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Is the wolf's morning show voicetracking?

R

RadioGirl89

Hey Y'all,
I was wondering if any of you know/think that the 995 KPLX morning show is voice tracked? I had called last week- to try to get a hold of Lisa Taylor- since I haven't heard anything back from her in the e-mail department- and unfortunately, the day that I had called, she was on vacation. Today, I tried to call- because she is back from vacation- and nobody picked up the phone at all- but last week, I was able to get a hold of Ken. (and I called around the same time too) I called around 9:30, so I'm wondering if they don't pick up the phone's past 9?) because it just kept ringing and ringing, first it said that all parties are busy, and then I tried and it just kept ringing... so I'm wondering if they are voice tracking? I'd like to hope not, and hope they aren't, but it just came to me- when today nobody picked up the phone. Any thoughts on this?
Amber.
 
That's what I figured. (unless they are syndicated) Hmmm... maybe they stop taking calls after a certain amount of time then... Monday morning, I'm definitely calling back! :)
Thanks for getting back to me!
Amber.
 
You didn't know any better? For what? You didn't know what voice tracking was? Neither did I- until a few years ago, when I heard about it through a friend, and it was explained to me ferther. (when I was younger- I thought Delilah was live on the air) because the dj's would always say "Delilah's coming into the studio, up next" so I'd always think she was live in my area. Come to find out that I was waay wrong. lol. A lot of people, unfortunately, do not know the differents, or even know the signs of when someone is voicetracking, vs someone being on the air. Now that I know what it is- I always look for it when I'm listening to the radio- sometimes, I'll call the station, if I want to request a song- or something just to see if the same person is on the air is picking up the phone- or if they even pick up at all. When my friend was on the air (not naming names here) lol they would voicetrack- and they never took calls- so whenever people'd call the line's would be shut down- think there was one time that they actually were live and picked up. Otherwise, everything was voice tracked. (that's the only reason I was inquiring) but I didn't think they were being voicetracked, because I was able to get through the week before. Perhaps I called at the wrong time- so therefore, the phone wasn't answered. Oh well. :) I'll keep trying lol.
Amber.
 
Hi! It's like a show that is taped- instead of being live on the air. A dj lays down (records) tracks, and so that replaces them being live on the air. Usually, the phones are shut down, when you call, or a different person picks up who is not on the air. (or if the phones are down it'll just constently ring)And if it is cyndicated, because of the tape delay, you'll usually hear the same thing every hour. Hope this helps you. (and anyone can add to my explanation if you'd like) :)
Thanks,
Amber.
 
mrchris said:
Since I dont know what it is what is voicetracking?
Click to expand...
It's what Amber said, and it's also a way for cheap-a** companies to save money. Instead of paying a jock to work, one jock in Dallas (for example) can voicetrack other markets- allowing the company to fire jocks in OKC, Austin, Amarillo, etc...
 
Yes... that's right. :) forgot about that part. :) This might be a dumb question, but does one get more money if they voicetrack opposed to if they don't? Do people decide whether they want to voicetrack or does their manager/boss just go 'ok this is what were doing? Just wondering/courious
Amber. PS:
(I know that VT is very flexible with one's schedule as well) cause instead of doing a 5 hour shift- they'd really be doing like a 3 hour shift- that they'd be in the studio. (if a person works 2 to 7 they'd really be there from 2/5, and then they'd probably go home around 5) at least that's what a friend of mine use to do. I mean it's kinda scary because the dj can be sick and you'd never know, you'd think they are in the studio... um anyways, I appoligize for the ramble... lol.
Amber.
 
Voice tracking pays less, Amber. Far, far less. It enables radio stations to eliminate full time, live personalities and pay someone on an hourly basis for voice tracking services. Stations don't have to pay the big money, social security, benefits and everything else that goes (went) along with having a full time employee. In addition, jocks are paid for, maybe 1,2 or three hours when they've just voicetracked a five or six hour show! Is a live show 'better'? Not always, but in most cases, you bet. The sad fact is that most listeners don't really know the difference. So, you can understand why this has become so pervasive in the industry. Trust me when I say these things, Amber. I have direct, personal experience in the matter. Sadly, voice tracking is here to stay.
 
I am sure someone from Cheap Channel can explain voice-tracking or Emmis or Cox or just about anyplace doing radio as cheaply as is humanly possible. In simplistic terms, it's automation that is so sterile, clean and seamless, it sounds like someone is in studio doing the cut-in live. Radio has become the land of voice-tracks. Show up in the studio, spend 10-15 minutes doing the "drops" for your 4 or 5 hour air-shift so you can focus on doing more "revenue" generating tasks like paid remotes, spot production and in some small markets, sales!
 
Hey everyone! Thanks for replying- wow that is very sad. I'm hoping that I don't have to ever ever voice track... I really am... wow... all that stuff is interesting but quite sad. Sad what the radio industry has become. :( At least there are still some live shows left.
Amber.
 
RadioGirl89 said:
Hey everyone! Thanks for replying- wow that is very sad. I'm hoping that I don't have to ever ever voice track... I really am... wow... all that stuff is interesting but quite sad. Sad what the radio industry has become. :( At least there are still some live shows left.
Amber.
Click to expand...

I like your enthusiasm Amber. Hang in there! It's not all bad but it's a world of difference from the way it used to be and it's not all bad ;)
 
Follow that dream, Amber. There's a place for you in this business. You'll figure it out.
 
Happens pretty often that the 9-10AM hour is voicetracked on many morning shows...

If the station winds down the personality at 9:00 and plays more music in the 9-10 hour, it is very possible that the 9:00 hour is tracked, so they can take care of other business.

Haven't been to KPLX in maybe 5 years since Bobby Mitchell was doing the morning show. I wouldn't be surprised if told that they track the 9:00 hour. That would also explain why the phones went unanswered; no one in the studio..
 
RadioGirl89 said:
You didn't know any better? For what? You didn't know what voice tracking was? Neither did I- until a few years ago, when I heard about it through a friend, and it was explained to me ferther. (when I was younger- I thought Delilah was live on the air) because the dj's would always say "Delilah's coming into the studio, up next" so I'd always think she was live in my area. Come to find out that I was waay wrong. lol. A lot of people, unfortunately, do not know the differents, or even know the signs of when someone is voicetracking, vs someone being on the air. Now that I know what it is- I always look for it when I'm listening to the radio- sometimes, I'll call the station, if I want to request a song- or something just to see if the same person is on the air is picking up the phone- or if they even pick up at all. When my friend was on the air (not naming names here) lol they would voicetrack- and they never took calls- so whenever people'd call the line's would be shut down- think there was one time that they actually were live and picked up. Otherwise, everything was voice tracked. (that's the only reason I was inquiring) but I didn't think they were being voicetracked, because I was able to get through the week before. Perhaps I called at the wrong time- so therefore, the phone wasn't answered. Oh well. :) I'll keep trying lol.
Amber.
Click to expand...

One of the more famous incidents involving voice-tracking was when Valentine of Kiss FM Los Angeles was voice-tracking a CHR station in Dayton, OH for its morning show. One morning, Valentine said he has the Backstreet Boys in the studio. Suddenly, a number of young women showed up at the station hoping to catch a glimpse of them. BSB was in the studio all right...just not in Dayton.
 
RadioGirl89 said:
I'm wondering if they are voice tracking? I'd like to hope not, and hope they aren't, but it just came to me- when today nobody picked up the phone. Any thoughts on this?
Amber.
Click to expand...

Or maybe they just don't wanna talk on the phone. Hate to be blunt, but even if they're voice tracking, if they haven't called you back, that's probably the situation. Or even if they're live and they don't answer or call you back, same deal. Shouldn't jump to conclusions either way, but no one has brought up the possibility that maybe they just don't want to talk.
 
RadioGirl89 said:
...wow that is very sad. I'm hoping that I don't have to ever ever voice track...
Click to expand...

Amber: If you're lucky enough to get into the radio business, you should next hope not to be replaced by voice track.

@George: 9-10 AM VT must be a phenomenon. The classic hits station in New London, CT, whose host is live and local, is in VT mode come 9 AM (he even says "thanks for listening" at the close of the 8 AM hour as if he was ending his shift... but then, why even go there if you're still technically going to be on the air?). Anyway, recently, this classic hits station's sister oldies station just recently expanded the morning show an hour until 10 AM, and it sounds tracked during the 9 AM hour, based on how well the morning host "hits the post" on the weather bed reading the weather forecast.
 
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