KYW teletype sound

[dustintv]

Wow it sounds like an annoying film projector instead of the crystal clear teletype sound on WINS. They should just drop it.

 

[jmtillery]

There's no question the WINS teletype sound effect adds to the overall All News formatics of the station. Perhaps KYW should obtain a copy of the WINS SFX and incorporate it in the New Radio 1060 programming.

 

[DToTheJ]

Shouldn't be a problem, as they're owned by the same parent company...

 

[ajc_trw]

Wow it sounds like an annoying film projector instead of the crystal clear teletype sound on WINS. They should just drop it.

Do they still use teletype machines?

 

[landtuna]

And how many of the younger demos even know what a TTY machine is/was?

 

[AirUpThere]

Good grief, they're STILL using that old thing? I thought that would have gone out with the departure of Brinkley/Huntley on the Nightly News. Time to get rid of it. Upgrade to a dialup modem sound!

 

[DX]

It certainly seems to be an anachronism that KYW Newsradio still uses that teletype sound in this computer age. But hey, doubtless KYW has some research suggesting people subliminally associate the station with that sound! Interesting, the other "K" news station in Pennsylvania, KQV 1410, also uses teletype (not to mention the original newsradio sounders... the last time I heard!)

Whether Action News on Channel 6 or KYW Newsradio in Philadelphia, it seems Philly programmers tend to stay with the adage, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!"

...which makes sense, unless you compare KYW to Washington's WTOP, which has become a dominant station with many, many innovations. (The move to a great FM signal didn't hurt either!) Then again, the Mormons - LDS church - behind Bonneville International, which owns WTOP, lacked the usual corporate stockholder pressure, and had a vision.


One other point, Chicago's WBBM Newsradio - for many years - actually aired teletype noise live. A microphone was once installed in WBBM's wire closet, for the incoming AP, UPI, Reuters, and City News wires! A note on the glass door advised people NOT to talk loudly, let alone swear, near that wire room!

WBBM, like a number of the once CBS O & O news stations, gave up teletype ambience some time ago.

Merry Christmas to everyone who reads this board!

 

[jmtillery]

Realizing, understanding and appreciating technology advancements over the years to the current computer and internet age and the various changes in news and information gathering sources, there's still something about a teletype SFX in the background of a newscast, especially on an all news formatted station, that adds to the credibility and authenticity of creating the image said news station is THE trusted news authority.

Regarding young people knowing what a teletype is, my question is what is the median age of the average AM radio listener? Then I have to ask what is median age of the average news radio listener? I think you will find that the average all news radio listener is old enough to know exactly what a teletype is and it's function.

 

[landtuna]

I think you will find that the average all news radio listener is old enough to know exactly what a teletype is and it's function.

Perhaps, but you are answering a question that was not asked.

Interestingly, many news departments retained TTY-sounding intro and bumper music well after teletypes had exited stage left.

 

[jmtillery]

I think you will find that the average all news radio listener is old enough to know exactly what a teletype is and it's function.

Perhaps, but you are answering a question that was not asked.

I believe I did answer the following question that was asked...

First Q you had asked; "And how many of the younger demos even know what a TTY machine is/was?"

Second Q which I asked as a follow up: "Regarding young people knowing what a teletype is, my question is what is the median age of the average AM radio listener? Then I have to ask what is median age of the average news radio listener?"

A: I think you will find that the average all news radio listener is old enough to know exactly what a teletype is and it's function.

In other words what I was saying is I don't believe it is relevant that any younger person knows what a teletype is for the purpose of news radio SFX since the average core All News and News-Talk listener is a 40+ year old male. Most anyone 40 years of age and older should know what a teletype is, so, again, for news radio purposes, the average listener, in all probablity, knows and understands exactly what the teletype SFX is and its purpose. For this reason it is perfectly fine to use the teletype SFX since the format isn't targeting anyone under 35 - 40 yers of age.

To Summarize; Your original question warranted a follow up question which I posed. And in posing said question, I offered the follow-up response or "answer" to the original question that was asked. The question WAS asked, and I answered it.

 

[wbhist]

Having heard KYW Newsradio 1060 over the web, the particular teletype SFX used by that station sounds like a Model 14TP recorded off a phone line. I've become attuned to the different sounds of various Teletype models (14, 15, 28).

As for what WINS uses - it's from a famous sound effects library. As late as two years ago, KFWB in Los Angeles used that same sound - only from the left channel, folded down, and a different section of the same track.

 

[wbhist]

One other point, Chicago's WBBM Newsradio - for many years - actually aired teletype noise live. A microphone was once installed in WBBM's wire closet, for the incoming AP, UPI, Reuters, and City News wires! A note on the glass door advised people NOT to talk loudly, let alone swear, near that wire room!

WBBM, like a number of the once CBS O & O news stations, gave up teletype ambience some time ago.

WCBS Newsradio 88 in New York, for about a decade starting c.1972-73, also had a teletype SFX, likewise recorded in-house at their newsroom . . . sounded like a Model 28.

 

[landtuna]

I believe I did answer the following question that was asked...

First Q you had asked; "And how many of the younger demos even know what a TTY machine is/was?"

First, the "question" was rhetorical. You read more into it. No big deal.

Second, the assumption is made (at least by most people on this board) that radio needs to address the younger demos if it is not to become irrelevant in the near future. Advertiser dollars are not chasing older demos. All-news is the most costly radio format. If these are true then using SFX which only older listeners can recognize/identify with may not be the best imaging approach.

 

[jmtillery]

I believe I did answer the following question that was asked...

First Q you had asked; "And how many of the younger demos even know what a TTY machine is/was?"

First, the "question" was rhetorical. You read more into it. No big deal.

Second, the assumption is made (at least by most people on this board) that radio needs to address the younger demos if it is not to become irrelevant in the near future. Advertiser dollars are not chasing older demos. All-news is the most costly radio format. If these are true then using SFX which only older listeners can recognize/identify with may not be the best imaging approach.

Thank you for your comment and Merry Christams.

I believe there is more to the overall root of the situation regarding AM radio in general. I offer the following:

AM radio is on the decline, and has been since the late '70s and very early '80s, and losing listeners everyday. For All News or any format to attract a younger demo and ultimately survive with an under 40 demo, it is imperative the format, as most other highly successful AM formats have already done, move to FM. Top 40 moved from AM to FM in the late '70s and throughout the 'early '80s, and we are seeing a trend today with traditional AM News-Talk moving to the FM band as well. As much as I still like AM radio, the fact remains that younger demos under the age of 40, with very few exceptions, do not listen to AM radio. The standard band medium is an "older" demographic medium whether we like it or not. Hence, if the AM medium is to survive, AM owners have no real choice but to target the older demo if it expects to have any listeners at all. This is why AM stations program News, News-Talk, Music of Your Life, Adult Standards, Religion, Christian Teaching and Talk, and the list goes on. All of these format are older demo formats that you will find, again with very few exceptions, only on AM radio. And, although limited, there are advertisers who buy an older demo.

On the other hand, if you have any viable solutions as to how to best utilize the AM band in a way that will attract a younger demo, I, for one, would be very interested in hearing your solution.

Happy Holidays...

 

[dustintv]

Well I looked up on youtube to find the teletpye sounds.

This is close to the sound of what KYW is currently using:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LhCmg20Dqs


And this is close to what WINS uses and KFWB did use up until they dropped the all news format earlier this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwIhZwmHe2w

Notice how the second one sounds faster and less clunky.

 

[jmtillery]

Well I looked up on youtube to find the teletpye sounds.

This is close to the sound of what KYW is currently using:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0LhCmg20Dqs


And this is close to what WINS uses and KFWB did use up until they dropped the all news format earlier this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwIhZwmHe2w

Notice how the second one sounds faster and less clunky.

Hey, thanks for the memories. I haven't seen one of those in ages. It sure brought back many memories from when I first started in radio at a very young age. I remember quite well having to put on the rubber dish washer gloves to change the ribbon which seemed to be at the beginning of my airshift everyday I worked. I don't think anyone else at the station bothered to check the ribbons, so it usually fell on me to make the change. There were many occassions I was in a hurry and didn't bother to wear the gloves, in which case, I had the pleasure of having black ink on my hands for several days.

Thanks again.

 

[wbhist]

Notice how the second one sounds faster and less clunky.

I measured the Model 28 sound as 368 OPM, while the 14TP was about 361 OPM.

As for the SFX WINS and KFWB used, it was probably a combo of 28 and 15, with the 15 sounding like somewhere in-between the two extremes on this clip:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ml00ngVwrcU
Alas, as on here the 15 sounds likewise at 361 OPM. Furthermore, it would seem that if the TTY sound used by WINS was like the first example of that clip, a lot of EQ to brighten the sound was used.