
> and
> >
> > > they always overlap with the satellite jock. For
> example,
> >
> > > one that plays all the time is "The CD is ready...WMRS"
>
> > > Before the calls are even muttered, the satellite jock
> is
> > > already talking. That overlap really dismisses even an
> > > inkling of an imagination from the listener that the
> jock
> > is
> > > really in-studio. I have to give WMRS some props,
> though.
> >
> > > They are very community-oriented and have fun on the
> > radio,
> > > which are two things you very seldom hear anymore. WMRS
>
> > > uses the AC format from Jones Radio Networks. Given
> their
> >
> > > on-air presentation and music selection during live
> times,
> >
> > > I'm really surprised they haven't moved to the Jones Hot
>
> > AC
> > > format since it's now available in the area.
> > >
> > > By the way to answer your automation question about
> WXRD,
> > > they use Jones Radio Network's Classic Rock format for
> all
> >
> > > dayparts except Bob & Tom. Also unless things changed
> > fairly
> > > recently, WAKE utilizes Jones Radio Network's Music of
> > Your
> > > Life format. Of course as you mentioned, WZVN is on
> > > Westwood One's Bright AC format. I should note that out
>
> > of
> > > all the Bright AC affiliates that I've heard within the
> > past
> > > year, Z 107 is probably the best sounding station that
> > uses
> > > the format out of every station. The only other station
>
> > > that captured the format's essence was WAZY in Lafayette
>
> > > when it used Bright AC from 1997-2000.
> > >
> > I live in Z107's listening area, and I can tell you that
> one
> > thing that is done poorly with the WW1 feed is, that at
> the
> > top of the hour, if a song is still playing, the ID pops
> up
> > right in the middle of the song, and then if it doesn't go
>
> > local after the ID, then it plays a new song. When the
> > station runs totally local, the top of the hour ID is run
> > after a song has completed. It runs more smoothly when
> run
> > locally than when run on the bird. I still wish that WZVN
>
> > would run more local dayparts. Overnights could be
> > automated locally, and for evenings, they could run a
> > syndicated show like sister station WLJE does. The
> dayparts
> > are off by an hour or 2 due to being run from California.
>
> > Mike Tanner comes on at 9am, Gary Thompson at 2pm (might
> be
> > typical of some stations), then Laurie Allen at 8pm
> instead
> > of 6 or 7pm, normally when the evening daypart starts.
> For
> > overnights, I forgot who at WW1 runs overnights, but the
> > overnight daypart starts at 2am, and 11pm-12am is normally
>
> > the time that overnights starts. I know some of what I
> > mention is petty, but I don't like how the station is run,
>
> > and don't listen to it.
> >
>
> Not petty at all, Dave, and I have to tell you, I definitely
> have to agree with you on how Westwood One runs Bright AC.
> The network has certainly gone downhill over the last
> several years. There's a Bright AC affiliate here in
> Lafayette, WGLM, and I have also noticed that the network
> messes up on backtiming songs and has to cut the last song
> of the hour cold with about a minute to go in the song in
> order to sync back up to the top of the hour. I can
> understand if it happens every once in awhile, but it seems
> to be happening more and more often. My biggest gripe about
> the format is the how they schedule the music. It seems
> like the network runs one...maybe two music scheduling
> clocks during the week. The whole variety factor gets blown
> out of the window when you're always hearing a new current
> coming out of the top-of-the-hour news option and that very
> same song plays at the very same time a couple hours later.
> I like the weekend programming, though. :)
>



good god...let's all get together and sing kum-bi-yah...
 
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